When one hears the name Superwoman, one immediately thinks of Superman’s counterpart, a crime-fighting heroine who is both gorgeous and powerful. In today’s episode, however, this is not the case. In DC Comics, Superwoman is also the name of a number of fictional supervillains.
They are all Wonder Woman’s evil or corrupted alternate-universe doppelgängers. In Justice League of America #29, the first Superwoman debuted alongside the rest of the Crime Syndicate of America. Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky created the Earth-Three Super-Woman, who we will be concentrating on. Superwoman is a cunning and brilliant woman capable of major deception and devastation. Her Lasso of Submission is wielded like a general’s favorite sword, guaranteeing that people are enslaved to her will. She certainly has a lot of different sides to her, which is exactly what we will be doing today.
Who Is Superwoman In Crime Syndicate
There are many parallel Earths in DC Comics, but none is more famous than Earth-3, which is home to the villainous Crime Syndicate. This version of the Earth has turned the even the goody-two-shoes Justice League into an evil dark mirror of the real world. It seems that every conventional DC hero has a wicked equivalent in this twisted world, except Wonder Woman. There is no evil Wonder Woman that we have seen so far; however, Superwoman serves as a wonderful replacement.
She had referred to Wonder Woman as “Dear departed Diana” in a letter in Crime Syndicate #2, implying that Diana is apparently deceased in this world. That would mean that there was once an Earth-3 version of Diana, but she has since vanished or is no more. However, this does not imply that the Diana from Earth-3 was a bad person just because Earth-3 is the polar opposite of the standard DC universe where evil triumphs over good. Unlike the rest of the Crime Syndicate, Diana might just have been too morally upright to be corrupted by Earth-3 and hence had to be killed out for the survival and functioning of their universe. This is the theory that, at least, I stand by.
Superwoman is a close second when it comes to evil Wonder Woman as both have a shared decent and similar weapon of choice – the lasso. Superwoman, like Wonder Woman, was an Amazonian. Therefore, she also has superhuman strength and flight abilities. This Amazon, however, was a rebel who departed Paradise Island out of her own free will after learning about the outside world, unlike Princess Diana, who was an acknowledged leader of the Amazons. Although Superwoman had been active for many years, the Amazons of Earth-Three had never attempted to recall her from the outside world.
In her later appearances, she is frequently seen with a white streak of hair, indicating that she was aging in later storylines, similar to the Wonder Woman of Earth-Two, who was deprived of her immortality by the Amazons for disobeying their rules and regulations. While Wonder Woman’s choice of weapon is the Lasso of Truth while Superwoman uses the Lasso of Submission. Unlike most/all other versions, her golden lasso could transform into any shape she wanted, even a huge, winged snake.
As mentioned earlier, Superwoman is a highly manipulative woman in this world. She is married to Ultraman, the most influential and powerful person in this version of the Earth. However, their relationship is neither very good nor healthy. She used to cheat on Ultraman with Owlman and, sometimes, Alexander Luthor, the enemy of the Syndicate, as well. She used to pit the men against each other. Owlman also used similar strategies by collecting evidence of Superwoman’s infidelity and threatened Ultraman with it. Since he is a powerful figure, it would be a rather shameful thing for the world to know that his own wife also doesn’t care enough about him to stay loyal.
As far as her abilities and powers go, Superwoman has superhuman strength, invulnerability, flying, speed, increased senses, and the power to live forever. She has the same strength like Wonder Woman because she is also an Amazonian. She was able to rip open the thick doors of Arkham Asylum with her power. The antimatter version of her is said to have heat vision as well, like her husband, Ultraman. The magic lasso of Earth-Three Super-Woman can change shape at will, while the antimatter Earth version can liberate people’s inhibitions. The antimatter version also has wristbands that can deflect bullets, akin to that of Wonder Woman.
Superwoman Character Evolution
Superwoman is regarded as Crime Syndicate’s most deranged member. In the silver age, she started off as a doe-eyed simple Amazonian who had discovered the wonders of life outside Paradise Island. However, she was never that naïve and simple to not be evil. This was her first-ever version. She lost her immortality like Earth-Two Wonder Woman as we see her with a stripe of white hair.
The Crime Syndicate first arrived at Earth-One because they thought their abilities were becoming weak in the absence of an actual threat. After being exposed to a hunk of Kryptonite, Ultraman gained the ability to gaze between worlds and discovered Earth-One. On Earth-1, Wonder Woman defeated Superwoman, and on Earth-2, Black Canary defeated our supervillain by tangling her in her own lasso.
When Superwoman accuses Black Canary of unfair advantage due to a vibratory force instilled in their bodies by Power Ring, she is taken to Earth-3 along with the other Justice Society of America members. Superwoman was vanquished once more by Wonder Woman in the fight on Earth-2.
Super-Woman would remain imprisoned between dimensions after being defeated by the combined forces of Earth-Two’s Justice Society of America and Earth-One’s Justice League of America. It will not be until Captain Comet and the Secret Society of Super-Villains pass through the dimensions, accidentally freeing her, along with Power Ring and Johnny Quick, that she can escape. However, Superwoman and her fellow Crime Syndicate members were once again imprisoned after being vanquished by Captain Comet.
It was only when Per Degaton and the Ultra-Humanite and his new time-traveling band of the Secret Society came to Earth-Three that Super-Woman and the Crime Syndicate could finally escape.
In post-crisis comics, Superwomen come from a parallel world similar to Earth. However, they are also located in an antimatter reality, as revealed in Grant Morrison’s 2000 graphic novel JLA: Earth 2.
Superwoman has continued to appear as a member of the Crime Syndicate sporadically, most notably in Justice League and Superman publications. In Justice League Quarterly #8, the Qwardian version of Superwoman appeared but only in a flashback. She has the same origins as the Silver Age Superwoman, but she is a Qwardian entity from the antimatter universe of Qward. According to Hal Jordan, this Crime Syndicate has previously fought the Justice League of America, Justice Society of America, and Captain Comet. After this issue, this version of Super-Woman and the Crime Syndicate she was a member of were never seen or heard from again.
Earth-2 Superwoman hails from Qward’s antimatter realm, but she is not a Qwardian. She was born on Damnation Island, but she is the last Amazon in her world since she killed her fellow Amazonian sister. In fact, when she met Donna Troy, she was overjoyed at the possibility of being able to murder another member of her kind for the first time in years.
After she left the island to explore the human world, she assumed the alias Lois Lane. She then began working as a reporter for the Daily Planet, which she refers to as “Patriarch’s World.” What became of the real Lois Lane remains unknown. This secret identity is similar to that of Diana Price, the alias used by Wonder Woman. Despite her co-workers at the planet despising her, she worked her way up to the post of editor at the newspaper. Superwoman in the Antimatter Universe is the first iteration of the character to mix Diana of Themyscira and Lois Lane.
The only citizen aware of the Superwoman’s true identity in this reality is Jimmy Olsen. He is a submissive sexual deviant who does what she says in exchange for the privilege of watching her change her clothes and receive pieces of them for his “disguise kit.” He is so enamored with her that he overlooks her taunts and insults, even when she publishes her insults against him.
A replica of Earth-3 was exhibited as part of the new Multiverse in Week 52. Characters form the original Justice Society of America, such as Wonder Woman, were included in the representation. The figure is not recognized in 52, but she is subsequently identified as Superwoman of the “Crime Society of America” on an alternate world: a reversed version of Earth-2 in Countdown to Final Crisis. Here, she is also married to Ultraman.
According to Grant Morrison’s comments, this parallel universe is not Earth-Three before the Crisis, making this a new character unrelated to prior iterations. Even though this version of her possesses Kryptonian abilities like being able to use heat vision, she is both a Lois Lane and Wonder Woman counterpart, just like the antimatter version of the character. The Earth-3 and Antimatter Superwomen, according to Grant Morrison, both exist beyond the year 52.
Superwoman and the Crime Syndicate’s whole history has been changed as a result of the DC Multiverse’s reorganization during Flashpoint. They are no longer from the Antimatter Universe; instead, they have returned to Earth 3, a universe dominated by villains rather than heroes.
The Crime Syndicate of America was revealed to be behind the Secret Society of Super Villains’ plot in Justice League #23 and planned to seize Earth-Prime for itself since Darkseid’s invasion. Superwoman and her companions pass the barrier between the universes and land on Earth-Prime after their plan succeeds. Her clothing has been changed; it is largely the same as before, but her lasso is now shaped like a barbed wire.
Owlman is depicted having a relationship with Superwoman in Earth-3 in Justice League #23.4. Ultraman will soon find out that her unborn kid is not his but Owlman’s, as he and Superwoman discuss in Forever Evil #2. However, it is revealed in Forever Evil #7 she says that the child is neither Ultraman’s nor Owlman’s, but rather Alexander Luthor Sr.’s. When Ultraman asks Superwoman why she betrayed him, she tells him that Alex is stronger than him.
Later, Alexander Luthor Sr. is killed when the Crime Syndicate is defeated. Superwoman is imprisoned when she converses with Wonder Woman and informs her that the baby has begun to kick. Superwoman is freed from ARGUS captivity by the Justice League during the Darkseid War narrative in order to assist the Justice League in dealing with the Anti-Monitor. Once she begins to give birth, she reveals that Mazahs is the real father of her son. I don’t know what you think, but honestly, I must applaud her for being able to keep track of whose child it is. Juggling three men is no simple feat, especially when they are dangerous supervillains.
Superwoman begins to give birth during the struggle with the New Gods. She is seen using her son to take the Omega Sanction from Lex Luthor shortly after giving birth to her son, as ordered by Owlman. Superwoman was demolished by Grail, who took the baby while Superwoman was busy gloating about her child’s newfound strength. Grail then used the baby as a host to resurrect Darkseid, Grail’s father, who had been killed by the Anti-Monitor.
The multiverse, Earth 3, the Crime Syndicate, as well as their members are rebooted following the event series Death Metal. The origins of the team and its members are explored in the 2021 Crime Syndicate series. This time, Superwoman is shown as a reincarnation of Donna Troy, who murdered Diana and was celebrated by her mother for it. Unlike the Amazons of Earth 0, these Amazons relish displaying their might and are prepared to conquer the globe.
Most Interesting Version Of Superwoman From Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
In the parallel dimension they lived in, Superwoman was one of the six significant members of the Crime Syndicate. She had a relationship with Owlman, a teammate she saw as nearly as sociopathic as she was, if not more so.
Superwoman is a Superman-like version of Wonder Woman who possesses some of his abilities. She is incredibly strong, nimble, durable, and has the ability to fly. She also has the ability to suck in large amounts of air and is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. She’s a natural leader and one of the Syndicate’s more formidable heads. Superwoman is the Syndicate’s only female leader, and she shares the title of most powerful with Ultraman.
Her first scene in the film shows her walking with the other Syndicate members in an attempt to apprehend Lex Luthor and The Jester, who are heroes in this universe. Luthor escapes using a technology that allows him to travel to parallel worlds, but his companion, the Jester, is captured and killed by the Syndicate. According to Luthor’s portrayal of his universe, the Syndicate has complete control over everything and has divided up the provinces that they rule.
The Justice League is sent to Luthor’s universe, where Owlman and Superwoman are present. The Justice League defeats the Crime Syndicate by a razor-thin margin. In this duel, Superwoman goes toe-to-toe with Superman. Later, Luthor informs them that Superwoman and Owlman are “dating,” an allusion to the comics in which Superwoman had a hold over both Ultraman and Owlman and exploited them at will.
Superwoman then begins to believe Owlman’s head isn’t in the conquering game, so she interrogates him for a few moments to learn his actual plan. When Owlman refuses to answer the question, Superwoman approaches him, encroaching on his personal space. As she approaches him, he stumbles, and she takes his arms on both sides, securing them on his desk. He gives in and tells her that he believes there is only one worthwhile deed to take if one has that much power. According to Superwoman, both Owlman and Superwoman are deranged killers who want to destroy all the worlds by destroying Earth-Prime. According to Owlman, by destroying Earth-Prime, all other Earths will be annihilated as well.
Later, she and Owlman stormed the Justice League’s headquarters in their reality, hunting for the Quantum trigger and numerous other Made Men. When the Justice League and Lex Luthor, she and the Made men start fighting them. While fighting, Superwoman made touch with three Made Men who are nearly as formidable as she is, forcing Luthor and the Justice League to flee the headquarters, which turns out to be a flying airplane. Then came the arrival of Superwoman’s Made Men. Superwoman instructed her minions to unite to launch a lightning bolt that permanently concealed the ship as the Justice League escaped in Owlman’s ship, flown by Wonder Woman in cloak mode.
After that, she and the other members of the Syndicate convened a meeting. Jedd J’arkus’ death was initially publicized by Ultraman. Owlman preferred to divide his activities, while Power Ring preferred to trade his members. Superwoman agreed with Owlman, prompting Power Ring to inquire as to who appointed her as the boss. Superwoman joked that he should arm wrestle for it, but Ultraman stopped her, declaring that the Owlman would keep his men.
She was one of the few Syndicate members who supported the construction of the QED, a weapon that would wipe out all life on Earth if the planet’s governments refused to hand over what little authority they still had to the Crime Syndicate. Owlman, on the other hand, had a much more sinister plan for the QED: to wipe out all realities that had sprouted from the one he dubbed Earth-Prime. Owlman was more psychotic than Superwoman, yet she decided to join in on the plot since the idea attracted her. Owlman’s personal ambitions for the QED were kept a secret by Superwoman, but her fellow comrades suspected her when Owlman took the QED to Earth-Prime without their knowledge.
Owlman eventually tasked her with tracking down the Quantum Trigger in the Justice League’s realm. While there, she and a handful of her men were confronted by Batman, who she described as “quite similar to Owlman,” and flirted with and kissed in a cruel and manipulative way. While she dealt with Batman, she dispatched Captain Super, one of her hired guns, to deliver the Quantum Trigger to Owlman.
She was torn between sending Batman to his doom and keeping him as her “boyfriend.” However, she was outwitted when she inadvertently inhaled anesthetic gas from a smoke grenade, knocking her out. Batman summoned his friends, who chained her to solid metal bars, to her dismay. Despite this, while torturing him, she broke one of his ribs.
When Batman transferred Owlman and the activated QED to a cold, desolate Earth where it would destroy that Earth without injuring anyone, she and the surviving members of the Syndicate were subsequently brought to justice. Ironically, Superwoman’s rifle had been set to that location during their previous encounter, making such an option viable. Despite leaking information about her lover’s scheme to the League, Superwoman displayed no guilt for her role, unlike the majority of her fellow members.
Superwoman is one cutthroat supervillain who feels no shame or remorse towards any of her actions. She uses all her charms and wiles to her advantage and keeps other supervillains wrapped around her finger. She can always get them to do anything for her without much effort. However, that is not to say that she isn’t strong herself. She is pretty strong and capable of much ruin.