Bizarro World (also known as Htrae, which is "Earth" spelled backwards) is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Introduced in the early 1960s, Htrae is a cube-shaped planet, home to Bizarro and companions, all of whom were initially Bizarro versions of Superman, Lois Lane and their children. Later, other Bizarros were added. Among them was Batzarro, the World's Worst Detective.
Contents
History
Pre-Crisis
In the Bizarro World of "Htrae", society is ruled by the Bizarro Code which states "Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!" In one episode, for example, a salesman is doing a brisk trade selling Bizarro bonds: "Guaranteed to lose money for you". Later, the mayor appoints Bizarro #1 to investigate a crime, "Because you are stupider than the entire Bizarro police force put together". This is intended and taken as a great compliment.
Originally a normal planet, Htrae is now cube-shaped. This is due to the intervention of Superman, who – after being convicted of doing something perfect on Htrae, which would normally be a capital offense – pointed out that the planet was shaped like a normal spheroid and agreed to cube it if his sentence were commuted.
Later stories introduced Bizarro versions of Superman's supporting cast, including Bizarro-Perry White, Bizarro-Jimmy Olsen, Bizarro-Morgan Edge, Bizarro-Lucy Lane, Bizarro-Lana Lang and Bizarro-Krypto, created by using the duplicator ray on characters other than Superman and Lois Lane, as well as the children of Bizarro and Bizarro Lois. There was even a Bizarro-Justice League and Legion of Super-Heroes: the Bizarro League and the Legion of Stupor-Heroes. Bizarro-Batman sported a Futility Belt full of cigarette butts, chewed gum, and other such priceless Bizarro treasures. Yellow Lantern had no power from his powerless Ring, was vulnerable to anything colored green and was the most easily frightened being in the universe. Bizarro-Aquaman could not swim. There is even a Bizarro-Marilyn Monroe, the ugliest of them all.
"Tales of the Bizarro World" became a recurring segment in Adventure Comics for fifteen issues from writer Jerry Siegel and artist John Forte, running from issue #285–299 (June 1961–August 1962). Animated Blue Kryptonite golems once erupted from Htrae's surface, bent on defeating the Bizarros and were cheered on by the Bizarro Lois duplicates.
Despite their differences, Bizarro and Superman have teamed up on occasion. One notable example happened in Superman #379, when a strange creature appeared to be devouring Bizarros. Fearing he would end up alone Bizarro tried to steal Superman's duplicator ray. Superman convinced Bizarro he would be better off trying to stop the monster before making any more Bizarros. The creature eventually devoured Bizarro, but Superman soon figured out that the creature was not trying to kill the Bizarros, but using their combined strength to defeat another creature which was trying to destroy Htrae. The first creature was created as part of a plan developed by none other than the Bizarro Lex Luthor, who Bizarro referred to as a "punk hero".
Post-Crisis
After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, John Byrne's Man of Steel miniseries rebooted Superman continuity. The editors and writers did not reintroduce Bizarro World in the reboot. Later, in Superman (vol. 2) #87, the second post-Crisis Bizarro clone creates a "Bizarro World" which is a warehouse made to look like a surreal Metropolis.
A Bizarro World did appear in a story of this era in the 1998 Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant by writer Tom Peyer and artist Kevin O'Neill. There, Bizarro demands that a technician at a SETI-like installation broadcast his diary. Having no choice, the technician looks over the diary, which retells the story of the classic cube-shaped backwards Bizarro World. Superman accidentally finds himself there and, to allay people's fears of him, goes on a "constructive rampage". The original Bizarro, aka Bizarro #1, goes to Earth and attempts to stop Superman with the help of his friends. However, when the other Bizarros try to kill Superman, #1 stops them, saying that killing is the earthly thing that they must, above all, do the opposite of. Realizing that, however strange Bizarro World might be, its inhabitants are safer and happier than those of Earth thanks to Bizarro #1's leadership, Superman apologizes. To show his sincerity he hides a copy of the Bizarro Code where nobody will ever see it. The people hold a parade in #1's honor and with his loving wife Bizarro Lois #1 and their son, Bizarro Junior #1 at his side, Bizarro cries saying "Me am ... happiest creature in universe". When the technician finishes reading the story, he sees Bizarro is gone and, horrified, asks, "What if the journal itself is no exception to the Bizarro Code?". Elsewhere, the truth is revealed; Bizarro, who has no home and has no family and is held in contempt by Superman, weeps because he is the most miserable thing in the universe.
The distinctive cube-shaped Earth of Bizarro World briefly appeared in Infinite Crisis alongside the other Earths in space. A close-up, labeled Earth-0, is seen wherein a smiling Bizarro is strangling a smiling Bizarro-Lois, with Bizarros Hawkman, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White standing alongside and laughing.
In "Escape from Bizarro World" (Action Comics #855-857, also published as Superman: Escape from Bizarro World), Bizarro captures Jonathan Kent and takes him to the cube-shaped world, prompting Superman to follow him. This version of Bizarro World was created in a star system with a blue star closest to Earth, by Bizarro by smashing asteroids together, with inhabitants created by firing eyebeams at organic life forms (first at himself to create Lois Lane) after gaining new powers from the nearby blue sun.
Known inhabitants
Bizarro – The Bizarro version of Superman.
Bizarro Amazo – The Bizarro version of Amazo. Unlike the original Amazo, Bizarro Amazo can distribute the powers he copied onto those who lack them.
Bizarro Ambush Bug – The Bizarro version of Ambush Bug. Acts like a normal earth human and is irritated by the presence of Bizarro Superman.
Bizarro Big Barda – The Bizarro version of Big Barda.
Bizarro Black Manta – The Bizarro version of Black Manta.
Bizarro Brainiac – The Bizarro version of Brainiac, who founded Big City.
Bizarro Catwoman – The Bizarro version of Catwoman.
Bizarro Computo – The Bizarro version of Computo.
Bizarro Doomsday – The Bizarro version of Doomsday.
Bizarro Jimmy Olsen – The Bizarro version of Jimmy Olsen.
Bizarro Joker – The only sane person in Bizarro World. He cries incessantly in comparison to the Joker's laughing maniacally.
Bizarro Justice League – The Bizarro version of the Justice League.
Batzarro – The Bizarro version of Batman who is the "World's Worst Detective".
Bizarra – The Bizarro version of Wonder Woman who has reverse powers.
Points of interest
Daily Htrae –
Fourtriss uv Bizarro –
Mutropolis –
Dali Planit (also spelled Dayli Planet) –
Other versions
All-Star Superman
An alternate universe variant of Bizarro World appears in All-Star Superman. This version is a sentient planet that Superman believes to be a manifestation of an entity called a 'planet eater'. Htrae vanishes into the Underverse, a newly discovered dimension, at story's end.
Adventures of Superman
A story about Bizarro in the out-of-continuity digital-first anthology comic book Adventures of Superman from 2013 by Christos Gage and Eduardo Francisco ends with Bizarro given the tools to terraform an uninhabited planet to his own tastes. There, he encounters an Amazon with chalky skin who introduces herself as Bizarra.
Earth-29
In Grant Morrison's Multiversity series, Htrae has been allocated its own alternate universe and is now also known as Earth-29. As well as its imperfect inorganic equivalents of Earth-0's core superheroes, it retains its cubic shape, although now possesses a ring as well. Other planets in its universe are also cuboid in shape – Narr (Rann-29), Raganaht (Thanagar-29) which is home to a flightless Bizarro Manhawk (Hawkman) and an overpopulated Sram (Mars-29) which is home to Smarian Snitch (Martian Manhunter).
In other media
Television
Bizarro World appears in Super Friends.
Bizarro World appears in Superman: The Animated Series and other related media. This version is an uninhabited planet that Superman allowed Bizarro to live on to do as he pleases and not harm anyone.
A version of Bizarro World appears in the Teen Titans Go! episode "Robin Backwards". It is home to the Bizarro Titans, led by the lazy Nibor, and feature Grobyc, a robot that is mostly human, Nevar, who is always smiling in contrast to Raven, Boy Beast, an animal who can transform into any human boy, and Erifrats, who is just as ugly as Starfire is beautiful.
A variation of Bizarro World appears in the second season of Superman & Lois. This version is located in a cube-shaped pocket dimension that can be accessed through the Smallville's Shuster Mines and was nicknamed the "Inverse World" by cult leader Ally Allston. In this Bizarro World as seen in the episode "Bizarros in a Bizarro World", Bizarro is a celebrity before a falling out with his family, Jonathan Kent developed powers and took the name of "Jon-El", Tal-Rho is an eligible bachelor who was on good terms with Kal-El, Lana Lang was a waitress who married Tal-Rho and gained superpowers, and Allston rose to power and took over the Department of Defense.
Bizarro World appears in the Harley Quinn episode "Breaking Brainiac".
Film
Bizarro World appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League. Here, Bizarro is sent to Bizarro World by Superman to keep him out of trouble. When Darkseid invades the planet, Bizarro steals a duplicating ray from Lex Luthor and fires it at Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), and Cyborg, creating Batzarro, Bizarra, Greezarro, and Cyzarro. Its properties were also shown to adversely affect Wonder Woman (who becomes unable to fly and is constantly tripping up), Guy's power ring (limiting him to only be able to fly and make chicken energy constructs), and Cyborg (who is constantly falling apart and needs to be rebuilt).
Video games
Bizarro World appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. It is featured as a DLC map where the Bizarro Justice League have to defend Bizarro World from Darkseid.
Bizarro World publications
In 2001 and 2005, DC released two anthologies featuring "bizarro" interpretations of the DC Universe by alternative cartoonists.
Bizarro Comics (2001) — Under the premise of Bizarro deciding to publish his own comic book stories; edited by Joey Cavalieri, with contributions by Matt Groening, Kyle Baker, Liz Glass, Chris Duffy, Stephen DeStefano, Jessica Abel, Greg Benton, Ariel Bordeaux, Ivan Brunetti, Eddie Campbell, Dave Cooper, Mark Crilley, Jef Czekaj, Evan Dorkin, Hunt Emerson, Bob Fingerman, Ellen Forney, Dean Haspiel, Sam Henderson, Dylan Horrocks, John Kerschbaum, Chip Kidd, James Kochalka, Jason Little, Pat McKeown, Andy Merrill, Tony Millionaire, Paul Pope, Brian Ralph, Jay Stephens, Craig Thompson, Andi Watson, Steven Weissman, and Bill Wray, among others.
Bizarro World (2005) — a second volume, also edited by Joey Cavalieri, with contributions by Jaime Hernandez, Eddie Campbell, Jordan Crane, Ariel Bordeaux, Charles Berberian, Peter Bagge, David Borden, Leela Corman, Mike Doughty, Todd Alcott, Aaron Bergeron, Farel Dalrymple, Kyle Baker, Dave Cooper, Ivan Brunetti, and Rick Altergott, among others
Bizarro Comics: The Deluxe Edition (2021) — collects Bizarro Comics and Bizarro World
In popular culture
The concept of "Bizarro" has been ingrained in popular culture where it has come to mean a weirdly mutated version of anything, not confined to characters in DC Comics publications.