The trope of making Superman evil is highly popular. DC has made their twists on their very own character, Marvel has made their interpretations of their own, and others are following pretty well. Even though it is a trend as a whole, it is still interesting and entertaining to see exactly how a character inspired by Superman will be evil. That is the refreshing part, yet with so many emulations, they could get overseen. However, two have stood high among the rest due to popular and successful shows. Those are Homelander and Omni-Man. Although these characters are completely separated from Superman, slight connections remain. Some more than others. Fans have enjoyed their new resurgence and sit on the edge of their seats to see what these characters will do to their enemies and how they do it. Needless to say, both characters are very popular and well-received, yet which one is the better evil Superman?
Homelander has Superman’s aesthetic; red, white, and blue. He even has the American flag as a cape to boot, which really embraces Superman’s motto of ‘truth, justice, and the American way.’ His powers are more aligned with Superman as well, matching strength, speed, flight, near invulnerability, and heat vision, which Homelander uses a lot. In the comic books, he is described as an alien, much like the Man of Steel. But in the live-action version of The Boys, that is completely removed. He was born on Earth with the abilities right out of the gate. This is where a twisted version of Superman’s upbringing comes into play. While Superman was found then raised by a loving couple as a regular boy, Homelander was raised, practically in isolation in a cold lab as a lab rat. Knowing the trajectory that both characters went through, their upbringing had a major impression on them. The loving environment produced a gentle soul. The harsher, more isolated environment produced a sociopathic danger. While Superman tends to reserve his godly abilities when it comes to fights, Homelander does not hold back. He uses his abilities to the fullest extent when he does use them, which means he uses his godly abilities to quickly dispatch his opposition. Even when they are not in physical use, they are still relied on to blackmail or intimidate other characters. A simple pat on the back is just as intense as seeing Homelander lasering someone in half. Which makes him a more psychological version of an Evil Superman. Homelander thinks ahead for his own advantage, manipulating everyone and everything around him to fulfill his endgame.
Omni-Man is the physical version of Superman. He tells the story of what if Superman was unleashed. Omni-Man also showed how quickly Superman, theoretically, could dispatch the Justice League, especially Batman. Although Omni-Man is missing the heat vision, most of Superman’s abilities are there for Omni-Man. And he too does not shy away from using the full extent of his abilities as well. With one swipe of his hand, he cut another powerful being cleanly in half. Something, Superman has the strength to do but is unwilling. Omni-Man is. And Omni-Man prefers the physical approach more than any other method. The Man of Steel may try to dissuade his enemies from committing horrible acts and then use his physical abilities as a last resort most of the time. Omni-Man is attacking first, then talking. Even when his opponent was his very own son, Omni-Man chose to physically beat him to a pulp WHILE trying to sell his ideas. This is due in part to being raised and trained as a bloodthirsty warrior from a very young age. Omni-Man answers a rare question what if Superman was more hands-on with deranged ideas? What if Superman was raised and trained to use the gifts he has to be a fighter and not as a beacon of hope? Omni-Man is the evil version of Superman who embraces the violent side of his abilities, no matter the opponent in front of him. His origin also acts as another twisted version of Superman’s. While Krypton was a progressive, Viltrum was a hostile planet. Both men are products of what shaped their planet. But one is the answer to how these abilities are used to protect, while the other is the answer to when these types of abilities are used to destroy.
Now, who is the better Evil Superman? That depends on personal preference. Homelander and Omni-Man show different, distinctive sides to an Evil Superman. They provide different routes of avenue for fans to choose from. The two overlap in large amount but their differences are what makes them captivating from each other and especially from Superman. Homelander is somewhat of the quieter approach to an evil version of Superman since he is more cerebral. Omni-Man is the flip side to that since his actions are more explosive. It’s in those two approaches to an evil idea of Superman that will persuade audiences to determine who is the best version of a malevolent Man of Steel.
