Superman: Red Son

The world learns that Superman is real and publicly aligned with a communist banner. The revelation destabilizes the early Cold War, shifting focus from raw nukes to the power of metahumans. Public fear and political calculations reshape alliances and surveillance around superpowered beings.

Olsen, representing the CIA, recruits Lex Luthor at S.T.A.R. Labs to stop Superman. Luthor's first act is to sabotage Earth's defenses by engineering Sputnik 2 to threaten Metropolis, escalating the arms race. The gambit plants the seed for his later clone project.

Superman diverts the satellite away from the city, averting catastrophe. From the encounter, Luthor secures trace Kryptonian material and uses it to forge an imperfect clone—Superman Two. The clone's existence introduces a dangerous mirror of Superman's power.

A diplomatic party brings together heroes from rival worlds, bridging intertwined destinies. Superman's path intersects with Wonder Woman, who is drawn into this new era of cooperation and complexity. Their encounter foreshadows future collaborations and conflicts.

Pyotr Roslov, the NKVD chief and Stalin's son, reacts to growing dissent with brutal measures. He orders suppression that culminates in the public shooting of a dissident couple in front of their child. The act casts a long shadow over his political legacy.

Superman experiences a chance reunion with his childhood love Lana Lazarenko, stirring memories of a different future. This moment deepens his conviction to wield his powers toward a utopian vision for his homeland. It marks a turning point in his personal resolve.

The United States answer comes as two Supermen clash, unleashing chaos. Their duel triggers a global crisis and culminates in a catastrophic misfire—a nuclear threat reaching toward Great Britain.

In a selfless act, Superman Two sacrifices his life to save countless people. The original Superman is left to grapple with the consequences of cloning and the ethical weight of his power. The event deeply scars the ongoing conflict between him and Luthor.

Discontent and ambition drive Luthor to murder key researchers at S.T.A.R. Labs, severing ties with his former allies. He rebrands his enterprise as LuthorCorp, dedicating himself to destroying Superman and consolidating power. The betrayal cements the rift between hero and villain.

By 1978, the world has hardened under 'Luthorism', including a disturbing form of population control through brain surgery that creates compliant 'Superman robots'. Personal freedoms shrink as the state tightens its grip. Superman maintains order with Wonder Woman serving as a trusted comrade rather than a lover.

Luthor's plan to shrink Moscow is intercepted by Brainiac, who instead miniaturizes Stalingrad. Superman intervenes to recover Brainiac's central processing unit and the city, ending Brainiac's collaboration with Luthor. The failure to restore Stalingrad becomes a painful stain on his conscience.

In 2001, Luthor and Olsen rise to the highest offices, unveiling monumental discoveries—the Phantom Zone and the Green Lantern Corps. A climactic confrontation with Brainiac looms as these new powers reshape Earth's defense. The balance of power shifts toward a broader cosmic coalition.

First Lady Lois Luthor travels to Paradise Island to forge an alliance with the Amazons. Superman contends with the Green Lantern Marine Corps led by Hal Jordan, while Wonder Woman leads the Amazon armies against a swarm of super-menaces. Brainiac's ship tears through the Pacific Fleet as tensions escalate toward a final showdown.

Lois Luthor delivers a pointed note from Lex: 'Why don't you just put the whole world in a bottle, Superman?' The two titans meet as Brainiac launches a last-ditch invasion. Superman pushes Brainiac's ship into space to save Earth, but the act leaves him seemingly dead and momentarily silent on the fate of the world.

The Soviet Union stabilizes under a new order forged by Luthorism, while Superman lives among humanity in disguise. Centuries later, Kal-L arrives from a time-traveling ship, hinting at a predestination paradox that will echo through the lineage of the two men and the world they helped shape. The tale closes with a sense of both salvation and haunting consequence.