There are a lot of different Bizarro stories. I'll go with the most popular one - you may already know it. In this version Superman's #1 foe, Lex Luthor, creates a clone of Superman. Unfortunately, money can't buy brains, and as usual, Lex's great plan goes terribly wrong.
It seems that Lex did take into account that Supes is an alien. He assumed that Superman was human with amazing genetics. Needless to say, the cloning process is a disaster. The thing which is created is very loosely like Superman, but also not like him at all. His skin is off color, and he looks like a monster. Bizarro also has a slow wit, and difficulty communicating.
Even worse (From Lex's point of view) Bizarro wants to be like Superman, and he also falls in love with Lois. If I recall correctly, there is a story line that includes the creation of a Bizarro Lois who lives happily ever after with Bizarro.
Continuing with the "Like Superman, But Opposite" Theme, his "powers" are creative.
- instead of heat vision - he has "freeze vision"
- instead of freeze breath flame breath" instead of freeze breath
- instead of X-ray vision for all things except lead, Bizarro can only see through lead
- instead of superbreath, Bizaro has vacuum breath
- instead of seeing long distances ahead, Bizarro sees short distances behind him.
- Bizarro is vulnerable to blue kryptonite, but is fine with green kryptonite, which is lethal to Superman.
- Bizarro is actually strengthened by green kryptonite as opposed to blue kryptonite.
Bizarro has been portrayed as a somewhat loveable guy, and also as a terrifying an menacing villain. Either way, the message is similar to that of Frankenstein. Bad things happnen when humans try to play creator.
Thanks to Jenny from . . .off on my tangent. . . for hosting this weekly alphabet link up.
