Summary

  • Batman and Superman are taken hostage by the Justice League of Earth-22 in Batman/Superman: World's Finest #22.
  • Superman's former sidekick, Thunderman, lies to Gog and accuses Superman and Batman of being villains, leading them to be sentenced to imprisonment.
  • Superman expresses disappointment in his Kingdom Come counterpart and says that on Earth-22, the 'S' on his chest stands for 'failure'.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman/Superman: World's Finest #22!The 'S' on Superman's chest gains a dark new meaning thanks to an unexpected counterpart. Batman and Superman traveled to Earth-22, the setting of Kingdom Come, to rescue one of Clark's allies. But a fight with the older, more jaded Man of Steel redefines Superman's family crest for the worse.

In Batman/Superman: World's Finest #22 by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, Batman and Superman are under attack by the Justice League of Earth-22. Unfortunately, the combined might of familiar and unfamiliar foes is too much and Clark and Bruce are taken hostage. Superman's former sidekick Boy Thunder, now Thunderman, comes and takes the duo to face the judgment of Gog.

Batman and Superman Taken Prisoner by Gog DC

Thunderman lies to Gog and accuses his former friends of being Phantom Zone escapees or a trick by Joker and Lex Luthor. Gog sentences the heroes to imprisonment and as Earth-22's Superman comes to take his variant away, the Prime Superman defies his counterpart, saying that here, the 'S' stands for 'failure'.

Superman's 'S' Changes From a Symbol of Hope to Failure

Superman Says Kingdom Come Clark's S is for Failure DC

Superman's life changed when a young man named David Sikela came into his life from another universe. Clark took on the powerful lad as his sidekick, Boy Thunder. Unfortunately, David had a huge anger streak and showed no qualms about grievously harming criminals. Things got worse when an encounter with Joker and Key ended with Boy Thunder being sent to Earth-22, where he grew up to become the violent anti-hero Thunderman. Superman and Batman came to Earth-22 to rescue David but ran afoul of their Kingdom Come counterparts. Superman, in particular, was disgusted with his variant's careless actions.

Superman has made it quite clear that he does not like Earth-22. Rather than diffusing the situation, the Kingdom Come Superman has escalated every encounter based on Thunderman's lies about the Prime Superman and Batman. Superman has seen dozens of multiversal variants of himself, but rarely has he expressed such disappointment in one. It's no wonder Clark says that his symbol has a different meaning on Earth-22. On the Prime Superman's world, he works tirelessly to make sure everyone sees him as a symbol of hope. But in Kingdom Come's mad world, its Superman has failed to live up to the standard of what the Man of Steel should be.

Kingdom Come's Superman is Clark's Least Favorite Variant

Superman glares down at the world in Kingdom Come comics.

Ideally, Superman's symbol should be a universal, if not a multiversal constant, with everyone looking to the iconic 'S' and seeing hope. But as Superman discovered, not all Men of Steel are exactly like the Prime Clark and others don't share his values. While the symbol would stand for hope all across the DC Omniverse, the truth is the actions of other Supermen twist and distort what Clark intends his sigil to stand for. It's unfortunate, but on some Earths, Superman's symbol has a much more twisted meaning than hope.

Batman/Superman: World's Finest #22 is on sale now from DC Comics.