The Crime Syndicate Of Americanote
Debut: Justice League of America #29 (1964)
The Justice League's counterparts from the Antimatter Universe or Earth-3, who are just as evil as the League is good. They rule their Earth with an iron fist from their moon citadel, the Panopticon.
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As a whole
- Adaptational Heroism: Crime Syndicate (2021) brought the latest incarnation of the Syndicate, and while evil, they are a step up from their New 52 and Antimatter predecessors.
- Adaptational Villainy: The original Crime Syndicate were villains, but nowhere near as brutal or perverse as the versions created after their destruction. The original group weren't so much "evil" as they were "bad guys," nor was their world a place where good and evil were switched and evil always won. The Pre-Crisis Syndicate were true friends who cared about each other, while the Antimatter and post-Flashpoint Syndicates loathed each other (except Johnny Quick and Atomica) and would've gladly abandoned their teammates had they no further use for them.
- Adaptation Species Change: Since the original Crime Syndicate were wiped out by the Crisis, a different version was created in their place. In 1992's Justice League Quarterly #8, it's revealed the Justice League and Justice Society encountered a group of Qwardians known only as the Crime Syndicate (not "of America"), wearing similar costumes to the pre-Crisis versions. It's unclear if even this version and their fights remained canon post-Infinite Crisis, though it was implied the Qwardians used the Antimatter Earth Syndicate's aliases.
- Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad: Explored thoroughly in the JLA: Earth-2 comic. Picture an entire universe where psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism are considered healthy behavior patterns, while compassion, empathy, and altruism are mental illnesses. And this isn't even a screwed up perspective either, it's literally how civilization functions on this world. This is why the Justice Underground are seen as such dangerous villains here, their unconditional kindness is a genuine threat to society.
- Back for the Dead: They were brought back to life by Perpetua to use them as pawns in her war against the Multiverse. During Dark Knights: Death Metal Multiverse's End, Owlman turns on Perpetua, kills his teammates and then himself after becoming reassured that once the Multiverse is properly restored, they'll be back to life.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Post-Crisis, just like how the Justice League always succeeds on main Earth, the twisted nature of Earth-3 and the Antimatter Universe means the Syndicate is always victorious, but only in their native universe. Outside of it, they will fail like any other villain.
- Berserk Button: Comparing the Crime Syndicate to the Justice League is a really good way to get on their bad side. An even worse thing to do is to confuse the two.
- Bizarro Universe: Their home is Earth-3 (later rewritten during DC's Post-Crisis period to be in Qward the anti-matter universe) where Earth history is reversed (Britain fought the Revolutionary war to gain independence from America, President John Wilkes Booth was assassinated by Abraham Lincoln, and so on) and everyone generally acts the opposite of their counterparts in the "normal" universe (i.e., all heroes are villains and vice versa). Also (Post-Crisis) the laws of physics are changed so that evil always wins.
- Another version of this morality-swapped universe is the post-Infinite Crisis Earth-3 which differs slightly from the antimatter version. It's supposed to be the morality-swapped version of Earth-2, while the antimatter universe is the morality-swapped version of the main Earth.
- Following the New 52 relaunch, Earth-3 is the moral inverse of the main Earth (retconning the plan to have Earth-3 be an inverted Earth-2), while Earth-29 is a Bizarro universe where everything's the opposite of the main DCU and Bizarro is the main (sort of) hero.
- The Infinite Frontier Earth-3 is a downplayed variant of its New 52 counterpart more in line with a proper Mirror Universe - featuring villains whose origins and backstories more closely parallel their good counterparts, just with evil-inducing consequences.
- The Bus Came Back: The Green Lantern Season Two #8 reveals the Antimatter Crime Syndicate and their Earth still exist within Qward, separate from the new Earth-3 Crime Syndicate.
- Card-Carrying Villains: All versions, but the Post-Crisis and N52 Syndicates were of a much darker variety than the pre-Crisis Syndicate.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The original Crime Syndicate established in the Silver Age weren't a straight-up Mirror Universe counterpart to the Justice League, with Earth-3 merely being a world where the Crime Syndicate were the only existing super-powered beings in addition to being evil and certain major historical events occurring in an opposite manner to how they unfolded in the regular universe. It wasn't until the first Annual of DC Comics Presents, where the Earth-One and Earth-Two Supermen teamed up against their respective Luthors and Ultraman, that a heroic equivalent to Lex Luthor was confirmed to exist, and most interpretations of the Crime Syndicate's universe since then would establish it to be inhabited by villainous versions of the regular DC Universe's heroes and conversely heroic versions of the regular reality's villains.
- Evil Counterpart: To the entire Justice League of America.
- Good Is Dumb: The heroes of the Infinite Frontier Earth-3 are portrayed as meek greenhorns whose lack of experience and clashing personalities prevent them from truly standing up to the Crime Syndicate. Could possibly be justified as this universe operates on the standards that compassion and selflessness are considered mental illnesses.
- Heroic Sacrifice: The pre-Crisis Syndicate died trying to save their world from being destroyed.
- Ideal Hero: A twisted Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad example. In JLA: Earth-2, the Justice League eventually conclude that the Syndicate isn't the sole reason their world is so screwed up and that the entire universe operates on this mentality. Alexander Luthor and the League can only make some noise and cause trouble, but won't have a lasting positive impact because concepts like hatred, fear, and domination are venerated as the noblest callings people can aspire to. By this logic, the Syndicate are icons of their world's highest cultural values, while Alexander Luthor and the Justice Underground are maniacs who shake up the status quo with their delusions.
- Joker Immunity: They appear in every iteration of the multiverse, even during the time when Earth-3 was destroyed via the Antimatter Universe. Death Metal has Owlman come to the realization that the Crime Syndicate are the true evil reflections of the Justice League and are too good of an idea to let die, unlike the Dark Multiverse worlds, which will flicker out of existence because they're fleeting nightmares. Indeed, the New 52 iteration was destroyed by the Anti-Monitor, but was later brought back seemingly on its own.
- Kick the Dog: The Post-Crisis version enjoys throwing counterfeit money on the people of Earth to see them beat each other up for money. When a man in the crowd realizes the money's fake and loudly curses the Syndicate, an irritated Ultraman snipes him with heat vision.
- Logical Weakness: They're able to match with the heroes they are counterparts of. So naturally, throwing in a hero that the Syndicate doesn't have a counterpart to (i.e., Aquaman, Martian Manhunter), or the Justice League teaming up with another superhero team (such as the Justice Society of America of Earth-2) is a good way to guarantee their defeat.
- Oh, Crap!: In their first appearance, they were trapped between dimensions in a bubble of Green Lantern energy that got nicknamed, "the Devil's Island of Space". All this meant was that, for them to break free, something big was going down.
- The Psycho Rangers: Emphasis on psycho on the recent incarnations of the Crime society. They serve as a villainous foil to the heroic Justice League.
- Sacrificial Lion: The pre-Crisis Syndicate, not to mention their entire universe, are killed in the opening of Crisis on Infinite Earths to show that anyone can die, regardless of how powerful they are (and also, as part of DC's cleaning house of multiverses).
- Sixth Ranger: Usually, the team tends to stick to a core five of evil Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash. Forever Evil added evil versions of Aquaman (Sea King), Atom (Atomica), Firestorm (Deathstorm), and Alfred Pennyworth (the Outsider).
- Then Let Me Be Evil: The Recurring Element of the Infinite Frontier Crime Syndicate. Most of the groups' backstories very closely mirror their Justice League counterparts in some fashion, only for a significantly traumatic event/realization to finally shift them over the edge.
- Victory Is Boring: Post-Crisis, they're introduced sitting around bored out of their minds searching for something to do. Owlman had been secretly fomenting and supplying a rebellion in China for a week's diversion at least and is royally pissed Johnny Quick unwittingly dismantled it.
- Villain Forgot to Level Grind: A consistent issue for them. They either have no other superhumans on their level or always kill the ones they do find, so they're not used to an extended challenge. Their earliest appearance had them invade Earth-1 explicitly because they felt themselves becoming complacent with total domination and seeking a real challenge. The main thing they have going for them against the Justice League is the element of surprise, and they don't often last long if they can't manage to get away and regroup.
- Villainous Friendship: What they had in the pre-crisis incarnations, they respected and trusted each other. Nowadays they are pure Teeth-Clenched Teamwork without the teamwork, who hate their enemies only marginally more than they hate each other.
- Xtremely Kool Letterz: America of the Antimatter Earth is spelled Amerika.
- You Owe Me: The closest thing to a moral and honor code in the anti-matter world is what's known as a 'favor bank'. If you owe someone a favor then you are bound to repay it no matter what. It's the one rule nobody will break. Coming to the normal universe and finding people willing to do things for others without owing anything or even settling other people's favors is odd and disturbing to the syndicate.
Ultraman
Infinite Frontier Ultraman
Click here to see the New 52 Ultraman
Click here to see Post-Crisis Ultraman
Click here to see Pre-Crisis Ultraman
- AKA: Kal-Ul (Pre-Crisis), Lieutenant Clark Kent (Post-Crisis), Clark Kent/Kal-Il (New 52), Kal-El (Infinite Fronter)
One of Superman's first and best known evil counterparts, Ultraman is a criminal from an alternate universe who gains his powers by being exposed to Kryptonite. There have been three versions so far:
The Pre-Crisis incarnation hailed from the partially-reversed world of Earth-3. He was Kal-Ul, an evil Kryptonian from Krypton-3, and one of the five founding members of the Crime Syndicate of America. Every time he was exposed to Green Kryptonite he gained a new superpower, and was the member of the Crime Syndicate who revealed the existence of Earths 1 & 2 to the others. He fought Superman both as a member of the Crime Syndicate, and in alliance with Lex Luthor of Earth-1 and Alexei Luthor of Earth-2, earning the undying enmity of his Earth's Alexander Luthor Senior in the process. He died during the Crisis when the antimatter wave destroyed Earth-3, but made a few appearances Post-Crisis despite this, as The Dragon in a Supergirl story set in Kandor and as a member of the Crime Society of America on the new Earth-Three that was revealed during the events of 52.
The Post-Crisis variant hailed from an Anti-Matter Universe. He was a human astronaut named Clark Kent who suffered an accident in space and was rebuilt by aliens who didn't understand human anatomy. Now criminally insane and powered by exposure to Anti-Kryptonite, the Terror of Steel keeps dominion over Earth along with his version of the Crime Syndicate killing dissenters and taking what he wants, believing that lesser human beings have no right to tell him what to do. He is unhappily married to his teammate Superwoman, whom he alternately lusts after and hates. Arrogant, violent, and more than a little dim, he is almost nothing like the Superman, or the Clark, we know and love.
The New 52 created a third variant. Once again of Kryptonian origins, Kal-Il makes his home on a new Earth-3 that is stated to be the origin of evil itself. Having murdered his foster parents and adopted the identity of Clark Kent, this Ultraman is one of the leading members of the newest Crime Syndicate, with Evil Counterparts of all of the JLA members, including the relatively new additions Deathstorm and Grid. Gaining power from Green Kryptonite by utilizing it as a Fantastic Drug, and Weakened by the Light of the Yellow Sun, he remains one of the leading antagonists of Forever Evil (2013).
The Infinite Frontier Ultraman was Kal-El, the baby of a dying planet who was taken in by Jonathan and Martha Kent after crash-landing on Earth. Unlike their good counterparts however, these Kents were a Lazy Bum couple that spent their years gaslighting him into thinking that obedience was the greatest moral virtue and that the rest of society were freeloaders; solely so they could exploit his strength for labor. When the Kents revealed to Kal his true origins in an attempt to fully break him, he instead realized who the true freeloaders were and ran away - eventually becoming the murderous Ultraman.
Not to be confused with the identically named star of the Japanese Ultra Series.
- Adaptation Species Change: While most versions of Ultraman are a Kryptonian like their counterpart Superman, the Post-Crisis version is a human astronaut who was thought dead but experimented on by an unknown alien species.
- Affably Evil: Pre-Crisis Ultraman was a genuinely cheerful Boisterous Bruiser who got along well with his teammates, and would compliment his adversaries as they fought.
- Archenemy: Of Alexander Luthor Sr. in both of the pre-New 52 continuities.
- Ax-Crazy: Most versions of Ultraman are violently impulsive with very little, if any, self control.
- Being Evil Sucks: During that period where he kept Jon imprisoned, after hitting him once, he began venting to Jon about his life. He would give long-winded speeches about how his power means he has the right to rule, but Jon also describes how he would talk about constantly being challenged by others who didn't respect or listen to him if he wasn't showing off his power. After those stories, he would begin to cry, full on blubbering, before awkwardly composing himself and getting angry like it was Jon's fault. Then he would leave him for extra long periods of time.
- Blood Knight: Pre-Crisis Ultraman was a Boisterous Bruiser that doled out Villain Respect where it was due and was good-natured toward his team-mates; not punching anything that moves for the sole sake of it. Post-Crisis variants of Ultraman will generally pick a fight at any time for any (or no) reason.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Pre-Crisis he's characterized as a bluff, cheerful man who loves a good challenge and enjoys facing a Worthy Opponent.
- Brains Evil, Brawn Good: Inverted. He's the evil Brawn to Alexander Luthor Senior's Brains, Pre-and-Post-Crisis.
- Break the Haughty: The New 52 version is a pompous dictator who belittles and intimidates everybody, including the other members of the Crime Syndicate. However, at the end of Forever Evil, Lex Luthor forces him to face the fact he is powerless without Kryptonite, lives in a planet whose Sun is lethal to him, and has been outsmarted by everyone whom he ever sought to control. Realizing he is actually the weakest person on the planet, Ultraman has a Villainous Breakdown and begs to be killed. Unfortunately for him, Lex refuses to carry out the execution, preferring to condemn him to spend the remainder of his life sobbing in a jail cell.
- Brought to You by the Letter "S": Massive "U" on his chest Pre-Crisis; Post-Crisis and New 52 it's a shield-like Superman's with a U-shape in the centre.
- Came Back Strong: The post-crisis version was given superpowers after being brought back to life by aliens (presumably Anti-Matter Kryptonians).
- Card-Carrying Villain: Pre-Crisis Ultraman, who cheerfully identified as evil, and was baffled as to why anybody would ever want to do anything good. The Post-Crisis and New 52 versions can edge towards the trope.
- Chest Insignia: Pre-Crisis Ultraman has a "U" without a shield, Post-Crisis Ultraman has a "U" inside an upside-down version of Superman's "S" shield, and the New 52 Ultraman has a "U" within a different shield altogether.
- Clark Kenting: Post-Crisis Ultraman does this, only with a fake mustache instead of glasses.
- Cruel Mercy: At the end of Forever Evil, Luthor chooses not to kill Ultraman, preferring to leave him depowered and all but crippled, forced to live out the rest of his life as the weakest man on Earth. Ultraman proceeds to spend the rest of the comic crying in a prison cell.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: When he first invades the Justice League's universe, he's on the receiving end of one courtesy of the Martian Manhunter.
- Deadpan Snarker: The Crisis on Two Earths Ultraman isn't anywhere near as loud as his other counterparts, trading just as many insults with his opponents as he does fists.
- Demoted to Dragon: A variant of the Pre-Crisis version of Ultraman appears as Saturn Queen's Dragon in a Supergirl Post-Crisis story arc.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The Post-Crisis Ultraman once used his heat-vision to blow up a citizen badmouthing on the Crime Syndicate.
- Domestic Abuse: Post-Crisis Ultraman to Superwoman. The New 52 version refrains from doing the same solely because he wants her to be in perfect condition when he impregnates her.
- Dumb Muscle: In the Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis continuities, Ultraman is an impulsive egomaniac, and while not particularly stupid, comes off this way in comparison to our Superman. He usually lets Owlman do his thinking for him. This may be justified if he has not yet gained Superman's Super-Intelligence. New 52 Ultraman, while not a genius, is a considerably more effective and intelligent leader.
- Dying Moment of Awesome: Pre-Crisis, when he sacrifices himself to try and save his world.
- Dystopia Justifies the Means: Post-Crisis Ultraman wants a brutal dictatorship that he can lord over and will use any means to achieve it. New 52 Ultraman is just as bad, adding a survival of the fittest philosophy. The Infinite Frontier Ultraman is an inversion: He got his own dystopia in War For Earth-3 and isn't the least bit interested in it.
- Enemy Mine: With Superman and the JLA against the antimatter Brainiac, Post-Crisis. Pre-Crisis, he and Alexander Luthor teamed to try and stop the Anti-Monitor.
- Enfante Terrible: New 52 Ultraman, who burned off one of Johnny Kent's hands and forced him and Martha to serve as his surrogate parents when he was a baby, then subsequently murdered them when he was still a child.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Pre-Crisis Ultraman genuinely cared for the other members of the Crime Syndicate, and died trying to save his world from the Anti-Monitor. The Post-Crisis and New 52 Ultramen, not so much. The Infinite Frontier Ultraman has his cousin Ultragirl, who posed as Luthor's secretary for a chance to kill her tyrannical brother. Atomica prevented that.
- Even Evil Has Standards: When the Pre-Crisis Ultraman was brought back in Animal Man, he expresses disgust at his raving, homicidal counterpart Overman and vainly attempts to stop him from setting off a doomsday bomb.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: None of the Ultramen have ever understood what drives their heroic counterparts. Since they come from a world wherein evil usually wins out, this isn't exactly surprising.
- Evil Counterpart: But not an Evil Twin, at least Pre-and-Post-Crisis. Kal-Ul was never a direct analogue to our Kal-El (if anything, his name might indicate a connection to Kryptonian villain Quex-Ul), and the Antimatter Clark Kent is both entirely human and bears only a passing resemblance to ours. As an evil being with all of Superman's powers who gains energy from Kryptonite, he definitely makes for a solid contrast with Superman, though.
- Evil Twin: The New 52's Kal-Il may use a slightly different spelling of his name, but he's a dead-ringer for our Superman, and his backstory has far more parallels to Superman's than any previous version of the character.
- Eviler than Thou: Pre-Crisis Ultraman versus the Anti-Monitor, and Post-Crisis Ultraman's clash with the Antimatter Brainiac, in a classic
Lawful Evil versus Chaotic Evil duel. - Evil Is Petty: Post-Crisis Ultraman is just a dick to everyone on general principle.
- Evil Versus Evil: New 52 Ultraman finds himself opposed by Lex Luthor and a band of like-minded villains who hate taking their orders from the Crime Syndicate.
- Face Death with Dignity: Pre-Crisis Ultraman dies flying into the antimatter wave after declaring he will not give up.
- Foil: The Anti-Matter version served as this to Superman; in contrast to the noble, friendly and kind hero, Anti-Matter Ultraman was a sleazy, unpleasant thug.
- Form-Fitting Wardrobe: Inverted, due to his immorality. Not so much Pre-Crisis, but Post-Crisis Ultraman appears to be wearing a skintight suit of pajamas, while New 52 Ultraman has a costume that's an almost exact match for Superman's.
- Freudian Excuse: In the New 52 Jor-Il and Lara were a loveless couple from a race of narcissistic Social Darwinists, who sent their child to Earth in a ship that constantly bombarded him with messages about how he had to be superior to all those around him, or give up and die.
- The Infinite Frontier Ultraman was raised by the Kents, who in his world were Abusive Parents that used him for labor while they lazed around, gaslighting him into thinking he depended on them. The experience instilled in Ultraman a belligerent mistrust of other people, with the inevitable selfishness that mindset can entail.
- Gaslighting: Infinite Frontier Ultraman is a victim of it. Clark spent his whole life being taught that obedience was the greatest virtue someone can have while those that didn't toil were freeloaders. This was all so the Lazy Bum Kents could live on easy street by taking advantage of their foster son's super strength for labor. Their final attempt to break him was their last: Being shown his Kryptonian origins didn't establish them as benefactors - it revealed them to be "freeloaders" that Clark promptly disowned.
- Hated by All: Not Pre-crisis, but definitely the Antimatter and Post Flashpoint versions. His teammates all hate him, especially Owlman and Superwoman, who he’s married to. Mostly due to him being abusive, Hot-Blooded and kind of an idiot.
- Hate Sink: Not his Pre Crisis version, but his Anti-Matter and New 52 versions are the opposite of everything that makes Superman great. He is volatile, abusive, controlling, cruel and cowardly
- Heroic Sacrifice: Pre-Crisis Ultraman and the rest of the Crime Syndicate sacrificed themselves fighting against the Anti-Monitor in order to save Earth-3.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: The Anti-Matter version's habit of killing his enemies as soon as he gets the chance means he never gets to have rematches against foes who have had time to practice and develop their skills. As such, Ultraman's own fighting prowess is extremely basic, something Superman pointed out to him during one of their clashes. Since the Man of Steel lets his enemies live and battles them over and over, his own skill level has steadily increased over time, giving him an advantage over his evil counterpart.
- Jerkass: Extraordinaire Post-Crisis. The New 52 toned this down a bit, but he's still a colossal jackass when compared to his Affably Evil Pre-Crisis counterpart.
- Joisey: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths gave Ultra-Man this accent, to emphasize him as a mob boss, or in his words, "da don of dons." Brian Michael Bendis' Superman run also portrays Ultraman this way.
- Kill Sat: The Earth-3 version uses Eye Beams to kill citizens from space if he hears them say anything bad about him.
- Kryptonite Factor: Inverted. Exposure to Green Kryptonite gives Ultraman more superpowers rather than weakening him. This allowed Pre-Crisis Ultraman to take on both Earth-1 and Earth-2 Superman, by attacking them with Green K. In the New 52, he even expands his powers by crushing, burning, and snorting Green K. Blue Kryptonite, on the other hand, does harm him — just like Earth-1's Bizarro.
- Lack of Empathy: Post-Crisis and New 52. Averted by the Pre-Crisis Ultraman, who saw the rest of the Syndicate as his friends. The Infinite Frontier Ultraman is a downplayed example; he still has empathy for Ultragirl but sees everyone else as "freeloaders."
- Lantern Jaw of Justice: Post-Crisis Ultraman has this look, which coupled with his being a Perpetual Frowner gives him a uniquely sour face.
- The Leader: Of the Crime Syndicate in all incarnations.
- Lightning Bruiser: All versions are evil Supermen, boasting both Super-Speed and Super-Strength.
- Magic Meteor: Kryptonite gives him new powers.
- Meaningful Name: The New 52 Ultraman is now Kal-Il. "Ill" as a noun means "problem" or "harm" and is derived from words meaning "evil".
- New Powers as the Plot Demands: The pre-crisis version develops new powers when exposed to kryptonite.
- One-Steve Limit: The DCU has another Ultraman in the Legion of Super-Heroes though he's usually called Ultraboy when the Legion are teenagers.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Post-Crisis Ultraman's lobotomization of the Antimatter Brainiac was well-deserved but still harsh to watch.
- Perpetual Frowner: Post-Crisis Ultraman never ever seems to smile.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: His initial reaction to Wonder Woman suggests he's a virulent misogynist.
- Power Degeneration: Most versions of Ultraman are reliant on their Kryptonite supply, greatly weakening if it's taken from them.
- Retgone: Pre-Crisis Ultraman, along with the rest of the Crime Syndicate. As of the New 52, Post-Crisis Ultraman is gone as well.
- Self-Made Orphan: New 52 Ultraman made himself an orphan again when he murdered the Kents.
- Shadow Archetype: Demonstrates what happens when absolute power is given to a small-minded, petty jerk, and demonstrates why Earth-1/the Matter universe is so lucky to get the Superman that it did.
- Shoulders of Doom: Pre-Crisis Ultraman sported some seriously awful shoulder pads.
- Social Darwinist: His New 52 counterpart is disgusted by a world where the strong protect the weak, and views a society based around anything other than dog-eat-dog principles as destined to be destroyed. He even goes so far as to use Superwoman—whom he hates—as the mother of his child, because he wants the child's genetics to be as strong as possible.
- Take Over the World: Post-Crisis and New 52 he pulled this off.
- Timed Power-Up: Anti-Matter Ultraman gained his powers from a substance known as Anti-Kryptonite, and had to regularly expose himself to it in order to retain those powers, which faded over time.
- Token Evil Teammate: The Post-Crisis version is this in the Supermen team of Final Crisis; he even ends up becoming The Dragon. He was only recruited because a clash with Superman would allow the latter to ascend to the Monitors' plane of existence.
- Touched by Vorlons: The Post-Crisis version was an astronaut brought back to life and given powers by aliens after he died on a space mission.
- Transhuman Treachery: Post-Crisis Ultraman who immediately betrayed (and conquered) his nation the moment he gained his powers (though to be fair, it's implied the process that empowered him drove him insane).
- Underestimating Badassery:
- Post-Crisis Ultraman does it to both Superman and the Martian Manhunter, and gets his ass kicked because of it.
- The Infinite Frontier Ultraman talks down everyone fighting him near the end of War For Earth-3, calling them "insects." He ends the storyline sealed in the Phantom Zone.
- Underwear of Power: Post-Crisis Ultraman's outfit is a one-piece suit that's entirely in blue, which makes him look like he's in footie pajamas.
- Unholy Matrimony: With Superwoman Post-Crisis, though she apparently doesn't have much say in the matter. She immediately begins cheating on him with Owlman. New 52 Ultraman takes it even farther, using her as the mother of his child, while freely admitting that he'd like to tear her limb from limb.
- Unskilled, but Strong: Due to killing all his adversaries, Post-Crisis Ultraman has minimal fighting experience compared to Superman, particularly against opponents on his level.
- Villain Forgot to Level Grind: Post-Crisis and pre-New 52, Superman noted that this essentially applied to this version of Ultraman; when the two fought in Trinity, Superman explicitly told Ultraman during the fight that killing his enemies actually made him weaker than Superman as he killed new foes who may have only just received their powers and barely knew what they were doing, whereas Superman letting his foes live meant that they practised and gained more experience with their powers and thus inspired Superman to do the same. As a result, Superman has actual experience at fighting beings equal to or greater than him in terms of raw power, where Ultraman basically just "sit[s] on a pile of skulls and calls [himself] tough".
- Villain Team-Up: Pre-Crisis Ultraman allied with Lex Luthor and Alexei Luthor in one memorable story, nearly killing the Supermans of Earths-1 & 2 in the process.
- Villainous Friendship: What made the Pre-Crisis Crime Syndicate as dangerous as they were was their genuine liking of one another and willingness to work together. Averted Post-Crisis and in the New 52, where their union is more based around being able to better conquer the world, and have no qualms whatsoever with stabbing one another in the back.
- Weakened by the Light: In the New 52, he is weakened by yellow sunlight.
- Weaksauce Weakness: In the New 52 version, he needs to repeatedly snort/eat Kryptonite like a junkie to keep his powers, which are drained by sunlight. When the moon is moved out from in front of the sun, and he's exposed to direct light, he's left all but crippled.
- Worthy Opponent: Pre-Crisis Ultraman comes to see the Barry Allen Flash and Ted Knight Starman as such when they successfully stand up to him despite their lower levels of power.
Owlman
Infinite Frontier Owlman
Click here to see the New 52 Owlman
Click here to see Post-Crisis Owlman
Click here to see the Pre-Crisis Owlman
- AKA: Thomas Wayne, Jr.
Batman's evil counterpart. He is almost as dangerous as the Joker and as skilled as Batman.
Pre-Crisis, Owlman hailed from the partially reversed world of Earth-3. Born with low-level superintelligence, he experimented with his brain to increase these powers, eventually developing the power to control the minds of others. He was a founding member of the Crime Syndicate of America and served as their ideas man and evil genius. He eventually died alongside his teammates, trying to protect their world from the Anti-Monitor in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Post-Crisis, Owlman is the Thomas Wayne Jr. of the Antimatter Universe. Driven mad by the deaths of his mother and father and his brother Bruce, he decided to conquer the Gotham underworld as the villainous Owlman, alongside Boss Jim Gordon. He later joined the Crime Syndicate of Amerika and maintains a longstanding affair with teammate Superwoman, much to the disgust of her husband, Ultraman.
In the New 52, Thomas Wayne Jr. is the leader of the Crime Syndicate and hails from Earth 3. A Control Freak who sees compassion, love and sacrifice as a weakness and an embarrassment, although experiences such things himself. Had his Earth's version Alfred kill his parents and himself killed his younger brother Bruce for being "weak". Almost succeeded in taking his Gotham under complete control, using such methods as branding criminals and taking over their operations. His Earth's Joker was his main problem, by destroying his work, poisoning Alfred and killing Dick Grayson. In return, Owlman disposed of him. The threat of Anti-Monitor and, maybe, Darkseid as well resulted in the destruction of Earth 3 and Crime Syndicate escape to Prime Earth to have a chance to fight back. After a loss to the Injustice League, Owlman allied himself with Lex Luthor and, later, the Justice League to have a chance to defeat Anti-Monitor once and for all.
The Thomas Wayne Jr. of the Infinite Frontier actually began his career on the side of justice; battling criminals as the vigilante Owlman in the hopes of brining justice to an unjust world. That was until the day he cornered the man that killed his parents, who he learned were actually crime bosses in line with those he fought. In response to the revelation, Owlman promptly tosses the man off the rooftop to his death, transforming him into a Straw Nihilist that craves "nothing."
- Antagonistic Offspring:
- Post-Crisis pre-New Owlman to his father, Thomas Wayne Senior, who turns up alive and hoping to put his villainous son behind bars—or under the ground—for good.
- The New 52 version killed both his parents to inherit their fortune.
- Badass Normal: Much like Batman, Owlman is the only member of his team to lack superhuman abilities, relying solely on his intellect, martial art skills and gadgets.
- Cain and Abel: The New 52 Owlman arranged for Alfred to murder his parents and personally offed his younger brother Bruce.
- Control Freak: All versions of Owlman (like their better half Batman) utilize fear to keep their enemies in-line and secure their gains; one version of Owlman even enacting martial law in his Gotham to do so.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: The Infinite Frontier miniseries shows that he isn't above using the Wayne Enterprises corporate resources to make life difficult for his universe's heroic Lex Luthor, like filing frivolous lawsuits.
- Determinator: Like his heroic counterpart, everything he does he does with extreme ruthless tenacity to rule over Gotham.
- Dropped a Bridge on Him: The New 52 Owlman is obliterated by Doctor Manhattan after unexpectedly discovering his tampering with the universe.
- Enemy Mine: Only briefly he frees John Stewart from imprisonment and destroys the evil Batmen from the Dark Multiverse that were on his Earth knowing he will be reborn if good wins.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones:
- His Antimatter incarnation was driven to villainy after losing his mother Martha and especially his younger brother Bruce. It really says something that even in a world where evil always triumphs over good, he still feels that level of love for his late brother.
- His New 52 incarnation had a deep bond with his sidekick Talon/Dick Grayson, so much that he tried to replace him by his mainstream version whose safety he was constantly fretting over. Even Owlman's teammates remarked on it.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He despises the Batman Who Laughs, referring to him as "that thing from reality's dark underbelly", and is disgusted by Ultraman's brutality and sadism.
- Evil Counterpart: To Batman, quite literally given the nature of his existence. He actually takes it so seriously he's disgusted at the sheer mention of the Batman Who Laughs, seeing himself as Batman's true opposite.Owlman: Oh, I don't want to help you. If I could sit back comfortably on this world and watch all of your people burn alive, I would do it. I would make popcorn. But this is a personal matter. I know how the multiverse is meant to work. And Owlman is supposed to be the darkest reflection of Batman in the multiverse… not that thing from reality's dark underbelly!
- Eviler than Thou: Pre-Crisis with the Anti-Monitor, and Post-Crisis with the Antimatter Universe Brainiac.
- Evil Genius: To the Crime Syndicate as a whole. This was particularly noticeable Pre-Crisis, when their every major plan was his.
- Face–Heel Turn: The Infinite Frontier Owlman actually started off a hero much like Batman, only turning to evil after discovering that his own parents were the same cowardly, superstitious criminals he'd been fighting.
- Freudian Excuse: Lost his brother and mother in Post-Crisis.
- The Infinite Frontier version was originally a vigilante that fought criminals until he found out he was raised by a pair. He completely loses it thereafter and devolves into a Straw Nihilist.
- Genius Bruiser: As befits a version of Batman, he's extremely intelligent, to superhuman levels in his case, and an outstanding combatant who can go toe to toe with Bruce in a straight fight.
- The Lost Lenore: In the New 52, his sidekick Talon/Dick Grayson. Owlman was ready to abduct the mainstream Dick to fill the void, in spite of knowing it wouldn't be the same youth he loved as a brother.
- Noble Demon: The Anti-Matter Owlman, while no saint, was often the most pragmatic and reasonable of his teammates, and regularly found himself disgusted by Ultraman's brutality.
- No Name Given: It's never revealed who the Pre-Crisis Owlman is under the cowl. Later versions of Owlman tend to be Bruce's brother Thomas.
- Ominous Owl: His motif is based on an owl and he is a ruthless criminal.
- Other Me Annoys Me: Expresses nothing but contempt for the Batman Who Laughs and the other Batmen from the Dark Multiverse, seeing them as aberrations.
- Pragmatic Villainy: In Forever Evil (2013), he objects to the rampant destruction done to Earth-Prime's infrastructure, but only because rather than wantonly tearing it all down, he wants to keep it intact and replace key people with corrupt ones appointed by the Syndicate.
- Psychic Powers: Pre-Crisis Owlman could use his superbrain to mind control others.
- The Resenter: Towards his father, Post-Crisis. Thomas Jr. blames Thomas Sr. for the deaths of his brother and mother.
- Self-Made Orphan: His origin per the Forever Evil storyline was that he arranged for his parents' murder by conspiring with the Earth-3 counterpart to Alfred Pennyworth.
- Shadow Archetype: Every Owlman Post-Crisis and onward is a demonstration of what the Batman would become if he shook loose all of his morals and became the nocturnal predator the thugs of Gotham are scared he is. It's most explicit with the New 52 version, who's actively aware of this and is willing to defy both Perpetua and the Batman Who Laughs to keep it that way.
- Straw Nihilist: The Crisis on Two Earths and Infinite Frontier versions are both these - believing absolutely nothing matters after a seemingly-grim truthnote broke them into lunatics.
- Super-Intelligence: Both previous versions of Owlman have increased their intelligence to superhuman levels.
- Taking You with Me: During Death Metal Multiverse's End, realizing he will be reborn if the Multiverse is properly restored, he takes out Perpetua's control towers that are allowing her to destroy the Multiverse, killing himself and all the evil Batmen from the Dark Multiverse that were present.
- Took a Level in Dumbass: The Infinite Frontier Owlman remains a tactically-dangerous cutthroat. His depiction in War For Earth-3 (possibly) doesn't even know how to use a computer.
- Vigilante Man: Post-Crisis, when he sought to control crime. The Infinite Frontier Owlman was also a vigilante prior to his Sanity Slippage.
- Villainous Breakdown: Has a mild and quiet one when the anti-matter version of him ends up on Batman's earth and finds the grave of Thomas and Martha Wayne. He wasn't expecting both of versions of his parents to be dead and kneels in front of the tombstone with his head down. This is entirely because in this world he doesn't have a version of his father he can still hurt.
- Villainous Friendship: Pre-Crisis, when he and the rest of the Syndicate were portrayed as a close-knit group of criminal friends. Owlman in particular seems horrified when his teammate Johnny Quick perishes against the Anti-Monitor. On Earth-3, Owlman had this with Alfred Pennyworth and Dick Grayson.
- Yandere: His New 52 version arranged for Dick Grayson's family to be murdered because he thought the boy would be the brother he always wanted. After Talon's demise, Owlman abducted the mainstream Dick Grayson to try and replace him, right after publicly outing Nightwing's Secret Identity to ensure the youth had nowhere to run.
Superwoman
Infinite Frontier Superwoman
Click here to see the New 52 Superwoman
Click here to see Post-Crisis Superwoman
Click here to see Pre-Crisis Superwoman
An evil Amazon from an alternate universe.
Pre-Crisis Superwoman was a renegade Amazon from Earth-3 who was exiled from her people, and cursed with aging. Turning criminal, she founded the Crime Syndicate of America, alongside Ultraman, Owlman, Johnny Quick, and Power Ring, and proceeded to terrorize the people of the American Empire for years, before being imprisoned by first the Justice League of Earth-1, and then Alexander Luthor Senior. She, alongside her teammates, died defending Earth-3 against the Anti-Monitor.
Post-Crisis Superwoman hailed from the Antimatter Universe. She was an Amazon who lived undercover as her world's Lois Lane, before joining up with the Crime Syndicate of Amerika, and conquering the world. A dominatrix who maintained a harem for her personal amusement, she was married to Ultraman but maintained numerous affairs with both her victims and teammate Owlman - being every "bad woman" stereotype rolled into one.
The New 52 version of the character is very similar to the Post-Crisis one, though with the added detail that she was constantly seeking a strong man to father an heir that could bring about a prophesized age of darkness.
The Infinite Frontier variant shakes off the name Diana for Donna Troy. An Amazon that grew up on Demons Island, Donna falls in love with a man named Steve Trevor: a foreigner who manipulates her into a false romance so he can use Donna as leverage to secure soldiers against Earth-3's Crime Society. The Amazons are bemused and Donna has to save herself, learning that manipulation was as powerful a tool as any weapon. Donna then leaves her island to embrace the "age of demigods," hoping to forge an army strong enough to eventually kill (and impress) her mother.
- All Amazons Want Hercules: The New 52 and Infinite Frontier versions want a suitable man to birth an heir from. Ultraman usually fits the bill when she can stand being the same room as him.
- Alpha Bitch: Both her Post-Crisis and New 52 versions love to degrade Ultraman in front of their teammates.
- Dark Action Girl: All three versions of Superwoman are on-par with Wonder Woman and are most definitely not on the side of justice.
- Designated Girl Fight: Pre-Crisis. While the rest of the Crime Syndicate and the Justice League mixed it up in their first clash (Superman facing Power Ring, and The Flash, Ultraman, etc), Superwoman fought Wonder Woman, then Black Canary of the JSA, then Wonder Woman again.
- Dressed Like a Dominatrix: Especially since the Post-Crisis, her outfit is an indicator of how she takes Wonder Woman's BDSM subtext and turns it into outright text.
- Evil Counterpart:
- To Wonder Woman, complete with a lariat. Not an Evil Twin in the first two versions, however; she is explicitly not Diana of Themyscira in either version.
- The version of Superwoman that appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths isn't Wonder Woman's counterpart. Instead, she's an evil version of Mary Marvel.
- Eviler than Thou: Pre-Crisis with the Anti-Monitor and Post-Crisis with Antimatter Universe Brainiac. The New 52 version ends up freeing Alexander Luthor and turning on the entire Crime Syndicate because he is "stronger than they are".
- Evil Matriarch: In the New 52, she's obsessed with having a child that will bring about an age of darkness, according to an Amazonian prophecy.
- Evil Twin:
- Post-Crisis, she's the Antimatter Universe's version of Lois Lane.
- The New 52 incarnation is named after Lois Lane, but she is an Amazon and looks exactly like Wonder Woman, albeit with a paler skin tone.
- The Infinite Frontier version is Donna Troy, with her sister Diana having been killed years ago meaning she takes her place in meeting Steve Trevor.
- The Exile: The Pre-Crisis Superwoman was exiled from the Amazons for her darker nature, stripped of her immortality and cursed to age like other beings.
- Eye Beams: Post-Crisis Superwoman has these for some reason.
- Femme Fatale: Her Post-Crisis and New 52 versions manipulated Ultraman and Owlman by sleeping with them.
- Flying Brick: All versions of the character are capable of flying and have Super-Strength.
- Freudian Excuse: The Infinite Frontier Superwoman was a sheltered Amazon who fell in love with her world's Steve Trevor. The man took her hostage in an attempt to strong-arm the Amazons into aiding him against the Crime Society, only to be killed. This turned Donna into a serial manipulator that uses people for her own ends.
- Goth: While she's always dressed in black with a gold cape, her New 52 incarnation takes this a step further by giving her a pale skin tone and an association with death.
- Heel–Face Turn: The Pre-Crisis Superwoman does this when she's brought back in Convergence, after spending a year on death row for accidentally killing philanthropist Bruno Mannheim.
- Hypocritical Humor: She (or rather an illusion of her) calls Power Girl a tramp for her chest-window costume, while her own costume is just as revealing (if not more).
- Klingon Promotion: The goal of the Infinite Frontier Superwoman. She plans to create an army of superhumans that can help her conquer Demons Island and kill her mother, hoping that it will make her proud.
- Locked into Strangeness: Pre-Crisis Superwoman developed one as proof that her immortality had been lost.
- Love Triangle: Most versions of Superwoman have ended up in one of these between Ultraman and Owlman at some point, usually favoring Owlman while snickering at Ultraman's disgust. Atomica lampshades this during her final narration of the Infinite Frontier run, noting that Superwoman can't keep stringing the two along forever and will eventually have to choose.
- Mind-Control Device: Her "Lasso of Submission" compels the tied individual to obey and love the wielder.
- Nemesis Weapon: Despite usually fighting Diana, if Superwoman even fights another amazon at all, her lasso of submission is a more "extreme" form of Donna Troy's lasso of persuasion, as while Donna's rope only forces the ensnared to follow the holders command, and can fail if Donna's will is not sufficient, Superwoman's makes the target to obey by forcing them to fall in love with her. The lasso of submission can still fail, but usually only against "purer" forms of the anti-life equation, a failure condition much less likely to matter.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Superwoman can tank attacks that would be lethal to any normal person, including a direct lightning blast from Black Adam. Ultraman noted how hard it would be to tear her apart. This coming from someone who moved the moon really says something about her. Pre Crisis, Black Canary defeats her by detonating a freezing bomb in Super Woman's throat when Super Woman tries to ambush her but gets caught by surprise instead. While that would have killed most people, it just disorients Super Woman and prevents her from talking for awhile.
- Really Gets Around: Post-Crisis, where she has a harem of mind controlled men to "service" her. In the New 52, she'll sleep with anybody she thinks is "strong" including Owlman, Ultraman, and Alexander Luthor.
- Shadow Archetype: Compared to the rigid honesty that binds her good counterpart, Superwoman lies, cheats and manipulates other people with reckless abandon to get what she wants - said manipulations also coming with the Blood Knight tendencies and haughty arrogance one would expect out of a Proud Warrior Race Girl.
- Super-Reflexes: Extreme sharp reflexes. Like most amazons, she plays bullets and bracelets for fun, and Post Crisis she has a rather easy time cleaning the clock of Donna Troy in their first fight, Donna Troy who has managed to dodge attacks from Wally West.
- Super-Speed: Not to the same level as Johnny Quick or Ultraman, though she does still run much faster than normal humans.
- Super-Strength: Tremendous amounts of strength, almost on par with Ultra Man. Pre Crisis Superwoman performs a monkey flip with enough force to send Wonder Woman into orbit, if not for Wonder Woman being able use air currents to slow herself down.
- Swiss-Army Weapon: In addition to snaring enemies her pre crisis lasso can change its molecular structure in the pre crisis continuity. She uses this to turn it into a flying, fire breathing dragon, but this still isn't enough to beat Wonder Woman. Every version after this has the lasso of submission, which is "just" an "eviler" counterpart to Donna Troy's lasso of persuasion and failed attempt to solve the Anti Life Equation.
- Unholy Matrimony: With Ultraman Post-Crisis and New 52. Neither of them is happy with it.
- The Vamp: Post-Crisis and New 52, she deliberately disrupts and directs the team to the goals she wants by sleeping with the other members.
- Villainous Friendship: Pre-Crisis, when she and the other members of the Syndicate were genuinely friends and would try to help one another.
- We Can Rule Together: Superwoman's primary motivation in the Infinite Frontier run is to get the Emerald Knight on their side to placate the Overlords of Oa. She succeeds in the last issue by separating John from the Ring long enough for him to re-assert mental dominance.
Johnny Quick
Infinite Frontier Johnny Quick
Click here to see the New 52 Johnny Quick
Click here to see Post-Crisis Johnny Quick
Click here to see Pre-Crisis Johnny Quick
AKA: Johnathan Allen
The Flash's Crime Syndicate counterpart.
Most versions of Johnny Quick have little in terms of backstory, though the Post-Crisis version gains his powers through a drug with powerful withdrawal symptoms.
The Infinite Frontier Johnny Quick was a farm-boy whose Abusive Parents rose dogs for pit-fighting. He escapes his situation in brutal, violent fashion - taking comfort in apathy to justify indulging in every whim he has alongside his partner-in-crime Atomica.
- An Arm and a Leg: New 52 Johnny Quick gets his leg frozen and shattered by Captain Cold.
- Asshole Victim: Soon after losing his leg to Captain Cold, Johnny gets his powers stolen and neck snapped by Mazahs/Alexander Luthor. Given how much of a monster Quick was, nobody sheds any tears over his death.
- Ax-Crazy: By far the most sadistic and trigger-happy member of the Syndicate (alongside his girlfriend Atomica, that is.) Johnny loves any excuse he can get to murder anyone who gets on the Syndicate's bad side.
- Bald of Evil: The Infinite Frontier incarnation has no hair.
- Drugs Are Bad: Antimatter Universe Johnny Quick from Grant Morrison's JLA: Earth-2 gets his powers from "Speed Juice," a drug with similar effects to Velocity 9, including its addictive nature and painful withdrawal symptoms. It's also made from his predecessor's blood.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: His girlfriend Atomica is probably the only person on the planet who he legitimately cares about. It helps that she's just as much of a bloodthirsty psychopath as him.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: During his and Atomica's fight with Karma and Scott Fischer in Forever Evil (2013), he asks if "karma" is a strange word for "power", suggesting that the concept of suffering consequences for immoral actions is unknown to him.
- For the Evulz: While the New 52 Syndicate are all irredeemably evil, each of them has some kind of substantial motive. Johnny Quick just kills innocent people for shits and giggles.
- Freudian Excuse: The Infinite Frontier version of Jonny Quick was raised by Abusive Parents that collected dogs for illegal dog-fighting. His attempt to save some of them failed and instilled in him a Lack of Empathy.
- Functional Addict: The Antimatter Quick gets his powers through a drug made from his predecessor's blood, whose withdrawal symptoms reduce him to a slow quivering mess. It doesn't seem to affect his mind though.
- Hero Killer: During Forever Evil, one of the first things he and Atomica do after the Syndicate takes over Prime Earth is butcher the first incarnation of the Doom Patrol.
- Legacy Character: Antimatter Universe Johnny Quick is actually the second man to bear the title, as the drugs that give him his powers are made from his predecessor's blood. His predecessor resembles the Pre-Crisis version, essentially making the Antimatter version Wally West's counterpart.
- Motor Mouth: He's an evil version of the Flash, so of course he speaks as swiftly as he moves.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: During "Syndicate Rules", the antimatter Johnny Quick displayed racism, as he was in the middle of calling some Chinese people "yellow" when Owlman decided to beat the crap out of him for ruining a plan to relieve the CSA's boredom and called the Race Lifted Power Ring "Black Power Ring".
- Slasher Smile: His default expression is a manic grin.
- Underestimating Badassery: He thought disarming Captain Cold was enough to kill him with no issue. The very next page his leg is frozen and shattered to pieces.
- Villainous Friendship: In the New 52, he works with Rhonda Pineda, alias Atomica, as professional thieves and killers. This bond carries over into their Infinite Frontier versions, who are almost attached to the hip.
- Unholy Matrimony: With Rhonda Pineda, he cares for her greatly.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: The Infinite Frontier Johnny Quick doesn't wear a shirt, having lightning-shaped striped tattoos along his body as a substitute.
- Would Hurt a Child: New 52 version. While children are Atomica's favorite victims, he's not above joining her.
Power Ring
Infinite Frontier's Emerald Knight
Click here to see the New 52 Power Ring
Click here to see Post-Crisis Power Ring
Click here to see Pre-Crisis Power Ring
AKA: Joseph Harrolds (First Power Ring, Post-Crisis), Harold "Hal" Jordan of Earth-3 (New 52), John Stewart (Infinite Frontier)
An Evil Counterpart to the main universe Green Lantern, Power Ring hails from an alternate universe and is a founding member of the Crime Syndicate of America. Pre-Crisis he was a petty criminal who gained a magical ring from a Tibetan mystic named Volthoom; this ring made him one of the most powerful villains on Earth-3, second only to Ultraman.
Post-Crisis (where he was from the Antimatter Universe) and in the New 52 (when he was from a destroyed Earth-3), Power Ring is portrayed as suffering from a curse, with his ring dominating his every thought, and controlling everything he does. He is little more than a pawn for Ultraman, Owlman, and the rest of the Crime Syndicate.
The Infinite Frontier's Emerald Knight was a beat-cop that was forcibly recruited into the ranks of the Emerald Knights - a corrupt police force under the thumb of the Overlords of Oa - space-entities at war with the Starro species. He tries to be a hero people can look up to, but his Ring's constant criticism and his own extreme methods of dishing out justice make everyone fear him instead. Superwoman and Sinestro both take notice of him for their own agendas.
- An Arm and a Leg: Sinestro slices off the New 52 version's arm with a buzzsaw construct, inadvertently freeing him from Volthoom.
- Artifact of Doom: Most versions of the Ring of Volthoom are evil artifacts possessed by a sadistic spirit that drain the user's life-force in exchange for power. The Infinite Frontier version trades said life-drain for being part of a bigger collective. It's still a jerk to its wearer, though.
- Bald of Evil: The versions of Power Ring who serve as counterparts to John Stewart are depicted as bald.
- Blessed with Suck: Most versions of Power Ring are essentially enslaved by the ring, rather than using it for their own ends. Most Power Rings are still evil, just frustrated at their lost free will. The Post-Crisis Power Ring was able to con another man into taking the ring off his hands. The Infinite Frontier Emerald Knight downplays it - The Ring is trying to break his will to reduce him into an Oan slave but he's still resisting.
- Body Horror: The New 52 version of the ring is slowly and painfully killing Jordan, causing his arm to swell with tumorous growths. His predecessor, an Abin Sur counterpart, was covered in deformities when he passed on the ring.
- Butt-Monkey: In Forever Evil. While Ultraman is the one the team hates the most, Power Ring is the one they respect and listen to the least while Deathstorm views him as a lab rat for the effects of the ring.
- Control Freak: The Emerald Knight of the Infinite Frontier is this after accepting an Oan Power Ring, which plays a big part into why everyone in Coast City's scared of him.
- Curb-Stomp Battle:
- Pre-Crisis Power Ring inflicts one on Superman after taking the battle to Earth-3 where he has the edge.
- Suffers one himself in New 52 against Sinestro. A guy who gets stronger the more scared he is of his enemy vs. a guy who gets stronger the more scared his enemy is of him? Not much of a fight.
- Dirty Coward: In Forever Evil, Power Ring is sent along with a group of villains from the Secret Society to locate and kill Captain Cold. When Sinestro shows up to fight them, Hal abandons his team and flees for his life.
- Evil Counterpart: To our Green Lantern in all continuities—though the Pre-Crisis Power Ring had more in common with Alan Scott, the Earth-2 Green Lantern, than Earth-1 Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
- Evil Genius: Pre-Crisis Power Ring played this role alongside Owlman. Owlman would come up with the plans, but it was Power Ring who would find a way to magically implement them.
- Evil Twin: In the New 52 where in addition to being an evil Green Lantern he is Earth-3's Hal Jordan.
- Face–Heel Turn: The entirety of Crime Syndicate (2021) is a lead-up to this for the Infinite Frontier version of Power Ring, who otherwise starts out unstable yet nice.
- Go Out with a Smile: New 52 Power Ring dies smiling and thanking Sinestro for freeing him from the ring's control.
- Grew a Spine: New 52 Power Ring grows one just in time to die fighting Sinestro.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Pre-Crisis Power Ring died alongside Ultraman, Superwoman, and the rest of the Crime Syndicate, attempting to save Earth-3 from the Anti-Monitor's antimatter wave.
- Knight Templar: The Infinite Frontier/John Stewart incarnation falls under this, as he effectively places Coast City under martial law and is obsessed with maintaining control over every aspect of his life in order to protect the ones he loves. It's hinted the rest of the Emerald Knights are this as well.
- Legacy Character: Joseph Harrolds tricked another man into taking the ring Post-Crisis, and that replacement was later replaced by Cosmic Retcon with another.
- Mean Boss: The Infinite Frontier's answer to the Ring of Volthoom is this to the Emerald Knights that wield them - constantly criticizing their users to break their psyches into Oan service.
- No Name Given: The Pre-Crisis version. Though the Post-Crisis version's predecessor (resembling the Pre-Crisis version) is named Joseph Harrolds.
- Race Lift: When the antimatter universe was restored after the event of JLA/Avengers, the second Antimatter Power Ring was changed from a Kyle Rayner counterpart to a John Stewart one.
- Ret-Gone: The second Post-Crisis version, Kyle Rayner's counterpart, who was replaced by John Stewart's counterpart in the fallout of JLA/Avengers.
- Ring of Power: Has an evil variant of one. The Ring of Volthoom enables him to create light constructs, but is also a parasite who feeds on his fears and slowly cripples his body.
- The Infinite Frontier version of the Ring is actually part of an intergalactic sect of space-cops in-line with its good counterpart, but sprinkles in demeaning motivation to bend its wielder's spirit into obedience.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: In some versions, the ring contains an entity called Volthoom (the name of the monk who gave Power Ring his ring in Pre-Crisis).
- Token Good Teammate: During the 2021 run, the Emerald Knight is this to the rest of the protagonists; remaining a superhero for much of the series. It isn't until the last issue that he embraces his controlling side and joins the Syndicate proper.
- Villain Decay: The Infinite Frontier's Emerald Knight goes from a morally-fenced Knight Templar into a hedonistic slob during War For Earth-3. He's also now addressed by the Power Ring moniker.
- Villainous Valor: New 52 Power Ring, who overcomes his fear and decides to die standing up in his battle with Sinestro.
Atomica
Infinite Frontier Atomica
Click here to see the New 52 Atomica
- AKA: Rhonda Pineda (New 52 / Infinite Frontier)
The counterpart to the Atom, introduced in the New 52 continuity. Rhonda Pineda was a crook in Central City, who went on a crime-wave with her boyfriend, Johnny Allen, until they were cornered on the roof of Star Labs in a thunderstorm. Rhonda fell through a lab roof into a chamber containing Ray Palmer, the incarcerated villain Atomico, and when the lightning struck the building was granted a version of his powers. She briefly infiltrated the Justice League as a version of the Atom, only to reveal her true colors when the rest of the Crime Syndicate crossed over.
The Infinite Frontier Atomica is the partner-in-crime of Johnny Quick, who convinced her to take a risky experimental drug to see if she'd gain superpowers. She did - gaining the ability to alter her size. The two then became fugitives that massacred everyone in their path.
- Asshole Victim: Given what a sadistic, two-faced bitch she is, no one sheds tears for her when Luthor Squashes her.
- Ax-Crazy: Alongside her boyfriend Johnny Quick, she's easily the most bloodthirsty member of the Syndicate, and loves nothing more than torturing and murdering anyone she can get her hands on.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She managed to convince the Justice League and the Justice League of America she was a good-natured woman who simply wanted to help people, when she was really biding her time until she could screw them all over. The Infinite Frontier version outright sheds the clothing and is publicly boastful at what a sadist she is.
- The Empath: The Infinite Frontier Atomica is very good at feeling out people, which to her is an invaluable skill for knowing how better to hurt them.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The only redeemable thing about her is her devotion to Johnny Quick, and even that is twisted by the fact that they're both psychotic spree killers.
- Evil Counterpart: To the Atom, specifically the Ryan Choi version, rather than Ray Palmer.
- Evil Former Friend: The Infinite Frontier Atomica used to be friends with her world's Giganta until the latter realized what a murdering degenerate Rhonda was and cut ties.
- Faux Affably Evil: She pretended to be a sweet, geeky, well-meaning young woman who hated being a mole for Amanda Waller. When she reveals she's an unrepentant villain and serial killer, she still keeps her friendly sweet-talking mannerisms, but only because she gets to twist the knife of her betrayal more.
- Inside a Computer System: When first introduced she's shown using her shrinking powers to physically enter the electronic data of a PC and play an MMORPG as herself.
- Manipulative Bitch: She did an incredibly good job at fooling people into thinking she was a hero. Hell, she managed to fool Amanda Waller, who's usually one of the most manipulative people in the DCU.
- The Mole: She infiltrated the Justice League on orders for Amanda Waller and the Justice League of America, only to then reveal she was actually a mole for the Outsider and Secret Society.
- Sadist: Her motivation to hurt people is because she enjoys it. Rhonda especially seemed to really enjoy gloating about how she fooled both teams and made Superman kill Doctor Light. The Infinite Frontier version outright makes it her hat and frequently brags about it.
- Satellite Character: Not initially. When she first debuted she had a fairly strong personality in her own right, but as soon as she was reunited with Johnny Quick she became defined as his equally insane and violent girlfriend.
- Unholy Matrimony: She is in a relationship with fellow Crime Syndicate member Johnny Quick, who is just as murderous and depraved as she is.
- Would Hurt a Child: One of Rhonda's favorite activities is going after children.
Deathstorm
New 52 Deathstorm
Click here to see Post-Crisis Deathstorm
- AKA: Martin Stein
Originally introduced Post-crisis during Blackest Night when a black lantern ring attached itself to then dead Ronnie Raymond. At the end of the event, he managed to fuse himself into the firestorm matrix, making him one of the few Black Lanterns to 'survive' past it before meeting his end during Brightest Day.
The New 52 retconned him into the being The Earth 3 version of Martin Stein and the counterpart to Firestorm. A mad scientist with a fondness for determining the link between life and death, Stein was hired by Alex Luthor to find a way to fight the Crime Syndicate and the Anti-Monitor. However, his results wound up fusing him to the corpse of one of his subjects.
- Breakout Character: The post-crisis version from the Black Lanterns grew unexpectedly popular due to his ghoulish appearance and Faux Affably Evil personality, leading him to return as a member of the Crime Syndicate during the New 52 reboot.
- Face–Heel Turn: In a sense; Earth 3 Stein was hired by Luthor to figure out how to fight the Crime Syndicate. After his transformation, he joined them instead.
- Flaming Skulls: The most obvious difference between him and regular Firestorm is his head looks like a skull that's on fire.
- For Science!: Decidedly villainous version. He's technically Power Ring's doctor, but refuses to do anything to help, instead making Jordan keep the ring on to see what'll happen.
- Mad Scientist: Stein had a habit of experimenting on people to determine the link between life and death. The lucky ones didn't leave his lab alive.
- Mirror Self: Of Firestorm. He lacks the hero's ability to transmute objects into kryptonite, but makes up for it by being able to alter organic matter, which Firestorm lacks.
- No Name Given: initially just known as Black Lantern Firestorm during Blackest Night, he would give himself the name Deathstorm during Brightest Day.
- Totally Radical: His Post-Crisis version spoke like this, mostly dropped for his New 52 incarnation.
Sea King
- Possessing a Dead Body: The "Blight" arc of Justice League Dark had Deadman reluctantly possessing his corpse.
- Posthumous Character: He was already dead by the time the Crime Syndicate was reintroduced in JLA: Earth-2.
- Sudden Name Change: The Antimatter version was called Barracuda.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: During Forever Evil, we see him walk through a portal before falling dead.
Enemies
Alexander Luthor
Infinite Frontier's Alexander Luthor
Click here to see the New 52 Mazahs
Click here to see Post-Crisis Luthor
Click here to see Pre-Crisis Luthor
The genius-intellect Arch-Enemy of the Crime Syndicate in most of their appearances, barring the Justice League themselves.
The Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis and Infinite Frontier Luthors follow the same "CEO in opposition to Superman" formula, just with the moralities flipped. A genius scientist that's hand-tooled his own weaponry, he stands in firm opposition to the rule of the Crime Syndicate and serves as the Big Good of most versions of the setting. The son of the Pre-Crisis Luthor however would eventually join Superboy-Prime as one of the primary villains of Infinite Crisis.
The New 52 Alexander Luthor is an entirely different character, having grown up in a version of Earth-3 that didn't know what the concept of "good" was. He was his world's answer to Shazam, opposing the Crime Syndicate as the even more deranged wizard Mazahs.
- Adaptational Heroism: The Infinite Frontier Luthor has considerably more scruples than his other counterparts. Unfortunately, he's a Failure Hero whose ability to unite people is at-best lacking.
- Adaptational Villainy: With each version up until Infinite Frontier, Lex had fewer morals. The Pre-Crisis version was an absolute hero, comparable to Superman. The post-crisis version from the Antimatter Universe was still a hero but was willing to do morally ambiguous things for the greater good. This is justified as his world was ruled by the Crime Syndicate and they were desperate measures. Also justified in that Pre-Crisis followed a little bit more Black-and-White Morality while this version was more developed. Finally, the New 52 version is a Nominal Hero who's just as bad as the Syndicate, if not more so, but is so deluded that he believes himself to be in the right regardless - making him similar to the Prime Earth Luthor.
- Benevolent Boss: The Infinite Frontier Luthor is shown to be a kind bosses to his employees, not wanting to run the company into the ground and abandon his people.
- Big Good: The Pre and Post-Crisis versions are Earth 3's biggest heroes. The New 52 version believes himself to be one, but is just as evil as the Crime Syndicate he vowed to defeat. The Infinite Frontier version loops back around to being a straight example, but has more friends (and less ability) than the other variants do.
- Deconstruction: for Post Flashpoint Alexander. While the first two versions follow the regular Mirror Universe rules by being a good version of the main Lex to counter evil Superman, the third one still has his main counterparts obsession with his world’s Kal. And it turns out that obsession with your archenemy isn’t good for your moral compass no matter how good or bad that enemy is.
- The Infinite Frontier Luthor is a more down-to-earth take on his Post-Crisis counterpart - He's still Ultraman's Arch-Enemy and is still one of the richest people in the world, but his leadership skill is zilch and his inability to cope with stress prevents him from truly uniting the sporadic Legion of Justice against the budding Crime Syndicate.
- Failure Hero: The Post-Crisis Lex is at the mercy of an inverted Law Of Narrative Causality. The very nature of his universe means any good he does is doomed to fail.
- Infinite Frontier Lex's heart is in the right place but without the leadership skills to truly unite people of differing personalities and the willingness to tackle the stresses that come with that, his Legion of Justice doesn't even last an issue before it's crushed.
- Good Counterpart: The character is historically portrayed as a heroic counterpart of the regular Lex Luthor. However, the New 52 incarnation is an exception, being an even more ruthless villain than the main Lex.
- Killed Off for Real: The Infinite Frontier run ends with the sadist Atomica intent on using him as her plaything for what remains of his now-short life.
- Power Copying: The Post Flashpoint version copies the powers of those he kills. At the end of his life, he had the combined abilities of Mazahs (Earth 3 Shazam), Hawkwing (Hawkman), Johnny Quick, Deathstorm and Bizarro.
- Powered Armor: The Post-Crisis and Infinite Frontier Luthors have similar armor-suits to their evil counterpart, right down to color-scheme.
- Race Lift: The version of Luthor from the 2021 Crime Syndicate mini-series is African-American.
