Updated: September 20, 2025

Ultraman is a character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. The character is an evil alternate-universe counterpart of Superman and leader of the Crime Syndicate. Ultraman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 ( August 1964 ). He has been portrayed in live-action by Tom Welling on the television series Smallville and by David Corenswet in the 2025 film Superman.

Publication History:

Having created the worlds of Earth-One, containing Silver Age superheroes, as well as Earth-Two, containing the Golden Age ones, DC Comics decided to expand the universe to include various themed universes. The first of these was Earth-Three, in which there were villainous counterparts of DC's heroes as well as heroic counterparts of DC's villains. Ultraman is seemingly killed in Crisis on Infinite Earths when Earth-Three is destroyed by an anti-matter wave. Following this, Ultraman appears in Animal Man and Infinite Crisis.

Post-Crisis, in Grant Morrison's JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel, Ultraman is portrayed as existing in an anti-matter universe. He is later slain at the conclusion of the Final Crisis series. Ultraman also appears in the Infinite Crisis and Convergence events. Following the New 52 reboot, the character was reintroduced when a new Earth-3 universe was created. Following the reboot of the multiverse after Dark Nights: Death Metal, a new Earth-3 with Ultraman is created.