WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Justice League #64 by Brian Michael Bendis, Steve Pugh, Nick Filardi and Josh Reed, on sale now.
The Justice League has finally been introduced to Superman’s newest enemy, Synmar Utopica. The alien being is currently free and determined to end his feud with Superman but has drawn the ire of the entire league in the process. But his status as a being equal to Superman makes him a unique threat to the Justice League.
With power on par with the Man of Steel’s, Synmar is arguably one of the greatest singular threats the Justice League has faced in years. Even worse, this rogue alien is something they are still learning about, making stopping him that much more difficult.
Synmar Utopica debuted in Superman #25 by Brian Michael Bendis, Ivan Reis and Dave Sharpe. He was originally a soldier named Eisno Alkor from the planet Synmar. His planet’s leadership became aware of Kal-El’s existence shortly after Krypton exploded. Realizing that a Kryptonian living under a yellow sun could become a being of great power, the Synmar Collective was terrified that he may one day become a conqueror.
To preempt this, they selected Eisno to become their very own super-soldier. Imbuing him with power that rivaled Superman’s they turned him into their greatest champion. But he would later become their greatest regret. Feeling like he had no control over his life, Eisno eventually came to an ideological standoff with his leaders, believing that Synmar should have been a galactic power a long time ago. He then turned on his leaders, attempting to kill Superman and use his death as a precursor for conquering his homeworld. Superman stopped him and placed him under United Planets custody. But now he is free and showing the Justice League just how much of a threat he is.
In many ways, Synmar is the opposite of Superman. He was created artificially whereas Superman was born. Everything that led to Eisno gaining powers was engineered, even his purpose for existing. Superman, in contrast, chose his path. They even operated differently, Eisno under government supervision and Superman under his own moral code.
But those differences exemplify how dangerous it could be to try and control someone this strong. Eisno eventually grew disillusioned with his leadership and always having to follow orders, preferring to forge his own way through life. Unfortunately, without the prior freedom to have his own experiences, Eisno’s beliefs are rough and unrefined, resulting in more tragedy than peace.
Even if his methods are wrong or lack focus, Eisno is still a clear and present threat. He has enough power to rival Superman and there is an excellent chance that he could defeat Superman in battle. To handle this new threat, the Justice League will need to use every advantage they have. But therein lies the next problem. The Synmar species is still a new discovery. Very little is known about them or any potential weaknesses. And there’s no telling how Eisno might have been altered to become the death machine he is today.
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