DC’sGotham by Gaslightuniverse presents a unique take on Krypton’s destruction as itsSupermanbecomes a founding member of the Justice League.Gotham by Gaslight: The Kryptonian Ageset up the Justice League’s formation. In this timeline, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Alan Scott, and Martian Manhunter crossed paths for the first time in the nineteenth century.
Now,Gotham by Gaslight - A League for Justice#2 detailsthe Justice League’s nineteenth-century formation. In their first meeting, the League’s members exhange jabs and some key details about each of their origins. As usual, Batman knows more about his colleagues than they know about him. However, Martian Manhunter is the only one acquainted with Superman’s true origin.
J’onn J’onzz reveals that humankind’s suspicions about Krypton’s existence are real, but inaccurate. Instead of a"Kryptonian Age"on Earth, Krypton was a planet that doomed itself to magical punishment.
Gotham By Gaslight’s Superman Origin Is Darker Than Usual
Gotham by Gaslight - A League for Justice#2; Written by Andy Diggle; Art By Leandro Fernández
According to J’onn J’onzz,Gotham by Gaslight’s Krypton was just as technologically advanced as its prime-universe counterpart. However, the Kryptonians' ambition led them to tinker with the Netherworld. Unfortunately, Krypton was unprepared to deal with the Netherworld’s dark magic, which allegedly"devoured"Krypton.
Martian Manhunter’s narration includes the phrase“that is not dead which can eternal lie,”a direct nod to H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu”, where Lovecraft describes the ancient entity’s immortal nature. This reference portrays DC’s Netherworld as a cosmic horror threat. It also suggests that future issues may delve deeper into the Netherworld’s incomprehensible forces, which may not have stopped at destroying Krypton.
Gotham By Gaslight’s Krypton Destruction Still Follows A Superman Tradition
Krypton Brought Itself Its Own Downfall
In most DC timelines,Krypton’s destruction is tied to its people’s hubris. Early versions often portrayed Kryptonians as highly advanced yet arrogant, dismissing the warnings of scientists. Their overconfidence in technology and belief that their planet was indestructible led them to ignore mounting geological instability. This classic interpretation casts Krypton’s end as a cautionary tale about the dangers of intellectual pride.
InMan of Steel, Krypton’s destruction is directly linked to the planet’s over-mining. General Zod and Jor-El both acknowledge that Krypton’s fate was sealed by centuries of unsustainable practices, fueled by the Kryptonians’ belief that their mastery of science made them untouchable. Meanwhile, the reason Krypton was destroyed in the DCU isn’t explained, butSupermansuggests the DCU’s Kryptonians were just as short-sighted.
Gotham by Gaslight’s Kryptonians are similarly overambitous, according to Martian Manhunter. This time, however, their greed seemingly led them to toy with forbidden magic instead of technology.“The dark forces of the Netherworld"corrupting and devouring Krypton is an even scarier fate than that of most versions of Superman’s home planet, and Krypton’s destruction may not have been the end of the Netherworld’s attack.
Gotham by Gaslight - A League for Justice#2 is available June 30, 2025, from DC Comics.
