Origin

Overman was from a "grim-n-gritty" world (pre-crisis Earth-17) where he was the first superhero, and all the others were grown from his cells. This version of the Justice League was attached to the military. Overman was infected with an STD, causing him to go insane and killing and (it is implied) eating the other heroes.

Creation

Overman was created by Grant Morrison and Charles Truog

Character Evolution

Sliver Age / Earth-17

Overman's world was presumably destroyed during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He appeared first in Animal Man, as part of the second crisis.

Post-52 Weeks / Earth-10

A blonde variation of Overman appeared during Countdown to Adventure. His characteristics physical and behavior differ vastly from what was established by Morrison later with Overman: this blonde Overman was a racist fascist and violent and is probable than his existence is considered not canon now. However his companions of the JLAxis appeared in a dream sequence in Mastermen.

Post-Final Crisis / Earth-10

Rocketed to Earth as a baby from the dying world of Krypton, Kal-El landed in the occupied Sudetenland in 1938. From the rocket that carried him, Nazi scientists reverse-engineered the technology to win the war, and Overman became the hero of "a utopia built on human suffering" . He became affiliated with the New Reichsmen; consisting of Brunhilde, Leatherwing, and Underwaterman, while fighting Uncle Sam and His Freedom Fighters.

However, his love of his duties was tempered by the guilt he carried. Eventually, Nazi scientists succeeded in seeding Overman's genetic material with two human children. One of them became a failure, a monster called Antihuman; the second one however was a success and became the heroine called Overgirl. Overman became very fond of Overgirl and came to regard her as his cousin.

Major Story Arc

Sliver Age / Earth-17

The Second Crisis

Psycho-Pirate was recreating characters from the multiverse, when he felt Overman trying to come out. Pirate realized how horrible this was and did his best to contain him, but Overman was recreated anyways. He appeared carrying a giant bomb with the words "Purification Day" written on it. Overman lurches around Arkham Asylum, carrying the bomb and drooling like a madman. Various other characters including Ultraman, Bizarro, and even Streaky try to stop him, but it's not until Animal Man arrives and travels between panels that Overman is caught in an ever-shrinking comics panel and destroyed.

Infinite Crisis

Overman appears in Infinite Crisis as one of a number of Superman analogues that Alex Luthor attempts to merge together.

Post-Final Crisis / Earth-10

Superman Beyond

During the Final Crisis, Overgirl went missing. In the course of looking for her, he was contacted by Monitor Zillo Valla with an offer - if he helped her find a way to save the universe, she would help him find his cousin. He accepted her terms.On the adventure that followed , he helped save several worlds from the crashing form of the Echo of Midnight. When Zillo Valla's craft crashed on Earth-51, she asked him to take her to her quarters. However, this was a ruse, and she used his blood to revitalize herself and her craft.

Overman survived and attempted to attack Valla, but was stopped by Billy Batson, who told him that Valla had acted only to save the ship. Shortly after, he joined his fellow Supermen in attacking Mandrakk's destroyer. While he survived the adventure, he was unable to find out what happened to his cousin as Valla was killed before being able to inform him of her fate. Overman ultimately learned of his cousin's fate from The Question.

Multiversity: Mastermen

Tortured by the guilt of what the Nazis made during WW2 and the following years, Overman has tried to built an utopia, trying to forget the sins over what is built his world. However it is possible than his own self-doubt will weak his determination to fight against Uncle Sam and his Freedom Fighters, who want to see their world burn.

Powers and Abilities (Earth 10)

Powers

• Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Overman possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. These include:
  • Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Overman's super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. His biological make up includes a number of organs which lack analogues in humans and whose functions are unknown. It is believed that between one or more of these and his bio-cellular matrix, "yellow" solar energy is stored for later use. This allows for the use of these powers to fade when yellow solar radiation is not available instead of immediate failure.
  • Heat Vision: Overman can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. He can vary the heat and area affected.
  • Super-Hearing: Overman's hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill and concentration, he can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency.
  • Enhanced Vision Overman's vision processes the entire electromagnetic spectrum as well as allowing vast control over selective perception and focus.
    This umbrella ability includes the following:
    • Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision: Overman can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. He can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, he can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows him to see the aura generated by living thing.
    • Telescopic Vision: This is the ability to see something at a great distance, without violating the laws of physics. Though limited, the exact extent of the ability is undetermined. In function, it is similar to the zoom lens on a camera.
    • X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through any volume of matter except lead. Overmans can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. He can focus this ability to "peel back" layers of an object, allowing hidden image or inner workings to be observed. The exact type of energy perceived - such as x-rays, cosmic rays, or some other energy invisible to normal humans - is unclear. This ability perceives an ambient energy source though, it does not involve the eye projecting a concentrated, possibly toxic, beam to be reflected back from objects.
    • Microscopic Vision: This is the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the atomic level.
    • Infrared Vision: Overman can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
  • Flight: Overman is able to manipulate graviton particles to defy the forces of gravity and achieve flight. This ranges from hovering to moving in any posture, in any direction.
  • Invulnerability: Due to the interaction of his dense molecular structure and supercharged bio-electric aura, Overman is nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, his extends this protection against toxins and diseases.
  • Superhuman Stamina: Overman is able to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. This based on his body converting yellow solar radiation directly to energy, but is limited by physiological and psychological needs to eat, drink, and sleep.
  • Superhuman Strength: Overman's strength is augmented by yellow solar radiation interacting with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of his musculature. His strength is more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables him to perform physical feats that are beyond the mere application force, such as moving a mountain top without said rock crumbling under its own mass.
  • Superhuman Speed: Overman is able to move at incredible speed by sheer force of will. This extends to his perceptions and allows for feats such as catching bullets in mid flight as well as covering vast distances in little or no time.
    This also confers:
    • Superhuman Agility
    • Superhuman Reflexes
  • Super-Breath: Overman is able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from his lungs. He can chill the air as it leaves his lungs to freeze targets. He can also reverse the process to pull large volumes of air or vapor into his lungs.

Weaknesses

• Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Overman possesses the same potential weaknesses as an average Kryptonian. These include:
  • Vulnerability to Kryptonite
  • Vulnerability to Magic

• Old Age: Despite his apparent physical youth, it has been suggested that at 98 his powers are no longer what they once were.