# An alternate version of Batman who was black?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 22, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655 "2014-04-22T03:51:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655/1 "2014-04-22T03:51:21Z")

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I’m hoping some people could help me out.

I’m trying to remember the name of a series of comics that was clearly meant as an alternative version of Superman, Batman and other DC heroes. I remember specifically how the guy who played Batman was an African-American with basically the same origin story as Bruce Wayne except I believe his parents were murdered by white supremacists. and the Superman had been an agent of the US government for a long time.

Their superhero names obviously weren’t batman and superman.

And before anyone mentions it, no I’m not thinking of Stan Lee’s “Just Imagine” series.

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655/2 "2014-04-22T04:42:34Z")

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Nighthawk in Supreme Power, JMS’s updating of the Squadron Supreme.

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**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655/3 "2014-04-22T04:47:07Z")

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That would be [Supreme Power](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squadron_Supreme_%28Supreme_Power%29), a version of the Squadron Supreme, Marvel’s deliberate analogues/homages/parodies/etc. of the Justice League first appearing in the 70s.

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655/4 "2014-04-22T04:47:55Z")

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Slight nitpick, though…Hyperion was just starting out…he’d been raised all his life to be a government asset, but hadn’t actually _been_ one for long.

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**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternate-version-of-batman-who-was-black/686655/5 "2014-04-22T04:58:20Z")

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Thanks to all who answered.