Random Most Depressing Future Versions Of Superheroes (12 items)

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  (#3) Silver Surfer

  • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Marvel Universe

  The Silver Surfer has often lived in a gray area, acting as a hero or villain depending on the story. The Surfer plays a very different role in the Old Man Quill series, however, as he is effectively turned into a battery.

  We learn that the Surfer has been captured by the Universal Church of Truth, who have pledged themselves to aiding the all-consuming Galactus. The Church proceeds to leech the Silver Surfer's cosmic energy and feed it to Galactus, which makes him extremely powerful. The Silver Surfer is trapped in his inert form, unable to do anything other than communicate mentally with Mantis. 
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  (#6) Punisher

  • Punisher: War Zone, The Punisher, Iron Man: Rise of Technovore, The Punisher, The Punisher: Dirty Laundry, Marvel Universe

  In the aftermath of WWIII, the Punisher is one of the few people to have survived the atomic devices that scorched the Earth, and continues to vanquish wrongdoers in this post-apocalyptic world. This eventually lands him behind bars, where he proceeds to slay a good majority of his fellow inmates.

  The Punisher eventually escapes and eliminates the people responsible for the apocalypse, but only after denying their pleas to allow them to fix the world. He decides to let the world end with them, as he has deemed humanity not worthy of living. Frank succumbs to fatal radiation exposure shortly afterwards.

  We last see the vigilante making his way to Central Park, where his family was taken from him decades earlier. He's consumed by fire before we see whether he makes it.
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  (#2) Wolverine

  • X-Men: First Class, Superhero Movie, Hulk Vs, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Wolverine, X-Men, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2, Marvel Universe

  Wolverine is a fighter, but even the best fighter can get beaten down by time. In Old Man Logan, Wolverine exists in a future where most heroes are gone and villains rule the Earth. Logan himself has renounced his life as a hero and no longer calls himself Wolverine. When the story begins, he hasn't used his claws in decades and is living a quiet life with his family until they are slain by the Hulk. He's eventually brought back into action by Hawkeye, and we learn how he became so miserable in the first place.

  As it turns out, Logan played a critical yet horrifying part in the event that wiped out the heroes. While defending Xavier's academy, he was brainwashed into thinking his fellow mutants were actually enemy combatants. He mercilessly eradicated all his fellow X-Men before realizing his mistake. 
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  (#7) Flash

  • Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Daddy Day Care, DC Universe

  About 20 years in the future, the Flash is a very different person than we know today. After the demise of Wally West, Barry Allen becomes an unhinged slayer that starts offing villains in a misguided attempt to save Wally.

  Flash believes that slaying villains will allow him to gain the energy to travel back in time and prevent West's demise, but the plan backfires. While he succeeds in going back in time, his actions lead him into conflict with his past self. Future Flash ends up not only slaying his past self, but Wally West, as well. 
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  (#1) 'Hulk: The End' Sees A Lonely Hulk As The Last Living Being On Earth

  Every story has an end - even the Incredible Hulk's. In this future wasteland, the majority of life on Earth has been wiped out in an atomic conflict. Bruce Banner is one of the few survivors, and he wanders around the wasteland struggling to accept that all the people he loves are gone. An alien robot helps him come to terms with the reality of his situation, warning him that he, too, will want to perish sooner or later.

  Eventually, Banner is attacked by a group of giant, radioactive cockroaches. He transforms into the Hulk, but is overwhelmed as the cockroaches eat him alive. He survives the ordeal thanks to his incredible healing, and Banner later watches the video of Hulk being eaten. He comes to the conclusion that he does want to end it all, but Hulk always prevents him from offing himself.

  Eventually, the human part of Banner succeeds in perishing, leaving only the Hulk. At first, the green behemoth is relieved to be rid of the puny Banner, but then he says, "Hulk... strongest one there is. Hulk is... only one there is. Only one... there... is. Hulk feels... cold."
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  (#11) Captain Marvel

  • Justice League, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection, Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam, DC Universe

  Back when Shazam was known as Captain Marvel, he appeared in the Kingdom Come miniseries as a brainwashed and twisted version of himself. He is presented as one of the only real threats to Superman, as their strength levels are similar and Marvel's powers are magical in nature - a particular weakness of the Kryptonian's.

  In this timeline, Billy Batson grows up manipulated by Lex Luthor. Using brainwashing worms created by Marvel's nemesis, Dr. Sivana, Luthor convinces Batson that all superheroes are actually villains, including his Captain Marvel alter ego. Batson joins Luthor's crusade against superheroes, committing all sorts of atrocities due to his twisted new mindset. He is eventually brought back into the light by Superman as they duke it out, but he ends up sacrificing himself shortly afterward. 

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