The 15 Strongest Superman Villains, Ranked

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How does one defeat a god? That's the dilemma facing comic book writers tasked with writing a story about Superman. For all his integrity — truth, justice, and the American way — the Man of Tomorrow presents a unique challenge. He's virtually invincible, faster than a speeding bullet, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Few villains present much of a challenge, leaving writers scrambling to create unique characters with enough physicality or brains to create an interesting conflict worth reading.

Many writers have risen to the task and expanded Superman's rogues' gallery to include numerous memorable and formidable villains capable of pushing Superman to his limits, thus allowing his character to evolve beyond being a big, blue Boy Scout. Luckily for you, we've thoroughly reviewed the comic book database to compile a list of the 15 strongest Superman villains, ranked. Now, keep in mind, strength can manifest in various forms, so this isn't necessarily a collection of burly brawlers, but rather enemies who can capably put up a fight, or outright defeat the iconic hero. Read!

First, we'll start with an unusual Superman villain: Toyman. First introduced in 1943's "Action Comics #64," Winslow Schott was portrayed as a disturbed toymaker who used deadly toys to commit crimes. Over the decades, Toyman has evolved into more tech-savvy versions — some even revealed to be robotic or alternate characters entirely.

Physically, Toyman poses little threat to Superman. However, his cruel and often emotionally charged schemes frequently target innocent civilians, forcing Superman into complex moral dilemmas. In many stories, Toyman begins as a reformed individual but is drawn back into crime for personal or tragic reasons, using his toy-themed weapons in elaborate plots.

In "The Great Toyman Trivia Contest," he devises a bizarre revenge plot aimed at the man who stole the first toy he ever made. In "Superman: The Animated Series," Toyman kidnaps Lois Lane and engages Superman in a psychological game of cat and mouse, coming dangerously close to victory. At his darkest, such as in the 1990s comics, Toyman has even murdered children — most notably Cat Grant's son — proving that a villain doesn't need superpowers to hit Superman where it counts.

A classic Superman villain, Metallo's defining trait is his Kryptonite heart beating within his metal frame. This limits Superman's ability to fight him one-on-one, as the organ emits radiation that weakens Superman and can ultimately be fatal after prolonged exposure. Still, once this admittedly dangerous defensive piece is removed, Metallo becomes another mindless maniac without much edge.

First introduced in 1959, around the same time Supergirl made her debut, Metallo was originally a criminal whose brain was transferred into a powerful robotic body following a car accident. Initially given a uranium heart, Metallo establishes himself as a hero while secretly searching for a Kryptonite energy source that would make him as strong as Superman. Eventually, he attain the power he seeks and confronts Superman but dies after his power source runs out.

Later stories present Metallo as a heartless killer, albeit typically as a precursor to a larger threat that arrives later in the story.  

There have been several versions of Parasite throughout DC Comics' history, but the gist is that he was once a janitor who became exposed to radioactive waste, transforming him into an energy-sucking villain. Coated with purple skin and a wicked temper, Parasite doesn't typically receive top billing as a villain and often appears randomly in side stories where he commits a few evil deeds and then skedaddles. In "All-Star Superman #5," for example, Superman, disguised as Clark Kent, interviews Lex Luthor in prison, and the pair must team up when Parasite breaks loose and begins causing mayhem.  

However, in "Superman: Earth One – Volume 2," Parasite enters the fray as the main antagonist, reimagined as Raymond Maxwell Jensen, a man subjected to military experiments that left him with a bad attitude and the ability to absorb energy from living beings, including Superman. The more energy he drains, the more dangerous Parasite becomes. Eventually, Superman goads Parasite into following him to space, where he dies due to a lack of available energy. Superman barely survives the ordeal, which gives Parasite plenty of merit as a formidable villain.

Mongul is a tyrannical alien warlord who spends his days searching the galaxy for worlds to conquer and champions to subjugate, often forcing them into brutal gladiatorial combat on his artificial planet, Warworld. He frequently drags Superman there to fight or suffer, and always seems to underestimate his resiliency. 

Overall, Mongul has plenty of brains and brawn to pose a significant threat to Superman, and usually gets the upper hand early on. In the comic, "For the Man Who Has Everything," by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the villain uses the Black Mercy — a parasitic plant — to trap Superman in a dreamlike state while draining his powers. He breaks Superman emotionally, a feat few villains in his rogues' gallery can achieve.

Otherwise, Mongul is sort of a discount version of Brainiac — not quite as clever or cunning, nor physically imposing. He still leaves a mark in Superman's universe, but is what one would call a B-tier villain. 

If you ever wanted to see the exact reversal of Superman in almost every way imaginable, we present Bizarro. This, ah, bizarre creation acts as a mirror image of Superman, meaning all of his powers and characteristics are inverted in a twisted or imperfect way. So, heat vision becomes freeze vision, x-ray vision becomes thermal vision, and his way of thinking and speaking is similar to that of a child. In that sense, he's more of a misunderstood mistake, often created through bad cloning experiments, than a violent supervillain; a super Frankenstein's monster, as it were.

Bizarro is still mighty, and his childlike demeanor, coupled with super strength, renders him a dangerous threat. Still, Superman often feels compassion for this creature and usually tries to avoid harming or permanently disabling him.

Curiously, a Bizarro-like character appears in a deleted scene in the worst Superman movie ever made, "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," albeit as an alternate, failed version of Nuclear Man (Clive Mantle). A newer iteration of the character may also appear in James Gunn's "Superman," albeit by the name Ultraman.

More complex than many villains on this list, the Eradicator began as a Kryptonian weapon designed to preserve Krypton's culture by any means. Over time, it became more sentient, eventually transformed into a humanoid, and stepped in to fill Superman's shoes after his death. Adorned in slick shades and a wicked costume, the Eradicator was one of several Supermen that assumed the mantle following the Doomsday debacle, and his no nonsense approach to justice quickly becomes a problem.

Still, despite his flaws, the Eradicator ultimately sacrifices himself to save the Man of Steel. In the "Reign of the Supermen," he and the real Superman team up to take down Cyborg Superman (see below). During the battle, Cyborg Superman fires a powerful energy blast at Superman, who has not yet fully regained his powers. The Eradicator steps in front of the projectile and absorbs the energy, which is transferred to Superman, restoring his powers and allowing him to defeat Cyborg Superman.

You could say the Eradicator is more of an anti-hero than a villain, as he began as an antagonist who brainwashed Superman, only to later give up his life to save the Man of Steel, and reemerge in various forms in later comics and TV shows such as "Superman & Lois" often as a cold enforcer of Kryptonian law.

Cyborg Superman, also known as Hank Henshaw, has one of the more tragic and horrifying origin stories in DC Comics. In 1990's "The Adventures of Superman #466," Hank and his fellow LexCorp space crew (inspired by the Fantastic Four) are exposed to cosmic radiation during a space mission. Hank's body is destroyed, but he survives by transferring his consciousness into LexCorp's mainframe. There, he learns all about Superman and, in an act of revenge — he believes Superman is responsible for his crew's fate — assumes the identity of Cyborg Superman. He appears in Metropolis following Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday and tries to besmirch our hero's reputation. Oh, he also obliterates Coast City. Thankfully, Superman, adorned with a mullet, returns and destroys the villain before he can do more damage.

Alas, in comic books, no one ever really dies. Cyborg Superman manages to survive his fate and returns stronger than ever on numerous occasions to confront Superman. And thanks to his cybernetic body, Hank manages to fight Superman without fully embarrassing himself, even if he's more of a tragic figure than a world-ending force.

Chances are, casual comic book readers don't know anything about Ultra-Humanite, which is odd considering he's Superman's oldest villain. That's right, this strange, powerful creature first made his way into comic books way back in 1939, a year after Superman's debut in "Action Comics #1." Over the years, Ultra-Humanite has undergone a significant transformation, initially appearing as a paralyzed mad scientist before popping up as an albino gorilla in the 1980s.

He can transfer his mind into different beings.

Don't think about it too much.

Ultra-Humanite, or Ultra, uses his intellect and physical strength (primarily in gorilla form) to fight Superman, and often finds clever ways to outsmart our hero. In "Action Comics #13," he manages to shock Superman with enough electricity to knock him out, but never figures out how to deliver the killing blow. So, while Ultra possesses the brains necessary to thwart his adversary, he's clearly not capable of killing Superman outright, leaving him right smack dab in the middle of the list.

Brainiac is an extremely recognizable supervillain in the DC Comics universe, known above all for his genius-level intellect. Advanced forms of the alien being from the planet Colu can rival Superman in strength, while his ability to absorb vast amounts of information, upload his consciousness into technology, and manipulate others through telepathy makes him a uniquely formidable foe for the Man of Steel.

Yet, he has never appeared on the big screen. Outside of rare appearances on TV shows such as "Smallville," "Supergirl," and "Krypton," Brainiac's greatest achievements are relegated to the pages of comic books. Though he was planned to appear in the unmade sequel to "Man of Steel," and may have been behind the events of "Superman III." Established as a collector of cities, which he shrinks into various sizes and stores in bottles, Brainiac has since transformed into a cold, calculating alien whose actions cause significant heartache for our boy wonder. In "Superman Brainiac," the villain's intense attacks lead to the death of Jonathan Kent, allowing Superman to feel the repercussions of his role as Earth's savior.

Obviously, any list of Superman's strongest enemies needs to feature the one who, you know, actually killed him: Doomsday. First introduced in 1992's classic "The Death of Superman," this mysterious, gray, long-haired, spiky monstrosity wiped out the Justice League and then battled the Man of Steel to the death in the middle of Metropolis — or so it appeared. In the "Reign of the Supermen" series that followed, and later resurrected Superman, Cyborg Superman tosses the creature into space. A final page reveals Doomsday awakening and laughing, paving the way for his eventual return. Since their initial battle, Superman and Doomsday have clashed numerous times.

Their first confrontation led to multiple adaptations on the big and small screen, namely Zack Snyder's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," where the creature is formed from the corpse of General Zod (Michael Shannon), "Superman & Lois," and two animated movies: 2007's "Superman: Doomsday," and 2018's "The Death of Superman." Still, the character doesn't top the list because, well, he also kinda sorta died while fighting Earth's mightiest hero.  

Perhaps Superman's most famous big-screen villain aside from Lex Luthor, General Zod offers a fascinating counterpoint to the Man of Steel, as he embodies a moral code that can be perceived as noble. Not so much in Richard Lester's "Superman II," where Zod (Terence Stamp) is more of a maniacal overlord; however, in Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," the character (played by Michael Shannon) is committed to his role as protector of Krypton — no matter the cost. As such, he plans to enslave the inhabitants of Earth to preserve his people, forcing Superman (Henry Cavill) to choose between his ancestral home and his adopted one. It's a conflict that strikes a deeply personal chord.

On a physical level, Zod is generally as strong as Superman, both in the comics and films. However, Zod is a battle-hardened warrior and often outmatches Superman in strategy and combat. He's also far more ruthless, while Superman typically restrains himself to avoid causing mass destruction. At any rate, Zod is a formidable threat to the Man of Steel — limited only by his own strict moral code. He can be reasoned with to a degree and, on several occasions, has even teamed up with Superman to stop a greater threat or achieve a common goal.

One of Superman's most iconic villains, Darkseid, is a dangerous and compelling foe — and not just on a physical level. Yeah, he possesses, if not surpasses, the Man of Steel in strength, and creates problems with his legendary Omega Beams that disintegrate, teleport, or trap targets in an alternate dimension. However, Darkseid is also a master strategist and a tyrannical ruler and manipulator, who sends his minions into combat and carefully observes his enemies before entering the battlefield. He constantly brainwashes Superman and consistently tries to break the hero's spirit, hoping to force him to betray his moral code.

Curious readers should check out "Superman vs. Darkseid," a hefty collection of the duo's best comic-book battles, released in 2015. Others can see the big bad in all his glory in "Zack Snyder's Justice League," or enjoy his numerous appearances in some of the best episodes of "Superman: The Animated Series." However, to see him at his most brutal, check out "Justice League: War" or "Justice League Dark: Apokolips War," where his power, brains, and carnage are on full display.       

While not exclusively a Superman villain, the Anti-Monitor has nonetheless given our hero plenty of grief since his debut in "Crisis on Infinite Earths #2" (1985). Adorned in mechanical blue armor and sporting a face that would make Deadpool proud, this cosmic-level supervillain enters the arena armed with immense strength, energy manipulation, size alteration, immortality, and control over both matter and anti-matter.

In fact, it typically takes the combined might of numerous heroes to stop the Anti-Monitor. Superman always plays a key role, and his strength is integral to any victory — though a hefty dose of magic is often required to finish the job. Ultimately, the Anti-Monitor can be physically overpowered by the likes of Superman, Supergirl, the Flash, Green Lantern, or other powerful magic users. He's also quite arrogant and typically underestimates his foes' capacity for self-sacrifice. It wouldn't hurt if he had a few more allies to aid in his conquests, rather than going it alone — but that's standard villain behavior.

Really, the only thing preventing him from topping this list is that, well, he doesn't carry the same personal grudge against Superman as the top two villains here. 

You wouldn't think much of Mister Mxyzptlk just by looking at him, but that's playing right into his tiny hands. This fifth-dimensional being is lethal, possessing nearly limitless magical powers and the ability to manipulate time, space, matter, and reality. So, how does Superman even beat this guy? Well, Mister Mxyzptlk is mostly all bark with a tiny bite, prone to playing tricks or amusing himself by tormenting the Man of Steel. Considering he's practically immortal, the only way Superman gets rid of this pest is by tricking him into saying his name backward ("Kltpzyxm").

The only thing preventing Mister Mxyzptlk from taking over the universe is apathy. He simply doesn't want to — a notion that is both refreshing and terrifying. No, really, the being is on a similar power level as Doctor Manhattan. In fact, in Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?," our pint-sized villain grows tired of his prankster ways and commits atrocities that lead to the deaths of Lana Lang and Jimmy Olsen. Superman, pushed to his limit, kills Mister Mxyzptlk by trapping him between dimensions. Here's the twist: guilt-ridden, Superman abandons his powers — ultimately fulfilling Mister Mxyzptlk's goal. How's that for a punchline?

Strength appears in many forms. Lex Luthor, Superman's most formidable adversary, routinely uses his vast intellect to outmatch the Man of Steel's brawn. As Gene Hackman's Luthor famously put it in "Superman: The Movie," it's a case of "mind over muscle." There's a reason the bald-headed megalomaniac has been featured so often in comics and on screens both big and small. While villains like Zod and Doomsday test Superman's physical limits, Luthor consistently gains the upper hand through Kryptonite, poison, or even political manipulation. No matter how often he's defeated, Luthor always returns with another diabolical scheme — most recently in James Gunn's "Superman."

The only downside to Luthor's brilliance is his ego. Too often, he gets close to victory but fails to finish the job. In "Superman Returns," he stabs the hero with a shard of Kryptonite, then tosses him into the ocean. In "Superman: The Movie," he wraps a Kryptonite chain around his neck and drops him into a pool. Jesse Eisenberg's manic Luthor in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" focuses more on destroying Superman's (Henry Cavill) reputation than killing him outright. Every time he nears success, Luthor pulls his punches — perhaps out of some twisted need for Superman's continued existence, or maybe because he isn't quite as smart as he thinks.