10 Best Superman Villains
Just like his alias and monikers, the Man of Steel is also pumped up on villains, and his portfolio boasts a few of the evilest and most sinister villains to ever be created in the DC Universe. Be it the king of Apokolips or a reality-bender who just bother him for fun. Here’s a list of the 10 best villains for Superman, each with the power and resolve to give the Man of Steel a run for his money.
Doomsday
The DC Comics villain Doomsday is infamous for his part in the “The Death of Superman” plotline and is an abomination in his own right. Doomsday, a product of genetic engineering, is extremely powerful, almost immune to harm, and can learn from his mistakes.
His origins entail a series of resurrections on ancient Krypton, which allowed him to evolve into a destructive force. Doomsday’s confrontation with Superman, which ended in their deaths, was a watershed point in their story. Kinda like the Joker, who just wants to cause chaos and get Batman to abandon his principles, Doomsday’s only goal is to take down Superman.
Brainiac
Brainiac is this big-shot villain in the DC Comics world, and he’s no joke. Originally, he was just an alien scientist, but one of his tests went awry, turning him into a cybernetic abomination who could control or create any known technology in the universe. Brainiac lives and breathes for the sake of wiping planets from the solar system. His trademark is a skull-shaped ship, and it can shrink and stash entire cities or even planets.
Superman always had a tough time dealing with him, as not only is Brainiac built like a tank, but he also plays with Superman’s head. In The Brainiac Trilogy saga, he decimated the Kryptonian city of Kandor and later miniaturized what was left of it to add it to his collection. In Layman’s terms, Branianc is the Collector of DC Universe, just much more superior in every possible way.
Darkseid
Darkseid is another heavy hitter in the DC Comics universe and probably the strongest and most sinister villain out there. Darkseid reigns over a distant planet called Apokolips and is always gunning for power across the cosmos. One of his signature powers is his Omega Beams – the lasers that will follow you to the end of the time unless you’re the Dark Knight.
For Superman, Darkseid isn’t just a physical threat but an abomination whose only aim is to dominate the cosmos and turn every planet like his own. So, whenever you’re talking about DC villains, Darkseid is right up there at the top, giving the Justice League, especially The Man of Steel, a run for his money.
Mr. Mxyzptlk
A lot of people will disagree, but personally, Mr. Mxyzptlk is one of my favorite Superman villains. Origin-wise, Mr. Mxyzptlk is a mischievous imp from the fifth dimension who just loves causing chaos. What makes this guy striking is his reality-bending powers and his love to mess with Superman just for kicks.
Enunciating his name is almost as tricky as dealing with him. The issue with Mr. Mxyzptlk is that you can’t just punch him away into a different reality. To get rid of him, you have to trick him into saying or spelling his name backward, which sends him back to his dimension for a while. Thus, Mr. Mxyzptlk is a nuisance but a playful and peculiar one in the DC universe.
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, like other characters of his kind, has quite a unique story. Originally, he was just a regular teenage Clark Kent from a parallel Earth, Earth-Prime. However, things took a turn when he got stuck in our universe. Unlike the usual Superman, Superboy-Prime is pretty powerful and, at times, a bit unhinged.
Superboy-Prime, too, has super strength, speed, and all those classic Kryptonian powers, but what makes him stand out is his intense temper. The whole “Prime” in his name doesn’t mean he sits on the top of the food chain; it actually refers to Earth-Prime. Superboy-Prime has seen some serious tragedies, including Crisis on Infinite Earths, which drove him to become an anti-hero with a grudge and a fiery temper, just waiting to burst.
Matello
Metallo is a pretty big deal in the DC Comics world and an incredibly tough villain who, in all honesty, could take the entire Justice League alone. What makes Matello stand out is the mix of human and cybernetic enhancements, with a kryptonite for a heart. This is precisely why Matello means bad news for the Man of Steel, as just being around kryptonite severely weakens Kal-El.
Unlike Mr. Mxyzptlk, Matello doesn’t cause trouble for the fun of it; he harbors a serious grudge against Superman. Metallo isn’t just content with going after Superman himself; he often targets the people Superman cares about, like Lois Lane. Whether it’s kidnapping, making threats, or other nasty schemes, Metallo’s only aim is to hit Superman where it hurts emotionally.
Bizarro
Bizarro is the opposite of Superman, but in a really weird sense. He has a distorted version of Superman’s powers, and his MO includes doing things backward. So, if Superman spent his hours saving the day, Bizarro is more keen on causing chaos. What makes Bizarro stand out is his imperfect duplication of Superman’s abilities. Due to his backward programming, even if Bizzaro is trying to help, it usually ends up making things worse. One could argue, Bizzaro is not exactly a villain with evil intentions, but just a confused and imperfect copy of Superman trying to find his place in the world.
Manchester Black
Manchester Black is not your typical hero but more like an antihero with a British accent. What makes him cool (or intense, depending on how you see it) is his awesome mind-bending powers, like reading thoughts and moving weights with his mind. Manchester Black isn’t exactly the goody-two-shoes type and would do whatever it takes to bring justice, even if it means breaking a few or every single rule.
Black’s methods can be pretty hardcore, and he’s not shy about pushing the limits. Manchester Black first showed up in “The Elite,” a superhero group that’s not afraid to get their hands dirty when dealing with bad guys. Manchester Black poses a serious threat to Superman’s stance on attaining justice without resorting to violence. This villain is both a captivating and thought-provoking opponent since he makes Superman face the moral dilemmas inherent in his hero position.
Cyborg Superman
Like Manchester Black, Cyborg Superman’s story is also pretty wild. He used to be a regular astronaut named Hank Henshaw until an outer space disaster intertwined his consciousness with super-advanced alien tech. This left him half-human, half-machine with a major bone to pick with Superman.
Cyborg Superman is a walking arsenal of futuristic gadgets and incredible powers. Cyborg Superman isn’t just a Superman villain; he has given the Green Lantern Corps a run for their money, too. If you didn’t know, Cyborg Superman also had a role to play in the decimation of Coast City and was also part of “Manhunters,” a group of android villains wreaking havoc across the galaxy.
Lex Luther
Lex Luthor isn’t just a genius gazillionaire but a force that can even bring the Man of Steel to his knees. Out of all the known villains, Lex Luther is by far the most dangerous and cunning Clark Kent has ever faced. Lex abhors Superman more than anything in the world and is convinced of Superman’s existence as an alien threat.
DC Comics’ Tower of Babel proved how cunning and scheming Lex Luther really is. In this storyline, Luther turns Batman’s contingency plans to incapacitate the Justice League, should the need arise, into a way to take down the Justice League for good. This proved that even though he’s no match for Superman on a physical level, his cunning brain renders him a force not to be trifled with. EVER!! Did we mention he had a kryptonite-powered suit built just so he could physically hurt Superman?
So, there we have it, our picks for the best Superman villains!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!