There are few characters in the DC Comics universe that are as powerful as Superman. The Man of Steel is more than capable of physically taking on the vast majority of characters from DC Comics with relative ease due to his immense strength (absurd by human standards) and the variety of powers he has: heat vision, cold breath, super-speed, etc. However, several villains (and some heroes) have managed to beat the Man of Steel, and some of them are capable of doing so without even breaking a sweat.
This piece will highlight six supervillains who’ve managed to take down the Man of Steel, proving that even Krypton’s last son has limitations and that being near-invulnerable and strong isn’t the same as being invincible.
Darkseid
Formerly known as Uxas, Darkseid is a New God and the tyrannical ruler of the planet Apokolips. His ultimate goal is to find and gain control over the Anti-Life Equation, which would allow him to enslave the entire multiverse by eliminating all hope and free will in all sentient beings. As a New God, Darkseid is nigh-immortal and possesses immense physical abilities. Not only does he shoot Omega Beams from his eyes, which can vaporize, disintegrate, or trap opponents in alternate dimensions, but Darkseid also commands massive armies and wields vast cosmic powers, making him one of Superman’s greatest adversaries and a consistent threat to the Justice League.
Doomsday
Doomsday began his existence as a lab-grown organism whose only purpose was to survive. He’s highly adaptable, and once severely harmed by something, he will heal himself (even resurrect himself if killed) and adapt to overcome whatever had previously harmed or killed him. As such, he evolved to become immortal and invulnerable, with levels of strength that surpass that of Superman. In fact, in 1992’s The Death of Superman, Doomsday fought and killed the Man of Steel, thanks to his relentless evolution in battle. Both Superman and Doomsday were later resurrected in subsequent releases.
Brainiac
Brainiac, a super-intelligent alien being from the planet Colu, has fought Superman many times in comics as well as in various animated and cinematic adaptations. The Krypton version of the character is arguably one of the best. Brainiac possesses extremely advanced mental and physical abilities, making him a truly formidable foe. In addition to being one of the most intelligent beings in the universe — having consumed the entirety of the worlds and civilizations he has collected, categorized, and bottled — he is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Superman. He can withstand Superman’s punches without sustaining damage, and any damage he does sustain can be healed as long as even a single line of his code remains.
Lex Luthor
Though he lacks superpowers, Lex Luthor is widely considered a supervillain due to his iconic role as one of Superman’s primary antagonists in DC Comics. What elevates him from the typical villain status is Lex’s genius-level intellect. He’s portrayed as one of the smartest characters in the DC Universe, and his intelligence and mastery over technology allow him to devise elaborate schemes and develop advanced weaponry that can challenge Superman. He has a suit powered by Kryptonite and wields Kryptonite-based weaponry, which allows him to easily weaken and even injure Superman.
Anti-Monitor
The Anti-Monitor is a major antagonist in stories like Crisis on Infinite Earths. As an immensely powerful cosmic entity, Anti-Monitor’s power levels are far beyond those of most characters in the DC Comics, including Superman. While the Man of Steel is one of the most powerful superheroes, Anti-Monitor’s abilities (antimatter manipulation, energy absorption, reality alteration, size alteration, superhuman strength, and immortality) place him on an entirely different level. So, while Superman has faced many powerful foes in comic book history, Anti-Monitor’s sheer scale of power makes him an incredibly challenging opponent for Superman alone.
General Zod
Though Superman usually finds a way to get the upper hand over General Zod, the popular villain managed to beat Superman on several occasions in the comics. While he isn’t as powerful as the Man of Steel — since he hasn’t been exposed to our solar radiation for as long — Zod easily compensates with his immense combat experience and prowess. Thanks to Krypton’s rigid caste system, Zod was genetically engineered and socially conditioned to be a soldier and protector of Krypton. Thus, he possesses attributes like physical and mental conditioning, as well as strategic thinking and mastery over his senses, that allow him to physically overpower Superman despite being less powerful.
Honorable Mention: Alfred Pennyworth
Not many people know this, but Batman’s polite, kind, and loyal butler isn’t someone to be trifled with. His background story tells us he’s an experienced combatant who worked for MI5 and is exceptionally skilled in hand-to-hand combat. In the Injustice: Gods Among Us series that prequels the popular video game, Superman becomes a brutal dictator of a regime and rules over Earth with an iron fist. When Batman opposed him, Superman broke his back. However, he hadn’t noticed that Alfred took a pill from the Fortress of Solitude, which granted him Kryptonian-like strength. Needless to say, Alfred’s expert training in hand-to-hand combat didn’t end well for Superman.
Final Words
Superman may be one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe, but that doesn’t mean he’s invincible. These six supervillains — and the rather surprising honorable mention — prove that raw strength and extraordinary powers alone don’t always warrant a victory. In the end, Superman’s greatest power isn’t his strength or near-invulnerability but his resilience and determination, which allow him to rise above his limits.