Top 10 Best Superman Villains of All Time
Superman may be the Man of Steel, but he's had his fair share of people trying to bend, break, or flat-out obliterate him.
Some wear lab coats. Others wear battle armor. A few just prefer to punch first and monologue later. But every villain in his rogue's gallery brings something dangerous to the table, whether it's raw strength, twisted genius, or a personal vendetta hot enough to melt steel beams.
This isn't just a list of bruisers and brainiacs. It's a rundown of the enemies who've challenged Superman not just physically but morally, psychologically, and sometimes cosmically. Some are in it for power. Some want revenge. And a few just enjoy watching things burn.
So which villains actually pushed Superman the hardest? Which ones made you question if he'd even make it out alive? That's where you come in. Cast your votes. Decide which of these enemies deserve to rule the list the same way they tried to rule the world or at least Metropolis.
-
Lex Luthor
Alexander "Lex" Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is typically portrayed as the archenemy of Superman. Lex Luthor is a brilliant businessman and inventor known for his intelligence and ruthless ambition.
He is extremely intelligent. He is basically DC's version of Norman Osborn. He is the perfect example of brains beating brawn. He, along with Batman, is the only human able to go toe-to-toe against the Man of Steel.
He is ruthless, cunning, and can even keep the entire Legion of Doom in check. He was able to conquer the entire world (but of course gets defeated by Superman) and has caused more pain for Superman than all his other villains like Metallo, Darkseid, Brainiac, etc.
Lex Luthor is without a doubt the greatest Superman villain, one of the best DC villains overall, and definitely owns the title of Superman's archenemy.
-
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional supervillain in DC Comics, created by writer and artist Jack Kirby. He made a cameo in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and fully debuted in Forever People #1. He is the father of Orion, Kalibak, Grayven, and Grail, and is considered one of the most powerful antagonists in the... read more
I prefer him as a Justice League villain, but yeah, he has gotten the most personal with Superman out of the entire Justice League. Heck! Superman even believed that killing Darkseid was the only answer to stop him!
Darkseid is the utter personification of both pure evil, cruel intelligence, and power. Frankly, every other villain, especially Luthor who always seems petty to me, can't really compare.
Darkseid is stronger than Superman and more intelligent. I hope they include him in the final Superman movie because defeating the best villain is a good way to end a movie series.
-
Doomsday
Doomsday is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, usually depicted as an adversary of Superman. He first appeared in Superman: The Man of Steel #17 in 1992 and is best known for being the character who killed Superman in the 1992 storyline The Death of Superman... read more
Doomsday is by far my favorite supervillain of all time. Not only was he the only villain that killed Superman, but he also withstood Darkseid's Omega Beams and defeated him in a direct confrontation. Most importantly, he shockingly defeated the Justice League with one arm behind his back. The secret to Doomsday is that every time he gets killed, he regenerates back to life and becomes immune to whatever killed him before. This is why Doomsday is a force to be reckoned with.
He is like the Hulk mixed with the Thing mixed with the Abomination on steroids! Also, did I mention that he killed Superman before? Enough said!
-
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional supervillain in DC Comics and a well-known adversary of Superman. He is portrayed as a Kryptonian military leader with powers similar to those of Superman, derived from Earth's yellow sun. Zod has appeared in numerous comic storylines, animated series, and films, including... read more
General Zod was an ass because he killed a lot of people and wanted to take over Krypton. He is the most powerful human villain in the DC universe. He is very smart, secretive, and very loud when he yells at people.
Zod kicked Superman's ass in Man of Steel. I never thought so highly of him until I saw the new movie.
Superman's dark reflection. He is a worthy enemy of the Man of Steel.
-
Brainiac
By far my favorite Superman villain and would be my number one. His various incarnations are all good, but his best is the "true" Brainiac from the Superman: Brainiac arc. He caused Pa Kent's death purely out of petty spite. Superman fantasizes about beating Brainiac to death in one of the most badass sequences of dialog-free panels you'll ever see.
I vote for Brainiac because he shrinks worlds, he is one of the most intelligent beings in the universe, he has all the tech you would need, and he can control minds. He is the best! He definitely deserves the top 5, not 8!
(P.S. I voted for this Brainiac instead of the other Brainiac because this one is ranked higher! I do not know why they put him on here twice.)
-
Bizarro
Not the most evil. Not the most dangerous. Not the most iconic. Why is Bizarro an awesome villain? Because he is everything a villain shouldn't be. Bizarro represents the fun, the madness, and the action that the comics are!
Bizarro, oh man, I love him because he can be very dangerous without really wanting to, 'cause his innocence and opposite way of thinking make him funny and even more dangerous because he can be fooled easily. Also, he loves Lex Luthor, and that's not really a good thing 'cause he will follow any order from him.
-
Metallo
Metallo is a comic book supervillain and cyborg who appears in stories published by DC Comics. He is primarily known as an adversary of Superman. Powered by a Kryptonite heart, Metallo is a recurring threat due to his enhanced strength and resistance to damage.... read more
He is one of my favorite Superman villains. His heart is powered by Kryptonite, and he is loyal to Lex Luthor. He is also one of the few Superman villains to push Superman to his limit. That's how bad he is.
Metallo was a regular human being, which always makes for a good story for a villain. He's also powered by Superman's only weakness. You can't get any more dangerous than that.
Metallo is indeed a very popular villain. He has super strength, can easily destroy buildings, and can fight Superman at any time. He is also very smart and cruel.
-
Parasite
Parasite is the name given to several fictional supervillains who appear in Superman comic books published by DC Comics. These characters typically gain strength by absorbing energy or abilities from other beings. Parasite is a recurring adversary of Superman and has appeared in various comic book series... read more
He just needs to grab you, and you die. He is definitely one of Superman's deadliest enemies.
As a kid, I watched Adventures of Batman and Superman. In the cartoon, Parasite was my favorite of all the villains.
Parasite is powerful, destructive, and creepy. He is mostly a villain unrelated to Superman, but he isn't very clever.
-
Lobo
Lobo is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen and made his first appearance in Omega Men #3.
Lobo is an alien from the utopian planet Czarnia who works as a violent and relentless interstellar mercenary and bounty... read more
I loved him in Injustice. Also, I believe he is Stan Lee's favorite DC character.
I know Lobo should not be number one, but he should be in the top ten.
-
Mr. Mxyzptlk
A DC villain that many who have not heard of might think of as a joke, but in reality, he is one of the most powerful DC villains to ever exist. He can alter reality itself!
This guy was from another dimension and had the edge over Superman. When I saw his premiere in the Superman television cartoon show, I thought the show would never end, as Superman and he were just going back and forth.
Long live Gilbert Gottfried for his voice work!
-
?
Bloodsport
-
?
Kryptonite Man
-
Toyman
Toyman is a recurring antagonist in the Superman series and has appeared in various incarnations since his debut. He is usually portrayed as a brilliant but disturbed inventor who uses toy-themed weapons in his criminal schemes. His vendettas against Superman and the people of Metropolis often arise... read more
Toyman has no real goal. He's just a creepy character who hates Superman and doesn't always act smart.
-
Hank Henshaw
Hank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe. He was initially introduced as a Superman villain and is also known as Cyborg Superman.
Over time, he evolved into a significant threat to other heroes. In recent storylines, he has become a major enemy of the Green Lantern Corps
-
Ultraman
-
Silver Banshee
Superman's big-mouth, screaming villain, but most of all, she's also the enemy of Supergirl!
Silver Banshee is great because she turns one of Superman's strengths into a weakness.
-
Superman Prime
-
Nigel St. John
-
Cyborg Superman
Cyborg Superman is a persona used by two fictional characters in the DC Universe, both of whom are supervillains in comic books published by DC Comics. The original and most well-known Cyborg Superman is Hank Henshaw, who first appeared in Adventures of Superman #466. The character is a recurring enemy... read more
-
Conduit
The DC version of Whiplash, powered by kryptonite.
-
Manchester Black
-
Eradicator
-
Maxima
-
Imperiex
Come on, man, this guy has the powers of entropy - to destroy the universe at his will. He can do ANYTHING.
-
Volcana
-
H'el
Love him. I hope he appears again.
-
Composite Superman