Since 1938, the world of DC Comics has been led by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's iconic superheroes Superman. But with any great superhero comes many great supervillains, especially for one as iconic as the Man of Steel.
Superman made his epic debut in Action comics #1, and in the nearly nine decades since his creation, he has been the de facto face of superhero comics. Like any great comic book hero, the Man of Tomorrow has an equally brilliant rogues gallery to keep him on his toes. Superman's best enemies represent inversions of himself, whether rivals Kryptonians With evil motives or cruel humans who depend on their intelligence. Considering that the man of steel is one of the most healthy heroes, creating a contrast between him and his enemies is easy. From galactic tyrants to internal impsHe has some of the best rogues in comics.
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Doomsday
Created by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson and Roger Stern
Created by DC for the sole purpose of killing Superman, Doomsday made his world-shattering debut at the start of the "Death of Superman" event. Here it was revealed that he was created Through repeated execution and entertainmentBreeding the perfect organism that could withstand almost anything. After crashing to the ground, the monster tore its way across the US. US, culminating in an epic battle with Superman on the streets of Metropolis.
Doomsday doesn't have much in the way of depth to it, instead representing an unreasonable powerhouse driven to hate Superman and kill him at any cost. The villain is the ultimate challenge to the hero's ethics, often requiring that he step over the line and take the monster's life to prevent the carnage he causes.
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Mr McKizftlk
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Mr. Mxyzptlk made his debut during the Golden Age, where he would appear to inconvenience the Man of Steel, both as Clark Kent and his superhero alter ego. An imp from the fifth dimension, Mxyzptlk can distort reality as he sees fit, and can only be banished - for a short time - if Superman can get him to say his own name back. Due to this unique ability, this character stands as one of the greatest tests of Kal-El's intelligence, forcing him to develop new ways to trick his enemy.
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Mr. Mxyzptlk is far from Superman's most evil enemy, instead defined by his pranks and his inconvenience of Clark Kent. Despite this, his reality-warping powers Make for one of the potentially devastating bad guysAble to recreate the world around his competitor.
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The ultra-humanite
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster Humanit's goal is simple: conquer and dominate the Earth.
The ultra-humanite made its debut all the way back in Action comics #13Where he was initially depicted as a classic evil genius intent on advancing to the next stage of evolution. During the Bronze Age, the villain finally upgraded himself when he placed his brain in the body of a powerful albino gorilla. While some characters are motivated by wealth or the simple destruction of Superman, the The purpose of Humanit is simple: Conquer and dominate Earth.
Although he has since transitioned to being more associated with the JSA, the ultra-human is yet An occasional threat to Superman, most recently in Superman and the Authority By Grant Morrison and Mikel Janín. The villain combines elements of everything from Lex Luthor's ego to Doctor Doom's ambition and Gorilla Grodd's appearance, making him a truly impressive and formidable foe.
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Mongol
Created by Len Wein and Jim Starlin
Mongol made his first appearance in an issue DC Comics Presents And has since been established as one of the biggest tyrants in the DC Universe. as ruler of War worldThe villain forces various creatures and warriors from around the cosmos to fight to the death in his twisted gladiator games. With the luxury of living under a red sun, the villain is well shielded from the full power of Superman, who often requires help in fighting his enemy on his own turf.
During writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson's run on Action comicsIt was revealed that the original Mongol was overthrown by his son, Mongol II, who was even more brutal than his father. Forced to fend for himself in the wild, the sadistic successor sets his sights on galactic domination, targeting several planets for conquest. He might have been successful if it wasn't for Superman's discovery of a New source of power And the help of the authority in liberating the planet.
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Lobo
Created by Keith Giffen and Roger Slifer
Lobo made his debut as a Run-of-the-mill site villain In the style of Guardians of the Galaxy enemies, but was soon reinvented by Keith Giffen in his own series. There, it was explained that the Chernian biker was killing his entire species, ensuring he would be truly unique in the galaxy. Turning to a career as a bounty hunter, the last Bastiche dedicated his life to women, money and violence, the last of which put him at odds with the Man of Steel.
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Today, Lobo alternates between heroism and villainy, making him one of DC's biggest wildcard characters. While some people enjoy seeing him join the Justice League roster, the main man is at his best when his Chaotic behavior is allowed to reach its full potential. The character embodies the rebellious, punk-rock culture of the late 80s and 1990s, with the villain standing as a true original - and he will happily kill anyone who says otherwise.
Created by Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino
Metallo began life as John Corben, a criminal who, after being mortally wounded in a car crash, was tended to by a robotics genius named Vale, who transplanted his brain into a machine body. Certain that Superman is planning a Kryptonian invasion of Earth, Vale seeks to use Metallo as a weapon against the superhero, but is soon murdered by his creation. With a heart of kryptonite, the villain is able to face the Man of Steel in combat, rendering his enemies weaker than his own metallic form.
Metallo stands out as Superman's most tragic foe, especially in recent story arcs that have reminded readers that the villain is a man trapped in the shell of a machine. In many ways, the character shares the same tragic themes as Frankenstein's monster, now a man left defined by one man. Terribly crippled by science, Who has dreamed of his own existence. That said, some stories don't play into the tragic angle, instead casting Korben as a mercenary-type villain, happy to work with other villains for a profit.
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Darkseid
Created by Jack Kirby The vicious hunger for the anti-life equation
Darkseid is the ruler of ApokolipsA nightmarish planet near the edge of the universe. Powered by the Source, the villain hungers for the anti-life equation, which would give him control over the free will of sentient beings across the cosmos. Driven by his need for power and conquest, Darkseid is the epitome of the scheming and cunning megalomaniac.
Darkseid was not initially created to be a Superman villain, but rather the far-off tyrannical ruler of Apokolips who posed a threat to Earth. However, as the villain became more involved in key DC events, he positioned himself as a rival to the Man of Steel, whose abilities have always been essential in driving the New God.
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General Zod
Created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp
General Zod was created to give Superman his perfect equal, much in the same way The Flash has Reverse-Flash and Batman now has Bone. Initially, he was depicted as the treasonous general of Krypton, who was imprisoned along with his allies in the Phantom Zone. More recent stories have added depth to the character, exploring how he is ultimately driven by the restoration of his species—even if only so. He can establish Kryptonian supremacy over the universe.
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General Zod was imbued with the complete opposite attributes of Superman, whether it was his view of, basically, race dominance, might-makes-right, or his disdain for the weaker like himself. Just as Clark Kent came to embody the American ideal of freedom and justice, Zod embodies the many dictators against the United States, making him a perfect mirror image for Kal-El.
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Brainiac
Created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino
First published in Action comics #242, Brainiac is a sentient android who travels across the cosmos, seeking to collect cities from various planets, destroying them in his wake to monopolize their information. As the villain responsible for the Flash City of Kandor, he offered Superman a unique window into his past and culture - But presented the same threat against Earth.
Brainiac is a being motivated by reason, programmed to absorb all the information available in the universe. Few villains have been responsible for as much death and destruction as he, and major DC stories like Convergence And "Justice/Doom War" shows how his ambitions can spread to time and space. Thanks to its ability to replicate itself, Brainiac is one of Superman's villains who is the hardest to actually killAnd his stories often present him as almost a virus, perfectly encapsulating the threat of artificial intelligence.
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Lex Luthor
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
First published in Action comics #23, Lex Luthor has been the main Superman villain since the Golden Age, though his earlier appearances were often more campy and one-dimensional. Since the 1980s, the villain has steadily become the The most effective, ambitious and accomplished enemies in MetropolisHaving successfully become both President of the United States and ruler of Apokolips.
Lex Luthor is the embodiment of Unchecked ego and ambition in the DC Universeand has historically been motivated by the fittest of reasons against Superman. For a character who was once driven to hate Superman For his own hair loss, the arch-nemesis has come a long way and is now someone who has assembled armies to challenge the existence of the multiverse itself.