There are few characters that are as good as SupermanFamous for never using more force than necessary, with a no-kill policy to put Batman’s to shame. At least, that’s what most comic book and superhero fans would assume to be true.
Lethal force may not be something he enjoys doing, there have been many times when a Superman from DC’s multiverse has faced no other option…or simply decided he’s had enough with whoever he’s fighting. While they may not have all been made canon by DC, these are The time Superman killed someone in the pages of DC Comics.
10
Superman brutally killed Dr. Light with his heat vision
Justice League #22 by writer Geoff Johns, artist Ivan Rice, inkers Joe Prado and Auclair Albert, colorist Rod Rice, and letters DC Lettering.
During a fight between the JLA and the Justice League, Arthur Light accidentally absorbs energy from Superman due to his solar battery-like qualities. This causes Arthur’s powers to briefly go out of control, and he ends up hitting Wonder Woman with a harmless blast of light.
Harmless or not, This infuriates Superman, who quickly uses his heat vision to vaporize Dr. Light’s brain. Although this seems like an overreaction, it is later revealed that this happened due to a bit of kryptonite placed in Superman’s brain by the crime syndicate, allowing them to influence his actions. It was still a remarkably brutal murder, no matter the excuse.
Related
9
Superman killed Joe Chill when he was adopted by the Waynes
Superman: Speeding Bullets By writer JM DeMatteis, artist Eduardo Barreto and colorist Les Dorscheid
In this universe, Clark’s ship crashes in Gotham City instead of Smallville, and he is found and adopted by the Wayne family. His life was changed forever the night Joe Chill killed the Waynes, and it was the same night that Clark’s powers were finally revealed. predictably, He killed Joe Chill with his heat vision after Joe tried to kill Clark and found him to be bulletproof.
It was a terrible awakening of Superman’s powers, and it is one of the few times that Superman has killed someone as a child. Overall, this proved to be an even more traumatic version of Batman’s backstory than Bruce Wayne’s experience.
8
Superman executes Zod and his Kryptonian allies
Superman #22 by John Byrne, colorist Petra Scottese, and letterer John Costanza
One of Superman’s worst and most deadly enemies has always been General Zod. Thankfully, the two have managed to come to a semblance of peace lately, with Zod getting his own planet and his own family. But in one pocket universe, things went very differently for him. in Superman #22, readers saw a reality where Earth was destroyed by Zod and his fellow Phantom Zone criminals.
They killed every single person on the planet, and threatened to do the same to Superman’s Earth if they ever escaped. Because of this, Superman felt he had no choice, and sadly exposed the criminals to green kryptonite, which slowly killed them.. This would plague Superman’s consciousness for years and even cause a massive fight between him and Batman.
7
Superman kills Mxyzptlk (and pretends to be a hero)
Action comics #583 by Writer Alan Moore, Artists Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson, Inker Kurt Schaffenberger, Colorist Gene D’Angelo, and Letterer Todd Klein
As an imp of the fifth dimension, Mxyzptlk is able to do essentially whatever he wants, including warping reality. Thankfully, Mxy was never an active hostile threat to Superman, but more of a super-fan who wanted to see Superman overcome challenges and was happy to represent them. But one iconic story showed exactly what would happen if Mxy really did go after Superman, and the wild lengths Superman would have to go to in order to defeat him.
Using the Phantom Zone projector, Superman is able to trick Maxi into trying to escape back to the fifth dimension at the same time he is sent to the Phantom Zone. This causes Maxi to be torn halfway between the two dimensionsWhich resulted in Superman finally giving up being a hero and retiring.
6
Superman kills Joker, and takes over the world
Incorrect: Gods Among Us #1 by writer Tom Taylor, artists Axel Gimenez, Mike S. Miller, Jheremy Raapack, inkers Diana Egea, Mike S. Miller, Jheremy Raapack, colorist Andrew Elder, and letterer Wes Abbott
Without a doubt, one of the most famous murders that Superman ever committed was in the pages of Incorrect: Gods Among Us. It was here that the Joker manipulated Superman into killing Lois Lane, and that was one thing that Superman just couldn’t forgive. Superman quickly flew to where the Joker was being held and tore his way into the building, before Superman puts his fist through the Joker’s chest, killing him instantly.
It was the first step that Superman took to become a major villain in the Incorrect Universe. There have been several instances in Superman’s history where he was tempted to kill the Joker, but this is one of the few times that Superman actually went through with it and, considering how dark the events that followed would be, it’s a good one. thing that superman. Usually does not follow the clown prince.
5
Superman saves the world by killing Doomsday
Superman #75 by writer Dan Jurgens, artist Brett Breeding, colorist Glenn Whitmore, and letterer John Costanza
One of the most famous stories of all time,The death of SupermanAs the name implies, the death of Superman involved when he tried to fight the monster Doomsday, a creature that only cares about causing death and destruction. Superman is also not the only character who died during the story. During the climactic final battle between Superman and Doomsday, Superman manages to put the fearsome beast down just before dying from his own wounds.
While it’s absolutely Nobody Who would dispute that Doomsday had to be killed, This is still the most famous example of Superman using his powers to kill another living being. Which is usually against his code of ethics, but when Superman was faced with a terrible monster that would never stop until everyone on Earth was dead, Superman simply had no other choice but to use lethal force.
Related
4
Superman kills Green Arrow during a temper tantrum
Incorrect: Gods Among Us #11 by writer Tom Taylor, artists Tom Derenick, Jeremy Raapack, Bruno Redondo, colorists Sergi Erra, David Lopez, Fran Vazquez, Santi Gasas, and letterer Wes Abbott
After the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, Superman decides to take over the world. Naturally, not everyone was happy with Superman’s decision to become a dictator. Batman created his own rebellion alongside characters such as Catwoman and Green Arrow. Unfortunately, Green Arrow’s choice to join the rebellion eventually cost him his life.
During an infiltration of the Fortress of Solitude, Green Arrow accidentally hurts Jonathan Kent. Terrified to see his father injured, Superman attacks Green Arrow and ends up killing him with his bare handsEven as Martha Kent begs her son to stop. While killing the Joker may be understandable, there is no defense for Superman’s brutal killing of Green Arrow.
3
Superman completely obliterated Zombie Flash
The stopped #5 by writer Tom Taylor, artist Trevor Hairsine, inker Stefano Gaudiano, colorist Rain Beredo and letterer Saida Temofonte
When the heroes fell in the beginning of The stoppedThe entire population of the Earth was on the verge of being infected due to how quickly Flash was moving across the planet. With no other way to stop him, Superman flies in the opposite direction of Flash, eventually circling the planet and Flying right through the undead crimson speedster, causing him to explode and killing him instantlyJ.
It’s a pretty disturbing and graphic way to kill someone, but there was simply no other choice for a zombie that can move faster than the speed of sound. The death of Flash did not make the situation better, because Superman ended up infected by the alteration, became a zombie himself and turned into an even greater threat to the world.
2
Wonder Woman gets her throat snapped by Superman
Superman/Batman #15 by writer Jeph Loeb, artist Carlos Pacheco, inker Jesus Merino, colorist Laura Martin, and letterer Richard Starkings
If Superman is the most powerful member of the Justice League, Wonder Woman is not far behind him. Wonder Woman has incredible strength and has fought Superman several times, winning a surprising amount. But this is not the case in Superman/Batman #15, which shows one of the most vicious versions of a fight between Superman and Wonder Woman.
In this story, the reality was warmed so that not only Batman and Superman are brothers, but they are also tyrannical rulers of the planet. Wonder Woman was one of many as part of the resistance, and after she kills Batman, Superman goes berserk. angry at the death of his brother, Superman beats Wonder Woman into submission, takes her Lasso of Truth and uses it to snap her neck. It was terrifying to see how easily Superman was able to overpower and kill Diana at that moment.
Related
1
Superman kills Lois Lane in a heartbreaking twist
Incorrect: Gods Among Us #1 by writer Tom Taylor, artists Axel Gimenez, Mike S. Miller, Jheremy Raapack, inker Diana Egea, colorist Andrew Elder, and letterer Wes Abbott.
The biggest and most shocking murder that Superman ever committed was once again in Incorrect: Gods Among Us. It was here that the Joker finally got bored with fighting Batman and decided to go after Superman. Joker managed to hurt Superman worse than anyone else as he used to Scarecrow’s fear toxin with kryptonite to cause Superman to hallucinate and see Lois Lane as Doomsday.
Not wanting to allow Doomsday to cause any destruction, Superman immediately began to flee, bringing him up into the atmosphere. It was here that the fear gas would wear off, and he would see what he had really done. Lois Lane was dead and so was their unborn child, and that’s what set Superman Down the path of becoming a tyrant, where he would murder Many More people.