Superman is widely regarded as one of DC’s strongest heroes, but that hasn’t stopped several characters from taking him down. Even more impressive are those who have done so without using his most famous weakness, Kryptonite. It is radioactive mineral originating from his home planet that can severely weaken or even kill the Man of Steel.
It is most often employed by his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor, to great effect, but several characters have defeated him without the ominous rock. Among this list of powerhouses are beings designed specifically to combat him, others that capitalize on his distinct vulnerabilities, and a few that simply possess far greater strength.
10
Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter is one of the most powerful telepaths in all of DC, with a vast host of other abilities that make him a terrifying foe. He can seamlessly phase through physical attacks on a molecular level, project powerful energy beams from his eyes, and possesses immense raw physical strength.
In the “Trial by Fire” arc of JLA, the formidable extraterrestrial overcomes his fear of fire and becomes possessed by the evil persona of Fernus, the Burning Martian. He then goes on to beat not just Superman, but some of the Justice League’s most renowned heavyweights, including Wonder Woman and Batman.
9
Despero
Despero is a three-eyed alien conqueror who also combines potent telekinetic abilities with devastating physical strength. He was originally introduced as physically weak, only distinguished by his superior intellect and telepathic abilities. He was, however, later reinvented as a towering juggernaut who set his sights on Earth as a prime target for conquest.
He relentlessly antagonizes the Justice League and has battled them on many occasions. Multiple members are usually needed to contain him, as he possesses formidable mind control which can incapacitate several members at a time. In one such confrontation, he completely overpowered Superman one-on-one, and could only be subdued when the android Red Tornado arrived on the scene.
8
Bizarro
Bizarro is an imperfect duplicate of Superman known for possessing several inverted features of the famed hero. For example, he is empowered by green Kryptonite, shoots freeze beams instead of heat vision, and employs literal backward speech. He has differing origins across storylines, but generally retains Superman’s immense strength while being a lot less intelligent.
Though he is a flawed clone that can often be tactically outmaneuvered, his strength has proven to be too much to handle on certain occasions. This was on full display in a recent saga where he overpowered the original Kryptonian and used vast amounts of dark magic he absorbed to turn the residents of the entire world into Bizarros.
7
Trigon
Trigon is one of the most terrifying entities in the DC Universe, usually appearing as an enemy of the Teen Titans due to his connection with Raven. He is a ruthless conqueror, known for enslaving dimensions and destroying worlds. This makes his chaotic exploits universal business, and as a result, he has been opposed by several famed heroes, including Superman.
Trigon is already a terrible matchup for the Man of Steel given his proficiency with high-level magic. Add in his towering physical form and immense strength, and Superman’s chances dwindle even further. This was proven when, during one of Trigon’s rampages in Titans, Superman arrives with reinforcements to help, but they are all effortlessly defeated.
6
Mongul
Mongul is another fearsome conqueror and one of Superman’s most dangerous threats. He is widely known for tyrannically ruling over the planet Warworld, which is depicted as a gladiatorial arena or a mobile planet-destroyer depending on the era. He also famously took over the Sinestro Corps for a time, temporarily renaming it the Mongul Corps.
He possesses vast physical strength and is often seen overpowering Superman in both animated series and comics. Mongul is also no stranger to cruel plots, once even going as far as enslaving the Last Son of Krypton after defeating him and forcing him into brutal gladiator battles for his own personal amusement.
5
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman may be Superman’s ally more often than not, but in the rare instances where the two titans have clashed, the Man of Steel hasn’t always come out on top. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to many, as despite Clark’s raw strength, he is not exactly an elite martial artist.
Wonder Woman, on the other hand, is a seasoned warrior who underwent extensive military training in Themyscira. She is also aided by superhuman strength, her iconic Lasso of Truth, and the Bracelets of Submission. Their encounters are often defined by mind control schemes or switches of allegiances when one of the two turns evil.
4
Shazam
Shazam is also often one of Superman’s allies, as they are both champions of justice who fight for good. There are times, however, just as with Wonder Woman, when they find themselves clashing. He possesses strength to rival Superman, and since his powers stem from magical origins, he can easily exploit one of the Kryptonian’s greatest vulnerabilities.
Though Shazam is essentially a child in an adult body, he displays incredible combat skill, granted to him by the gods who empower him. One of the most notable recent displays of him defeating Superman occurs in Batman/Superman (2019) #2, where a Shazam infected by The Batman Who Laughs thoroughly humbles the beloved hero in battle.
3
Lobo
Lobo is the self-proclaimed Main Man of the DC Universe. He is an immortal intergalactic bounty hunter who is one of the last of his Czarnian race. He is often portrayed as an anti-hero and is a notorious troublemaker, having famously been banned from both Heaven and Hell due to his chaotic nature.
Despite his status as an anti-hero, he is known for his many brawls with Superman. He doesn’t win many of their confrontations, but consistently puts up a relentless fight against his formidable opponent. In fact, in their first-ever brawl, he tossed Superman around so badly the Man of Steel had no choice but to resort to elaborate tricks.
2
Darkseid
Darkseid is a merciless despot who is widely regarded as one of DC’s most feared villains. He frequently appears in animated adaptations, so even fans who are not so familiar with the comics are well versed in his lore. He lords over the hellish planet Apokolips, and his overarching goal is to subjugate every sentient being with the Anti-Life Equation.
This naturally sees him often come into contact with Earth, where he usually finds Superman as a constant enemy. Darkseid frequently dominates these encounters, as his raw power often far surpasses that of the Kryptonian. He is also armed with lethal Omega Beams, which have even been shown to incapacitate Superman with a single hit.
1
Doomsday
Doomsday is arguably Superman’s deadliest opponent, fully capable of killing him and often doing so across various storylines. He is so adept at his role that his mere presence is associated with the end of Superman. Though he doesn’t employ Kryptonite, he is of Kryptonian origin, hailing from a time long before humanoid Kryptonians inhabited the planet.
He is a bio-engineered life-form who underwent repeated iterations of death and rebirth. The aim of his creation was to build the ultimate being, and after decades of torment, he emerged as an apex entity. Consequently, he can consistently adapt to whatever Superman throws at him, and he has the sheer might needed to subdue him.
