There’s no denying that Superman’s rogues’ gallery houses some of the strongest, smartest, and most powerful villains in the DC Universe, each capable of putting the Man of Steel’s overpowered abilities to the test time and time again. However, when it comes to Superman’s most powerful villain of all time, there’s no competition. Now, that villain has made history once again with their most radical redesign yet, one that makes the pronouns “he/him” no longer accurate.
When it comes to asking who Superman’s strongest or most powerful villain of all time is, the answer is simple: Mister Mxyzptlk. This iconic rogue is nearly as old as the Man of Steel himself, first debuting in Superman #30 in 1944. Since then, he has made regular appearances throughout Superman’s stories, bringing plenty of mischief and overpowered mayhem with him.
As a fifth-dimensional imp and one of DC’s few fifth-dimensional characters at that, there is simply no competition when it comes to Mister Mxyzptlk’s power level. Thankfully, Mxy is typically more concerned with causing mischief and being a nuisance than with outright villainy. However, the imp has still caused plenty of trouble over the years, earning him a spot in the Man of Steel’s rogues’ gallery.
Now, after 82 years, Mister Mxyzptlk has just undergone his boldest character redesign yet, with the transformation taking place in Supergirl: Survive#3, from writers Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan and artist Rod Reis.
Introducing MISS Mxyzptlk: The Fifth-Dimensional Imp of Supergirl’s New Series
Comic Panel Comes from Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan’s Supergirl: Survive #3 (2026) – Art by Rod Reis
Supergirl: Survive is an ongoing narrative that is part of DC’s Elseworlds imprint, which is home to many of DC’s stories that take place outside of the comic publisher’s main universe. Supergirl: Survive reimagines the story of Krypton’s destruction by having Kara Zor-El and a baby Kal-El escape together in the same spaceship headed toward Earth. However, the two get knocked off course, kicking off their fight to survive in a hostile universe that is greedy to get its hands on the last remaining Kryptonians.
Issue #3 focuses on the aftermath of Kara running away from the Lantern Corps, stealing a Blue Power Ring, and then creating a construct of Krypton as she travels with a toddler Kal-El to Earth. This exceptionally impressive construct catches the attention of one fifth-dimensional imp: Ms. Mxyzptlk. And no, that isn’t a typo. In this Elseworlds tale, it appears that Mister Mxyzptlk has been reimagined as a female imp.
While there is a slight possibility that this is a relative of Mister Mxyzptlk, it feels more probable that this is simply this Elseworlds’ reimagining of the character. While still exceptionally imp-like in appearance, Ms. Mxy is notably female-presenting, and a hip one at that. Instead of wearing the mismatched bowler aesthetic of the main universe’s Mxy, she dons a more street-style look with ripped orange jeans, a matching shirt, a purple-tinted leather jacket with a matching hat, and untied biker boots.
One theory for why Mister Mxyzptlk has been genderbent in this series is that the imps typically take on the appearance of their current obsession, such as Nite-Mite, Bat-Mite, and others, matching the gender of whoever their fixation is. While Mister Mxyzptlk has never truly taken on Superman’s appearance, it would make sense for the imp to flip genders when its focus is on the female Kara. However, this is all just conjecture. But if one thing is for sure, it’s that this is by far the most interesting reimagining of this iconic Superman character to date.
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
Supergirl: Survive #3 from DC Comics is now available to read!
Movie(s)
Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman Returns, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman, Man of Tomorrow
TV Show(s)
Adventures of Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, My Adventures With Superman
Comic
Superman (2023)
First Film
Superman
Genres
Superhero, Action
Cast
Christopher Reeve, David Corenswet, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Tom Welling, Tyler Hoechlin, Margot Kidder, Rachel Brosnahan, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Gene Hackman, Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Jesse Eisenberg
