Superman is generally regarded as the standard for strength in the DC Universe. With powers such as the ability to fly, heat vision, frost breath, super speed, and near-invulnerability, he’s essentially the epitome of a superhero. However, even the Man of Steel has had his match—and not necessarily in the ways you would expect. From psychological warfare to brute force, these characters have managed shocking, cunning, and even heartbreaking means to defeat one of the most formidable entities in comics.
1. Maxwell Lord – The Telepath Who Took Over
At other times, the most destructive blows aren’t delivered with fists—those with the mind. In Wonder Woman 219, Maxwell Lord employs telepathic abilities to take full control of Superman’s mind, causing him to perceive his closest friends as adversaries. Even Martian Manhunter concedes that the mind control cannot be reversed. Ultimately, Wonder Woman has to make the impossible decision: she kills Lord to rescue Superman, showing that power is not necessarily a matter of being physically strong—it can be chillingly subtle.
2. Lex Luthor – The Mastermind Who Strategically Defeated the World
Lex Luthor has never thought he’s humanity’s real hero—and in Batman: Last Knight on Earth, he demonstrates why. By linking all human brains together with Starro and giving them a choice between him and Superman, Luthor more or less conducts a worldwide referendum. Humanity votes for Lex, and Superman is killed. It’s one of Luthor’s most chilling victories—less ego and more manipulation on a universal level.
3. Godzilla – The King of Monsters, Literally
Yes, said Godzilla. In Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 4, the King of the Monsters fires his atomic breath, so strong it negates Superman’s regenerative power and kills him flat out. Radiation has long been one of Superman’s weaknesses, and Godzilla’s go-to maneuver is more than a match. It’s titanic violence with a jaw-dropping outcome.
4. Failsafe – Batman’s Worst-Case Weapon
Batman never lacks a plan—no matter what it takes, including planning for Superman’s defeat. In Batman 128, Failsafe, a hyper-advanced android Bruce designed as an ultimate insurance policy, brings down Superman with chilling accuracy. Equipped with kryptonite knives and the capability to make Superman’s powers turn against him, Failsafe disposes of the Man of Steel not once, but twice. It’s evidence that Batman’s paranoia may be his deadliest superpower.
5. Brainiac – The Cold, Calculating Conqueror
In Justice League: No Justice 1, Brainiac shows up with one purpose: to eliminate the League—and he accomplishes it easily. Superman is subdued without even throwing a punch. Brainiac’s brains and planning overwhelm brute power, and in this instance, the brightest mind in the room doesn’t sweat as he dispatches one of DC’s strongest.
6. Darkseid – Victory Without a Punch
Darkseid is more than mere muscle. In Superman: Up in the Sky 5, he ensnares Superman in an ethical quandary: kill for him, or violate a solemn oath. The situation puts Superman in a bind where, whatever he decides, he loses. Darkseid doesn’t conquer with power—he conquers by corrupting Superman’s values, which, for the Man of Steel, is the greatest loss of all.
7. Alfred Pennyworth – The Butler Did It
Maybe the biggest surprise beatdown in DC history occurs in Injustice: Gods Among Us 36. Superman beats up Batman, and Alfred, determined to defend him, takes a super-strength pill—and then proceeds to give Superman a severe beatdown of his own with hardly any trouble at all. It’s a shot that is both surprising and pleasantly gratifying, as it proves that love, loyalty, and a few chemical boosters can do wonders.
8. Wonder Woman – The Warrior Who Went Toe-to-Toe
Wonder Woman hardly ever confronts Superman, but if she does, she doesn’t pull any punches. In Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Four 9, she defeats him in a one-on-one fight. Her Amazonian training and raw determination provide her with the advantage. Other such stories, such as Wonder Woman: Dead Earth and JLA: A League of One, reveal similar outcomes—when Diana brings the battle, she brings the whole shebang.
9. Batman – The Man with a Plan
Batman defeating Superman has been the flavor of the month h and rightly so. From kryptonite rings in the Hush to red kryptonite in Tower of Babel, Bruce Wayne is always prepared with a backup plan. Even his alternate universe counterparts have managed to kill Kal-El. Batman isn’t strong;e r, it’s just that he’s always prepared for any eventuality.
10. Doomsday – The Monster Who Killed Him
The greatest Superman defeat of all time is at the hands of Doomsday in Superman 75. During a vicious, no-holds-barred fight, both fighters perish. Doomsday is the only supervillain to have killed Superman in a fair fight, and that reputation still frames their long-standing feud.
Superman is the face of hope and virtually invincible power, but these tales also remind us that even the most powerful heroes have a limit. By brains, brute force, or moral ambition, these characters have done the impossible: they have defeated the Man of Steel—and revolutionized the DC Universe in the process.