DC Heroes Surprisingly Stronger Than Superman (2024)

Superman is among the most powerful characters in both the DC and Marvel universes. Some characters, like the Hulk, have a legitimate claim to rival Superman's strength, which has led to several debates among comics fans. Although intercompany strength debates can be fun, they aren't as easy when looking specifically at the DC universe.

Superman is incredibly strong and very powerful, but he can still fall below some impressive superheroes in the DC Universe, given the right conditions. While they may not be able to bench press weight like Superman, many heroes have proven they are stronger in other ways that grant them a strategic advantage over the Man of Steel.

Updated on September 5, 2024 by Scoot Allan: Superman and his extended family continually face powerful new threats in the DC universe. However, the Man of Steel must also be wary of a few of his fellow heroes, as even he can sometimes be surprised by their incredible power levels. This list has been updated with more entries and information and to reflect changes in CBR's editing style.

20 Zatanna's Magic Can Easily Stop Superman

While Zatanna Zatara might seem like a weird inclusion, her incredible untapped potential as one of DC's most powerful magic users makes her a threat to more than just Superman. Zatanna is a long-time member of the Justice League who also helped found and lead the supernatural offshoot known as Justice League Dark.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• She is especially capable of magically altering people's memories
• Zatanna even mastered the mystical House of Secrets
• Stopped powerful characters like Wonder Woman by binding them with magic rope

Zatanna trained under her stage magician father, who also trained her to use their unique and powerful backward magic. Zatanna can make almost anything happen by saying it in a reverse spell, so something as simple as the phrase "Namrepus, POTS!" could make the Man of Steel pause in his tracks. His incredible vulnerability to magic means that Zatanna has any number of options to slow down or weaken Superman enough for her to take him out if needed.

19 Apollo Is A Solar-Powered Powerhouse

One of the most powerful members of The Authority actually first appeared in the dying days of the StormWatch title. He signaled a shift in not just the story but also the WildStorm universe as a whole. Apollo was a genetically engineered covert agent who struck out alone alongside the deadly strategist and combatant Midnighter.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Apollo circled the planet in less than a minute
• Walking on the surface of the sun would only make him stronger
• He can also project incredibly powerful solar energy blasts

His incredible power gave the newly formed Authority an edge that helped them take over an increasingly violent world. Apollo's powers depend entirely on absorbing energy from the sun, which means he can overcharge himself to increase his strength as needed. However, it also means he can dramatically lose strength the longer he is kept away from the sun, which would ultimately give the Man of Steel the win. However, Apollo could still surprise Superman with his strength if her were overcharged with solar energy.

18 Sodam Yat Is A Powerful Daxamite Torchbearer

While some Green Lanterns could hold their own against Superman and more willful ones like Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner have an even better shot, one member of the GLC still stands above the rest. Sodam Yat was revealed as the Torchbearer of the Green Lantern Corps, which gave him an extra boot as the emerald entity-powered Ion.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Sodam Yat fought Superman Prime in the future as the last Green Lantern
• He destroyed the core of the evil Sinestro Corps planet Ranx
• Sodam Yat held his own against Superboy-Prime in the present, though his weakness to Lead ended the fight

However, Sodam Yat is also from the planet Daxam. Daxamites are an alien species similar to Kryptonians, and they have the same incredible strength that makes other heroes like Mon-El/Valor stand out. Sodam Yat's Daxamite strength is further enhanced by his role as Ion, which would give even elite Kryptonians like Superman trouble in a full-on fight.

17 Mr. Majestic Is An Ancient Warlord With No Limits

Lord Majestros was a Kherubim warlord fighting an ancient war against the Daemonite species. He fought them for centuries, though the war eventually came to Earth. He was stranded on the planet for centuries, living through wars and watching humankind grow. He eventually decided to operate out in the open as Mr. Majestic after years of hiding his true nature.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He survived the explosion of a nuclear reactor
• Mr. Majestic went toe-to-toe with Superman
• He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty to carry out his mission

Mr. Majestic quickly earned the distinction of being the most powerful superhero in the WildStorm universe. He even crossed over to the DC universe and met Superman, where fans saw just how close in strength and abilities the two heroes were. Following the Wildstorm universe's merge with the DC universe, Mr. Majestic can once again challenge the Man of Steel for the role of the toughest hero around, with either one taking the win on any given day.

16 Icon Is An Incredibly Strong Alien From the Dakotaverse

Another DC character who got his start in another comic universe is the powerful alien being known as Icon. Originally appearing in Milestone Comics' Dakotaverse, the characters were eventually worked into the DC universe. Icon was an alien who arrived on Earth before the Civil War. He took a human form as a Black child to disguise his alien nature, and he saw the worst of America during the slave era. As Augustus Freeman, he raised incredible wealth by pretending to age and die as his own descendants for years.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He made the Dakota harbor steam due to his positronic energy blasts
• Faced Superman one-on-one and only stopped the battle to save others
• Took on some of Dakota's heaviest hitters without breaking a sweat

When Freeman met young Raquel Ervin, she convinced him to use his incredible gifts to help others as the costumed hero Icon while she joined him as his sidekick Rocket. Icon had access to advanced alien technology, though it was his own incredible strength and energy-based powers that made him a threat. Icon can easily lift well over 100 tons, putting him at the top of Class 100+ like Superman. Icon's accelerated healing and ability to fire powerful energy blasts give him an edge that makes even Superman hesitate in battle.

15 Phantom Stranger Is An Immortal With Incredible Power

The Phantom Stranger is a strange marginal character that has unfortunately been largely forgotten in recent stories. No one really knows his true origin. He could be a fallen angel who sided with Lucifer against God. He might be a man who tried to escape God's wrath by ending his life, but was forbidden from leaving the mortal plane by an angel. Phantom Stranger could even be Judas Iscariot himself.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He's charged with turning humanity away from evil, one soul at a time
• The Phantom Stranger has guided powerful magicians like Tim Hunter
• He works alongside other magical beings as part of the Trenchcoat Brigade

Whatever his origins, The Phantom Stranger is an immortal being with access to deep wells of divine power and vast magical capabilities. Superman has never been at odds with the Phantom Stranger before, and that's probably a good thing for the Man of Tomorrow. Superman wouldn't win that bout, given his weakness against magic.

14 Madame Xanadu Is one of DC's Most Powerful Spellcasters

Madame Xanadu is an ancient being that has wandered the Earth for untold centuries. Her origins have differed with each iteration, but her initial origin story involved Merlin cursing her to wander the Earth forever. She could foresee the evil and dread that would come but couldn't intervene or practice further magic.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• She can focus her supernatural powers through a deck of Tarot cards
• Xanadu gained her immortality after besting Death in a game of cards
• Her powers were enhanced due to her close connection to The Spectre

Madame Xanadu eventually gained her powers and agency back. She is the half-sister of Arthur Pendragon, who escaped Camelot's downfall by escaping to Avalon. She has survived to the present day and now often works with the Justice League Dark. A powerful immortal sorceress, Madame Xanadu would easily bring down Superman if they were ever at odds.

13 Etrigan the Demon Has Strength Reinforced by Magic

Etrigan the Demon is a Prince of Hell bound to the mortal form of the immortal Jason Blood. Etrigan is strong and fast, spews hellfire, and can conjure his own spells. The Demon is a powerful immortal being and a mystical entity, which has always proven to be a problem for Superman.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He took over Hell while wearing the Crown of Horns
• His strength increases at mystical locations like Stonehenge
• He once punched Superman clear into orbit

The Demon's ill intent often overpowers Jason Blood's tendencies toward heroism. In battle, Superman typically finds a way out of a straightforward fight or gets the help of someone more magically inclined. However, it stands to reason that Big Blue would regret a one-on-one showdown with Etrigan the Demon.

12 Doctor Manhattan Can Manipulate the Fabric of Reality Itself

The incredibly powerful Doctor Manhattan first appeared in the Watchmen universe as Dr. Jon Osterman. He was caught in an intrinsic field experiment that tore him down to his atoms. He developed the ability to pull himself back together atom by atom, unlocking other powerful abilities that made him a cosmic threat to the multiverse.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Built his own kingdom on Mars by rearranging matter
• Dr. Manhattan took down most of the heroes of the DC universe
• The energies of Dr. Manhattan were used to fix the multiverse

Doctor Manhattan has reality-altering abilities that allow him to manipulate the timestream of the DC Universe. His experiment with the DC universe resulted in the New 52 universe, though he eventually faced Superman during the Doomsday Clock series. Manhattan could rebuild his body to overpower Superman, though he chose to believe in Superman's heroism and ended the fight.

11 Firestorm Can Create Kryptonite with His Powers

Firestorm is an incredibly powerful hero with an immense array of abilities. The Firestorm Matrix has joined characters like Ronnie Raymond, Jason Rusch, and Dr. Martin Stein to become the Nuclear Man. Firestorm has the superhuman strength to match up with just about anyone, but he has much more than strength at his disposal.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He can increase his strength by absorbing elements to enforce his shell
• Firestorm can project nuclear flames that he can also manipulate
• He can alter his density to intensify his physical attacks further

Firestorm can rearrange matter and energy into any form. He can even absorb radiation and turn it into Kryptonite to weaken Superman. Batman stated Firestorm has enough power to beat Superman, which is also pretty hard evidence that the Nuclear Man is stronger than the Man of Steel.

10 Green Lanterns Have Power Equal to Their Own Will

Green Lantern Hal Jordan is the best and brightest of the Green Lantern Corps. He was the first Corpsman from Earth and has pushed the ring to limits unimagined before him. In recent comics, he forged his new Green Lantern ring from his pure will. Green Lantern's hard-light constructs can hold some of the strongest beings in the universe.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• A Blue Lantern can supercharge Green Lantern's power
• Parallax nearly rewrote the entire multiverse during Zero Hour
• He can increase his natural strength using hard-light constructs

All of this wouldn't necessarily be enough to beat Superman. Still, there is a version of Hal Jordan who easily overpowered Superman in the past. Hal Jordan gained godlike powers as Parallax after absorbing energy from the Oan Central Power Battery. He had powers of creation and destruction that dwarfed even Superman's might.

9 Doctor Fate Draws on Incredible Power as a Lord of Order

Superman would have no chance against Doctor Fate. He is one of DC's most powerful magic users thanks to the mystical abilities of the cosmic being named Nabu. He powers human hosts like Kent Nelson with his magical abilities, possessing them and sometimes taking over their bodies. Dr. Fate is basically immortal as long as there is a human host to control.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Dr. Fate is an agent of the Lords of Order in an ongoing battle against the Lords of Chaos
• He's further enhanced by the Amulet of Anubis, the Cloak of Destiny, and the Helmet of Fate
• Superman once wore the Helmet of Fate to fight a magical battle against Xanadoth

Superman has two significant weaknesses. One is Kryptonite, which can kill him. The other is magic, against which Superman also has no defense. Doctor Fate can do whatever he wants with magic, making him much stronger than Superman if they battle each other.

8 The Flash Can Use the Speed Force to Hit with the Force of a White Dwarf Star

Put them side by side, and there is no way that anyone would think Flash is a stronger hero than Superman. The biggest discussion among Superman and The Flash fans is usually about who is faster. Few fans talk about who is stronger because The Flash doesn't have the physical strength to compete.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Flash can increase his strength exponentially using the Speed Force
• He can weaponize the Speed Force lightning generated when he runs
• Flash can reach speeds necessary to deliver an infinite mass punch

The Flash may not normally have the strength to fight Superman, but he is still the fastest man alive and one of DC's most important speedsters. He can tap into the Speed Force to push himself faster than anyone in the DCU. This allows him to run at light speed and hit someone with the power of a white dwarf star, as described by The Flash himself.

7 Shazam Has Near Superman's Strength Plus the Power of Magic

Shazam was created one year after Superman in 1939, though he was originally known as Captain Marvel. One significant difference separated him from the Man of Steel: A wizard gave Billy Batson the powers of the gods through a magic word that activated transforming lighting.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Shazam is commonly known as the World's Mightiest Mortal
• He can spread his power with the rest of the Shazam Family
• Shazam is also one of the few heroes who have knocked out Superman

Shazam is in a strength class similar to Superman but can also command lightning. Shazam's magical powers give him a clear advantage over Superman whenever they meet in battle. The two heroes have fought several times, and Shazam almost always wins unless outside forces are at play.

6 Wonder Woman Has Vastly Greater Skill and Experience as a Fighter

Wonder Woman has proven time and time again that she is a match for almost any superhero or villain. This includes Superman, whom she has faced a few times. Just like the Kryptonian, Diana has superhuman strength. She is close to invincible, has superhuman endurance, and ages slowly, giving her a long lifespan.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Diana is a demigod who wields the strength of the Olympians
• She was blessed with a portion of Hecate's magical abilities
• She was able to alter reality after absorbing Anti-Crisis energy

Diana was raised as a fighter and trained with the greatest Amazon warriors. She also has magical abilities and a mystical sword that could cut even Superman's skin. Wonder Woman would be a great friend because she knows how to fight, but she's a dangerous enemy to have because her strength is on par with Superman.

5 Martian Manhunter Has a Wider Variety of Powers

Superman and Martian Manhunter are equals when it comes to strength and endurance. However, while Superman's strength is one of his vital superhuman traits, Martian Manhunter has even more incredible abilities.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Martians can also phase through solid matter and fire energy beams from their eyes
• He once took on the entire roster of the Justice League by himself
• Martian Manhunter has a fear of fire that can physically weaken him

J'onn J'onnz is a shapeshifter who can alter his form and regenerate his body. He is also one of the most powerful telepaths on Earth, which adds to his arsenal of fighting abilities. The two Justice Leaguers might possess even more base strength, but Manhunter's combined powers give him the edge. To emphasize this, Superman himself said that J'onn is the most powerful being on Earth.

4 The Spectre Wields Near Unlimited Strength

The Spectre has quite a few things going for him. His powers are nearly limitless, and he can do pretty much anything. The Spectre can manipulate time and space and can control all matter. Likewise, he is nearly invulnerable, and his strength is limitless.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Aztar was a powerful demon who repented to become the divine Spectre
• He is bound to a human host to limit his powers and reduce corruptibility
• The Spectre is empowered by DC's Abrahamic God known as The Presence

Despite remaining among the most powerful heroes, Superman's strength has waxed and waned. The Spectre is unlimited in his strength, making him stronger than Superman on his best day. Spectre's role as the divine Spirit of Vengeance makes him one of the most powerful beings.

3 Swamp Thing Is Part of the Earth and Can Manipulate the Elements

Superman is probably lucky that Swamp Thing rarely wants to fight. If Superman doesn't hurt the Earth, he has nothing to fear from the Protector of the Green. However, if the two ever fought, Swamp Thing has enough in him to defeat the Man of Steel.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• Dr. Alec Holland created a Bio-Restorative Formula before he became Swamp Thing
• He can pull additional power from The Green to increase his strength as needed
• Swamp Thing created multiple powerful bodies in a battle against Superman

Swamp Thing has several impressive abilities, and he has mastered the elements, giving him the ability to manipulate them. He can make himself one with the Earth and become as big and strong as needed, increasing his strength. If the need to fight arose, Swamp Thing could increase his strength to become stronger than even Superman.

2 Captain Atom Can Manipulate Red Sun Radiation

Captain Atom and Superman have fought before. In that battle, Superman had to pull out a trick or two to come out on top because Captain Atom is stronger than Superman. On top of his strength and invulnerability, Captain Atom can absorb and expel radiation and energy.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• He was originally a character from Charlton Comics named Allen Adam
• Captain Atom can alter his density and project powerful energy blasts
• He is coated in a quantum armor that contains his volatile energy form

Captain Atom has proven in past battles that he is stronger than Superman and has better fighting skills. He can also weaponize red sun radiation, weakening Superman like Kryptonite and magic. His sometimes uncontrolled nature has earned him a reputation as one of the most dangerous DC heroes.

1 Supergirl Can Absorb and Process Red Sun Energy More Efficiently

One DC character who might not seem stronger than Superman is actually his cousin, Supergirl. This fact is canon both in the comics and on television. This is due to a weird fact about Supergirl, as Kara Zor-El is actually older than Superman, even though he has been on Earth longer.

Notable Traits/Accomplishments:

• She shares Superman's other Kryptonian abilities like heat vision and super speed
• Supergirl joined the Red Lantern Corps before she learned how to control her rage
• Like Superman, she possesses a powerful energy field that works with her strength

Supergirl trained on Krypton before Kal-El was born and had more experience. She also absorbed more solar energy on her trip to Earth, which increased her power levels. She will only continue to get stronger the longer she remains on Earth. Even Batman revealed to Superman that his cousin was stronger and more powerful, which is evidence enough.

Superman

Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book Action Comics #1.

NAME

Kal-El, Clark Kent

Alias

Superman

FIRST APP

Action Comics #1, 1938

Created By

Jerry Siegel , Joe Shuster

POWERS

Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, reflexes. Heat vision, X-ray Vision. Ice breath. Flight

TEAM

Justice League

RELATIONSHIPS

Superboy, Supergirl, Batman, Wonder Woman

Franchise

Superman

Movies

Superman , Superman II , Superman III , Superman IV: The Quest for Peace , Superman Returns , Man of Steel , Justice League , Batman v Superman

TV Shows

, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman , Adventures of Superman , The Batman/Superman Hour , Superman: The Animated Series , My Adventures With Superman , Smallville , Justice League