Favorite Superman Villains

[Mister Mets]

I have limited experience with Superman, and want recommended reading for trades- back issues. So who are your favorite Superman villains?

List as many or as few as you want.
List your favorite stories with the villains (if you want.)
Rank the list if you want to.
The villains, and stories can be as obscure, or well-known as you like.

I would love to hear about great stories with villains I'm familiar with, but have limited exposure like Braniac (who I really only know from the animated series, and DK2), and General Zod (Superman 2 & the latest Jim Lee issues.) I'd especially enjoy reading stories with great villains I've never heard of.

[Brian R]

I have not read much Superman stuff, as I only really got into DC last year, but here are my recommendations:

Superman for all Seasons
A really interesting look at the whole of the Superman mythos, from his early days in Smallville to his arrival in Metropolis. Great stuff.

Superman: Red Son
An Elseworlds tale where Superman lands in the Soviet Union instead of the USA. This one is really cool because you get a glimpse at how drastically different the world might have been.

Superman/Batman
The entire current run(18 issues so far), written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuinness, Pat Lee, Michael Turner, and Carlos Pacheco so far. Its just good old-fashioned superhero fun, and especially great if you are new to DC as it has tons of cameos, a nice introduction to many of the major players.

[Reptisaurus!]

Pre-Crisis Braniac and Pre-Crisis Bizzaro.

[Grant]

Does Darkseid count?

[Forsaken_One]

Ambush Bug!

[Apathy Boy]

Contrary to popular opinion, Superman has one of the best rogues galleries in comics, albeit one that's been sorely misused over the years. My favourites:

1. Braniac (Pre-Crisis metal robot version): Awesome, creepy visual. Downright scary personality. Had a giant skull-shaped spaceship. This version was just pure badass.

Recommended reading: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS

2. Titano: A giant monkey astronaut that shoots kryptonite from its eyes! Sheer brilliance!

Recommended reading: Unfortunately, he hasn't had a comic book appearance in 20 years. Boo!

3. Lex Luthor: I'm a little torn on which version I like. I loved the pre-Crisis Luthor's tragic friendship with Clark Kent, but I dig the characterization ruthless evil businessman version (not the old, fat Byrne version, though).

Recommended reading: LEX LUTHOR: MAN OF STEEL

4. Parasite: A big purple dude who absorbs superpowers is just too cool an idea.

Recommended reading: sadly, I can't think of any decent Superman vs. Parasite comics. Parasite had a couple good appearances in FIRESTORM, though.

5. General Zod: Because every superhero needs an opposite number.

Recommended reading: SUPERMAN (post-Crisis) #22

6. Darkseid: He'd be number one, except he winds up looking like a dumb sissy-girl everytime he fights Superman.

Recommended reading: LEGION OF SUPERHEROES: THE GREAT DARKNESS SAGA

[Mister Mets]

Does Darkseid count?

Sure. Any villain who's fought Supes in good stories counts.

Contrary to popular opinion, Superman has one of the best rogues galleries in comics, albeit one that's been sorely misused over the years. My favourites:

1. Braniac (Pre-Crisis metal robot version): Awesome, creepy visual. Downright scary personality. Had a giant skull-shaped spaceship. This version was just pure badass.

Recommended reading: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS

2. Titano: A giant monkey astronaut that shoots kryptonite from its eyes! Sheer brilliance!

Recommended reading: Unfortunately, he hasn't had a comic book appearance in 20 years. Boo!

3. Lex Luthor: I'm a little torn on which version I like. I loved the pre-Crisis Luthor's tragic friendship with Clark Kent, but I dig the characterization ruthless evil businessman version (not the old, fat Byrne version, though).

Recommended reading: LEX LUTHOR: MAN OF STEEL

4. Parasite: A big purple dude who absorbs superpowers is just too cool an idea.

Recommended reading: sadly, I can't think of any decent Superman vs. Parasite comics. Parasite had a couple good appearances in FIRESTORM, though.

5. General Zod: Because every superhero needs an opposite number.

Recommended reading: SUPERMAN (post-Crisis) #22

6. Darkseid: He'd be number one, except he winds up looking like a dumb sissy-girl everytime he fights Superman.

Recommended reading: LEGION OF SUPERHEROES: THE GREAT DARKNESS SAGA

Thanks. Ths was just what I was looking for.
Sad that there aren't more examples (criticism of DC, not you.)

[The Joker]

I think Superman has a pretty good rouges gallery. Despite what many say, it's pretty decent.

Lex Luthor.
Mr. Mxyzptlk
Metallo
Brainiac
Doomsday
Bizarro
The Cyborg
Mongul
The Parasite
Darkseid
General Zod
The Toyman
The Prankster
The Ultra-Humanite
Conduit

Although it's not up there with Batman's (hey, few are), I dont think Supes rouges gallery is too shabby either. IMHO. :)

[i_mmmchocolate]

I recommend Superman: Red Son too. Also, the Trinity.


My two most favorite Supes Villains are Brainiac and Luthor.

[chriskenny]

The Parasite:
His concept is really great. The idea that he could suck the very life of Superman with his very touch makes him a deadly character.

Metallo:
The idea of a villain whose heart is Kryptonite. The idea that the very thing that will kill Superman keeps him alive is really neat.

Solaris:
Read DC One Million. Enough said. Great villain.

Brainiac:
A great villain. I wish they would settle on one version of him and stick with it. He is always so different everytime he appears. Brainiac 13 was pretty good, though.

Luthor:
I am loving his current status quo as leader (or co-leader) of a secret society of supervillains. Pretty exciting.

Magog:
I think this guy is great, just because he is the anti-hero he abhors. I wish Chuck Austen wrote Gog a little better, but I feel like he minimized the weight that Waid and Ross brought the character.

General Zod:
Classic villain and, like someone said, his opposite number.

Dominus:
A villain that can change reality around the hero is pretty dangerous. Plus, he looks cool.

Maxima:
I like the idea of a villainess that fights Superman because he rejected her offer of marriage and sex. Kind of cool.

Bizarro:
I like him simply because he has cool Frankenstein quality, where you dont know whether to fear him or feel sorry for him. A deranged, surreal version of Superman is kinda neat.

Cyborg:
This guy represents an atrocity few villains can take responsibility for: the destruction of an entire city population. And not only did he do that, but he did it wearing the S-shield... earning the people's trust, the trust Superman cultivated. And Cyborg exploited it.

[Johnathon Crane]

Not in any particular order, and sorry if mine don't seem to be yours.

Prankster Every hero needs their Joker, if it be Whiteface, The Clown Prince of Crime, the Green Goblin (Come on, he's a maniac and he wears purple). The Prankster is also acquainted with Lord Satanus, I think. Definately cool for a villain to have the hottest friends in town.

Lex Luthor He is the ultimate Superman villain. Whether he be outsmarting Superman with his genius, using police forces or spreading lies through the press, Lexy baby's definately on nearly everyone's hot list.

Mr Mxyptlk Mxy is one funny little imp from the Fifth Dimension. He may be dead, I dunno, he seemed to say Kltpyxm before killed by someone (I don't want to share possible spoilers). Plus he has a form of magic. Supes is weak to magic.

Darksied This guy is in charge of his own little world. He has plans for Earth, and is after the Anti-Life Equation. Besides, this guy's like the toughest in the whole DC Universe! Considering how long good villains have been around for, that's saying something.

General Zod Conquerer wannabe. Kneel before Zod. The son of Jor-El's only real Kryptonian foe (Doomsday fans, face it. He's just an experiment from Krypton, not one of their species) and one of his most persistent. The current one might not be Kryptonian, I dunno, but his origin had kryptonite somewhere in it.

And I think that will be enough for today. I like quite a few, but these are the only ones I can elaborate on today. Others of worth mention: Brainiac, Dominus, Gog, Ruin, Metallo, Manchester Black, and Bizarro.

[fishsticks]

I loved Superman: Godfall -- The villian, Preus.

[Magneto_X]

Darkseid, the Cyborg, Brainiac (uber-robot Pre-Crisis/Timmverse versions), General Zod, Lex Luthor

[brundlefly]

Lex Luthor - Favorite incarnation is the smooth machiavellian LexCorp CEO/former US President, but I like the Silver Age criminal genius on display in ALL STAR as well as the Legion of Doom ringleader in JUSTICE, as well.

Braniac - Mutliple versions to choose from here, too. I've always liked the robotic skull-ship version, but I also enjoy the green-skinned telepathic alien. Decisions, decisions. We never got to see the most recent Braniac incarnation (from "The Insiders") do much and he was absent during IC, so it would be cool to see him return soon.

General Zod - The Terrance Stamp version in Superman II is my favorite. He's got Victor Von Doom's ego and pretentiousness combined with Superman's powers. Just too awesome. I hope the most recent comics version in ACTION gets that aspect right.

Darkseid - I prefer to list him as a JLA/DC universe threat. Superman shouldn't be able to go one-on-one with him and need to call in the JLA when faced with Darkseid in order to defeat him.

Mongul - I'd like to see him return to form as a badass Superman villain in 07. He's been mishandled over the years, but I still really like him and think he's one of Superman's better rogues.

Cyborg - Like Darkseid, I like that he's not just a Superman villain (also at odds with Hal Jordan and the GLC). His combo of Kryptonian DNA and advanced technology makes him very formidable and a good match for Supes in one-on-one physical battles.

Metallo - I like that he's a more blue-collar villain, like the Flash Rogues. Not every Supes' villain has to have delusions of grandeur.

Bizarro - The creepy, zombie one from JUSTICE, mind you; not Loeb's goofy "Bizarro #1." I hear that Johns' version in ACTION is more the former, so I may have to check that out.

[Preus]

Mine (in order):

1. Mongul
2. General Zod
3. Metallo
4. Non (from Superman I & II)
5. Darkseid
6. Bizarro
7. Brainiac
8. Doomsday
9. Lex Luthor

[marshal99]

2. Titano: A giant monkey astronaut that shoots kryptonite from its eyes! Sheer brilliance!

Recommended reading: Unfortunately, he hasn't had a comic book appearance in 20 years. Boo!


Post crisis , Titano appeared in Superman annual 1 and died in that same issue.

[dupersuper]

There was also a future Titano in a Justice Legion A story, and a cameo of sorts in a recent issue of Superman/Batman.

[cr8s]

Greatest Superman villain ever.

Vandal Savage is actually the greatest fictional character ever.

There is no room for argument on this.

Rather, that is to say: you can argue the subject-- in a literal sense-- but only understanding that to do so is futile, and that in the act of doing so, you are only expressing just how ignorant you are about highly important topics such as this.

That is all.

-- s0hcr8s



PS: Savage, if you actually aren't a fictional character, I apologize for suggesting that you were (though in truth, I imagine after being around for as long as you have, you've learned not to sweat the small stuff). Drop me a line so I can figure out that whole immortality thing; it's really been quite the vexing matter for me as of late.

[fightgar]

i have to say Gog...theres something about a kid looking up to his hero and then finding out his parents are dead because of a choice that his hero made not to save them...makes him into the perfect person to want and have every reason to take revenge on hie former hero

[nuclearman]

lex luthor ... any version is my superman fav. .... second general zod... darkseid at three.

[Iroquois]

I have a soft spot for the majority of known villains in Superman's rogue gallery. I can't not love Mxyptlk, or Bizzaro (when he's written right). The Brainiacs and Zod are classics and the standoffs with Metallo are always a must.

Still, my favorite must be Darkseid, when his involvement leads to huge conflicts. I love this God Vs. (demi-)God aspect.

I don't even have to mention Lex, of course. As far as I'm concerned, Lex is part of the main cast. He's as important to Superman (as a character) as -say- Lois.

[rwe1138]

Manchester Black.

[stealthwise]

Brainiac, Bizarro, Mxyzptlk... all Pre-Crisis.

Man, I kind of hate DC now.

[AdamYJ]

One of my favorites is the Prankster. He's essentially a performer who took his work to a bigger stage (the streets of Metropolis) when he was fired from his TV show. There was a recent issue of Superman by Kurt Busiek that showcased him very well.

[Ite]

Darkseid
Mongul
Doomsday
Zod
Luthor

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Darkseid: The God The Devil Prays To. 'Nuff said.
Lex Luthor: If you haven't read Lex Luthor: Man Of Steel by Brian Azzarello, I suggest you to do it.
Manchester Black.
Mr. Mxyzptlk.
General Zod.
Doomsday.
Brainiac.
Bizarro.
Mongul.