10 Most Powerful Superman Villains Who Debuted in the Last Five Years, Ranked

Superman has always battled powerful enemies, but his list of villains has grown significantly in recent years. While an expanding rogues gallery isn’t unusual, the sheer number of new villains challenging the Man of Steel is quite remarkable.

These villains, whether first appearing in DC Comics or in movies and TV shows, are here to stay. They could even mark the start of a new generation of supervillains, dramatically changing Superman’s enemies and the extent of the threat they pose if not stopped.

Captain Luthor Was the Perfect Season One Villain for Superman & Lois

Introduced in the premiere of Superman & Lois, Captain Luthor quickly established himself as a powerful adversary for the show’s version of Superman. Equipped with a high-tech Warsuit, he could fly and fight Superman on equal footing, seemingly without effort. Adding to his danger, weapons like a Red Solar Laser and a Kryptonite knife gave Captain Luthor a significant advantage against the Kryptonian hero.

Captain Luthor was ultimately just a man, though not the one most fans anticipated. His backstory revealed he came from a world where Superman became a threat to humanity, resulting in millions of deaths, including that of Irons’ wife, Lois Lane. During his last battle with that world’s Superman, a wormhole transported him to the universe of Superman & Lois. Initially, he saw the new Superman as another target, but he soon realized his mistake and abandoned the Captain Luthor persona to become Steel.

Doctor Pharm and Graft Nearly Took Down Superman Through His Other Enemies

Doctor Pharm and Graft first appeared briefly and without names in 2023’s Superman #1, created by Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell. Soon after, they became a major force throughout Metropolis. Beyond being brilliant scientists, these two have lived for nearly three centuries combined, making them incredibly dangerous and unforgiving.

Doctor Pharm and Graft once aimed to improve Metropolis, but Lex Luthor stole their research and ruined their lives. Years later, they returned with a plan to weaponize the full range of Kryptonite’s powers – not just against Kryptonians, but against all beings, including humans and those with superpowers – hoping to unlock hidden potential within themselves.

X-El Could Have Been the Deadliest Evil Superman of All Time

X-El first appeared in Superman #24, created by Joshua Williamson with art by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Alejandro Sànchez. He initially seemed like Lex Luthor’s ultimate creation: a clone built from Luthor’s own DNA. Using the same technology that created Bizarro, Luthor designed X-El to have all the powers of a Kryptonian, but without any of their weaknesses.

X-El was incredibly powerful, but also dangerously unpredictable. Lex Luthor locked him away, fearing the chaos he could cause. However, during a crisis involving Brainiac, Mercy Graves released X-El, hoping he could turn the tide. While he initially succeeded, X-El’s instability quickly spiraled out of control, reducing him from a formidable force to a broken, erratic being resembling Bizarro, ultimately needing to be stopped.

The Hammer of Boravia Redefined Evil Superman Clones for the DCU

Before the release of the new Superman movie starring David Corenswet, fans speculated about one of the main villains, with some believing he was a character called Ultraman. In the comic books, Ultraman is an evil version of Superman from a different universe. While the movie didn’t actually feature Ultraman, the initial guess wasn’t too far from the actual villain’s identity.

In the movie Superman, the Hammer of Boravia isn’t an alternate version of Superman, but a clone secretly created by Lex Luthor. While the clone is physically capable of fighting Superman at the same level, it can’t do so independently. The Hammer of Boravia is controlled by drones and voice commands, making it effective but ultimately reliant on external control and not a significant, self-directed threat.

Xanadoth Posed a Massive Mystical Problem for the Man of Steel

Though she officially appeared in Superman #23 in 2020, Xanadoth was known to a small group for quite some time. She’s an incredibly powerful being, and so dangerous that her name was deliberately removed from the Book of Fate to prevent anyone from learning about her and the threat she poses.

It was inevitable that Xanadoth would return to cause trouble in the DC Universe, and Superman couldn’t stop her. Though incredibly powerful with her magic and demonic army, Xanadoth couldn’t exist on Earth without possessing a body and relying on magical objects. This reliance on a host and these objects ultimately led to her defeat.

Synmar Utopica Was a Whole Different Breed of Evil Superman

The story of Synmar Utopica, a character with powers like Superman’s, first appeared in Superman #25 (2020), written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Ivan Reis. Interestingly, Synmar’s origins actually came before the story of Clark Kent becoming Superman, and in fact, inspired it.

A long time ago, when the planet Krypton was destroyed, the people of Synmar witnessed the disaster and saw a single Kryptonian child escape to Earth. They knew this child would grow to possess incredible power, and this worried them. As a result, Synmar transformed Eisno Alkor into a powerful warrior to protect themselves, unaware of the terrible consequences this decision would bring.

The Last Son Wielded the Powers of Almost the Entire Superman Family

Last Son was one of seven powerful androids created by Amanda Waller to fight DC’s heroes in 2024’s Absolute Power. This particular android absorbed the abilities of almost every Kryptonian on Earth, as well as Black Adam, before ultimately being defeated.

In addition to possessing the strength of several Supermen and the power to steal abilities from others, Last Son also had a copy of the Time Commander’s Hourglass – the same one given to all members of Task Force VII. This granted Last Son limited control over time, allowing it to instantly heal from any injury by reversing its own timeline. This made an already incredibly durable enemy even more terrifying.

The Chained Couldn’t Have Been a More Disturbing Superman Villain

Sammy Stryker first appeared in Superman #6 (2023), written by Joshua Williamson with art by Gleb Melnikov. He was originally an ordinary child, but Lex Luthor secretly experimented on him. Luthor, at the request of Sammy’s own father, transformed the boy into someone with incredibly powerful telekinetic abilities.

Sammy’s powers became so immense that he accidentally killed his father. Lex Luthor responded by imprisoning him deep underground, securing him with heavy chains. Years later, Superman discovered Sammy and, believing him to be a prisoner in need of rescue, freed him. However, Luthor’s original methods worked again, and Sammy was recaptured, making his situation even more heartbreaking.

The Brainiac Queen Was Equally Lethal and Disturbing

In 2023’s Superman #7 (created by Joshua Williamson, Gleb Melnikov, Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, and Edwin Galmon), the Chained were the main focus, but it was the Brainiac Queen who left a lasting impression on readers. Her arrival was truly unique, and she’s a character unlike anything we’ve seen before – or likely will again.

After gaining all the knowledge of the universe and being overwhelmed by it, Brainiac created the Brainiac Queen – a powerful being designed for destruction. Discovered after Brainiac’s defeat, she was manipulated into believing Amanda Waller was her mother. Beyond the typical abilities you’d expect from a Brainiac creation, the Brainiac Queen could also control others, turning them into her loyal servants – a power that almost killed Superboy.

DC Comics’ Second Radiant Burned Even Brighter Than the Original

The Radiant, first appearing in Superman #21 (2025) from Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora, isn’t the only being of its kind, but it’s a uniquely powerful cosmic entity. Like the original Radiant, this new version – the shining protector of Calaton – was created from the combined spirits and energy of those who sacrificed themselves to give it life.

Similar to before, a conflict arose even with Superman present. When Superman refused to give Doomsday to a group of aliens he didn’t know, Radiant and his allies in the Aftermath threatened to destroy Earth if their demands weren’t met. Radiant was the most powerful opponent Superman had faced in recent years, capable of easily defeating Kryptonians, until he was fatally wounded by Doomsday.

2025-11-23 07:18