DC Comics is known for having some truly powerful and iconic heroes. Whether they come from worlds from outer space, alternate dimensions, or the streets of the cities many call home, the DC Universe is populated with some truly one of a kind heroes. With so many heroes populating the multiverse, it is almost inevitable that some of these heroes will be cloned.
Both heroes and villains alike have gotten clones made of them over the years. From mutated Supermen to scientists who sought to control their own versions of these powerful beings, here are the ten most powerful clones of the DC Universe.
10 Manhunter
The first clone of note is that of the first Manhunter, Paul Kirk. The vigilante anti-hero was known to have a few clones of himself made. He had been kept in suspended animation for years by a group known as the Council, who had gone through the trouble of creating an army of clones of the anti-hero.
Meant to lead the clones, Manhunter was trained and his abilities were enhanced. However, he learned the Council was a threat to humanity and rebelled, gaining allies like Batman in his fight. One clone went on to work for Darkseid, creating the Secret Society of Super-Villains until he was destroyed by Darkseid himself.
9 Supergirl (Power Girl)
The next hero included on this list to have a clone made of herself is Supergirl. Various heroes have taken on the mantle of Supergirl over the years, while many from alternate realities and parallel universes exist as well. One clone that appeared from Supergirl was from the hit series DC Bombshells, and the clone in question was Power Girl.
Created by this reality’s Hugo Strange, the clone was created after Supergirl defected from the Soviet Union, with Power Girl believing the hero a traitor to the Motherland. However, in their Year Three confrontation, Supergirl broke through to Power Girl and the two stopped Strange for good.
8 Tara Markov
A popular character who also got a clone was Terra, the metahuman sister of hero Geo-Force and a major component of the Teen Titans. With the ability to master and manipulate the Earth, Terra passed away after her allegiance to Deathstroke was revealed, breaking Beast Boy’s heart in the process.
A clone of Terra was created when a virus meant to genetically rewrite someone’s DNA was set off and changed a young girl into Terra. This version of Terra was a true hero, joining the Teen Titans and her brother Geo-Force to fight evil versions of the Teen Titans from the future.
7 Heretic
When Talia al Ghul became disillusioned with her son Damian as he chose to carry on his father’s legacy of crime-fighting instead of her own brand of justice, she cloned Damian and created a monstrous being known as the Heretic. What made him so monstrous was the fact he was grown at an accelerated rate in the womb of a whale.
During his “birth,” Heretic took the lives of many metahumans in the facility, honing his skills. He managed to take out Batman, Nightwing, and many other heroes, even stabbing Damian through the heart in their confrontation before being taken out by his own mother.
6 Bizarro
One of the more popular clones in DC Comics has to be Bizarro. A clone of Superman, the villain/anti-hero has received quite a number of origin stories over the years. Bizarro has spawned several clones himself, each version having the mind of a child and a backward way of thinking in comparison to the man he tries to emulate, Superman.
Up is down, black is white, everything is the opposite in Bizarro’s eyes, (at least typically). However, his story has evolved over the years, as when he helped Luthor take on the Crime Syndicate during the Forever Evil storyline.
5 Justice League 3000
One interesting group of clones that appears in the 31st century is the Justice League 3000 team. This group of clones was created during this era by Project Cadmus, founded by Terri and Terry, aka the Wonder Twins. The twins and the corporation used genetic cloning and the genetic material of some of the original Justice Leaguers to create the new team.
Despite their power and appearance, the new cloned Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Green Lantern were flawed versions of themselves. Many of their relationships were strained, and others had limited or none of the powers they originally had, as well as missing memories.
4 Solomon Grundy
A powerful villain who found himself cloned at one point is Solomon Grundy. The zombie-like creature and long-time foe of the heroes of the DC Universe once found himself truly empowered when he became a more bestial version of himself, proving too strong and powerful even for the Man of Steel himself.
After being abandoned on a harsh planet by Superman, the villain returned several times until Superman and Swamp Thing learn that Grundy has spawned several clones of himself, leading to a massive battle. Superman uses a compound from STAR Labs to stop the monster’s clones.
3 Donna Troy
One interesting hero who has had multiple origin stories that include being a magical clone of another hero is Donna Troy, a key member of the Teen Titans. While some origins see Donna being an adoptive sister of Wonder Woman and others a clay creation to take down Wonder Woman, another version saw Donna as a clone of Wonder Woman.
Created by the sorceress Magala, Donna Troy was created using a magic mirror that duplicated Wonder Woman. She was taken by Dark Angel and cursed to experience multiple tragic lives until Donna was rescued by Wonder Woman, Hippolyta, and The Flash.
2 Kon-El
The second most powerful clone and one of the more popular heroes of the DC Universe is none other than Kon-El, aka Superboy. While many heroes have called themselves Superboy, this version of the hero is a clone of Superman that is half-human and half-Kryptonian. The cloned hero took on the mantle of Superman after Kal-El’s passing at the hands of Doomsday.
When Kal-El returned, he took the mantle of Superboy and ran with it. Becoming a hero, he helped establish the Young Justice team and used his power to help protect the planet.
1 Doomsday
The most powerful and brutal clone in DC Comics is none other than Doomsday. The monster who was responsible for Superman's death was born through a cloning process, only for him to be cloned several times over the years.
Doomsday was cloned in a prehistoric Krypton, created by an alien scientist named Bertron who left a humanoid baby on the planet’s harsh surface, with the child perishing and then being cloned over and over again to evolve it. This led to a galactic killing spree that continuously evolved the creature into the perfect instrument of death.