Superman is one of 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, it isn't as easy when looking specifically at the DC universe.

Superman is incredibly strong and very powerful, but he falls below some impressive superheroes in the DC Universe. 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 February 21st 2024, by Sage Ashford: This list has been updated to reflect changes in CBR's editing style.

15 Phantom Stranger Draws on Incredible Power as an Immortal

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.

Whatever his origins, The Phantom Stranger is an immortal being who has access to deep wells of divine power, as well as 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 was to come, but couldn't intervene or practice further magic.

Madame Xanadu eventually gained her powers and agency back. She is the half-sister of Arthur Pendragon, who escaped the downfall of Camelot by escaping to Avalon. She has survived to the present 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, fast, spews hellfire, and can conjure spells of his own. The Demon is a powerful immortal being and a mystical entity, which has always proven to be a problem for Superman.

The Demon's ill-intent often overpowers Jason Blood's tendencies towards 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 Green Lantern Has 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 he has pushed the ring to limits unimagined before him. In more recent comics, he even forged his own new Green Lantern ring from his pure will. Green Lantern's hard-light constructs can hold some of the strongest beings in the universe.

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. As Parallax, Hal Jordan gained godlike powers after absorbing energy from the Oan Central Power Battery. He had powers of creation and destruction that dwarfed even Superman's might.

11 Doctor Manhattan Can Manipulate the Fabric of Reality Itself

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

Doctor Manhattan has reality-altering abilities that allowed 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.

10 Firestorm Can Create Kryptonite with His Powers

Firestorm is an incredibly powerful hero with an immense array of abilities. Characters like Ronnie Raymond, Jason Rusch, and Dr. Martin Stein have been joined together by the Firestorm Matrix 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.

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.

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.

Superman has a couple of significant weaknesses. One of these is Kryptonite, which can kill him. However, the other major weakness 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 ever 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 fans of Superman and The Flash is usually about who is faster. Few fans talk about who is stronger because The Flash just doesn't have the physical strength to compete.

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. Shazam had one significant difference that separated him from the Man of Steel. A wizard gave Billy Batson the powers of the gods through the use of a magic word that activated transforming lighting.

Shazam is in a similar strength class as Superman, but he 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 takes the win 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, who she has faced a few times over the years. Just like the Kryptonian, Diana has superhuman strength. She is close to invincible, has superhuman endurance, and ages slowly, giving her a long lifespan.

Diana was raised to be a fighter and has trained with the greatest Amazon warriors. She also has magical abilities, as well as 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 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.

Despite remaining one of the most powerful heroes, Superman's strength has waxed and waned over the years. 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 in existence.

4 Martian Manhunter Has a Wider Variety of Powers

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

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 an even amount of 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.

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 more than enough in him to defeat the Man of Steel.

Swamp Thing has a number of 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, which further increases his strength. If the need to fight ever 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, at the end of the day, Captain Atom is stronger than Superman. On top of his strength and invulnerability, Captain Atom can absorb and expel radiation and energy of all kinds.

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, which can weaken 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.

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.