Highlights
- Superman has been defeated by surprising opponents like Orion, Shazam, Hawkman, and Captain Atom.
- Even the powerful Galactus and Godzilla have managed to defeat Superman in crossover events.
- Superman's most baffling defeat came at the hands of Alfred Pennyworth and Muhammed Ali in unexpected circumstances.
In DC Comics, many fans consider the Man of Steel one of the most powerful comic book characters of all time. Superman is a fantastic character with more comic history than almost any character in the world, and as such, even he has to face some defeats sometimes. Superman has, at one time or another, defeated almost every hero and villain within DC Comics, but he has also been defeated on numerous occasions.
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From his arch-rivals to fellow heroes, the list of people who have taken down the Man of Steel contains many names that fans would expect, including many of his greatest rivals. However, some of the names that have taken him down are, for one reason or another, hugely baffling to fans.
8 Orion
Fought In Superman Confidential (2007)
The leader of the New Gods has always been shown to be a powerful force in the DC Universe, but while fans would expect his father, Darkseid, to have beaten Superman before in a fight, they might not expect Orion to have been able to take on the Man of Steel in a one-on-one fight.
However, having fought Superman on numerous occasions, and always proven himself equal in strength to the Man of Steel, Orion actually managed with an especially powerful blast of his Astro-force to take Superman out in a single blast. Superman usually avenges defeats such as this, but he continues to struggle in fights with Orion every time the two meet.
7 Shazam
Fought In All-Star Squadron #36 (1984)
One of the oldest grudge matches in comics, and one which has come up more than a few times over the years, Superman and Shazam have fought each other many times, never truly getting along, as Superman thinks Shazam is untrustworthy and irresponsible.
However, they have had several conclusive battles over the years. With huge strength on both sides, the major advantage Shazam has always had is his magic, which is a particular weakness for Superman. Thus, on occasions like All-Star Squadron when Shazam was under mind control and not holding back at all, he decisively managed to defeat the Man of Steel.
6 Hawkman
Fought In Superman/Batman Vol.1 #4
Hawkman is a hero who has had many forms over the years, from Egyptian God to alien. There have been many versions of the character. He’s often appeared as a member of the Justice League and the Justice Society, but he’s never been considered by most fans as capable of matching up with a top-tier powerhouse like Superman.
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However, when Superman and Batman crossed President Lex Luthor, they were declared public enemies, and other heroes were sent to bring them in. Hawkman was a solid match for Superman, despite the Man of Steel being stronger, due to the magical nature of Hawkman’s mace. Called the Claw of Horus, this weapon bypassed Superman’s strength, as one of his major weaknesses has always been magic users.
5 Captain Atom
Fought In Injustice: Gods Among Us #32
A hero who has been proven on multiple occasions up to the task of defeating even the Man of Steel in a straight fight, Captain Atom is a hero who was exposed to an alien material called Dilustel, which allows him to enter and use the quantum field, giving him ridiculously powerful abilities. He hasn’t had many opportunities to face Superman, but the two had a proper fight in Injustice, a series that isn't a great jumping-on point for new Superman fans.
After Superman became a dictator, Captain Atom was eventually let loose to take him down. Fighting one-on-one, the two went hard, and Captain Atom unleashed a series of nuclear blasts to beat Superman within an inch of his life. He was about to finish the job when Wonder Woman intervened and saved the Man of Steel from certain death, as his love interest at the time.
4 Galactus
Fought In Superman/Fantastic Four: The Infinite Destruction
Another shock, simply because fans never expected to see such a contest occur, Superman once became the Herald of Galactus in a DC/Marvel crossover issue. After finding a mysterious crystal containing the essence of his father, he tells him that Krypton was destroyed by Galactus.
Finding The Fantastic Four and enlisting their help, Superman is hit by a blast of power cosmic, which slowly puts him under the spell of Galactus. Even with the help of The Fantastic Four to rid himself of this power and the responsibility of being a slave to the Planet Eater, Superman was never able to defeat this villainous presence.
3 Godzilla
Fought In Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong #2
The (literal) biggest comic book crossover of 2023, this miniseries featured a tear between worlds, giving the Monsterverse creatures a new residency in the world of the Justice League. Consequently, Godzilla and Superman were bound to face off one vs one, and it didn’t disappoint, as fans were given the answer about who would win between the two giants of pop culture.
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Godzilla took the best shots of Superman, who was even assisted by Hawkgirl and Shazam. Godzilla was able to put the Man of Steel through several buildings with a single flick, and his atomic breath was more than a match for Superman’s heat vision, showcasing as has been proven in the past that intense atomic radiation can halt Superman’s ability to absorb radiation from the sun, ruining his powers completely for a time and making it easy for Godzilla to pull off a victory.
2 Alfred Pennyworth
Fought In Injustice Gods Among Us #36
One of the most baffling defeats Superman has ever taken, this confrontation also came within the pages of Injustice, after Green Arrow stole a pill from the Fortress of Solitude that could give someone Kryptonian powers for a time. Green Arrow died in the effort to bring the pill to Batman, but the story didn't end there.
Bruce was attempting to duplicate the pill when Superman arrived and broke his back. Fortunately, Alfred had time to take the pill for himself, and Batman’s loyal butler and friend managed to decimate Superman while filled with rage, leaving him close to death while he made his escape with Bruce.
1 Muhammed Ali
Fought In Superman vs. Muhammed Ali
A true head-scratcher, this crossover represents how strange and varied comics were in the 70s. When aliens demand that Earth’s greatest fighter face their champion, Superman and Muhammed Ali square off to see who is Earth’s true greatest fighter. Of course, Superman was de-powered for the fight, taking away his normal and irregular powers.
Even so, Muhammed Ali positively whooped the Man of Steel in the boxing ring, and despite them later teaming up to defeat the aliens, this was the only fight the pair have ever had, so Muhammed Ali remains one of the few opponents whom Superman has never managed to beat.
