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    Acid Master 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/acid_master_01_3.jpg
AKA: Philip Henry Master
First Appearance: Action Comics #348 (March, 1967)

Philip Master was born in the United States, but renounced his American citizenship to work for communist forces behind the Iron Curtain, after he was caught and convicted of selling top secret information to foreign powers. He became an agent of sabotage and terrorism using his impressive knowledge of chemistry and specialized talent for creating acid compounds for missions of chemical warfare. He was dubbed the Acid Master because of that expertise, and the wide variety of acid-chemical compounds he has created for different uses.


  • Acid Attack: Acid Master's attacks are based around acids.
  • Ammunition Backpack: Wears a tank on his back to fuel his acid firing gun.
  • Dirty Communists: Renounced his American citizenship to work for communist forces behind the Iron Curtain, after he was caught and convicted of selling top secret information to foreign powers
  • Hollywood Acid: The primary weapon in Acid Master's arsenal.
  • Master Poisoner: Expert in chemical warfare.

    Alexander Luthor, Jr. 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alexander_luthor_jr__9401.png
First Appearance: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April, 1985)
"I'm you. Only smarter."

The son of the greatest hero of Earth-3, Alexander Luthor, and his wife Lois Lane, Alex was the only survivor of Earth-3 in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was genetically altered after passing through the barrier to Earth-1, which caused him to age to adulthood in a matter of weeks and develop mysterious space-warping powers. He was helped to adulthood by the mysterious Monitor, under whose tutelage he helped defeat the Anti-Monitor and save The Multiverse. With his world destroyed, he and other heroes without a world—Superman and Lois Lane of Earth-2 and Superboy of Earth-Prime—retired to a pocket dimension to live out their lives in peace.

Or so they thought. Driven mad by the isolation, Alex—who had never really learned morality, having aged so quickly—manipulated Superboy-Prime into helping them escape. He grew to resent the surviving Earth, which he viewed as flawed and imperfect, and in Infinite Crisis set into motion a scheme to Take Over the World. He was foiled by the world's heroes, Lex Luthor, and the unpredictable nature of Superboy-Prime, and was finally killed by Lex and the Joker.


  • The Atoner: Tangent Comics Green Lantern brought him Back from the Dead for just enough time to once again stop a Multiversal Conqueror and save the world.
  • Big Bad: Of Infinite Crisis.
  • Bling of War: His golden costume/armor.
  • The Chessmaster: Has a big plan for creating a perfect Earth.
  • Dimension Lord: His goal is to gain control of the Multiverse, and create his own perfect vision of how things should be.
  • Eviler than Thou: With Lex Luthor. While Alexander wins out in the short run, Lex gets his revenge in the end.
  • Face–Heel Turn: Was driven quietly insane by years of isolation.
  • Fallen Hero: Alex was a great hero, and helped to save the Multiverse. Than he ends up trying to take it over during Infinite Crisis.
  • Foil: His origin—being rocketed to another world as an infant, and then growing up to save reality, is evocative of Superman's own. Given his origins as the son of the backwards Earth-3's Luthor, this makes sense.
  • Freudian Excuse: His entire world died, he was aged to early adulthood in a matter of days, he's trapped in a pocket dimension with only three other people for company (two of them a married older couple, one a teenager), and he's watching the surviving universe spin out of control. Is it any wonder he lost it?
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Towards fellow Crisis on Infinite Earths survivors Superboy-Prime and Kal-L. He resented Prime for having the past that he could not, and Kal-L for having the future he could not.
  • Insufferable Genius: Par for the course for the Luthors. Alex is fully convinced that he is the smartest guy around, as he flaunts to Lex in the page quote.
  • Kid Hero: Originally.
  • Killed Off for Real: Murdered in a back alley by Luthor and The Joker after his plans fail. He stayed dead for the rest of the Post-Crisis continuity, his time as a Black Lantern aside.
  • Manipulative Bastard: His manipulation of Prime and Kal-L turns him from The Woobie to full-blown Jerkass Woobie.
  • Me's a Crowd: His Reality Warper powers could create duplicates of himself that could exist independently of his main body.
  • New Powers as the Plot Demands: Justified by his control over the fabric of reality itself.
  • Overnight Age-Up: Due to the antimatter barrier that gave him his powers, he went from a baby to a teenager in hours before aging to a thirty five year old man with none of the experiences to go with the aging. This lack of a childhood and experience with others contributed to his eventual descent into villainy.
  • Pragmatic Villainy : The Joker and Luthor's murder of him easily falls into this territory. When Alex came back as a Black Lantern his attempt at killing Superboy-Prime, after pointing out to him that he's nothing more than an in-joke also qualified.
  • Reality Warper: His passage through the Anti-Monitor's antimatter storm as an infant gave him power over matter and anti-matter.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Black Lantern Alex gives one of these to Superboy-Prime.
  • The Resenter: Of the survivors of the Crisis and the reality of the New Earth. Due to having to constantly see the worst moments of the New Earth's heroes during his time in Limbo, Alex began to see the New Earth as hopelessly corrupt and flawed, vowing to destroy it to create a perfect one.
  • Shapeshifter: Able to take on the appearance of other beings, most notably Lex Luthor.
  • Smug Snake: Alex isn't nearly as smart as he believes he is, takes it very poorly when his plan unravels, and ultimately fails to achieve any of his goals, before being unceremoniously killed by our Luthor and the Joker.
  • Super-Intelligence: Could comprehend the nature of the multiverse on a fundamental level.
  • Tempting Fate: Revealing himself to Luthor and mocking his intelligence? That's gonna bite you in the rear, Alex.
  • Tragic Mistake: Two: first he didn't invite The Joker to his team-up. Then he revealed himself to Luthor and taunted him. Getting on the bad side of DC's most notorious psychopath and its signature Magnificent Bastard is not a recipe for longevity.
  • Underestimating Badassery: Does it to Luthor, Superman, Kal-L, Superboy, and The Joker. All prove to be major mistakes.
  • Undignified Death: For all of his power, Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three ends up being murdered in an alley with a gun and a bunch of acid while begging for his life.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Nearly got shot by Batman for almost murdering Nightwing. Wonder Woman, who recently killed Maxwell Lord, stops him from pulling the trigger, but Alex walks away telling Wonder Woman it doesn't change anything.
  • Unwitting Pawn: The Death of the New Gods mini-series revealed that he was subtly manipulated by the Source to recreate the Multiverse. But given the source, this revelation is apocryphal at best.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: He is willing to obliterate the current universe to create a better one.
  • Yin-Yang Bomb: He has control over matter and anti-matter thanks to crossing through an antimatter wave as an infant.

    Alexei Luthor (Earth-2 Luthor) 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alexei_luthor_2159.jpg
First Appearance: Action Comics #23 (April, 1940)
"With the scientific marvels at my fingertips, I'm about to make myself master of the world!"

Lex Luthor's counterpart in the Alternate Universe of Earth-2. He vexed the Earth-2 Superman for decades as a Mad Scientist and war profiteer. Unlike Lex, Alexei was from Eastern Europe and had a full head of red hair, but was otherwise very similar. In the Crisis on Infinite Earths, he was killed by Brainiac for questioning his plans while Lex smugly looked on.


  • Arch-Enemy: Of Earth-2's Superman, Kal-L.
  • Arms Dealer: In his first appearance, where he was a war profiteer and weapons merchant.
  • Asshole Victim: His execution at the hands of Brainiac, given that he was one of the few villains in the collective who actually rivaled Brainiac in nastiness. That, and Brainiac doesn't need two Luthors on the team.
  • Ax-Crazy: Was a homicidal maniac focused on murdering Superman, instead of humiliating and de-powering him.
  • Badass Normal: Like our Luthor, Alexei has no superpowers. Also like our Luthor, he's able to be a constant pain in the backside of his world's Superman despite this.
  • Big Bad: Of Mr. & Mrs. Superman and the other comics starring Kal-L. If someone was causing problems for the Earth-2 Superman, odds were always good it would trace back to Alexei.
  • Despotism Justifies the Means: Wants to rule the world and will do anything to gain that power.
  • Diabolical Mastermind: A classic example, and one of the earliest in comics.
  • Eviler than Thou: With our Luthor. This caused a falling out between the two of them, when our Luthor objected to Alexei's plan to destroy both Earth's 1 and 2.
  • Evil Genius: A definitive example in the early comics.
  • Evil Redhead: Had a full head of red hair.
  • Evil Sorcerer: Unlike Lex Luthor on Earth-1, Alexei was quite comfortable with magic, exploiting mystical artifacts like the Powerstone in his schemes to eliminate Kal-L.
  • Institutional Apparel: His 'costume' was usually just his prison fatigues tat he didn't bother changing out of when he escaped from prison. Sometimes supplemented with a lab coat.
  • Insufferable Genius: Bragged about his brilliance all the time.
  • It's Personal: With Kal-L, whom he spent years trying to murder.
  • Kill All Humans: Tried to blow up both Earths 1 & 2 in one Bronze Age story, an act that would have resulted in the deaths of all humans in those two universes.
  • Mad Scientist: Always had a new invention up his sleeve.
  • The Man Behind the Man: Several single issue villains were revealed as agents of Alexei. In one notable example he supplied an angry television writer with a weapon with which to kill Earth-2 Lana Lang (the Daily Star TV critic), in order to confirm his theory that Kal-L worked at the newspaper.
  • Omnicidal Maniac: Fully prepared to destroy two entire universes out of his hatred for Superman.
  • Perpetual Frowner: Usually portrayed with a scowl.
  • Power Crystal: Briefly possessed the Powerstone, which allowed him to drain Kal-L's powers and alter his size.
  • Retcon: Like Kal-L, Alexei's entire existence was a Retcon. Up until the late 1960s, the comics assumed that there was only one Superman, and all the stories from 1938 to the present were about him. The Superman comics from before around 1950 were then retconned to take place on Earth-2, so there were two Superman and two Luthors.
  • Ret-Gone: Vanished from the timeline after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Though very likely he was retconned back into existence following Convergence, but whether or not he's still dead remains to be seen.
  • Smug Snake: As was par for the course for Silver and Bronze Age Luthor.
  • Super-Intelligence: Much like Earth-1's Lex Luthor, Alexei is the smartest man on Earth-2.
  • Take Over the World: His main goal, as well as killing Superman.
  • Villain Team-Up: With Lex Luthor and Ultraman on occasion.
  • War for Fun and Profit: Started out as a war profiteer who set two small European nations against one another so that he could profit from the fallout and arm both sides.

    Amalak 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amalak.jpg
First Appearance: Superman #190 (October, 1966)
"Krypton destroyed my home-world! I will have my vengeance upon it! Every survivor of its destruction— Superman, Supergirl, the Bottle-City of Kandor— All of them will die at my hands!"

Amalak's planet was once conquered by the planet Krypton during an imperial phase during Krypton's past. He became a bounty hunter and a space pirate. Harboring an extreme hatred of all things Kryptonian, and this drove him to seek out Superman and other survivors of Krypton's destruction with an eye towards slaying them in revenge for the loss of his own world.


  • Bounty Hunter
  • Fantastic Racism: He hates all Kryptonians.
  • Race Lift: A version of him from Earth-2 shows up in Powergirl's 2023 solo who has an appearance identical to an African human. The quietly emphasizes the hatred towards Kryptonian colonizers.
  • Space Pirates: To support himself in between his attacks on Superman, Amalak made his living as a space pirate, preying on interstellar travelers and robbing them of their riches.
  • Time-Passage Beard: In his early appearances he had a short, conservative haircut, but started looking a lot creepier when he let his hair grow out and grew the scraggly beard.
  • Villain Has a Point: His hatred of all Kryptonians might go too far but their imperialism has only become more apparent with each reboot and gets even worse in the continuities where their power under a yellow sun is factored in. In the New 52 it's established that Krypton's destruction was desired by galactic powers because it drew too much hatred for this.

    Anguish 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4222553_anguish.jpg
First Appearance: Superman #9 (July, 2012)
"That makes my next move clear. Since you destroyed the only thing I cared about—I'll do the same to you."

Anguish is a woman who developed the power of Intangibility to defend herself against her abusive stepfather. In her adulthood, she's taken to stealing items that once belonged to her mother, bringing her into conflict with Superman.


  • Abusive Parents: Her stepfather used to beat her, to the point she developed the ability not to feel as a defense mechanism.
  • Freudian Excuse: She's taken to robbery as a response to her abusive childhood, which leads to Superman taking a diplomatic approach to fighting her once he finds out.
  • Intangibility: She can pass through walls, locks, and Superman's fists at a moment's notice. She can even turn on her power fast enough to let bullets pass through her, although she never seems to have a problem standing on the floor.
  • One-Steve Limit: Shares a codename with a villainess from The Movement.
  • Super-Strength: Able to effortlessly lift a news-van, and to sucker-punch Superman across a street with enough force to shatter a concrete wall.
  • Tragic Intangibility: She developed her Intangibility as a response to her abusive father. She explains that she can't feel anything and is so afraid of being hurt that she refuses Superman's offer to help her become fully solid again.
  • Tragic Keepsake: Anguish is hunting a locket once owned by her mother, which happens to have her only picture. It reminds Anguish of a time before her childhood was ruined.
  • Vapor Wear: Her costume has openings that indicate she's not wearing anything underneath.

    Anomaly 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anomaly_7.jpg
AKA: Floyd "Bullets" Barstow
First Appearance: Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #148 (April, 1972)
"Game? I like that! Compared to your ordinary criminal, I guess I'm somewhat of an—ANOMALY!"

The clone of a ruthless gangster named Floyd Barstow, he turned to crime, claiming that he inherited Barstow's nature. He has the power to change his physical structure to match whatever he touches.


  • Even Evil Has Standards: He's only interested in getting money, and objects to his teammates when they are willing to kill.
  • Material Mimicry: His physical structure changes to match what he touches.
  • One-Steve Limit: Shares a codename with a Cyborg villain.
  • Only in It for the Money: He's only interested in getting money, and objects to his teammates when they are willing to kill.
  • Shout-Out: To Marvel's Absorbing Man, since they have nearly identical powers.
  • Telepathy: Cadmus scientists noted that the clone was developing ESP that allowed him to read enough of the thoughts and intentions of an infiltrator to catch them.
  • Villainous Lineage: Becomes a villain due to being the clone of a criminal. On the other hand, while his template was a murderer, he just wants money and tries to fight his genetic influence, like when he subconsciously helped Guardian once.

    The Archer 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/quigley.jpg
AKA: Fenton Quigley
First Appearance: Superman #13 (December, 1941)
"Betcha run out of powers before I do arrows!"

Fenton Quigley was a wealthy hunter of some renown until he was cut off from his family fortune by his father after an argument over politics. Left with a taste for the high life but no real way to pay for it, Quigley put his hunting skills to the test and started after human prey. Targeting millionaires in and around Metropolis, Quigley donned a costumed inspired by Robin Hood, where he would steal from the rich and give simply to himself, and threatened the lives of the wealthy if he was not paid handsomely to leave them alone.

Has the distinction of being the first costumed villain Superman would face.


    Atlas 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/atlas_0.png
First Appearance: 1st Issue Special #1 (April, 1975)
"Superman...! Where is he? Where is your titan?! I will show him sorrow! I will show him pain! I will show him — ATLAS! I am the champion this city, this land, this orb needs. Me."

A Conan-esque barbarian with super strength, brought from the ancient world to the present by General Sam Lane to use against Superman. Started his career as a hero, but now pretty solidly a Jerkass. Created by Jack Kirby, revived after a long hiatus by James Robinson.


  • Adaptational Villainy: Was a good guy in the original Kirby story.
  • Anti-Hero / Anti-Villain: He started out as a hero in his own ancient era, but started becoming more of an arrogant jerk once he'd actually defeated his archenemy King Hyssa and was feeling restless. James Robinson describes him as a hot-blooded Namor-type who can seem either heroic or villainous depending on the situation.
  • Long Bus Trip: Prior to his fight with Superman, Atlas's only previous appearance had been in 1st Issue Special #1 published by DC in 1975. He was created by Jack Kirby. James Robinson brought him back to fight Superman in 2008, 33 years later!
  • Mineral MacGuffin: Carries a mysterious alien crystal.
  • So What Do We Do Now?: He finally defeated the villain of his story — and then faced this problem.
  • Summon Bigger Fish: He was brought to the present by General Sam Lane as an agent to fight Kryptonians, but Atlas makes no secret of the fact that Lane won't be able to keep him under his thumb.
  • The Time of Myths: Atlas hails from a Sword and Sorcery setting in some unspecified bygone era.
  • Time Travel: How he got to the 21st century.

    Baron Sunday 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/baron_sunday.jpg
AKA: Unknown
First Appearance: Superman Vol 2 #26 (December, 1988)
" Fool, I am no simple island priest. I am Baron Sunday — and I wield the true magic. A man of my power need fear no one... not Superman... and certainly not you."

Baron Sunday was a Metropolis crimelord and Serial Killer who killed people using voodoo. He fought Superman, and took him down at least once with a voodoo attack while he was already in a weakened state from another fight. His mysterious murders were the subject of a great deal of investigation from the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. He was eventually defeated by Gangbuster, who tracked him down, fought off his magic spells, kicked his butt and dumped him off at the police station. A later encounter with Superman would leave him trapped in a coma from which he has yet to awaken.


    Barrage 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7c501ffb8f24116e51c601c81740af04.jpg
AKA: Phillip Karnowsky
First Appearance: Superman Annual Vol 2 #2 (August, 1988)
"Take some good shots o' this kisser, boys! 'Cause today—a star is born!"

A criminal who was taken down by Maggie Sawyer in the past, losing his right arm in the process. Obsessed with revenge, he put on an armored suit and attached a thought-controlled energy cannon to his stump.


    Blackrock 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blackrock_iii.png
AKA: Peter Silverstone
First Appearance: Action Comics #458 (April, 1976)
"The following hero is brought to you in living color— *Oof!* Superman, you idiot... You're messing up my premiere! I was here first— So I get to stop that bank-looting machine! I'm the hero in this scene, Supes, baby... And you're dragging the plot!"

Dr. Peter Silverstone was the chief research scientist of United Broadcasting Company. He was ordered by UBC President Samuel Tanner to create a new super-hero for UBC to exploit in order to boost his network's ratings against Galaxy Broadcasting, which had so many exclusive stories concerning Superman. Silverstone designed a costume that would give its wearer a wide array of super-powers. He called this superhero Blackrock, after the popular nickname of the UBC Building itself. Looking for someone to fill the supersuit; Silverstone hypnotized UBC President Samuel Tanner and later Tanner's nephew, comedian Les Vegas, to fill the role. The third Blackrock was created by Silverstone by using charged ions to animate the suit, eliminating the need for an unwitting pawn. Finally, Silverstone assumed the mantle of Blackrock himself, using a powerful stone that could metabolize electromagnetic energy into energy to achieve flight, energy blasts and superhuman strength.


  • Busman's Vocabulary: Uses a lot of show biz terminology and metaphors.
  • Clothes Make the Superman: The costume helps Blackrock fight Superman.
  • Collective Identity: Silverstone uses a Powerstone to hypnotise people into being his proxies. One of his victims is UBC President Samuel Tanner. Another is Tanner's nephew, Lester Vegas.
  • Color Character: Blackrock
  • Corporate-Sponsored Superhero: He was created out of a desire for a new super-hero for the United Broadcasting Company to exploit, all to challenge a rival telecommunications company.
  • Deflector Shields: Blackrock can focus the charged particles produced by the Powerstone into an impenetrable force-field.
  • Flight: The Powerstone allows Blackrock to fly.
  • Mind-Control Device: He uses a Powerstone to hypnotise people into being his proxies. One of his victims is UBC President Samuel Tanner. Another is Tanner's nephew, Lester Vegas.
  • Secondary Color Nemesis: His costume is green, with a purple mask and cloak.
  • Teleportation: Blackrock can transform into ionic particles he can transmit around the world at the speed of light.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: His powers will not function in areas cut off from broadcast signals.
  • With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Overuse of the Powerstone's powers eventually drive Silverstone mad.

    Blanque 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blanque_prime_earth_0002.jpg
AKA: Unknown
First Appearance: Superman: Lois and Clark #3 (February, 2016)
"I make death epic. Give it a sense of style. Doesn't everyone want a memorable death? One that will leave people talking?"

Debuting in Superman: Lois and Clark, he's a mysterious mass-murderer with psychic powers.


  • Albinos Are Freaks: He is a mysterious mass-murderer with psychic powers.
  • And Your Little Dog, Too!: After reading Superman's mind and seeing images of his wife and son, he remarks that he doesn't know who they are, but he'll take pleasure in killing them. Big mistake.
  • Deflector Shields: Blanque can encase himself in a personal, telekinetic shield strong enough to withstand blows from Superman.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He asks Superman why he's trying to stop him, as everybody dies eventually and he's doing them a favor by making their deaths spectacular.
  • Light Is Not Good: He dresses in all-white clothes in addition to being an albino, and he is a mass murderer
  • Mad Artist: His main goal is to cause the most visually appealing deaths and acts of destruction possible. He accuses Superman of trying to stifle his creativity when the hero moves to stop him.
  • Mind Control: Blanque can mentally control the thoughts and actions of others. He can also lessen his control so that his victims can perform tasks that require some level of free will.
  • Mind over Matter: He has telekinesis powerful enough to knock Superman around and plow him through a mountain.
  • Not Quite Flight: Blanque can telekinetically propel himself through the air.
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name as never been revealed.
  • Person of Mass Destruction: He can level entire towns and break mountains.
  • Super-Toughness: He can tank punches from an enraged Superman.
  • Telepathy: He can read minds and communicate with others.

    Bloodthirst 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodthirst.jpg
AKA: Unknown
First Appearance: Superman: The Man of Steel #27 (November, 1993)

Bloodthirst is a monstrous demon who claims to have existed for thousands of years, and likes to create chaos, conflict and destruction.


  • Bald of Evil: Is bald and has several strange tubes running into his skull.
  • Been There, Shaped History: Bloodthirst bragged he was the cause of every war and was there for every assassination.
  • Blood Knight: Bloodthirst lives to create chaos, conflict and destruction. After his defeat, Bloodthirst fled, satisfied with the massacre and his fight with Superman, which to him was nothing more than an exercise.
  • Cyborg: Bloodthirst is apparently cybernetic in form. His body has several tubes connected to it, and he also has bizarre pores on his arms and legs, which spew green gasses.
  • Dark Age of Supernames: Bloodthirst ticks all of the boxes: one word, gritty, edgy, and trendy.
  • Deadly Gas: Bloodthirst has bizarre pores on his arms and legs, which spew toxic green gasses.
  • For the Evulz: He enjoys creating chaos, strife, and destruction for no reason.
  • Hellbent For Leather: Dresses in what looks like black leather and metal studs.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: Bloodthirst has a high degree of invulnerability.
  • Poisonous Person: Bloodthirst has bizarre pores on his arms and legs, which spew toxic green gasses.
  • Scary Teeth: Bloodthirst has a set of sharpened teeth.
  • Super-Strength: Bloodthirst possesses superhuman strength roughly equivalent to Superman's.
  • Technicolor Poison: Bloodthirst has bizarre pores on his arms and legs, which spew toxic green gasses.
  • Time Stands Still: Bloodthirst's weapon appeared to be a clock with no hands that could slow down or stop time.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting: Bloodthirst is able to shift his shape.

    Cerberus 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cerberus_28.jpg
AKA: Unknown
First Appearance: Superman: The Man of Steel #1 (July, 1991)
"Who or what is Cerberus, children? Surely you can make an educated guess. thin—mythology and you have it! Cerberus—the many-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. Went to the dogs, every last one of us."

Cerberus (named after Hades' dog) is a villain who can wear different heads from an extensive collection.


    Codename: Assassin 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/codenameassassin.jpg
AKA: Jonathan Drew
First Appearance: 1st Issue Special #11 (February, 1976)
"I'm Codename: Assassin. I did my job."

A U.S. government agent employed first at Cadmus Labs and then by General Sam Lane and his Human Defense Corps, Jonathan Drew possesses limited telepathy and telekinesis, and no moral scruples of any sort. Murdering the original Guardian, Jim Harper, and the surviving members of the Newsboy Legion, he earned the permanent enmity of Harper's clone who took up the mantle of the new Guardian.


  • Co-Dragons: To Sam Lane, alongside Luthor.
  • Face–Heel Turn: In his original 1976 appearance in First Issue Special #11, he's basically the Punisher, who applies for a Super-Soldier program to make him more effective at wiping out organised crime. While this is still in his backstory, he now just kills whoever his superiors tell him to.
  • Fights Like a Normal: Drew's psychic powers are weak enough that he has to do most of his jobs with a gun and special ops training.
  • Guns Akimbo: Usually carries two pistols.
  • It's Personal: With Guardian II.
  • Just Following Orders: Uses this as an excuse for the atrocities he commits on Lane's orders.
  • Military Superhero: Created by the U.S. military to serve as a black-ops killer.
  • Mind over Matter: His telekinesis is stronger than his telepathy, enabling him to fly, move heavy objects, and project force blasts.
  • Psycho for Hire: Guardian calls him out on this, noting that while Drew might claim to be Just Following Orders, he enjoys his job.
  • Secondary Color Nemesis: Downplayed. Drew's bodysuit is blue, a primary color, but contains a lot of orange highlights that contrast well with Guardian's blue suit and yellow highlights.
  • Smug Snake: Very sure of himself and his abilities, even after failing to successfully assassinate Jimmy Olsen.
  • Telepathy: Can sense the surface thoughts of others and read their emotions and intent, though it doesn't go deeper than that.
  • You Killed My Father: Why Guardian went after him.

    Coldcast 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/coldcast.jpg
AKA: Nathan Craig Jones
First Appearance: Action Comics #775 (March, 2001)
"I'm here to freeze the electron flow in that brain of yours! Then I bring you to justice and rebuild my rep!"

Nathan Jones and his brother Christopher came up hard on the mean streets of Chicago. Nathan lost his right eye while still a teenager, when he was drawn into a fight with a local street gang while defending his brother (an incident which triggered his metagene). Nathan discovered he was able to detect and manipulate discrete energy interactions. Eventually, he was to meet Manchester Black, who would recruit him into the superteam The Elite, and give him the nickname "Coldcast".


  • Blood Knight: Like every other member of The Elite, he enjoys killing those he perceives as bad guys a bit too much. The killing impulse is dialed back after his Heel–Face Turn, though he's still quite aggressive.
  • Deflector Shields: Coldcast can create barriers and shields that he can use to block, repel, hold back attacks and defend himself in battle.
  • Flight: Coldcast fly via electromagnetic levitation.
  • Heel–Face Turn: He ends up turning over a new leaf and joins the Justice League Elite in order to atone for his actions under Manchester.
  • Magnetism Manipulation: Coldcast's main power is an affinity with electromagnetism, allowing him to manipulate particles on the subatomic level. Among many other things, this permits him to generate powerful EMPs and other blasts spanning the EM spectrum, even allowing him to stop Superman in his tracks by slowing down his electrons.
  • Scary Black Man: Filled this role in both The Elite and Justice League Elite.

    Colonel Future 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/colonelfuture5.jpg
AKA: Edmund Hamilton
First Appearance: Superman' #378 (December, 1982)
"Great stars! Am I hallucinating...or am I really seeing a vison of the future...of as solar flare about to fry the Earth?!"

Colonel Edmond Hamilton was a NASA scientist who, after being accidentally electrocuted when he spilled coffee on a control console, began having precognitive flashes of the future-but only when his life was imperiled. He constructed a helmet and battle suit and adapted them to futuristic specifications. Edmund Hamilton now, calling himself Colonel Future, set out to correct these future events.


  • Deflector Shields: Colonel Future's gadgets include a personal forcefield.
  • Gadgeteer Genius: Hamilton built all of Cononel Future's gadgets himself.
  • Jet Pack: Flies using a jet pack he constructed himself.
  • Seers: Colonel Future can see flashes of future events but cannot always accurately interpret them.
  • Teleportation: Colonel Future's gadgets include a teleportation device.
  • Tunnel King: Colonel Future's gadgets include an ultra-sonic tunneling device.
  • Tuckerization: Named for science fiction writer Edmond Hamilton who wrote the Captain Future' stories in the 1940s, annd was also a Superman writer from the 1940s to the 1960s.

    Composite Superman 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/composite_superman.jpg
AKA: Joe Meach
First Appearance: World's Finest #142 (June, 1964)
"The world thinks that Superman and Batman and Robin perished today... And they did, for those three careers are ended! Remember, if you ever don costumes again, I'll shout your identities to the world!"

Lifelong failure Joseph Meach had his life saved by Superman, who also got him a job at the Superman Museum. Meach didn't like owing so much to Superman, and grew to hate Superman for his power and accomplishments. One night at the Museum a bolt of lightning struck the Legion of Super-Heroes display. The 30th century duplicator machine that had made the display also imbued the statuettes with the powers of the Legion, and when lightning hit the statuettes, the powers were transferred to Meach. He vowed to use his power to humiliate and destroy Batman and Superman, and using Chameleon Boy's shapeshifting powers he changed himself into the Composite Superman. He defeated the Batman/Superman team, and after learning their secret identities threatened to expose them unless they retired. As Batman and Superman were on the verge of giving in to the Composite Superman, his powers wore off and he lost his memory of his activities as the Composite Superman. Over the years, Meach's powers would sporadically return.


    Conduit 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Conduit_3190.jpg
AKA: Kenny Braverman
First Appearance: Superman: The Man of Steel #0 (October, 1994)
"Friends don't humiliate each other! And I know what you did!... I discovered what no one else ever could! That Clark Kent is Superman! All through childhood I came in second because you had a secret edge!"

Introduced in an arc shortly after Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! and returned in The Death of Clark Kent. He was one of Clark Kent's friends in high school, but he grew increasingly jealous over Clark always overshadowing him in sports. He was also berated by his father for always coming in second place. He grew up to be a mercenary, and developed the ability to channel energy, including kryptonite radiation. He discovered Clark's secret and kidnapped him, accusing him of using his powers to cheat back when they were kids. Clark protested that he did not have his powers back then, but Kenny refused to listen and challenged him to a fight in an arena full of Kryptonite. Clark pushed past the pain and defeated him with his superior fighting skill. Furious, Kenny tried to absorb the electricity powering the arena, but overloaded and died. Despite the hell Kenny had put him through, Clark mourned the loss of his old friend.


  • Abusive Dad: Kenny's dad emotionally abused him for coming in second to Clark.
  • Always Second Best: To Clark.
  • The Bully: Since modern comics have mostly dropped Post-Crisis portrayal of Clark as a popular athlete in high school and depict him as not quite fitting in growing up, Kenny has since been used as his tormentor whenever he appears in flashbacks to Clark's childhood in Smallville. In Dark Nights: Death Metal, it turns out a version of him was one to Clark Kent of Earth Prime, aka Superboy-Prime.
  • Continuity Cameo: While he wouldn't be used as a villain again after his death until nearly 30 years later, he would often briefly appear in various adaptations and retellings of Clark's origin, usually as his childhood bully.
  • Daddy Issues: Massive ones. Anybody who builds an army of robots resembling their father has got to have a screw loose.
  • Death Is Cheap: While he stayed dead prior to Flashpoint, Conduit came back in 2022 in Action Comics #1044.
  • Decomposite Character: He has the pre-Crisis Lex Luthor's "Evil Former Friend of Superman from Smallville" origin story.
  • Driven by Envy: Of Clark Kent, and subsequently, Superman.
  • Early-Bird Cameo: Kenny Braverman was introduced in Superman's Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! issue.
  • Energy Absorption: Drains any and all energy into himself.
  • Evil Former Friend: Kenny Braverman was a childhood friend turned bitter rival of Clark Kent.
  • Evil Redhead: Under the helmet Kenny looks like an older, meaner Jimmy Olsen complete with red hair.
  • Feed It with Fire: Fire is just another source of power for Kenny to absorb.
  • Foil: To Clark, even gaining his powers from exposure to the radiation from Clark's ship passing overhead during his birth.
  • Forgotten Friend, New Foe: He's the one who started the trend towards these in comics. If you like Hush and Malefic, thank Conduit.
    • Evil Former Friend: He and Clark were friends once, if just barely.
    • Rival Turned Evil: He considered Clark Kent his rival in high school; now as an adult, he hopes to kill Clark's public identity of Superman.
  • Freudian Excuse: His father's emotional abuse of him made him the unstable person he is today.
  • Green Rocks: Was irradiated by Kryptonite when Clark's shuttle flew over his pregnant mother.
  • Hired Guns: Was once a mercenary.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Killed by his own powers.
  • Jerk Jock: In high-school and afterwards.
  • Man of Kryptonite: Could produce Kryptonite radiation.
  • Powered Armor: His armor protects him from attacks and allows him to fly.
  • Psycho Electro: Produces electricity and is definitely a few nebulae short of a galaxy.
  • The Resenter: Resents Clark for having the life he wants.
  • Sadistic Choice: Presented Superman with the option to save Smallville from being nuked or to save Jimmy Olsen from a spectacularly complex death trap.
  • Take That!: He's an angry, violent, 1990's guy with giant shoulder pads and a big, weirdly rectangular gun whose costume consists of cables covering his body, who attacks with cables, and whose name means cable. It's hard not to suspect this villain is a Take That directed at Marvel's then-enormously popular character Cable.
  • Thanatos Gambit: In the event of his own death, Conduit rigged up the above Sadistic Choice, which activated upon his heartbeat going still.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Clark speculated that Kenny might not have turned out so bad if it wasn't for his father. Given that Conduit builds an army of robots resembling the man, he may well have a point there.

    Dominus 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dominus_3.jpg
AKA: Tuoni
First Appearance: Action Comics #747 (August, 1998)
"The seed—the genesis—of a new reality, under my control! A world of chaos and annihilation... with the foundations laid by your anxieties... your insecurities! It was so easy to look inside your dreams—to see that which you fear most..."

A cosmic being with Reality Warper powers. He's mainly the arch-enemy of Kismet (aka Strange Visitor), but Kismet's alliance with Superman brought Dominus into conflict with the Man of Steel, and he managed to make Supey's life pretty miserable for a while.


  • Energy Absorption: Tuoni was able to absorb the souls of his people to obtain his powers.
  • Energy Beings: Tuoni must rely on Kryptonian technology created by Kem-L to have a semblance of a physical body.
  • Floating Limbs: Appears as a humanoid wearing a cloak whose wrists and hands do not appear to have any arms attached to them.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: When Kismet was chosen to take on the cosmic position Dominus craved, he became bitterly jealous, and tried to kill her.
  • Hand Blast: Tuoni can project powerful blasts of energy from his hands.
  • Master of Illusion: Dominus possesses illusion-casting abilities.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: Beings like Superman and Martian Manhunter were only able to slow him down despite their great power.
  • One-Steve Limit: The golden age Wonder Woman once fought a foe called Dominus, and Lex Luthor once used Dominus as an alias.
  • Reality Warper: He trapped Superman in worlds resembling his Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age incarnations.
  • Soul Eating: Tuoni was able to absorb the souls of his people to obtain his powers.
  • Spot the Imposter: He impersonated Superman and tried to take over the world by manipulating people's trust in the Man of Steel.
  • Super-Strength: Dominus blows are able to hurt the likes of Superman.

    Encantadora 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/encantadora.jpg
AKA: Lourdes Lucero
First Appearance: Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1 (December, 1999)
"Love me for my mind, he says? That's a first, I promise you..."

A villainess who can use magic thanks to her Mists of Ibella. She was known for selling fake kryptonite to various villains of the world.


  • Bullying a Dragon: A recurring theme of her appearances is that trying to con supervillains, even with illusion and charm powers, can go wrong very, very fast.
  • Charm Person: One of her most special powers is pheromone secretion that causes men to fall in love with her, obeying her commands.
  • Con Artist: As the Encantadora, Lourdes sells fake Kryptonite to several villains, such as the Riddler. When they find out about her deception, they seek revenge on her, but she is rescued by Superman.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: She's very protective of her brother.
  • Femme Fatale / The Vamp: She is known to have a very sensual personality. She has also kissed Superman a few times.
  • Gratuitous Spanish: She is from Spain and the writers will remind you of it by generously peppering her dialogues with unnecessary Spanish words and phrases.
  • Heel–Face Turn: Maybe. In her last appearance, after Superman saves her and her brother from Ra's al Ghul, she vowed that she would turn over a new leaf.
  • Hot Witch: A beautiful woman with one of the most powerful, magical artifacts known to man.
  • Living Aphrodisiac: The Mists of Ibella grant her pheromone control.
  • Master of Illusion: Lourdes has been granted great power by the magical Mists of Ibella which she wears around her neck in a vial. With it, she can manipulate the perceptions of people to such an extent that Superman was affected by fake Kryptonite, despite knowing it wasn't genuine.
  • Most Common Super Power: Very much so.
  • Villain Teleportation: Although she seems to be nearly powerless without the Mists, she has harnessed some of its power and can teleport at will without having the Mists in her possession.

    Equus 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/equus0.jpg
First Appearance: Superman Vol 2 #206 (August, 2004)
"You got me all wrong, alien. I'm not built to start wars...But to finish them."

Equus is a mammoth-sized individual who works for a scientist named Elias Orr. Elias, a reclusive bio-chemist and pawn of Darkseid, created Equus in a decommissioned Air Force facility in Nebraska known as Fort Halprin.


  • Cyborg: Equus wears a synthetic skin sheath over top of a cybernetic frame.
  • Goggles Do Something Unusual: Equus possesses a variation of X-Ray vision made possible by his cybernetic goggles.
  • Healing Factor: Equus possesses aggressive healing capabilities and can recover from major wounds (including severed limbs) within a short span of time.
  • Super-Strength: The full limits of Equus' strength levels are unknown, but he has been seen effortlessly lifting a railroad car and using it as a melee weapon.
  • Super-Toughness: Has withstood several blows from Supergirl.
  • Wolverine Claws: Equus possesses sharpened steel talons capable of cutting Supergirl's skin, housed within his forearms and extend outward over top the bone structure of his hands.
  • X-Ray Vision: Equus possesses a variation of X-Ray vision made possible by his cybernetic goggles.

    Galactic Golem 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/galactic_golem_3.jpg
First Appearance: Superman #248 (February, 1972)
"Yours is the power - of Earth's yellow sun - but mine is the power of the cosmos!!"

The first Glactic Golem was created by Lex Luthor as weapon to destroy Superman. Inspired by the Hebrew legend of the Golem, Luthor gathered “particles and pieces of galactic matter” from “the very birthplace of the universe” until he had enough to build a large humanoid statue, which he then gave a form of pseudo-life by an intensive bombardment of interstellar radiation focused through his cosmic cannon.

The second Galatic Golem was a Daxamite superweapon sent in pursuit of Mon-El. It was sent to Earth to fight Superman, subdue him, and capture Mon-El.


  • Alliterative Name: Galactic Golem
  • Celestial Body: The Golem's body is inky black and covered in shimmering stars and planets.
  • Conspicuous Trenchcoat: In one story, the Golem murders a Disposable Vagrant and steals his hat and overcoat before heading into Metropolis. Not a great disguise for something 8'2" and weighing 950 lbs.
  • Energy Absorption: The Golem survives by absorbing hyperstellar energy extracted from the center of the cosmos.
  • Hand Blast: The Golem can project bolts of interstellar force from his appendages.
  • Implacable Man: Like the golem of legend, the Galactic Golem will keep going until it completes its task. It has literally walked through the walls of the Fortress of Solitude to get to Superman.
  • Golem: As the name implies, it is a science-fiction version of a golem. Even moreso in its post-crisis appearance where the only way to defeat it is to destroy the planet planetoid on its forehead, much like erasing "emet" off the legendary golem's forehead.
  • Man of Kryptonite: Because it draws its energy from all the stars, the Golem can radiate red sun radiation, weakening Superman.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: The Golem's durability is as impressive as his physical power, even at base power levels. He has withstood Superman's "most powerful blow" without even wincing.
  • Super-Strength: Even at base power levels, the Golem's strength is orders of magnitude greater than Superman's.

    General Sam Lane 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/samlane_1837.jpg
First Appearance: (Silver Age) Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #13 (November, 1959); (Modern) Adventures of Superman #424 (January, 1987)
"If you're going to tell me Superman has come back to Earth, Lieutenant, I'm going to want a damn good reason as to how we missed that."

Lois Lane's father, and a high-ranking U.S. General. Originally portrayed as a gruff, but well-meaning father, who sacrificed his life to save the world during the Imperiex War, he was retconned into a fanatical, anti-alien bigot during the events of the New Krypton arc. His extreme hatred and racism led him to head Project 7734, a conspiracy aiming for the destruction of Superman, all other Kryptonians, all other "alien threats", and any of their sympathizers. Eventually, he committed suicide, turning himself into a martyr for the Anti-Kryptonian cause.

The New 52 continued with this characterization of Lane. Convinced Superman is a threat from the day he arrives on Earth, Lane sponsored the creation of Metallo and numerous other projects intended to fight Superman in the event that he turned on humanity. He was later elected to the US Senate where he has continued his anti-Superman crusade. Unlike his pre-Flashpoint self, this version was mostly interested in being prepared rather than hitting first, and claimed that he didn't dislike Superman because he was an alien, but because he thought he was a coward.

The DC Rebirth appears to be making a change to his characterization again, starting off with being merely a serving general at the Pentagon. He and Lois are described as being estranged and out of touch since before his grandson, Jon, was born.


  • Absolute Xenophobe: Lane wants all alien life eradicated, and just chooses to start with New Krypton. He makes it clear that given the chance Superman, Supergirl, and every alien he can get his hands on will be terminated.
  • Abusive Dad: Cold and remote when they were children, he used Lucy's desire for his affections to turn her into Superwoman when she was an adult.
  • Adaptational Villainy: Hard as it may be to believe these days, with Lois now characterized as the quintessential City Mouse to Clark's Country Mouse, but in Pre-Crisis days, Lois's mom and dad were farmers, not too dissimilar to Ma and Pa Kent.
  • Alternate Company Equivalent: His actions in New Krypton retcon him into one of the Hulk's enemy, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, with even fewer redeeming qualities.
  • Archnemesis Dad: To his daughter, Lois, and his son-in-law, Superman. By the time he's done, he's destroyed what remains of Superman's race, including his uncle, his aunt, his cousin's best friend, and many of his former subordinates and allies.
  • Ate His Gun: How he kills himself pre-52.
  • Backported Development: At the start of the "New Krypton" arc, his anti-alien prejudice is presented as a result of his "death" in an alien invasion. Then the Superman: Secret Origins miniseries retcons that he was always like that.
  • Bad Boss: Demands everything from his subordinates and gives nothing back. When one of his units starts displaying actual human qualities, he has Reactron kill them all, and he regularly tries to threaten Luthor with death if he doesn't cooperate.
  • Became Their Own Antithesis: Lois calls him out on this, pointing out that from the Kryptonian perspective he's the "one alien" that he thinks will bring ruin to Earth. This prompts his Villainous Breakdown and eventual suicide.
  • Berserk Button: Mentioning his tortured relationship with Lois.
  • Big Bad: One of the top contenders in New Krypton.
    • Big Bad Duumvirate: Lane is far more dependent upon Luthor than he cares to admit. While in theory Luthor is The Dragon and Lane the Big Bad, in practice, Lane could not win without Luthor, and has to cede quite a bit of authority to him, causing their relationship to trend towards this trope. That his plan works is due not to his own brilliance (though good luck telling him that), but because Luthor does all the heavy lifting.
    • Big Bad Ensemble: Shares the role with Brainiac and Zod in New Krypton. While he ultimately outmaneuvers them both, and blows New Krypton sky-high, the resultant open war with Zod is not one that he can win.
    • Big Bad Wannabe: Take away Luthor and Lane is left with no ability to enact his plans. Worse still, when it comes to open warfare he and his Human Defense Corps (Metallo aside) have no real ability to stand up to Zod's forces, putting Superman in the position of having to bail them out.
  • Blood Knight: In Superman Unchained. When it becomes clear that Superman won't play ball, he's pretty eager to start a fight. And when Superman answers his challenge with a glowing suit of battle armor and a Pre-Asskicking One-Liner that doubles as an Ironic Echo, his response is to remark, rueful and amused, "Heh. He has to wait until now to make me like him."
  • Characterization Marches On: Would you believe that the Silver Age Sam Lane was nothing more than a humble farmer, without a trace of evil or fanaticism?
  • Death by Secret Identity: In the New 52 he finds out Superman's secret identity as his daughter's husband, motivating a complete 180 on his belief that Superman is a threat waiting to happen. Soon after he dies during the Event Leviathan story arc.
  • Driven to Suicide: Kills himself in an attempt at martyrdom, seconds before Kara and Connor would have arrested him.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He's desperate for Lois to understand what he did and to okay his actions.
  • Everyone Has Standards: He may be a General Ripper who is estranged from his daughter because his extremely conservative views, but he protests when he discovers that she brought his grandson Jon (whom he's seeing for the first time) to a warzone. In her defense, she wanted him to stay at home and he's more than capable of taking care of himself (not that he knows this).
  • Evil Old Folks: Somewhere in his sixties.
  • Faking the Dead: After the Imperiex War and before New Krypton.
  • Fantastic Racism: He sees all Kryptonians and those similar to them, like Mon-El, as threats to national security. He does not see any difference between bad guys like General Zod or good guys like Flamebird, and tries to argue that Kryptonians are inherently violent.
    • Post the New 52, he's dialed back on this, with his issues with Superman being more about what he does - or doesn't - do.
  • Final Solution: Uses Reactron and red solar radiation in order to effect a full-scale genocide of the people of Kandor, even going so far as to order that any prisoners his forces take be executed.
  • General Ripper: Massively so in New Krypton, where he becomes an even less moral General Ross. He's convinced that the Kryptonians are a threat, long before they establish themselves as such, and sets out to force everybody else to see things his way.
  • Glory Hound: A big part of Lane's agenda is simply about turning himself into a hero.
  • Government Conspiracy: He's part of Project 7734, a conspiracy within the US Army to start a war with New Krypton without presidential authorization.
  • Hate Sink: In addition to becoming one of the main villainous adversaries Superman and friends have to deal with in New Krypton, this is also the tale in which he is at his most vile and condescending. Sure Lex and Zod have incredibly skewed and misdirected attempts at achieving peace, but they do have their fair share of cool moments. Even Metallo and Brainiac, as unambiguously villainous as they are, are impersonal and don't elicit much contempt. Sam, on the other hand, is driven by an irate sense of hatred towards Kryptonians and feels no shame or regret when he manages to destroy New Krypton and it's 100,000 inhabitants, with only fellow destroyer Reactron being the only major villain in the story to be as despicable as him. That, and Sam doesn't have anything that resembles a redeeming quality, nuance, nor even a cool moment makes him pretty hatable. It's further highlighted when after his suicide, Lois Lane, the daughter that he preferred, openly states that Sam doesn't really deserve any condolences when asked why she didn't bring flowers to his grave.
  • Hates Everyone Equally: Sam Lane seemed less than thrilled to find out that his daughter Lois was going to marry Clark Kent, and seemed to give various reasons to why he didn't like him, ranging from Clark being too mild-mannered to blaming Clark for breaking off the engagement the previous time (Clark promptly pointed out that it was actually Lois who broke it off). Ron Troupe, who was engaged to Lois' sister, Lucy, was worried how he would take Lucy marrying a black man. Lucy replied that Sam was by no means racist. He hated all of his daughters' beaus.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: How he was believed to have met his end during the Imperiex War. Later retconned into him faking his death.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Lane started the war between New Krypton and Earth, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it was not a battle that his Human Defense Corps could win. While Superman steps in and stops Zod, Lane's catastrophically bad decision making still costs him his army, and leads to his suicide.
  • Hypocrite: During the New Krypton storyline, he mocks Lex Luthor for deluding himself into thinking he's "humanity's savior", despite the fact that Lane thinks the same of himself.
  • I Have No Son!: After a mishap with Lucy's supersuit, permanently grants her Kryptonian powers, Sam denounces her as as one of the Kryptonians now while she is expressing pain at her condition and pleading for comfort from him.. Keep in mind, he put her up to wearing the suit to act as his agent, and further blames the Kryptonians for taking her humanity.
  • Insane Admiral: By the time of New Krypton Lane has lost touch with objective reality. He's blinded to the fact that his own actions are a huge part of New Krypton's hostility towards Earth, refuses to acknowledge all the times that Superman et al have saved the world, considers Luthor, Metallo, and Reactron to be the finest allies he could ask for, and is absolutely convinced that he is a selfless martyr, sacrificing himself for humanity.
  • Jerkass: Is he ever.
  • Kill Sat: Owns a few.
  • Killed Off for Real: In the Post-Crisis, Pre-New 52 continuity, General Lane stayed dead.
  • Knight Templar: On the subject of aliens and Kryptonians in particular. He's willing to kill not only them, but all of their sympathisers.
  • Knight Templar Parent: He doesn't know Clark's secret, but he gave him a hard time when he and Lois announced their engagement. So far as he knew, Lois wasted the best years of her life pining after Superman before settling for some mild-mannered reporter.
  • Leave No Survivors: Orders that every Kryptonian his men capture be executed.
  • Lighter and Softer: Alive again with the universe reboot of DC Rebirth, the fanaticism and General Ripper scheming are vastly tamped down, though the mistrust of Superman and tensions with Lois and her husband are retained. Though after meeting his grandson Jon for the first time and immediately warming up to him, it's hinted that a mending of ties with Lois and her family and a softening of his characterization is ongoing.
  • Meaningful Name: Not Lane himself, but his project. Flip 7734 upside down and it appears to spell "HELL".
  • Moral Myopia: Guys like Reactron and Metallo, who regularly kill civilians, and in Reactron's case, murdered an ex-girlfriend for leaving him? Good soldiers. Kryptonians responding to the violence he instigates? Rabid dogs who have to be put down in the name of national security. This is most obvious when Kara is threatening to kill him in retaliation for the genocide of her race, and Lane tries to use her anger as "proof" that all Kryptonians are inherently evil. Apparently she was just supposed to sit there and take it while he annihilated her race.
  • Muggle Power: Project 7734 is meant to equip regular human soldiers with the equipment and allies that they will need to battle Kryptonians.
  • Narcissist: In a similar vein to Luthor and Zod. Lane sees his children and his army as extensions of himself, wants to be viewed as the savior of the human race, and when his plans fail, commits suicide in an effort at achieving martyrdom.
  • Old Soldier: His original portrayal, pre-retcon.
  • Parental Favoritism: Clearly favors Lois over Lucy.
  • Parental Neglect: Completely ignored both Lois and Lucy when they were growing up, leaving them both with their fair share of neuroses.
  • Patriotic Fervor: Convinces himself that New Krypton is a threat to the USA, then sets out to prove he is right, killing thousands in the name of defending American security.
  • Police State: Does his best to do this to Metropolis and then the USA as a whole during the events of New Krypton.
  • Retcon: His villainous portrayal in New Krypton, and indeed, him being alive at all.
  • Rogue Agent: Lane isn't working directly for the American government, launching his operation without oversight or permission.
  • Shipper on Deck: Supports the idea that Lois should marry his right hand man, John Corben aka Metallo. This is only because he sees John as the son he always wanted, rather than out of any concern for Lois.
  • Smug Snake: Very much so. Lane is convinced of not only his invincibility, but of the fact that the world is behind him. Finding out that they aren't comes as a massive shock to him.
  • Spiteful Suicide: Sam is prideful enough that he was unwilling to see his reputation and fame go down in the gutter. So instead of having to see through that the moment Supergirl proves him wrong, Sam opts to put a gun on his head and blast himself off.
  • Underestimating Badassery: During an appearance in the Batman (Tom King) storyline "I am Gotham", he scoffs at the idea of Batman finding him and Amanda Waller, as they are miles below Gotham in a hidden bunker, with enhanced soldiers guarding the door. Batman not only finds them, but is revealed to have been standing right behind Lane while he is saying all this. Lane attempts to shoots Bats, but is easily dispatched.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Given that he ignores the fact that Superman and friends save the world on a daily basis.
  • Villainous Breakdown: Suffers one after Lois points out to him that he's much like Zod, then another one when Supergirl and her allies break into his secret base. He rants about how the Kryptonians are dangerous animals who have to be exterminated, and then kills himself.
  • Villain Respect: A change in his characterization post New 52, he gives this to Superman in Superman Unchained, remarking when Superman answers his challenge with an Ironic Echo that serves as a Pre-Asskicking One-Liner in glowing battle armor, his response is a rueful and amused:
    Heh. He had to wait until now to make me like him.
  • We Have Reserves: A belief that he applies to his own daughter, Lucy.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: He wanted Lois to be a boy. Part of the reason Lois is an Action Girl these days.

    H'el 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2726104-h_el_large_9103.jpg
First Appearance: Supergirl Vol 6 #13 (December, 2012)
"This is NOT about MURDER! this has never been about DEATH! All I have wanted—all I have asked of anyone—is for help in trying to return Krypton to its RIGHTFUL glory! We were a planet of scientists—the most brilliant the universe has ever known. What does it matter if an Earth—if a HUNDRED Earths—so that we might rise?"

H'el is a mysterious Kryptonian that debuted in the New 52 story arc, H'el on Earth. With Krypton dying, he was sent into outer space to find a way to save his planet. Decades after Krypton's destruction, he arrives on Earth knowing how to resurrect Krypton, but at the expense of Earth.

In Krypton Returns, H'el ends up in Krypton's past due to the events of H'el on Earth. When he learns about his origins, he goes mad and enslaves Krypton. With the help of the Oracle, Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy travel back in time to stop him.


  • Affably Evil:
    • H'el is rather nice to fellow Kryptonian Supergirl, who also wants to go back to her old life on Krypton. He later convinces her join him in his quest to resurrect Krypton, but manipulates her to estrange her from Superman.
    • H'el was also friendly to Superman, initially. When they first meet, H'el hugs Superman and says he's like a brother. Superman was already suspicious, but then H'el offers to kill Superboy in front of him to prove his loyalty to Krypton (Kryptonians other than Superman are viciously racist against clones). Superman responded poorly to this.
    • When he learns about his true origins, he loses the affable part and becomes stone cold evil.
  • And I Must Scream: At the end of Krypton Returns, Superman traps a badly wounded H'El in an infinite time loop within Krypton's core that will preserve him within a few endlessly-repeating seconds of time for all eternity.
  • Arc Villain: The main antagonist of H'El on Earth and Krypton Returns, which were also his only real major appearances.
  • Artificial Human: H'El is revealed to be this in Superman #23.3. He was created from a collection of genetic material gathered all over Krypton's history by Jor-El in an unmanned spaceship to find a planet where the people of Krypton could be safely evacuated to by the time Krypton exploded.
  • But What About the Astronauts?: H'el's origin is explained this way.
  • Depending on the Artist: H'el was originally portrayed in promotional art (as well as Superman #13 and Superboy #14) as having a backwards "S" symbol carved on his chest. From Supergirl #14 and onwards, H'el is no longer portrayed with the backwards "S", though this was later revealed to have been due to H'el masking the backwards "S" with his powers, with Kara calling him out on it. Given that H'el was originally a new design for long-time Superman doppleganger Bizarro, the backwards "S" did have a clear purpose, but on H'el it's currently unclear as to how he got it and why he tried to hide it.
  • Expy: H'el's pale skin and backwards "S" scar was because he was originally meant to be the New 52 incarnation of Bizarro. However, he was so different that he was made into a new character.
    • A case can also be made that he's one of Superboy Prime, given his hatred of Superboy, his belief that everything was better on his planet (albeit with Krypton instead of the Earth from his universe), and starting off as friendly before becoming evil. Considering Superboy Prime hasn't made any post-Flashpoint appearancesnote , H'el is arguably a Suspiciously Similar Substitute of Prime.
    • As a fanatical artificial Kryptonian who wants to resurrect his world at Earth's expense, he sounds a lot like the Eradicator, too.
  • Fantastic Racism:
    • H'el hates Superboy, a human/Kryptonian clone, with every fiber of his body. This is because Krypton used to use clones as servants until they revolted and nearly wrecked their planet.
    • H'el also thinks Earth and every human on it is inferior to Krypton and Kryptonians. He doesn't care what price Earth has to pay in his goal to resurrect Krypton.
  • Go Mad from the Revelation: H'El doesn't take the revelation of his true origin well, to say the least.
  • Good Scars, Evil Scars: H'el has a scar over his left eye and another across the bridge of his nose. How he got them is unknown.
  • Humans Are the Real Monsters: H'el certainly thinks so. He takes Supergirl to an urban war zone to try to make her think the same.
  • I Was Quite a Looker: H'el wasn't always a scarred, pale skinned, black-eyed man. Flashbacks and his hologram in Supergirl #15 show how he used to look back on Krypton, when he was quite handsome. Except this is revealed to be a false memory and he always had his current appearance.
  • Set Right What Once Went Wrong: H'el's plan is to travel back in time to before Krypton exploded, and prevent its destruction. However, the energy needed for the time travel would destroy our entire solar system. Not that H'el cares about our solar system.
  • Superpower Lottery: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, H'El possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian, but has also has many other abilities that are not associated with Kryptonians like:
    • Mind over Matter: He can use telekinesis in the traditional "lift with your mind" type and create psychic whirlwinds and barriers.
    • Translator Microbes: He gave Supergirl the ability to speak and understand English.
    • Villain Teleportation: He can teleport himself and others with little effort. When Superboy harms Supergirl in Superman #16, H'el becomes so mad that he teleports the entire Fortress of Solitude miles away.
  • Trapped in the Past: In Superman #17, H'el falls into a temporal portal after being stabbed by Supergirl. He ends up back on Krypton twelve years before its destruction, where he is found by a young Jor-El. This sets up the sequel story, Krypton Returns.
  • True Companions: On Krypton, H'el was like family to Superman's birth parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. The day before he was sent into space, they gave him the family crest; making him an honorary member of the House of El. His one-shot issue revealed this was a false memory and he never met any member of the House of El before.
  • Walking Shirtless Scene: Just look at his picture.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: All H'el wants is to resurrect his home planet, Krypton. Unfortunately, Earth has to be destroyed for him to bring back Krypton.
  • You Are What You Hate: He is completely unaware he is an Artificial Human until Krypton Returns, and hates clones like Kon-El, another Artificial Human himself.

    The Hat 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_hat.jpg
AKA:: Rampotatek
First Appearance: Action Comics #775 (March, 2001)

Rampotatek is a young Japanese man who became infused with the power of a demonic earth elemental. He was recruited by the psychic Manchester Black to join his team of heroes known as The Elite.


  • The Alcoholic: Constantly drinking, and uses his magic hat to conjure alcoholic drinks.
  • Breath Weapon: As an earth elemental, he can breath fire.
  • Hat of Power: Rampotek's main source of magic when in human form is his magic hat. He uses it to conjure demons and cast other spells.
  • Mundane Utility: Uses his magic hat to conjure various alcoholic drinks.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: As an earth elemental, he has a large level of invulnerability.
  • Rummage Sale Reject: Dresses in oversized, mismatched pieces of clothing that look like he pilfered them from a thrift shop.

    Hellgrammite 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hellgrammite_001.jpg
AKA: Roderick Rose
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #80 (November, 1968)
"Ha ha ha! A friend of mine changed all that! Like pupa into butterfly — there's no going back now! These drones are my first step! I will transform the world ... and remake it in my own image!"

Originally an entomologist named Roderick Rose, the Hellgrammite subjected himself to a mutagenic process that transformed him into a grasshopper-like humanoid insect possessing superhuman strength and leaping abilities, the power to secrete adhesives and weave transformative or imprisoning cocoons, and a durable exoskeleton. A number of his schemes revolved around transforming others into weaker, subordinate versions of himself, leading to clashes with Batman and The Creeper, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Superman. During the Underworld Unleashed, he made a deal with Neron, trading his soul in return for increased physical powers and an improved ability to transform others into his larvae.


    Hfuhruhurr the Word-Bringer 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hfuhruhurr_001.jpg
AKA: N/A
First Appearance: Adventures of Superman Annual #1 (September, 1987)
Hfuhruhurr considered himself to essentially be on a religious crusade to bring "the Word" to the "unenlightened" of the wider galaxy. His ultimate goal was to bring all life into his telepathic union, which required him to extract living brains from their bodies and bring them together in his vast ship. Hfuhruhurr was driven off Earth in his first encounter with Superman, who later confronted the Word-Bringer again during his exile into deep space.
  • Blue-and-Orange Morality: The most "charitable" interpretation of Hfuhruhurr's philosophy, as he argues that bringing people together in the union grants eternal life, never acknowledging how some people might not want to give up their bodies to become stuck in jars for all eternity.
  • But for Me, It Was Tuesday: When he and Superman confront each other for the second time, Hfuhruhurr doesn't initially remember their previous bout, making Superman angry that he doesn't remember destroying an entire town.
  • Driven to Suicide: After Superman first defeated Hfuhruhurr on Earth, his victims used telekinesis to deactivate the life-support systems sustaining them in their tanks.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Hfuhruhurr's greatest experiment was the creation of Eon, a physical manifestation of all the minds that existed within the Union. However, after a confrontation with Superman, the Union was able to acknowledge that what Hfuhruhurr was doing was wrong, and assured Superman that Eon would keep Hfuhruhurr in check.
  • Older Than They Look: Hfuhruhurr's exact life span is unknown, but the Union itself is thousands of years old and there is nothing to indicate he "inherited" it from someone else.
  • Shout-Out: His name comes from Steve Martin's character in The Man with Two Brains.
  • Take a Third Option: After the Union reject Hfuhruhurr's commands, Superman is left uncomfortable with the question of what to do with him, as he obviously doesn't want to kill Hfuhruhurr but can't imagine any court qualified to sentence him for his actions. Eon, the living manifestation of the Union, offers an alternative where the Union will use Eon to keep Hfuhruhurr in check, only bringing in those minds who are near death and will join them willingly.

    Ignition 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f0e97b8285964240d961e7eec4cd6554.png
AKA: Clyde
First Appearance: Adventures of Superman #582 (September, 2000)
"The tide is high in the sea of blood, man-god. Escape is not for you this day."

First appearing during the Emperor Joker storyline, Ignition is a hulking giant clad in black armor, who serves as The Joker's muscle. The Joker does not remember creating him (though Mxyptlk refers to him as "Clyde"), and Ignition himself seems to have knowledge of the pre-Emperor Joker universe. A powerhouse who was capable of matching the Man of Steel in physical combat, Ignition was implied to be the Russian Zod, only to later turn up as a member of Zod's army after The Joker's defeat. His real identity remains unknown.


  • Co-Dragons: To the Russian Zod, alongside Faora.
  • Cool Helmet/Cool Mask: It looks like a dark Klan hood and he's never shown without it.
  • The Dragon: To Emperor Joker when the villain stole a portion of Mr. Mxyzptlk's power and shaped the world into his twisted image.
  • Flight: Ignition is able to fly and maneuver as well as a Kryptonian.
  • Hand Blast: Ignition is able to project powerful blasts of energy capable of hurting the likes of Superman.
  • In a Single Bound: Due to his extremely dense muscles in his legs, he can leaps miles at a time.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Huge and strong, but also fast and agile.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: It takes the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, or Captain Marvel to hurt Ignition.
  • Powered Armor: Maybe. Whether Ignition's armor provides his powers or is just for disguise purposes is never revealed.
  • Super-Speed: Downplayed. Ignition can react and maneuver faster than the healthiest, most fit human athlete. However, he can't run or move nearly as fast as speedsters like Superman or the Flash.
  • The Unreveal: It was first thought he was part of Emperor Joker's reality warp, but the Joker later states he cannot remember creating him. It later transpires that Mr. Mxyzptlk made a deal with Ignition referring to him as Clyde. The meaning of this is still unknown.

    Imperiex 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/imperiex.jpg
First Appearance: Superman Vol 2 #153 (February, 2000)
"More players means more Worlds to kill."

Imperiex-Prime is the embodiment of entropy. Since the dawn of time, he has repeatedly destroyed the universe to create a new one from the ashes of the old.


  • Actually a Doombot: That guy Superman and Mongul Jr fought against together only happened to be an Imperiex probe. The real Imperiex is much more giant-sized and has multiple other Imperiex probes he can use to fight the heroes.
  • Always a Bigger Fish: Imperiex is seen as this in the setting considering multiple alien races including the heroes and villains of Earth as well as Darkseid himself, have decided to team up in an attempt defeat Imperiex. Amusingly enough, Imperiex isn't the most malevolent character despite having plans to basically destroy and restart the universe because it is trying to correct a universal flaw it detected and sees itself as a necessary part of the universal life cycle.
  • Conservation of Ninjutsu: One Imperiex probe scout is capable of fighting both Superman and Mongul Jr while being able to withstand Superman speed-blitzing him with all his powers at once. Come Our Worlds at War, Superman and Doomsday are able to tear through an army of Imperiex probes like hot butter.
  • Disc-One Final Boss: For Our Worlds at War.
  • Stable Time Loop: Imperiex exists to correct a flaw diffuse through the fabric of all space-time in the universe. As Superman is tossing Imperiex through a Boom Tube back to the Big Bang which will scatter his essence beyond all hope of recollection he realizes that this makes him the very flaw he is trying to correct.

    J. Wilbur Wolfingham 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_wilbur_wolfingham.png
First Appearance: Superman #26 (February, 1944)
"Allow me to introduce myself—J. Wilbur Wolfingham! Business consultant—philanthropist—sport—resident of planet Earth and >Ahem< proud owner!"

A comic relief con artist and swindler who mainly fell afoul of Superman in the Golden Age, but did have a couple of Bronze Age appearances as well.


    Kancer 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0e52809e41939862d37a6bb7ccf3efaa.jpg
First Appearance: Action Comics #777 (May, 2001)
"Fathherrr...You came. You carrre."'

A monster engineered by the Russian Zod from tumors in Superman's body, Kancer is an imperfect Kryptonian clone, forced into the shape of a vaguely humanoid worm-monster, and encrusted with crystalline growths that resemble Green Kryptonite. Believing that it had been rejected by its "father" (Superman), Kancer looked up to the Russian Zod, and attacked Superman on his behalf, with its Kryptonian genetics and necrotic touch enabling it to seriously injure the Man of Steel.


  • Antagonistic Offspring: Views itself as Superman's son, having been born within his body. It also wants revenge against him for excising it.
  • The Brute: Fills this role in the Russian Zod's army.
  • Cain and Abel: With Superboy, who it believes is not worthy to wear Superman's "S"-shield.
  • Clone Degeneration: Does not look even remotely kryptonian.
  • Death by Secret Identity: In a way; it tracks down Superman while he's Clark Kent, and the risk of him revealing this to the Russian Zod becomes a stake until it willingly sacrifices itself to protect him.
  • Dragged Off to Hell: Its apparent end is being manipulated by a demonic Guy Gardner into taking his place as Domain Holder of a corner of Hell poking out in Pokolistan called The Gorge. It does this so Superman doesn't have to after he showed concern for its well-being by refusing to kill it to protect his secret identity from the Russian Zod.
  • Gem Tissue: He has kryptonite crystals covering parts of his body.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: It's driven by an extremely twisted idea of jealous love, wanting to be acknowledged as the only one worthy of Superman and his crest and feeling rejected that Superman doesn't approve of horrific killings in his name. It consciously damns itself to Hell out of a belief that it will make Superman love him more.
  • Happily Adopted: In a sick sort of way, as it views the Russian Zod as its new father, and clearly cares about him a lot.
  • Laser Guided Tyke Bomb: The mass of ktyptonite cancer that was removed from Superman's body was taken and nurtured by the Russian Zod into a being wishing to kill Superman out of revenge.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Strong, durable and fast enough to fight Superman.
  • Man of Kryptonite: It is a walking kryptonite cancer. Its body radiates kryptonite energy and its touch is necrotic.
  • My Nayme Is: "Cancer" with a "K".
  • Poisonous Person: Two-fold; he emits kryptonite radiation and his touch necrotizes flesh.
  • Serial Killer: Went on a serial spree in Metropolis in order to attract Superman's attention.
  • Superpower Lottery: Has all of Superman's abilities, plus a few more related to it being a walking, kryptonite-based cancer.
  • Xenomorph Xerox: It resembles a Xenomorph.

    Kryptonite Man 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kryptonite_man_8326.jpg
Clay Ramsay
AKA: Unknown, K. Russell Abernaty (Post-Crisis), Clay Ramsay (New 52)
First Appearance: (unknown) Superboy #83 (September, 1960); (Abernathy) Superman #650 (May, 2006); (Ramsey) Action Comics Vol 2 #5 (March, 2012)
“Your death will be ever so slow – and ever so painful – for the power is mine to slay you !”

When Metallo's Kryptonite heart just isn't enough, the bad guys call in the Kryptonite Man. There have been several variations on this radioactive menace, all of whom have had the ability to project Kryptonite radiation, making them walking Achilles’ heels as far as Superman is concerned. Pre-Crisis, a teenaged alien criminal who flew through a cloud of Green K arrived on Earth calling himself the Kryptonite Kid, and with the power to transmute any matter into Green K. He returned as an adult in Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, and was killed in battle with Krypto. There was also a Bronze Age Kryptonite Man who was a survivor of a prehistoric civilization on Krypton. Post-Crisis, Mad Scientist K. Russell Abernathy briefly became a new Kryptonite Man, with the power to see all forms of radiation, but was quickly jailed by Supergirl. Finally, in the New 52, Domestic Abuser Clay Ramsay joined one of Luthor’s supersoldier programs after being beaten by Superman, and was transformed into yet another incarnation of the villain.


  • Atomic Superpower: Abernathy and Ramsay, who both had power over other forms of radiation as well.
  • Domestic Abuse: Clay Ramsay was beating his wife when Superman threw him in a river.
  • Evil Redhead: The Kryptonite Kid.
  • Eye Beams: Abernathy had these.
  • Flight: Ramsay can use his energies to fly.
  • Legacy Character: The various Kryptonite Men have had little in the way of actual connections to one another, yet all picked the same codename.
  • Mad Scientist: Abernathy, who was willing to cross any lines to harness the power of Kryptonite.
  • Man of Kryptonite: Trope Namer. All versions of the Kryptonite man have been poison to Superman, in one way or another.
  • Mutual Kill: The Kryptonite Kid and Krypto in Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.
  • Never My Fault: Ramsay, who refuses to accept that is wife left him because of his abuse, and instead blames Superman for breaking up his marriage.
  • Secondary Color Nemesis: Sometimes wears green, sometimes is green, always wears colors that contrast with Superman.
  • Super-Soldier: Ramsay is the result of Luthor's supersoldier program.
  • Super-Strength: Ramsay possesses a degree of this.
  • Teens Are Monsters: The Kryptonite Kid once again.
  • Ultra Terrestrials: Or rather, Ultra Kryptonians. The Bronze Age Kryptonite Man was a prehistoric Kryptonian who survived the planet's destruction, winding up with both standard Kryptonian super-powers and a Kryptonite aura.

    Lyla 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1f805309091a348da936b1958455b2d8.png
First Appearance: Action Comics #812 (April, 2004)
"Glory. I have ascended. It is time to meet my kin, I think... the seat of the gods... Metropolis, welcome your newest daughter."

She grew up on Kandor, discriminated against because she was an Empireth, an alien with Psychic Powers. The only thing that sustained her was the stories told of Superman. Unfortunately, the stories were perverted to portray Superman as a God, and she developed a dream to become one as well.

She mesmerized Superman into believing he was her husband, and erased his memories of Earth and Lois. They lived together for a while, raising a son as ordinary citizens in Kandor. All the while, his spirit was slowly being broken, because although he loved her, life in Kandor is just too depressing. When she was ready, she copied his powers and escaped the bottle city, intending to rule Metropolis as its new God. She was shocked to discover that Superman was simply Metropolis' protector, not its ruler, and angrily tried to destroy him and the city. In the end, she realized that she truly had feelings for him, and seemingly sacrificed herself to save him from another threat. She hasn't been seen since her storyline, Superman: Godfall, but she may come back, one day.


  • Adaptational Villainy: She seems to be inspired by the pre-Crisis character Lyla Lerrol, although the only similarities are the name, that she comes from a Kryptonian city (Lerrol was actually Kryptonian) and her non-marriage to Superman (Lerrol and Supes nearly got married, but then he was drawn back to his own time). Lyla Lerrol was not any kind of villain, though.
  • All of the Other Reindeer: What lead her down the dark path.
  • Arc Villain: Shares the role with Preus in "Godfall".
  • Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: The implications of what she did to Superman after making him think that she was his wife are never fully explored.
  • The Empath: Lyla can sense emotions as well as force perceptions, such as the time she forced Superman into believing he had murdered someone.
  • Eviler than Thou: With rabid Kryptonian cop, Preus.
  • Flying Brick: After gaining Superman's powers.
  • A God Am I: Develops these delusions after stealing Superman's powers.
  • Heel Realization: Comes to the realization that Superman did not deliberately deceive her, and that she and Preus are the actual villains of the piece.
  • Hero-Worshipper: Of Superman.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Sacrifices her life to save Superman and put a halt to Preus' rampage.
  • Master of Illusion: She can make them solid. Her son with Superman was an illusion as well.
  • Mind Rape: Does it to Superman.
  • Ms. Fanservice: She spent most of her storyline in a towel or in her underwear.
  • Never Found the Body: Being Comic Books, we never found her body.
  • Power Copying: She can permanently copy people's powers, but only if their spirits have been broken enough.
  • Rebuilt Pedestal : Superman is a lie, but Secret Identity aside, Superman himself is not a liar. Over the course of her story she loves Superman, comes to hate him and then finds herself in love with him again.
  • Psychic Powers: One of her abilities.
  • Sadly Mythtaken: In-universe no less.
  • Telepathy: Lyla is a powerful telepath, as part of her nature as an Empireth. She can read minds, gather and alter memories.
  • Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: A tragic woman broken by the fact Superman isn’t her love and her life has been a lie.

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