For a hero who’s continuously noticed as just about invulnerable, Superman has an incredibly lengthy historical past of death. Over and over, the Guy of Metal has been driven to the brink, and infrequently even past. However who’re the uncommon characters tough or crafty sufficient to if truth be told deliver Superman to his knees, and even declare his ultimate breath?
Doomsday is arguably essentially the most notorious title connected to Superman’s dying, and Batman has confirmed he can push Clark to his limits, even though he by no means delivers the killing blow. However this listing appears to be like some distance past the standard suspects. From unexpected villains to stunning heroes, those are the characters who’ve both killed Superman or come alarmingly shut, a few of whom enthusiasts won’t be expecting.
10
Batman Proved He May just Kill Superman At the same time as a Geriatric (Lend a hand from Inexperienced Arrow)
Batman: The Darkish Knight Returns #4 (1986) via Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley
Quite a lot of Batman storylines have confirmed that the Darkish Knight has greater than sufficient to take at the Guy of Metal (and win) if given sufficient preptime, in fact. Some of the well-known examples of Bruce Wayne proving he may defeat Superman comes from Frank Miller’s Batman: The Darkish Knight Returns (1986).
Within the ultimate bankruptcy of this four-part saga, the Guy of Metal and an aged Caped Crusader come to blows in Gotham, with Bruce donning a mechanized armored Batsuit. Because of an lend a hand from Inexperienced Arrow, who fires a Kryptonite arrow that weakens Superman, Batman manages to defeat him in spite of being well beyond his high. Then again, simply ahead of turning in the overall blow, Bruce fakes a center assault and ‘dies,’ finishing the combat with no need to outright kill his outdated good friend.
9
DOOMSDAY: The Villain Who Earned His Repute via Killing Superman
Superman: The Dying of Superman (1992) via Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, and Extra
Superman’s combat with Doomsday in Dan Jurgens’ well-known Superman: The Dying of Superman storyline is unquestionably essentially the most well known and common example of the Guy of Metal’s dying, cementing Doomsday as considered one of his maximum iconic and notorious villains.
This fight between the 2 Kryptonians came about in City, just about leveling the town and pushing Superman to his absolute limits. In a last Hail Mary to finish the combat, Clark places the whole lot he has into one final punch, killing Doomsday, however at the price of his personal lifestyles. Superman, in fact, would ultimately go back after being revived via Kryptonian generation, however many nonetheless depend this as a definitive dying.
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Dying of Superman: Did Doomsday In truth Kill Clark Kent?
Throughout the Dying of Superman, Doomsday famously defeats the Guy of Metal; on the other hand, Superman’s “dying” could have if truth be told been extra of a coma.
8
A Random Thug Just about Killed the Guy of Metal (Lend a hand from Amanda Waller)
Absolute Energy #1 (2024) via Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez
Many will likely be shocked to be informed {that a} random thug just about ended Superman’s lifestyles and possibly would have, if now not for the intervention of Jon Kent and Conner Kent. In Mark Waid’s Absolute Energy storyline, Amanda Waller unleashes a job drive of power-stealing Amazon robots on DC’s metahuman inhabitants, with every Amazo modeled after a founding Justice League member. One of the vital Amazos goals Superman from afar, draining his powers with out his fast wisdom.
Throughout this procedure, a legal fires a gun at Clark. Used to being bulletproof, Superman doesn’t dodge, and learns the laborious manner that his invulnerability has been stolen. Quickly after, he loses the remainder of his powers, together with flight, and plummets to the bottom. He’s simplest stored via Superboy and his son, and calls for life-saving surgical operation. Finally, a random legal with a gun just about killed Superman.
7
Sure, One Wacky Tale Let Lex Luthor Are living His Perfect Lifestyles and Kill Superman
Superman #149 (1961) via Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, and Sheldon Moldoff
Lex Luthor has possibly been essentially the most constant villain in pursuing his lifelong objective of killing the Guy of Metal, as no person else has attempted to kill Superman as continuously as he has. And whilst Luthor has come shut more than one occasions, turning in his justifiable share of beatdowns, he hasn’t ever succeeded… excluding in a single wacky non-canon tale via Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, and Sheldon Moldoff. Superman #149, “The Dying of Superman!”, includes a non-canon and ordinary story by which Luthor seems to reform, curing most cancers or even befriending Superman.
Then again, that is all a part of his grasp plan. He catches Superman off guard and kills him with a Kryptonite Ray, incomes himself a lifestyles sentence within the Phantom Zone. On this one trade universe, Lex Luthor will get to are living his absolute best lifestyles and in any case accomplishes the objective that has outlined his personality for many years.
6
Killer Frost Introduced Superman to the Fringe of Dying in Justice League vs. Suicide Squad (Lend a hand from Enchantress)
Justice League vs. Suicide Squad (2016-2017) via Joshua Williamson, Rob Williams, and Extra
In the case of rogues who’ve taken on Superman and gained, maximum enthusiasts can be stunned to peer Killer Frost on that listing, as this generally Flash-associated villain is continuously lost sight of and underrated. But she proved her mettle in Joshua Williamson’s Justice League vs. Suicide Squad disaster match, which came about all through DC’s New 52 reboot and featured a brand new iteration of Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad, with Killer Frost a few of the ranks.
Throughout the fight between the Suicide Squad and the Justice League, Enchantress makes use of her magic to weaken Superman, permitting Killer Frost the danger to empty his power. She seems to totally take Superman out, leaving him not anything greater than a dull husk. Through all appearances, Killer Frost has killed Superman. Then again, he’s later noticed awakening in considered one of Waller’s cells, suggesting this was once simplest an “virtually kill.”
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5
Superboy-Top Killed the Superman Of Earth-Two Throughout Limitless Disaster
Limitless Disaster #7 (2006) via Geoff Johns, George Pérez, and Extra
Geoff Johns’ Limitless Disaster is considered one of DC’s most famed and influential storylines. It explores how the present DC Universe on the time (“New Earth”) had misplaced its manner, with its heroes changing into inaccurate and divided. Vintage heroes from the pre-Disaster Multiverse go back and try to repair peace on Earth and proper the errors of New Earth’s wayward heroes. Their conflict ignites a devastating battle that pits hero in opposition to hero in a warfare with catastrophic penalties.
Within the climactic fight of Limitless Disaster, Superboy-Top fights each Kal-L (Earth-2 Superman) and Kal-El (primary continuity Superman). Whilst Kal-El in the end defeats Superboy-Top, Kal-L succumbs to his accidents and dies. Although this wasn’t the principle universe Superman, it nonetheless proves that Superboy-Top was once greater than in a position to killing the Guy of Metal.
4
Darkseid Just about Ended the Guy of Metal with the Anti-Lifestyles Equation (Lend a hand From Flash)
DCeased #5 (2018) via Tom Taylor & Trevor Hairsine
Tom Taylor’s DCeased storyline is absolute best described as a zombie-apocalypse Elseworlds, the place Darkseid unleashes a tech-bio hybrid virus on Earth, infecting the inhabitants via each generation and bites from the inflamed. Superman to begin with avoids the primary wave of an infection. Then again, after finding out that Flash (Barry Allen) has been inflamed and is spreading the virus at a catastrophic fee, Superman flies via him to kill him.
In doing so, he’s pierced via a work of inflamed bone, which infects him and reasons him to turn out to be one of the crucial undead, necessarily ‘killing’ him. A remedy is ultimately created, and Superman is stored. So, whilst Darkseid got here with reference to finishing the Guy of Metal throughout the Anti-Lifestyles equation he unleashed, Clark in the end prevailed because of the efforts of DC’s different heroes.
3
Consider It or Now not: Deadman Killed Superman with an Lend a hand from Deathstroke
DC vs. Vampires: All-Out Battle #6 (2022) via Matthew Rosenberg, Pasquale Qualano, and Extra
Deadman is considered one of DC’s extra underrated characters, and his title will not be in an instant recognizable to a few informal enthusiasts because of his lesser prominence in comparison to different heroes. Then again, the essential factor to find out about him is that he’s a ghost being able to possess folks. This skill proves essential in Matthew Rosenberg’s DC vs. Vampires: All-Out Battle, a sequel to his vampire apocalypse Elseworlds story that follows Deathstroke, Booster Gold, Azrael, and Mary Wonder as they fight to continue to exist and finish the vampire apocalypse.
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The tale culminates in a fight with the vampiric Superman, who kills each Booster Gold and Deathstroke all through the combat. Then again, Deadman then possesses Deathstroke’s frame and sneaks up in the back of a distracted Superman, impaling him within the chest with a Kryptonian-killing sword. This stands as one of the crucial unexpected and badass Guy of Metal kills so far.
2
Alfred Pennyworth DESTROYED Superman Emotionally & Bodily
Injustice: Gods Amongst Us – Yr One #36 (2014) via Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, and Extra
Is Alfred’s violence or his sadness worse? It is a query Superman could also be specifically certified to respond to, as he stories each in Tom Taylor’s Injustice: Gods Amongst Us collection. This Elseworlds story sees Superman turn out to be a tyrannical authority over Earth after the Joker tips him into killing Lois Lane and their unborn kid. The tragedy fractures the hero group, with some siding with Superman’s rule and others becoming a member of Batman’s resistance.
After a war of words within the Batcave, the place Superman seriously injures Bruce, Alfred steps in, having taken a superpower-giving tablet. He tells Clark how deeply upset he’s ahead of headbutting and beating him into the cave’s ground. Alfred arguably can have killed Superman on this second, however selected to not.
1
Marvel Girl Killed Superman (& Then Used His Backbone as a Weapon)
Marvel Girl: Lifeless Earth (2019-2020) via Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer
Daniel Warren Johnson’s Marvel Girl: Lifeless Earth is a Black Label tale set in an alternative universe the place people unharness nuclear warfare at the Amazons, obliterating Diana’s folks. Marvel Girl had up to now instructed Superman to intrude extra immediately with the people, however Clark confident her that the battle would now not escalate to nuclear warfare.
When the Amazons are burnt up, Marvel Girl channels her grief, ache, and anger right into a no-holds-barred combat in opposition to Superman that destroys what stays of the Earth. The fight culminates with Diana, retaining a work of Kryptonite, pummeling the Guy of Metal to dying. Later, the tale presentations her wielding Superman’s backbone as her newest weapon, getting ready to save lots of the Earth she and Superman destroyed.
- Created Through
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Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
- First Look
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Motion Comics
