Superman is the original superhero, and he’s the template from which all other heroes have been derived. Every superhero takes inspiration from Superman in some capacity, be it in their secret identity or costume. The man is the genesis point of the genre, and frankly, still operates at a standard that almost no other hero can compare to. Superman set the world on fire with his phenomenal mix of purity and unbelievable strength that made us all believe that a man can fly. Truly, no other superhero could ever have the same cultural impact and importance that Superman embodies so well.
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Of course, many other heroes have tried to duplicate that lightning in a different bottle. Superman clones are a dime a dozen, and not even DC is free from reinventing the wheel, so to speak. They’ve created their own pastiches and knock-offs of Superman, to the point where they’re the leading experts in ripping off their own flagship character. I’m not just talking about alternate versions of Superman, either, but genuine new characters. Every Superman clone has something unique to offer, but today, all we’re worried about is their raw power, as we’re ranking DC’s seven strongest Superman copycats.
7) Hyper-Man
Let’s start by saying that this list is very, very close in terms of power. Just about every character here can defeat Superman in a one-on-one fight, so any unique strengths they bring to the table definitely help them out. That’s exactly why Hyper-Man is so low on this list. His backstory perfectly mirrors Superman’s, and he gained incredible might on his adopted homeworld of Oceania. Despite showing all the same powers as Superman in his scant appearances, there’s nothing we saw to indicate how strong he really is. He could be a perfect one-to-one with Superman, or he could be just on the same level. Either way, he’s definitely incredibly strong, so he earns a spot here, but without more feats, I can’t justify a higher placement.
6) Mon-El
Mon-El is a Daxamite, who all harbor powers similar to those of Kryptonians. Mon-El is the prime example, having arrived on Earth and worked alongside Clark when he operated as Superboy. Mon-El proved to be just as strong as Superboy and, later, Superman, being able to fight side by side with him and Supergirl in the Legion of Super-Heroes. The only reason that Mon-El is so low is that, in terms of feats, he generally gets taken down before the Kryptonians in a fight. His ceiling is theoretically able to match those of Kryptonian heroes, but his powerset is just a bit too much like Superman’s, while everyone else here has a bit more going for them.
5) Icon
Icon is the Dakotaverse’s own Superman, being an alien known as a Terminan, and lived for several centuries before deciding to become a superhero. His physical might is just as, if not greater than, Superman’s, as when they clashed in World’s Collide, Superman said that Icon hit him even harder than Darkseid did. The biggest problem is that, other than this fight, it’s very rare for Icon to actually be pushed to his limits. He usually fights much more grounded and street-level threats, so judging him against Superman is even more difficult than usual. I’d say that they are definitely in the same tier of strength, but Clark just edges him out. Still, his showings have been majorly impressive.
4) Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter not only has physical stats just shy of Superman’s, but he possesses three other powers that offer him a serious edge. For starters, he can transform into about any shape or size he can imagine. Secondly, he can totally control his density, meaning he can become intangible or harder than diamond in an instant. Thirdly, he’s the greatest telepath on Earth. He can control dozens of minds at once, and when his limiters are removed, he can even connect to every mind simultaneously. Superman has stated J’onn is one person he’s afraid to fight, and for good reason, given that Martian Manhunter might just win before anyone even notices that he’s there.
3) Bizarro
Bizarro Number-One is the original Superman clone, literally. As an imperfect clone of the Man of Tomorrow, Bizarro possesses equal but opposite versions of all of his powers. That alone is enough to earn him a spot here, but what’s really impressive is his recent foray into magic. Since Superman is weak to magic, the natural opposite means that Bizarro is very good at magic. A natural magician, he once Bizarrofied the entire world. When enhancing his own strength with magic, Bizarro was able to send Superman careening all the way to Jupiter. That’s some insanely impressive strength, and if Bizarro trained, there’s no telling just how powerful his magical might could grow.
2) Cyborg Superman
Hank Henshaw was a disembodied energy being before he connected with the Kryptonian Birthing Matrix and cloned Superman’s body, combining it with cybernetics to enhance his power even further. Cyborg Superman is quite literally just as strong as Clark, given he has his own version of Clark’s body. Alongside the standard Kryptonian affair, Henshaw boasts incredible technomancy, to the point where he can absorb and upgrade himself with any advanced tech that he finds. He’s shown that he’s powerful enough to turn Mongul into his slave without much effort, and regularly fights entire legions of the Green Lantern Corps. Cyborg Superman is a menace, through and through.
1) Captain Marvel
The Big Red Cheese is one of the oldest Superman clones of all, and the one that hit closest to home. His physical strength is arguably even above Superman’s, as they’ve clashed innumerable times with no clear winner. On top of the Strength of Hercules, Captain Marvel has some of the strongest magic that you can find in DC. His lightning is literally divine, able to export enough damage to bring down just about any threat. Working alongside Black Adam, it’s even capable of bringing down Superboy-Prime, who is one of the strongest characters in all of DC. Captain Marvel is one of Superman’s oldest knock-offs, and definitely shows it with his absolutely absurd power.
Which Superman-alike is your favorite? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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