10 Most Powerful Cosmic DC Characters

DC Comics and Marvel have a lot of similarities, but there are some huge differences between them. One of the biggest examples of this is the way they’ve treated the cosmic sides of their universes. DC went in the multiverse direction before the House of Ideas did, and their version of sci-fi superhero stories went differently than their marvelous competition. Books like Green Lantern and Justice League of America mostly dealt with the cosmic side of things back in the day, with Superman books going more sci-fi as well, but they didn’t get their own dedicated cosmic comics until Marvel pioneer Jack Kirby created the Fourth World. Since then, as cosmic Marvel became more popular, DC has built up their cosmic side of things, creating numerous characters and ideas.

The DC Multiverse has a very high power ceiling for characters in general, so their cosmic characters are some of the most powerful in comics. They can do unimaginable things with their powers, with some sculpting existence on a multiversal level. These are the ten most powerful cosmic DC characters, titanic presences who make the DC Multiverse into a more interesting place.

10) Guardians of the Universe

The Green Lantern mythos have been fertile for decades, and they introduced readers to one of the most powerful groups ever. The Guardians of the Universe were the first race in the universe, the Maltusians. They were able to evolve into immortals with godlike powers as a race, taking their place as the first race as a call to protect those younger and less evolved than them. Based on Oa, the average Guardian is superlatively powerful, and when they work together, few forces in the universe can stand against them.

9) Mister Miracle

Scott Free was the son of Izaya the Highfather, leader of the New Gods of New Genesis. As a baby, he was traded to Darkseid for Orion as part of a peace deal, and was raised by the brutal Granny Goodness in her terrible Orphanage. He escaped with his wife Big Barda and became the master escape artist of three worlds. He seems to have pretty standard powers, like super strength, speed, agility, durability, intelligence, and an ability to escape anything. However, he can also tap into the Alpha Effect, allowing him to save lives and strengthen those around him. He hasn’t mastered this power yet, but Mister Miracle is surprisingly powerful when his enemies least expect it.

8) Orion

Orion is the Dog of War, raised on New Genesis as part of the same peace deal as Mister Miracle. He’s a master of the Astro-Force, and is known for his wild temper and extreme strength levels. He’s prophesied to kill Darkseid one day, and works extremely hard to hold the dark side of himself in check. There are few more feared soldiers on New Genesis, as he has devoted himself to battling the forces of his father. He’s one of the greatest fighters in Justice League history, and his powers are perfectly suited for facing off against the most powerful threats. He’s the muscle of the New Gods and woe betide anyone who stands in his way.

7) Black Racer

There are many personifications of death in the DC Multiverse, but the Black Racer is the most feared. The Black Racer travels throughout creation, finding the dead and returning them to the Source. Basically, anything that he touches is dead and nothing can resist his power. He’s the one who comes for everyone, including the divinities and the forces of the universe. He rarely has to use his powers, but he can basically do anything he wants to any time he wants to. Even Darkseid fears the coming of the Black Racer, because he knows that the Racer will be the last thing he sees.

6) Highfather

The New Gods are the kings of cosmic DC, and they’re led by the Highfather. Izaya is the leader of New Genesis, and has led the war against Darkseid for ages. Highfather can tap into the Source, the energy that everything in the multiverse is made out of, and is ostensibly the most powerful of the New Gods, despite how many times he’s died in battle against his enemies. He always comes back, though, a repeating motif in the endless struggle between good and evil. While he has no problem fighting evil, he’s a god who desires peace and will do anything to bring it about for all people.

5) The Monitor

Crisis on Infinite Earths is a groundbreaking classic, and it introduced readers to one of the most important characters in the history of the multiverse: the Monitor. The Monitor is the child of Perpetua, and has watched the multiverse since its beginning. His powers aren’t as a obvious as his brothers, but he’s always been extremely powerful, battling against the Anti-Monitor since the beginning of creation. He’s more known for his role as a leader than a warrior; he finds others to fight for him and to implement his plans, but that doesn’t change just how formidable he can be when he needs to be.

4) Darkseid

Darkseid is DC’s greatest villain and one of the most powerful beings in creation. The God of Evil rules the world of Apokolips and has been searching for the Anti-Life Equation for ages, all so he can control everything. He’s been getting more and powerful over the years, and has reached a new phase: the Final God. He’s taken control of his own universe, creating the Absolute Universe, and is doing his best to become the personification of the main universe as well. He’s reached an all-new level of power, and has become more of a threat than ever.

3) World-Forger

The World-Forger is another child of Perpetua, and his powers are some of the most important in the multiverse. He was the one who created the various worlds of the DC Multiverse, slaving away at the Forge at the center of creation to make the dreams of Perpetua a reality. He has the power to created worlds, and has pledged his hammer and his great strength to the heroes of the multiverse during several attacks on reality. He’s not the most powerful of siblings, but he’s got it where it counts.

2) Anti-Monitor

The Monitor was the personification of positive matter, the World-Forger was the creative impulse in a sentient form, and the Anti-Monitor was the last piece of the puzzle. The final son of Perpetua, he is the personification of anti-matter, and has the highest body count in comics by a wide margin. He’s destroyed countless universes with his anti-matter powers and is often considered to be the ultimate menace in the DC Multiverse. He basically just wants to destroy everything, making him a simplistic threat that can destroy entire universes like they’re nothing.

1) Perpetua

Perpetua is the creator of the DC Multiverse, and the most powerful threat the heroes ever faced. She is a Hand, beings who created multiverses, and she wanted to create a multiverse that she could use to conquer all of the others. With the help of her sons, she created the worlds we know, but even they abandoned her when the realities of her motives were revealed. She was cast outside of creation beyond the Source Wall, but came back through when it was broken and menaced reality again, almost conquering everything before she was killed by the Darkest Knight, Batman Who Laughs with the power of Dr. Bathattan (yes, it’s exactly what you imagine). She was a superlatively powerful threat, and one of the most powerful character in superhero history.

Who’s your favorite cosmic DC character? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

10 Greatest DC Stories of the 2020s