There’s been a lot of discussion about Superman‘s strength in recent months. James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, said he struggled to crack a script for a Man of Steel movie because he doesn’t connect with the character. Superman is powerful just for the sake of being powerful, and that can be a challenge for even the most talented screenwriters. Gunn’s way in was opening the movie with his version of the hero losing for the first time, making him vulnerable in a way he had never been on the big screen before. Some fans took exception to that angle because they like their heroes to be infallible.
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Anyone who feels that way doesn’t have to embrace the new DC Universe. There are numerous projects within arm’s reach that allow the Man of Steel to flex his muscles without his opponent ever landing a punch. Here’s every animated version of Superman, ranked by power.
14) Super Friends
Saturday morning cartoons were all the rage in the ’70s and ’80s, and Super Friends was the cream of the crop. A bunch of DC heroes come together to tackle a threat to the world. However, the show doesn’t ask its heroes to solve all the problems with their fists. Superman and his buddies like to reason with the bad guys. It sends a strong message to viewers, but it comes at the cost of Superman’s strength.
13) Superman
The 1940s Superman short films dealt with a similar problem. Due to the technical limits at the time, they weren’t able to give the titular character much to do. He flies around and helps out where he can, but that’s about it. There’s never a moment when the Man of Steel has to take the gloves off to win a fight or save the world.
12) The Dark Knight Returns
The animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s iconic story The Dark Knight Returns features a different kind of Superman. For starters, he’s older and no longer in prime fighting shape. That puts him at a disadvantage when he picks a fight with the smartest man on the planet, Batman. While he still has enough raw strength to survive a bout with the Caped Crusader, there isn’t much else to write home about.
11) All-Star Superman
As a standalone animated movie, All-Star Superman doesn’t have to worry about setting up future storylines, a fact it takes to heart. Superman gets exposed to too much solar radiation, and while it makes him stronger for a time, it eventually costs him his life. All-Star Superman is more about the man than the hero, which makes it a unique story, but not one that highlights the titular hero’s power.
10) Justice League Action
Putting Superman in a team environment means he has a great support system — one that is ready to come to his aid at the drop of a hat. However, with Wonder Woman and Batman always hanging around in Justice League Action, there’s not much heavy lifting to be done. Superman shines in a couple of moments, such as in his fight against Steppenwolf, and that’s enough to crack the top 10 on this list.
9) Legion of Super Heroes
There are so many DC TV shows that it’s hard to keep track of them all. One that consistently flies under the radar is Legion of Super Heroes, which sends a young Superman to the future to hone his skills and fight alongside the titular team. Over the course of the show’s two seasons, Superman gets his fair share of solo battles, including a notable one against the Controller, and always holds his own.
8) Superman: Red Son
In an alternate reality, Superman lands in the Soviet Union rather than Kansas and becomes its leader. Superman: Red Son pits the hero against both Lex Luthor and Brainiac, and it takes teaming up with the former to beat the latter. Every challenge the Man of Steel takes on in the movie ends with him victorious, but he does take a couple of nasty beatings along the way.
7) Young Justice
Young Justice doesn’t put the spotlight on any prominent Justice League members; instead, it shines on their sidekicks. The show doesn’t ignore Superman, though, as he takes Superboy under his wing and helps save the world on several occasions. Intense battles against the Light and the Reach prove that Young Justice‘s Superman is a powerhouse when he needs to be.
6) My Adventures With Superman
Not every Superman show hands the reins over to the hero; some of them show love to his supporting cast. In My Adventures With Superman, Clark Kent teams up with Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen to keep the streets of Metropolis safe. But allowing his friends to play hero doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows. Superman throws down with Brainiac and his cousin, Kara Zor-El, and proves he can fight as well as he can have fun.
5) Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
It’s always a good time when Superman and Batman work together to take down a common enemy. In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, it’s Lex Luthor, who frames Superman for murder and sends a group of powerful heroes after him. The sequel, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, kicks things up a notch by bringing Darkseid into the fold. Superman stands his ground in both movies, which is why this iteration kicks off the top five.
4) Superman: Doomsday
Darkseid is like if Luthor and Doomsday had a baby. However, Doomsday is still more of a physical threat, as he’s a monster who never stops to think while cracking skulls. At the start of Superman: Doomsday, the Man of Steel beats his opponent but dies in the process. He returns later on and dukes it out with a clone of himself of Luthor’s design despite not being at full power. By showing off his quick thinking, Doomsday‘s Superman proves that power doesn’t come only from punches.
3) Injustice
Superman loses control pretty often in the source material because it’s an easy way to even the odds against him. In Injustice, Superman cracks after losing Lois Lane at the hands of The Joker. Taking control of the world is easy for him, and there isn’t anyone who can stand against him, not even an alternate version of himself. The only reason Injustice Superman stops fighting is that the remaining heroes appeal to his humanity.
2) DCAMU Superman
The DC Animated Movie Universe ends its first era on a somber note, having The Flash run back in time to reset the timeline. Superman has a nice run initially, beating foe after foe alongside the Justice League. There’s even an argument to be made that he deserves to grab the top spot. However, his role in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War knocks him down a peg because he allows his world to crumble, unlike the next iteration on this list.
1) DCAU Superman
The final two entries on this list should come as no surprise, as they get more screen time than the others. DC Animated Universe Superman battles against just about every notable DC villain during his run, including Doomsday and Lex Luthor. It’s his fight against Darkseid that really makes him stand out, though, as he lets loose on the rule of Apokolis and makes a point to tell him how it’s nice to finally meet someone on his level.
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