Alright! Superman's rogue gallery is, by far, a rogue gallery that certainly exists. While it's not as well-known or interesting as Batman's or Spider-Man's, Superman's rogue gallery is dynamic and interesting, and hardly ever utilized in his media appearances outside of Lex Luthor and Zod. Here we have joke villains such as Toyman with villains that are the definition of menace and somehow never being used for the big screen.
So that's what I'm doing today. I'm dishing out some Superman villains that the movies haven't really utilized (Or maybe they did, just not well). We've even got some pretty obscure folks on here for the diehard fans.
Doomsday
Technically Doomsday already appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. But, depending on who you ask, that wasn't actually the "real" Doomsday. He did murder Superman though, so it's unsure what the "real" Doomsday could even do at that point. In most iterations a weapon from space or even Krypton designed to kill Superman, Doomsday is one of the only characters to ever have the honor of breaking the Boy Scout.
Lex Luthor
For a character that's been featured in nearly every Superman movie to this point, none has truly gotten the essence of the character right, be it Hackman's silly antics, Spacey's posse, or Eisenberg's... everything. A truly intimidating businessman who hates Superman not because he gets in the way of his plans but because he goes against everything Luthor, a Nietzsche superman with belief in man-made power, stands for. And who knows, maybe some political scheming to get him in the White House.
Parasite
Unlike many Superman movies that pit him against "Evil Superman" (Zod) or "Just a man" (Luthor), Parasite is an interesting escalation clause to Superman's god-like powers. Rudy Jones, a janitor working at S.T.A.R. Labs, is accidentally exposed to radiation that gives him the ability to absorb the life of others, leaving them smoldering skeletons, a skill now necessary to ensure his own survival. This pink monstrosity and potentially tragic tale deserve a chance to shine.
Darkseid
More often than not, Darkseid isn't used so the sequel that never happens can have a "big bad." Based on how fast DC productions get canceled nowadays, it's best to thank Rao that Zack Snyder's Justice League at least gave us the chance to see him in live-action. Superman's greatest threat, Darkseid is the guy to beat. While he's admittedly a Justice League-sized threat, it's still surprising that no Superman movies have even tried to incorporate him.
Kalibak
While several properties want to save Darkseid as a bigger threat, another powerful and overlooked threat is his adopted son Kalibak. To create a truce between Apokalips and New Genesis, Highfather and Darkseid swap sons - Orion and Scott Free. Kalibak is Darkseid's first-born, left eager to prove his worth to his cruel father, constantly undermined, and never taken seriously by the one he demands respect from. While a Zuko-type arc isn't really necessary here, it certainly would be an interesting take on the character.
Livewire
Like so many great DC characters, Livewire was first created for the DCAU by Bruce Timm. A radio personality that's the equivalent of Superman's J. Jonah Jameson, a freak accident leaves her with electric powers and a drive to kill Superman. As Superman isn't as invulnerable to electricity-based attacks, Livewire is one of the few villains who can physically hurt him. Plus, her sassy personality full of electrifying quips would be fun to watch play out on screen.
Bizarro
Bizarro is one of Superman's most iconic and longstanding nemesis, a backward-speaking clone of Superman whose mere concept gave "Bizarro" a place in the modern lexicon as a bizarre event. Bizarro's twisted nature is often depicted as a result of a science experiment gone wrong by Lex Luthor, which is always a fun trope. Plus, the character's appearance in All-Star Superman, Superman: The Animated Series, and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? prove the character's misguided heart, humor, and potential for greatness.
Cyborg Superman
Most notably appearing in the Death of Superman storyline, Hank Henshaw is an astronaut on a space mission gone wrong, whose crew dies and his own body deteriorates. Who does he blame for the event? Superman. After his apparent death, he poses in his place as Superman's reincarnate, hell-bent on destroying the Man of Steel's reputation. An interesting take on the "Superman but evil" idea after Zod and Bizarro, Hank is a smart alternative for the next screenwriter looking for a similar-but-different threat.
Metallo
For as much as the "all-powerful alien is allergic to a green rock" trope everyone loves, no movie adaptations have really taken full advantage of this fact save for Superman Returns, which ended with the character lifting an entire island made of the stuff into space. Metallo is a human conscience placed in a Kryptonite-run machine body following the physical body's death. If you want a threat that can actually hurt the Man of Steel, the man made of Kryptonite is a good place to start.
Toyman
A classic golden age villain of the Last Son of Krypton, Toyman is a gimmicky and silly toymaker who started using his passion to commit robberies. Most notably appearing in the DCAU, the Toyman has the potential to be an extremely creepy and ominous creation of obsession, a homicidal maniac with a vendetta against Superman. Hit the dark reboot button hard enough and you have a Jigsaw-type figure.
Lobo
The main man is undoubtedly one of the most fun and cosmic-y characters, taking pride in his misogyny and bawdiness and bothering basically everyone he comes into contact with. This is the type of character that kills the rest of his race as a bet, created as a riff on other grungy characters like the Punisher and Cable, but finding such popularity in his completely obscene existence that he stuck around - if only to proclaim "Lobo Wuz Here." He even has a sexy redesign! Use him!
Mongul
Mongul is a larger-than-large threat for the Man of Steel, the despotic leader of Warworld, a planet that's either a giant gladiator ring or Death Star-type, depending on the writer. While Mongul's giant hulk-like appearance is a great physical threat for Superman, his inclusion on the list is mostly due to his prominence in the story For the Man Who Has Everything, one of the greatest Superman stories of all time where he gives Superman the Black Mercy, which grants Supes his heart's truest desire - to be on the planet Krypton with a loving family. At some point, that arc has to play out on the big screen, it's too good to not use.
Mister Myxzptlk
An imp from the fifth dimension, Superman's crazed fan is responsible for some of the best episodes in Lois & Clark and Superman: The Animated Series, the latter of which's design wins you over through sheer adorableness. Depicted as either an ineffective prankster or cruel overlord responsible for the destruction of Superman's personal life who can only be defeated if he says his own name backwards, he's an undoubtedly fun villain with enough quirks to make an impression.
Solomon Grundy
Born on a Monday and christened on a Tuesday, doubling as a pretty great Batman villain on the weekends, Solomon Grundy is a sympathetic gangster-turned-zombie. He's a very important tamper to Superman's greatest weakness - that of magic. Due to his brutish savagery and lack of understanding, he's one of the few villains Superman has to really try to stop. And, when done right, the result can be beautiful.
Brainiac
The single most underused and one of Superman’s greatest villains is, without a doubt, Brainiac. Given that this is literally Superman’s second most popular supervillain after Luthor, the fact no live-action movie has incorporated him yet is mind boggling. A living library bent on collecting all the data in the universe and destroying the remnants of the sample’s source, the subject of the last son of Krypton is of great interest to the kidnapper of Kandor. One of Superman’s greatest and most menacing threats, Brainiac is begging to be given the live action treatment.
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