Who can beat up Superman?

Cafe Society
1

Kind of a stupid question, I know, but in my comic-reading days I preferred Marvel to DC. Anyhoo, ISTR leafing through the TP of the “Death of Superman” sequence a while back and seeing a comment in the forward to the book stating something to the effect that there were a number of people who could easily beat Superman.

However, I was always under the impression that Superman always ended up having super [insert_whatever_noun_is_necessary] that rendered him unbeatable. So please edumacate me–who can kick Superman’s ass?

2

Batman, though I understand preparation is involved.
Superman shouldn’t be beatable in a simple slug-fest unless facing another character who can match or best his strength and speed and flight. I don’t recall Doomsday being able to move at supersonic speed or fly, so if Supes wanted to neutralize him, all he needed to do was zoom in, grab his ankle, and toss him into orbit. Simply trading punches is dumb.

3

That was true in the Silver Age, where Superman could do things like push planets into different orbits. He’s since been toned down considerably, and is no longer constantly pulling new super powers out of his ass in every issue.

4

Just sticking to LIVING and IN CONTINUITY characters IN THE SAME UNIVERSE as him…

A handful of Kryptonians have the base strength, practise with powers, and combat training to pull it off.

Wonder Woman could potentially pull it off - she’s slightly weaker, with lesser invulnerability, but also slightly faster, and MUCH better trained. I wouldn’t be willing to lay a bet, either way.

Sodam Yat could hand his ass to him. Most other GLs would fall into the same realm as Wondie, but Sodam has both his GL powers - and the boost of being Ion, to boot - and his Daxamite abilities (which are identical to the Kryptonian power set, save for a weakness vs lead, not Kryptonite - and the ring protects him from that).

A few other Daxamites might be able to, as well, but save Mon-El (who’s a scrawny, mostly pacifistic dude) and Yat, none of them are really practised with their powers.

Parasite is quite capable of both weakening Superman and strengthening himself to the point that he could do it.

A number of Superman’s major enemies fit in that same group - they use devices or powers to weaken him, and strengthen themselves (Luthor’s power suit, Metallo’s robotic body and Kryptonite heart, etc). (Others, like Prankster and Toyman generally go at the weaker civilians.)

Most of the New Gods - and, in fact, quite a few other deities.

Mongul (both father and son, but the kid’s currently got the added advantage of a Sinestro ring).

Any major league telepath or magic user is able to snap to his weaknesses, even without specifically depowering him with red solar radiation or Kryptonite.

5

Come to think of it, what about Captain Marvel?

6

Captain Marvel (Billy Batson version) was as strong, as invulnerable, and nearly as fast.

Superman versus Orion or Kalibak always tilted to whatever way the story needed to go. I recall reading somewhere that Orion was “nearly” Superman’s strength level.

I also recall a scene (Trinity maybe) with Batman giving the nod to Wonder Woman because her skill more than compensated for Superman’s physical advantage.

Karate Kid beat Superboy to gain admittance into the Legion of Super Heroes.

ETA: Hunter Hawk, you couldn’t wait 10 minutes for me to be first. I don’t think the Freddy Freeman Captain Marvel is in Superman’s league, though.

7

Kicked Big Blue’s ass, but needed his magical lightning to do it.

8

<bolding mine>

If do right - no can defend!

9

You wouldn’t call it ass-kicking, but Ambush Bug messed him up at least once. Accidentally. With some red kryptonite.

10

As others have demonstrated the number of characters, just in the DC universe, who can go toe to toe with Superman is extensive. Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Black Adam, Martian Manhunter, Darkseid, more than a few of the Green Lanterns I’m sure, and many others are all in the same neighborhood power wise as Superman. And that’s not even getting into magic or telepathic abilities. Magic and telepathy affect him just the same as it would anyone else.

For that matter, anyone carrying around a chunk of kryptonite in his pocket has at least a sporting chance.

11

Chuck Norris.

Everyone knows this.

12

Pre-Crisis there was Vartox, basically the Superman of the Sombrero Hat Galaxy. He and Supes came to blows several times, and Supes always got the worst of it. In the thought balloons, Superman was generally thinking that he was going to lose before long, whereas Vartox would think, “Hmm. Supes has more stamina than me, so I’ll have to his ass in the next 60 seconds.” And then kick his ass in about 15.

13

I nominate Thor. With Mjolnir, of course.

14

Actually Doomsday could move at super-speed; both Booster and Superman commented on it. But why they didn’t simply have Guy Gardner or Maxima pick up him long distance and toss him into space was based solely on plot arbitrarieness… Even if they couldn’t do it in a single throw, they could have just kept smacking him at a distance.

15

He’s been mentioned already but Mongul was specifically introduced to have a threat that could take on Superman physically.

16

Muhammed Ali did it, once.

17

I’m not sure I’d count that. Largely because Supes had no powers when they fought, and also because Supes simply refused to fall down.

18

Lex Luthor. In Red Son he defeats Superman with a few words scribbled on a piece of paper. As others have mentioned, any of the magic-based heroes and villains (Zatana, Zatarra, Etrigan, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Swamp Thing, Wizard, John Constantine, Deadman, et al.) can beat him provided Superman doesn’t see them coming and throw them into the sun before they can utter a word or something. Quite a few Legion villains, including probably the entire Fatal Five. And probably anyone with shrinking powers (meaning all of the various Atoms) could stroll into his brain and start causing super-strokes. Anyone with element-creating or -changing powers like Mr. 104, Element Lad, or Firestorm can zap up enough kryptonite to encase Superman entirely and kill him. And of course there are all the psychics…

Really, Superman is a pushover provided your only power isn’t “hit it until it stops moving.”

19

Even though they are Marvel characters, is there a possibility the Hulk or the Thing could beat up Superman? Are there any similarly-sized DC characters, and if so, how did they fare against Superman?

20

The question isn’t “who can defeat Superman through psychological manipulation.” It’s “who can beat up Superman” which implies a physical confrontation. Also, since Superman regularly defeats Luthor, listing him seems silly.

I’ll grant that the entire Fatal Five could do it, but only Validus could do it alone. In fact, only the others could only do it with Validus as backup.

Listing Deadman is silly, even by the standards of a silly thread. His power is only to possess people. Were he to possess, say, Captain Marvel he might have a chance, but he’d be handicapped by his lack of experience with them.

Mxy, yes. But he’s so much more powerful, and such a Superman fanboy, that he’d never try to beat him up physically anyway. Mxy just wants attention.

The Thing wouldn’t have a chance; Supes is far, far stronger and could take him simply going toe-to-toe,without using anything but his brawling powers. And, of course, Supes has beaten the Hulk too.

I’m with Oakminster that Thor, with Mjolnir, could do it. Yeah, I know all about JLA/Avengers, but the OdinSon will win the rematch.