Superman's legacy has been partially defined by the villains that he has faced. Compared to many other areas of the DC Universe, the Man of Steel boasts some of the most intimidating, cruel, and powerful villains that the comic book brand has to offer. But not all of them made great first impressions.
Whether it was because DC Comics didn't have a long-term plan for the character, or due to the era in which they debuted, these characters ultimately didn't have the most interesting of starting places. They were often laughable, or a long way away from the rogues they would eventually become. But through continued evolution, they stood the test of time.
15 Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is Superman's arch-nemesis and most iconic foe. The character is hellbent on the destruction of the Kryptonian and started out life that way too. While he might be a menacing billionaire with enough intelligence and resources to take on a god, he didn't approach the conflict in a particularly mighty way during his first encounter.
Debuting in Action Comics #23 in 1940, Luthor's initial comic was actually under the guise of Alexei Luthor. A forgettable villain with bright red hair, Luthor seemingly died in the issue. However, he also appeared in Superman #4 which was published before Action Comics but chronologically took place afterward thus confusing readers further and leaving a muddled impression.
14 Bizarro
Bizarro is the anthesis of Superman. Everything he is and does is the complete opposite of the Man of Tomorrow. From his fire breath to his dull gray complexion and even his attitude, the dangerous clone is the perfect foe for Superman because he is both an equal and an opposite. He holds up an important mirror to Clark Kent.
The sympathetic villain got his start in Superboy #68 in 1958 though, which immediately suggests he isn't on the same level as Superman himself. Although his complicated emotional range was explored in great detail, the figure was killed off in his first appearance, which isn't a great impression to leave. The fact that he returned and was elevated to Superman's level took extraordinary maneuvering.
13 General Zod
General Zod is a perfect example of a villain that encapsulates the opposite ideology of his nemesis. Superman and Zod both hail from Krypton, but their plans for Earth and humankind have put them at war with one another. Cunning and all-mighty, it's hard to imagine Zod debuting as a forgettable background character.
But Zod didn't leave any impression at all in his first appearance as part of Adventure Comics #283 in 1961. With Superboy getting stuck in the Phantom Zone, Zod appears in a brief flashback as one of the many criminals trapped in the prison-like realm. Very little is revealed about him, and he is essentially just one of a crowd. It's not an impressive role for the general.
12 Red Tornado
Although he has also been adapted as an ally, Red Tornado has been an ongoing threat for the Justice League, Supergirl and Superman in particular. The android's abilities, to whip of winds of immense speed and power, have put Clark Kent on the back foot in across many skirmishes.
Mystery in Space #61 in 1960 was Red Tornado's actual first appearance. Introduced as a being known as Ulthoon, he would transform into the Tornado Tyrant as an antagonist for Adam Strange. He is dispatched quickly, and his portrayal wasn't close to the Red Tornado he would become. This intro also confuses matters, with Ulthoon getting implanted into the body of the Tornado years later. There's too much going on here for any lasting impression to have been left in those early days, especially considering his quick defeat.
11 Metallo
Metallo has never been one of the most intelligent villains in the DC Universe. But what he lacks in brains, he usually makes up for in kryptonite. The character has always been a significant enemy for Superman because of the Kryptonian source powering his armor.
Metallo's first appearance left a lot to be desired and nodded towards his low IQ. Appearing in Action Comics #252, Metallo attempted to use kryptonite for his suit before realizing it was fake. The wrongful substance use led to a heart attack and death. Metallo was responsible for his own downfall and was portrayed as a complete fool of very little danger.
10 Mr. Mxyztplk
Mxyztplk is certainly an underrated character from DC's roster of antagonists and one that could seriously defeat Superman with all his abilities unleashed. However, Mxy's use throughout comic book history has been as erratic; his debut is a perfect example of a false start.
Mxyztplk was introduced within Superman #30 in 1944. The character was supposedly a jester from a different dimension. His only motive was to create pranks throughout Metropolis. With Superman thwarting the absurd character in a single issue, Mxy's sheer power was never put on display. He was a punchline, and it would be a while until audiences started viewing him as both whimsical and a legitimate threat.
9 Livewire
Livewire is a fantastic foe that has pushed Superman and Supergirl to their limits. Her electric abilities and egotistical personality have always made her pop from the page, except it wasn't actually the page where she first left an impression, leading to a confusing continuity crisis.
Livewire actually made her debut as part of Superman: The Animated Series, Season 2, Episode 5. The 1997 show debuted a compelling and fun antagonist that fans wanted to see on the page. It wouldn't be until 2006 that she got to face original Superman in comic form though, leading to bad first impressions that DC didn't want to embrace Livewire into their continuity.
8 The Prankster
The Prankster has never been an overly original creation, with his garish suit and ridiculous antics leading to very few fans of the character. However, he was largely a Superman villain upon arrival, despite being repositioned for Nightwing in the years since.
Prankster's debut came in Action Comics #51 in 1942. Although he has never been the most influential DC supervillain the character seemed to be a ripoff of the Joker, albeit a far less interesting one. The concept was dead on arrival and Prankster's easy defeat didn't say much for the figure's future.
7 Cyborg Superman
Hank Henshaw is the man beneath the robotic body of Cyborg Superman. He has unlimited potential, his consistent upgrades ensuring that Clark Kent doesn't know what to expect in battle from the tyrant. However, Cyborg Superman hasn't always been a mixture of man and machine.
Hank Henshaw originally appeared in Adventures of Superman #465 in 1990. As a supporting character of very little value, it would take some time to build up to his cyborg transformation. Upon his arrival, Henshaw was so completely forgettable that it was certainly unexpected for him to evolve into one of Superman's greatest foes.
6 Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge is one of Superman's few rogues that doesn't need superpowers to face the Man of Steel. The corporate criminal has been a thorn in Kent's side for years, but his ambition and grandeur can really only be felt through long-term storytelling. It's hard for a foe like this to make an immediate impact.
Edge didn't even debut in a mainline Superman comic, instead appearing in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 in 1970. Although he was shown to have bought the Daily Planet and was the secret leader of a group known as Intergang, Edge's threats to Clark's life were essentially non-existent. He posed no physical challenge and quickly proved that going forward, he wasn't truly someone to worry about. The lack of narrative involving his menacing buy-up of the Planet meant that his true potential hadn't been capitalized on.
5 Mongul
While Mongul has certainly established a reputation for himself as one of Superman's deadliest foes, his first appearance belied that threat in numerous ways. As a product of the 80s, Mongul's original form wasn't necessarily one to take all that serious on the surface, yet even his introduction made it seem like he was more of a joke than a legitimate menace.
When Mongul first appeared in 1980's "The Key That Unlocked Chaos!" (by Len Wein and Jim Starlin, from the pages of DC Comics Presents #27), he did so by using a holographic projection of himself to try and corral Superman into carrying out what was effectively a cosmic fetch quest on his behalf. To ensure the Man of Steel's compliance, Mongul preemptively kidnapped and miniaturized some of Superman's closest allies, further lending a general sense of camp to Mongul's debut.
4 Manchester Black
Manchester Black is aniconic character. He might seem like a knock off John Constantine, but that has only added to his unusual and unnerving sense of charm. On the other hand, Manchester's debut wasn't nearly as cool as the character himself, especially not from Superman's point of view.
2001's Action Comics #75 (by Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke, and Lee Bermejo) introduced Manchester alongside the rest of the Elite, a team of supernaturally charged, self-proclaimed superheroes. Though the Elite certainly left an unforgettable impact, their first impression was one of general ineptitude and complete disregard for human life more so than it was a sign of them becoming genuine heroes.
3 Atomic Skull
Albert Michaels had a bright and promising future at S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis, as well as a member of the high-tech criminal organization known as SKULL, yet both of these endeavors were undercut by the potentially lethal seizure disorder he suffered from. Eventually, Albert underwent a procedure that ultimately failed to cure his condition, and even made it worse by allowing him to effectively weaponize his own extreme form of epilepsy.
This uncomfortable transformation into the Atomic Skull may not have come until much later than his first appearance in 1976's Superman #303 (by Gerry Conway and Curt Swan), but his appearances prior to it didn't endear him to readers any further. At best, Albert's original incarnation was one that many fans expected to amount to little more than a footnote in history. At worst, he was boring and ineffective up until his transformation, which didn't make him much better of a character.
2 Bloodsport
Robert Dubois, aka Bloodsport, is certainly more famous now since his appearance in Suicide Squad than he has been at any other point in his career. That being said, the original Bloodsport is nothing like the original iteration of the character, who was never all that much of a threat to begin with.
1987's Superman #4 (by John Byrne) saw Bloodsport burst onto the scene as an unhinged would-be antihero whose murderous rage was born from the brother who seemingly died taking his place after being drafted into the Vietnam War. This lent Bloodsport an air of sympathy among some fans, while others couldn't find anything in common between themselves and someone who lashed out after leaving his presumed duty behind for someone else to suffer because of.
1 Toyman
One of the most iconic Superman villains of all time, Winslow Schott, aka the Toyman, has been a part of the Man of Steel's world from his first appearance all the way back in 1943's "The Terrible Toyman" (by Don C. Cameron and Ed Dobrotka, from the pages of Action Comics #64). Over the years, Toyman has become a more terrifying figure than his Golden Age incarnation, though it didn't take much effort.
Rather than being a coldly calculating or cruel and cunning criminal mastermind, the original Toyman was simply a thrill-seeking inventor who got bored of his ordinary life and decided to exchange it for something more explosive. This drove him to even brag about his earliest endeavors to Lois Lane before realizing his mistake and trying to kill her before the truth got out. Fortunately, Superman was there to stop Toyman at every turn, even if it frequently meant facing off against utterly ridiculous and laughably contrived plots.