While it never boasted an array of baddies as great as “Batman: The Animated Series”, I think people forget just how good some of Superman’s foes are. Here’s my list of the best villains of “Superman: The Animated Series”.
- Lobo
Lobo is a bounty hunter and a real jerk. He’s been compared a lot to Marvel’s Deadpool but I actually prefer Lobo. He’s a rough and tough alien biker and his physical strength sometimes allows him to get the better of Superman too.
- Brainiac
Like Superman, Brainiac is from planet Krypton. However, Brainiac is an evil robot determined to acquired knowledge and increase its value by destroying all others who share it. I like his robotic appearance and his connection to Superman makes him an interesting foe.
- Mr. Mxyzptlk
Given a joyful voice by Gilbert Gottfried (“Aladdin”), Mr. Mxyzptlk is a being from another dimension that just wants to mess with Superman. He’s not really a bad guy, he’s just more of an annoyance but his creative powers make him fun to watch.
- Lex Luthor
Perhaps no villain has been more of a thorn in Superman’s side than Lex Luthor. While possessing no superpowers, Luthor has a lot of money and resources to throw at our hero. He’s also helped to create many of Superman’s other foes such as Metallo and Bizarro. Luthor’s innovative yet twisted mind means that he presents a real threat to Superman and Metropolis. His standing in society also allows him to be relatively untouchable at times.
- Darkseid
The only villain that could outdo Lex Luthor is of course Darkseid. The despotic leader of planet Apokolips not only managed to kill Superman’s friend, Dan Turpin, but also managed to brainwash Superman into conquering the Earth on his behalf. Darkseid is also the best because he has a ton of villains such as Kalibak, Steppenwolf and Bruno Mannheim to do his bidding. Darkseid is also voiced brilliantly by Michael Ironside (“Starship Troopers”).
Honourable mentions:
Parasite and Bizarro