Despite his great power, and his patented heroism and goodness, Superman has been shown to kill a few times in the comics. Whether it was those deserving, or not. Superman has killed in the mainline continuity, as well as Elseworld stories, showing that even the best of us can fall.

Updated November 21, 2022 by Jake Fillery: Sometimes, people ask if Superman has ever killed anyone. The Man of Steel is known for many things, and usually at the top of that list is his understanding and compassion for others. The answer is to that question is usually no. However, some Elseworld stories, or even main DC Universe ones, feature Superman kills. Many characters in the DC Comics have seen a grittier version of the true selves in alternate universes than the ones seen in the mainline DC Universe. However, even the original and beloved Superman has been killed, whether on his own accord, under mind control, or bearing witness to his Multiverse self. One thing is for certain, nobody wants to be killed by Superman.

11 Doomsday

As a mindless and rampaging monster, Doomsday is not only a great threat to Earth, but to Superman himself. This monster knows only destruction, and arrived on Earth hell-bent on destroying anything in a blind fury. Luckily for the world, Superman was there to save the day.

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Superman and Doomsday had a battle that raged on for what seemed like hours. The destruction left in their wake could be felt across the world. Ultimately, Superman knew that the only way to beat Doomsday was to fight to the death, a fight that resulted in Doomsday and Superman killing each other.

10 Mogo, The Living Planet

There are so many deaths in the Injustice comics, including many that fans revile. The Injustice universe never ceases to go beyond what is seen as gritty in this corrupted timeline. The only thing worse than an evil Superman, is an evil Superman with a yellow lantern ring. This version of Superman utilized his new Sinestroy Corps ring for great rage.

Superman crashed into Mogo the Living Planet, a world that in itself is a Green Lantern. From here, he pushed Mogo directly into a sun, alongside one of the Green Lantern Oans, Ganthet. Superman’s murder of an innocent Green Lantern planet has been one of his most evil kills in the comic books.

9 Kalibak

As the son of Darkseid, it’s no surprise that Superman would so despise Kalibak. In the Injustice universe, Superman once again shows his new colors, and further reddens his red cape with the spilled blood of his enemies. Kalibak is one of the first to fall to Superman, and dies at the hands of his new regime. This death was in the Year One of Injustice, showing how many more will die at his hands.

Kalibak somewhat brought this death upon himself, as he invaded Earth when he saw that it was declared war-free. This big mistake saw Superman kill Kalibak after an easy surrender. Superman wanted Kalibak to fight just so he could kill him, and show the horrors of the universe that Earth is off-limits.

8 The Flash

In an alternate reality for DC Comics’ Earth, there’s a zombie epidemic threatening civilization. One of the first to be infected was The Flash. Left with no choice, and utter sadness for what will come, Superman decides to stop the speedster from infecting the world by colliding with him, exploding The Flash into Superman’s body.

Superman kills the zombified Flash, and even apologizes for what has happened. Although, perhaps worst of all, Flash’s fingers are merged into Superman’s skin, thus making him infected too. If a zombie Flash was scary, then the only thing scarier would be a zombie Superman.

7 The Joker

In one of the more controversial Elseworld universes, the Injustice universe begins when Superman kills The Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime has committed his most diabolical act yet. Launching a nuclear attack on Metropolis, and killing countless lives. Superman, struck with rage and grief, throws his fist through Joker’s chest and kills him.

Superman’s execution of Joker was deserved, but the beginning of the fall for Superman. The character was never the same since, and soon became a tyrant upon Earth. Joker’s death was just the beginning of this alternate universe, and Superman’s kills do not stop there.

6 Wonder Woman

The storyline “Absolute Power”, which is featured in the Superman/Batman comics, featured an alternate reality of Batman and Superman. These characters were raised to be dictators of the world and would hold nothing against killing the opposition. Many died thanks to the duo, but none as iconic as Wonder Woman.

5 Green Arrow

Poor Green Arrow was killed twice by Superman. The more infamous event occurs in the pages of the Injustice comic. Green Arrow was the first hero, and friend, that Superman murdered in this universe. After an arrow deflects off of Superman, and into Superman’s father, Johnathan Kent, Superman has no mercy left for his former friend.

The comic pages are upsetting, considering audiences read Oliver Queen’s final thoughts. His apologies to his love, Black Canary, his pretty bird. Audiences see Oliver Queen fade out of consciousness, his mind flashing back to Black Canary one last time before Superman punches him to death.

4 Black Canary

In the second year of the Injustice storyline, Black Canary shoots Superman in the chest with a Kryptonite bullet. She avoided his vital organs, at the request of Batman. Even after having her husband, Green Arrow, murdered by Superman, she remains a hero and unbroken by his evil acts.

Luckily for Superman, a yellow lantern ring comes to his aid to regain his strength. Superman responds by using his heat vision to shoot Black Canary through the stomach, burning her organs. Although she dies, she is soon found by Doctor Fate, who, much to the dismay of Nabu, resurrects Black Canary.

3 Shazam

Continuing from the tyranny of the Injustice universe, Superman’s regime of other heroes does not end with just Wonder Woman. Many have joined his cause, like The Flash and Shazam. As Shazam defies Superman’s rule and mentions his dead wife, Lois, Superman grabs him by his throat and holds him up.

Before Shazam can utter the word that returns him to his child form of Billy Batson, Superman freezes his mouth and watches him squirm underneath his clenched fist. Superman then uses his heat vision to burn through Shazam’s head. A gruesome death to a hero who behind power, was only a child.

2 Batman

In recent years, Batman and Superman have had a tense rivalry that gets in the way of their friendship. The two have clashed multiple times in the comics, but there have been a few instances where Superman has killed The Dark Knight. One such event occurred when Poison Ivy took over Superman, and in a fit of rage, used Superman to punch Batman dead, although she resurrected him for her rageful mistake.

The more serious death of Batman at the hands of a willing Superman, was in Dark Nights Metal, in which Superman and Wonder Woman have Batman cornered. Superman, seeing through his deception, punches Batman through the chest. The graphic image is shocking, but the next page reveals that he did not kill Batman, as it was just Clayface in disguise. It shows that Batman always has a trick up his sleeve.

1 Lois Lane

There are perhaps no love stories in comics as true as Superman and Lois Lane. They have a rich history, and their romance is strong. Whether that’s between Clark Kent or Superman, the love shared for Lois is a driving factor in what makes Superman so good and heroic. Until one day, Superman loses Lois.

Not only does Superman lose Lois, but he is her murderer. In the Injustice comics, Joker used a fear toxin to make Lois appear as Doomsday, and as Superman throws Doomsday into space, he realizes that his pregnant wife, Lois Lane, is dead by his hands.

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