The best type of Superman villains are...?

[MadFacedKid]

Those villains that challenge his beliefs or oppose him on a moral level with just as much conviction to their opposing views.

I didn’t like the animation but Superman vs The Elite to this day is probably my favorite animated Superman movie

[Vordan]

Best villains are bald.

Still curious to know what the deal is with the mud guy and bootface.

[prepmaster]

IMO not "mirrors" or some psychological/thematic pattern. People who like that about Batman or Spider-Man villains, as popular examples, will struggle to really appreciate Superman villains because it's a strain to fit them into that mold.

Isnt Superman an alien who fights against other aliens? The difference between him and them is that he is on our side.

[Kaitou D. Kid]

IMO not "mirrors" or some psychological/thematic pattern. People who like that about Batman or Spider-Man villains, as popular examples, will struggle to really appreciate Superman villains because it's a strain to fit them into that mold.

I think a lot of mainstream Superman villains already fit that mold naturally:

Lex Luthor - this one is obvious.

Bizzaro - this one is obvious too.

Brainiac - essentially the antithesis to the kind of alien Superman is. Superman is integrated and appears human while Brainiac is fully detached and embodies all the "evil alien" stereotypes you would expect from Superman (experimenting on humans, etc.)

General Zod - a militaristic and imperial version of Superman to contrast with Clark's civilian and peacekeeping nature.

Toyman - A person who sees the world as his playground, which someone with Superman's powers can easily come to see the world as.

Parasite - Not as much "evil mirror" stuff here, but a villain who is a Parasite and takes from people is a villain you can contrast a lot with Clark's working-class background.

[Kuwagaton]

I think a lot of mainstream Superman villains already fit that mold naturally:

Lex Luthor - this one is obvious.

Bizzaro - this one is obvious too.

Brainiac - essentially the antithesis to the kind of alien Superman is. Superman is integrated and appears human while Brainiac is fully detached and embodies all the "evil alien" stereotypes you would expect from Superman (experimenting on humans, etc.)

General Zod - a militaristic and imperial version of Superman to contrast with Clark's civilian and peacekeeping nature.

Toyman - A person who sees the world as his playground, which someone with Superman's powers can easily come to see the world as.

Parasite - Not as much "evil mirror" stuff here, but a villain who is a Parasite and takes from people is a villain you can contrast a lot with Clark's working-class background.

There are definitely some immediate and lasting ways to see that aspect to some characters. But like, I wouldn't say Schott or Nimball are described as "seeing the world as a playground" any more than Lex or Mxy. I think that's one way to read it just given the association with toys.

I never liked the strong emphasis on Lex as brain vs brawn, because Superman is also brain. I guess you can call it human Superman vs alien Superman, as long as there's a separate understanding of why Lex is the "opposite" in being small minded, petty, and cruel.

Bizarro has a whole world of backwards versions of everyone so it's like you also have to explain why he's so special. Like Hal gets around, you'd think Bizarro Hal would too. I guess because our Bizarro is "the first" as well?

Parasite is interesting to chew on. The idea is so all over the place though, it's like the given vs taken parallel touches Lex and maybe even Bruce as much as it does Clark. I like the late silver age version because he's such a scumbag and beats the living hell out of the most powerful Superman. He's an extremely variable opponent and by the bronze age he's probably the most legit threat of all criminals. I also like the version with Freeman because the split personalities make his headspace more appealing... but that take is typically convoluted.

[Thor-Ul]

There are definitely some immediate and lasting ways to see that aspect to some characters. But like, I wouldn't say Schott or Nimball are described as "seeing the world as a playground" any more than Lex or Mxy. I think that's one way to read it just given the association with toys.

I think than Mxy sees the world as his own playground more then the Toymen.

I never liked the strong emphasis on Lex as brain vs brawn, because Superman is also brain. I guess you can call it human Superman vs alien Superman, as long as there's a separate understanding of
why Lex is the "opposite" in being small minded, petty, and cruel.

I see Luthor more like a tragic figure: this is the best than human can achieve intellectually but not emotionally. He is so smart he lacks humanity.

Bizarro has a whole world of backwards versions of everyone so it's like you also have to explain why he's so special. Like Hal gets around, you'd think Bizarro Hal would too. I guess because our Bizarro is "the first" as well?

A twisted copy, more like. Like imiting Superman not always work. That was a constant subject in the 60s Superman books.

Parasite is interesting to chew on. The idea is so all over the place though, it's like the given vs taken parallel touches Lex and maybe even Bruce as much as it does Clark. I like the late silver age version because he's such a scumbag and beats the living hell out of the most powerful Superman. He's an extremely variable opponent and by the bronze age he's probably the most legit threat of all criminals. I also like the version with Freeman because the split personalities make his headspace more appealing... but that take is typically convoluted.

That is true. But we can limit it to the Parasite being the ultimate taker, meanwhile Superman is the ultimate giver.

[Kuwagaton]

I can relate to Mxy, I guess, because I always used to nag my friends into playing games I was good at.

Parasite, I probably overthink because there are many different stories told and to be told and how voluntary the condition is changes, but that sounds right. It's a pretty strong mirror. Literally the first page of the first story is Superman GIVING his life to stop the Parasite

Lex... I like Alexei, the later version of the golden age Luthor. He's just a dangerously terrible person, but it's to the point where the story doesn't really give into him. He's bad and good beats bad. But the Lex we've had since the sixties... I think one of the biggest factors by far is that he's human and is at his worst when the humanity is threatened. Among other things Superman deals with vanity, mortality, and legacy, but not like Lex or any of us. We've seen him genuinely care and pay for it, have happiness taken away whether he shares fault or not. I don't think his response is inherently human or the opposite of Superman, so I don't see it as a day vs night relationship. He's tragic because anyone or character can feel some of what he does.

I mentioned not being brain vs brawn and while I'm rambling that's another thing: he kinda loves to physically beat Superman. Like Brainiac has little interest, but Lex will so often try to reduce Superman so that he can physically conquer him as well. He's like that old Atlas ad where the guy does the same thing he hated the bully for doing.

[Bruce Wayne]

Editors. His best villains are editors.

And they always win!