If there’s one thingSupermanfans love to debate, it’s who the Man of Steel’s greatest villain is. With an iconic rogues' gallery that includes legends like Doomsday, Lex Luthor, and Brainiac, there’s no clear consensus among fans. Fortunately, one legendary Superman writer is here to settle the debate.
At WonderCon 2025, Mark Waid made an appearance that thrilled DC fans, especially given his current work on several beloved and upcoming titles. Among the DC books he’s currently writing areBatman and Robin: Year One,Batman/Superman: World’s Finest,Justice League Unlimited,Summer of Superman Special, andNew History of the DC Universe.
While at the event, Waid took part in the 50 Answers in 50 Minutes panel, a fast-paced, no-boundaries Q&A where he answered audience questions about his career, comics, and more.One question, however, stood out from the rest: Who is your favorite Superman villain and why?
Mark Waid’s Favorite Superman Villain Is Lex Luthor, No Competition
Main Cover by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Adriano Lucas forSuperman: Lex Luthor Special#1 (2025)
When asked about his favorite Superman villain and why, Waid quickly answered Lex Luthor, explaining,“I like the idea that Lex and Superman were friends as kids,”because“a core element of Superman is his loneliness.”While brief, this response was deeply insightful. Lex Luthor is undeniably one of Superman’s most iconic foes, but rather than attributing his preference to Luthor’s intellect or his schemes against Superman, Waid emphasized the history between Lex and Clark in certain interpretations, particularly the tragic, core aspect of Superman’s character: his loneliness.
Superman’s heroism and compassion often take center stage, but Waid’s comment about Clark’s deep isolation, especially in his early years, is both profound and true. For a long time,Superman was the last of his kind, growing up feeling isolated because of how different he was from those around him. In continuities where Clark and Lex were once friends, Lex relieved that loneliness, thus making their eventual rivalry much more layered.This added complexity and emotional depth makes their confrontations uniquely heartbreaking.Such depth isn’t present in Superman’s other villain relationships, making it easy to see why Lex Luthor stands out as Superman’s greatest foe.
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Who Do YOU Think Is Superman’s Greatest Villain of All-Time?
Comic Page Comes From Joshua Williamson’sSuperman: Lex Luthor Special#1 (2025)
When it comes to the best Superman villain of all time, this will always be up for debate, given the varying opinions of fans and creators. There are certainly strong cases to be made for villains like General Zod, Doomsday, and Brainiac as contenders for the title. Opinions can also vary greatly depending on the type of media fans consume. For example, those who primarily engage with Superman through movies might have a different perspective than comic book fans. Ultimately, the question of who is the bestSupermanvillain is something each fan has to answer for themselves.
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