Summary
Like many major superheroes inDC Comics, Superman has a group of heroes associated with him known as his ‘family.’ This term, coined by fans, is widely accepted to describe this ensemble of characters. The ‘Superman Family’ features a variety of powerful individuals, many of whom possess similar powers to the Man of Steel.
Over the years,there have been several versions of this group, each from different eras of DC Comics, showcasing varying levels of power and abilities. This list focuses on modern interpretations of the Superman Family and ranks its members based on their level of power.
First Appeared In Superboy #10 (October 1950)
Lana Lang was first introduced in the 1950s as Clark Kent’s childhood crush in the Superboy series. It wasn’t until the New 52, the reboot of the DC Universe, that she gained superpowers and evolved from being just a supporting character in Superman’s story.
After the events of Flashpoint, two versions of Superman coexisted in the same universe. When one of them died, Lana absorbed the solar radiation, which granted her energy absorption abilities. This process enabled her to acquire Kryptonian-like powers, completewith all the usual traits associated with them. Additionally, she gained the ability to absorb and redistribute energy, leading her to adopt the identity of Superwoman. As she is still early in her superhero journey, she cannot be ranked highly on this list.
First Appeared In Superboy #89 (June 1961)
There have been several versions of Mon-El throughoutDC’s complex history, encompassing different rewrites and timelines. While his origin varies slightly, he is primarily believed to have come from Daxam, Krypton’s neighboring planet, where he develops powers similar to those of a Kryptonian under Earth’s yellow sun. However, unlike Kryptonians, Mon-El’s main weakness is not Kryptonite but lead.
Mon-El is best known as a member of the Legion of Superheroes, a team of heroes in the 30th century. He was originally brought to this time period by Superman, who was known as Superboy at the time. After being severely poisoned by lead, Mon-El was placed in the Phantom Zone, and it wasn’t until the 30th century that Brainiac 5 discovered a cure for him. Although Mon-El is a powerful character, his significant vulnerability to lead, a common substance, diminishes his overall strength.
All Star Comics #58 (February 1976)
Power Girl is a character who navigates the complexities of DC Comics' numerous alternate universes. She is a version of Supergirl from Earth-Two, sharing the same backstory and powers. Through various means, she transitioned to Prime-Earth, where she established herself as a hero under her human identity, Karen Starr, and also goes by the name Paige Setler.
Throughout her journey, Power Girl has becomea member of the Justice League of America. In some versions of her story, she even arrived in the main DC Universe earlier and joined the Justice Society of America, which is the predecessor to the Justice League. With the same powers as a Kryptonian, she is very strong, but her confusing backstory knocks her down a few pegs.
First Appeared In Action Comics Annual #2 (June 1989)
The Eradicator is a sentient artifact from Krypton, and his backstory has variations. He is best known for his role in the “Death of Superman” storyline, where he was one of the four individuals who claimed to be the true Superman after Superman’s apparent death. The Eradicator aimed to preserve Kryptonian culture and even established the Fortress of Solitude.
After Superman thwarted his attempt to transform Earth into New Krypton, his essence was merged with a scientist from S.T.A.R. Labs. Following this, he joined the Outsiders and became a significant ally to Superman. However, since the New 52 reboot, the Eradicator has not been properly reintroduced in the new DC Comics continuity.
First Appeared In Action Comics #1038 (February 2022)
Two new characters in the Superman Family, Otho-Ra and Osul-Ra, are known as Starchild and Red Son, respectively. Together, they are referred to as the Super-Twins. They possess Phaelosian powers that are similar to Kryptonian abilities, as they are a genetic offshoot that left Krypton thousands of years ago.
When the Warworld attacked New Phaelosia, the twins were very young and spent their early years in the cells of the mobile planet-sized weapon. They were eventually freed by Superman, who later adopted them with Lois Lane. Superman trained them to become superheroes, helping them develop their unique combination of Kryptonian-like powers and energy-based abilities, including the creation of energy constructs. Although they are new to their journeys, together they are a formidable force, andthe potential to become powerful heroesis certainly present.
First Appeared In Action Comics #1 (June 1938)
Lois Lane is best known as the long-time love interest of Superman, a relationship that dates back to the 1930s. Throughout most of her history, she worked as a reporter at the Daily Planet and served as Clark Kent’s confidant and aide during his heroic adventures.
However, in 2016, during the DC Rebirth arc, she absorbed the powers of an alternate version of Clark Kent, gaining Kryptonian abilities and establishing herself as a hero in her own right, known as Superwoman. She evolved into much more than just Superman’s partner — she became his superhero partner and officially joined the Superman Family. Because of her decades of experience alongside super-powered beings, Lois has displayed heroic qualities that go beyond what one might expect from her background.
First Appeared In Adventures Of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Superboy was first introduced during the Death of Superman arc. He was created by Project Cadmus as a clone of both Superman and Lex Luthor and was one of four characters who claimed to be the original Superman. After the original Superman returned, Superboy established himself as his own hero, forming the group Young Justice and later joining the Teen Titans.
Throughout this journey, he acted as Superman’s ward, embraced him as family, and considered him a little brother, even taking on the family name of Kon-El. As a Kryptonian-human hybrid, Superboy’s powers are not as strong as those of a pure Kryptonian. However, he compensates for this with tactile telekinesis, which grants him abilities that put him on par with Superman. Although he has gained popularity as a character and has been portrayed in various media,Superboy has yet to appear in a major live-action film.
First Appeared In Convergence: Superman #2 (July 2015)
The New 52 storyline introduced a new version of Superboy, Jon Kent, who is the biological son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. After realizing he had developed powers, Clark Kent began training him to use his powers properly at the age of 10. However, due to an accident, Jon experienced time differently for several weeks and returned as a 17-year-old.
He later traveled to the 31st century and joined the Legion of Superheroes. Upon returning home, Jon became the new Superman in his father’s absence, as Clark was on a mission to Warworld. Jon established himself as the first Earth-born Superman. He possesses additional powers that his father does not have; specifically, he can redistribute the solar energy within his body to generate electrical energy and can also increase his speed and strength beyond that of the average Kryptonian on Earth.
First Appeared In Superman #123 (August 1958)
Supergirl is arguably thesecond most famous character in the Superman Family. She has evolved into a fully realized hero in her own right, even landing her own live-action series and future solo movie. Kara Zor-El is Superman’s older cousin, and like Clark, she was sent to Earth to protect him. However, due to complications, she arrived on the planet much later than he did.
Initially, Kara felt lost and alone on Earth since she was already an adult when Krypton was destroyed. Over time, she adapted and became a valuable ally to Superman, ultimately establishing herself as a member of the Justice League. Supergirl possesses the same powers as her cousin, but she has proven to be a more effective hero than many others, earning her a high ranking among others in this list.
First Appeared In Action Comics #1 (April 1938)
It’s no coincidence that the strongest member of the Superman Family is the Man of Steel himself. He has set the standard for what it means to be a hero, demonstrating this repeatedly both on the page and on screen through various adaptations of Superman presented in different forms of media over the decades.
As a Kryptonian under Earth’s yellow sun, he absorbs its solar energy, granting him a wide range of superpowers and making him practically invulnerable — unless he encounters Kryptonite or magic. Few superheroes are as well-equipped to handle such vast power as Clark,whose strong values and selflessnesshave inspired many to follow in his footsteps. Not only is he the strongest member of the Superman Family, but he is arguably the most powerful character in the entire DC roster.
