The year-long Dawn of DC event teased an exciting new comic series starring a few of the most powerful characters in the DC Comics universe. Heroes like Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl lead the new series, which promises to tie into the larger year-long storyline. The focus on some of the strongest DC characters teases a larger threat at the climax of the Dawn of DC.

These epic comics will continue sparking ongoing discussions with fans over who the strongest or most powerful DC character is. Wonder Woman has several powerful equals in the DC universe, such as Superman and Black Adam, who have all claimed to be the most powerful DC character.

Updated on April 29th, 2024 by David Harth: DC Comics has always been home to the most powerful characters in superhero comics. DC heroes and villains are the icons, the powerful gods that everyone looks up to and their strength levels show that. There are DC characters that can move planets, making them the strongest characters in comics.

40 Earth-2 Superman Is Slightly Weaker Than Pre-Crisis Superman

• First Appearance: Action Comics, "Superman, Champion Of The Oppressed" by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Earth-2 Superman is the original Superman. First appearing in Metropolis in 1938, he was Earth-2's first superhero and the inspiration for everyone that came after him. Earth-2 Superman would form the World's Finest team with Batman and Robin, join the Justice Society and the All-Star Squadron in their battles against the Nazis, and battle the Ultra-Humanite and Earth-2's Lex Luthor. Earth-2 Superman's power levels weren't very high at first - he couldn't even fly for a long time, instead depending on super strong leaps - but as he absorbed more yellow sun energy, he got more powerful.

Earth-2 Superman would eventually start teaming up with the heroes of Earth-1 and rejoin the Justice Society, mentoring his niece Power Girl and providing muscle for his Earth. Earth-2 Superman is a pre-Crisis Kryptonian, and his power level rose precipitously in the Silver Age and Bronze Age, although he was weaker than pre-Crisis Superman. Earth-2 Superman saved the day in Crisis On Infinite Earths, destroying the Anti-Monitor's containment armor and hitting his energy form so hard it destroyed him. Earth-2 Superman returned during Infinite Crisis, showing how powerful he was fighting alongside Superman and the Justice League, but would fall in battle with Superboy-Prime under Krypton's red sun.

39 The Batman Who Laughs Became The Multiverse Who Laughs

• First Appearance: Dark Days: The Casting by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr., Scott Williams, Klaus Janson, Danny Miki, Alex Sinclair, Jeremiah Skipper, Steve Wands

The Batman Who Laughs came from the Dark Multiverse, where a Joker virus turned him into a homicidal maniac. He ended up serving Barbatos and was defeated, eventually escaping his prison, and linking up with Perpetua, an all-powerful Hand. The Batman Who Laughs was quite different from Batman, but one place they were the same was intellect and power level. The Batman Who Laughs was able to win because he was smarter than everyone, but he underestimated Wonder Woman after Perpetua's victory and got hit with the Invisible Chainsaw. However, that was the beginning of his strongest form.

His group of evil Alfreds found a Dr. Bathattan - Batman with the power of Dr. Manhattan - and put the Batman Who Laughs' brain in that body. Suddenly, the Batman Who Laughs was a god and he went after Perpetua, destroying her and taking her power. He became the Multiverse Who Laughs, and had the strength to kill Superboy-Prime, beating the pre-Crisis Kryptonian in a fight. The Multverse Who Laughs was incalculably strong and Wonder Woman was only able to defeat him because she outsmarted him and used his hubris against him.

38 Eclipso's Strength Made Him Extremely Dangerous

• First Appearance: House Of Secrets (Vol. 1) #61, "Eclipso: The Genius Who Fought Himself", by Bob Haney and Lee Elias

Eclipso was once as powerful as the Spectre. Eclipso was the Angel of God's Wrath, and was responsible for events like the Biblical Flood. However, Eclipso enjoyed killing humans and was stripped of his position, then cast out of Heaven. Eclipso was imprisoned in the Heart Of Darkness black diamond, where he'd eventually be found by Dr. Bruce Gordon. Gordon would be the first person possessed by Eclipso, but he wouldn't be the last.

Eclipso wasn't as powerful as he was before, but he was still a titan of magic. Eclipso's super strength was also at a very high level. Eclipso was strong enough to go after entire teams like the Justice League and Justice Society, smashing through super strong members like Superman, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Hourman II, Atom-Smasher, Black Adam, and more. Eclipso is a grave threat to anyone he faces, as much because of his amazing strength as his laundry list of amazing powers.

37 The Anti-Monitor Was The Most Dangerous Villain The Heroes Of The DC Multiverse Ever Faced

• First Appearance: Crisis On Infinite Earths #2, by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Dick Girodano, Anthony Tollin, and John Constanza

The Anti-Monitor was the brother of the Monitor and the World-Forger. The Anti-Monitor's lust for power set him apart from his brothers, and he desired nothing more than to expand his antimatter universe of Qward across the infinitude of the Multiverse. The Anti-Monitor began his attack on the positive matter universe, sending out waves of anti-matter energy and burning those worlds away. Eventually, the Monitor and his assistant Harbinger discovered his plot and recruited the heroes of the Multiverse to stop him.

The Anti-Monitor killed countless beings in his rampage. The first time the heroes of the DC Multiverse went after him, he ran through them, nearly killing Superman before Supergirl got involved, and then he killed her. Anti-Monitor's strength was enough that pre-Crisis Kryptonians had to work hard to defeat him. He'd return to life years later and go back to smacking everyone around, and it took the Guardians of the Universe to defeat him. Later returns would see him fighting Darkseid to a standstill. The Anti-Monitor's anti-matter powers are his bread and butter, but his vast strength was impressive, to say the least.

36 Shazam Jr./Captain Marvel Jr. Was A Powerful Member Of The Shazam Family

• First Appearance: Whiz Comics (Vol. 1) #25, "The Origin Of Captain Marvel Jr." by Ed Herron, C.C. Beck, and Mac Raboy

It's hard to know what to call Freddy Freeman's superheroic sobriquet these days. Shazam is no longer Captain Marvel, but Mary is still Mary Marvel and not Mary Marvel. Freddy was Captain Marvel Jr., but now that name is basically meaningless. Shazam Jr. is technically correct, but it's not great. However, naming shenanigans aside, there's no denying that Freddy is extremely powerful, granted the power of Shazam as a partner of his friend - and now foster brother - Billy Batson.

Back in the day, Freddy was never actually as powerful as Billy, with Billy sharing his power with Freddy. So, Freddy was usually half as strong as Billy. That's changed in recent years, as he now gets his power directly from the Wizard, much like Mary, although Freddy is still slightly weaker than Shazam. However, being weaker than Shazam is basically Wonder Woman level strength, which is nothing to sneeze at.

35 Mary Marvel Has The Power Of Shazam

• First Appearance: Captain Marvel Adventures #18, Otto Binder, Marc Swayze, C.C. Beck, and Al Liederman

The Shazam mythos stretch back to the Golden Age and are much more important to the history of superhero comics than most people realize. The original Captain Marvel was very influential and nearly as important to comic history as Mary Marvel. Mary debuted in 1942, so she wasn't the first female superhero but one of the first female sidekicks. While the Shazam mythos have changed a lot since they started, Mary's relationship with Billy - she's his sister - has made her integral to the adventures of Shazam. She's been a member of the Marvel family in long-standing and has even been a member of the Justice League, albeit the rebooted Justice League International version, taking Billy's place.

Mary has all the same powers as Shazam, but the level has changed significantly. Shazam shared his power with his partners for a long time, and Mary was only half as powerful as Shazam. However, that still makes her very powerful, and her strength has allowed her to vie with even the most potent foes. Mary even acted as the primary champion of the Wizard Shazam, with the requisite power upgrade. Despite being known for her chipper demeanor, Mary's strength has made her a feared hero.

34 Donna Troy's Amazonian Strength Has Made Her The Muscle Of The Titans

• First Appearance: The Brave And The Bold #60, by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani

Wonder Woman took years to get her sidekick, with Donna Troy debuting as the first Wonder Girl in the Silver Age. There was technically a Wonder Girl before this point, but that was Diana herself when DC published her adventures as a young girl. The legend goes that writer Bob Haney and artist Bruno Premiani didn't know that Wonder Girl was Diana when they included the character in the Teen Titans, and thus Donna Troy was born. Troy's origin started with a retcon, which would become a hallmark of the character. Donna Troy is an amazing hero, but her history is very confusing.

Donna's origin has gone back and forth, but the current version is a throwback to the original. She's an Amazonian, possessing the requisite strength, speed, durability, and fighting skills. Donna is not on Wonder Woman's level in terms of strength, but she's still quite strong. Donna has acted as the muscle of the various Teen Titans and Titans groups she's been affiliated with, overwhelming her foes with her vast strength and amazing fighting skills as the team's powerhouse.

33 Sodam Yat's Daxamite Muscle Allowed Him To Battle Superboy-Prime

• First Appearance: Tales Of The Green Lantern Corps Annual #2, by Steve Engelhart, Mindy Newell, Paul Cupperberg, Alan Moore Bill Willingham, George Freeham, Trevor von Eeden, Kevin O'Neill, Joe Rubenstein, Anthony Tollin, Albert Guzman, David Cody Weiss, and John Constanza

The Green Lantern Corps has been home to many aliens; some have powers beyond the Green Lantern ring. Readers have been introduced to many powerful Green Lanterns, but few can match Sodam Yat. Sodam Yat is a Daxamite and gained great power under the yellow sun. The Daxamites were quite insular, with no one allowed to leave their world, but Yat desired more out of life than being trapped on one planet and made for the stars where he became a Green Lantern. The Prophecy of the Blackest Night said that Yat would become the ultimate Green Lantern and eventually became the host of the will entity Ion.

Sodam Yat's time as a Green Lantern took him to planets with yellow suns, which gave him Superman-level strength, speed, durability, and more. However, being a Daxamite meant that he also had a weakness - lead was fatal to him, and he eventually was exposed to it. The power of the Green Lantern ring and Ion were able to keep him alive after being poisoned by lead. Sodam Yat was able to battle Superboy-Prime, and while he wasn't successful, no one else has been either. Sodam Yat's strength, while his cells were charged with yellow sunlight, puts him in the upper echelons of the universe's strongest fighters.

32 Superwoman Is Earth-3's Most Powerful Woman

• First Appearance: Justice League Of America (Vol. 1) #29, Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, Bernie Sachs, and Gaspar Saladino

Earth-3 was the first "evil" Earth the Justice League ever encountered. Everything on this Earth was the opposite, so there was a Crime Syndicate instead of a Justice League. The Crime Syndicate was a dark mirror for the Justice League, each a powerful villain in their own right. Ultraman, the team's Superman analog, was the most powerful but not the team's only powerhouse. Superwoman is the team's Wonder Woman and as such, she is very strong.

Over the years, multiple versions of Superwoman have existed, and all of them have had very high-level super strength, especially her pre-Crisis version. In terms of strength, Superwoman is on par with Wonder Woman, which means she's not slouching in a fistfight. Superwoman is as impulsive and headstrong as the rest of Crime Syndicate, so she's known for making foolish mistakes in battle but still strong enough to be quite dangerous.

31 Ultra-Boy Could Access Mighty Super Strength

• First Appearance: Superboy (Vol. 1) #98, Al Plastino, Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, George Klein, and Milt Snapinn

The Legion of Superheroes has long been home to many powerful heroes, like the original Superboy and Mon-El. However, there was another super-strong member of the Legion, although his strength did come with a caveat. Jo Nah/Ultra-Boy was swallowed by a space whale and exposed to cosmic radiation. He gained super strength, super speed, invulnerability, flight, penetra-vision, and flash vision. However, he only had access to one power at a time. In later versions of the Legion, his powers came from his heritage as a native of the Rimbor.

Ultra-Boy's super strength was considered on the level of Superboy and Mon-El, which is saying something. He used his super strength pretty often—he didn't have to worry about flight because of his Legion ring and could switch to invulnerability on the fly. Ultra-Boy's strength made him one of the Legion's heaviest hitters, and he was known as the fiercest member of the Legion. The Legion's enemies thought twice about attacking when Ultra-Boy was around.

30 Conner Kent Got More Powerful As The Years Went On