It’s often thought that there’s no battleSupermancan’t win, butDoctor Doomtotally proved that it’s possible for Superman to lose. The Man of Steel stands for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow, but as it turns out, thanks to an ’80s crossover between Marvel and DC, this very code of ethics might be Superman’s one downfall. In this crossover comic, Superman encountered a villain he just couldn’t beat for more than a few reasons: Marvel’s Doctor Doom.
Superman and Spider-Man- originally published as 1981’sMarvel Treasury Edition#28 - by Jim Shooter, Marv Wolfman, and John Buscema, debuted as a sequel to 1976’sSuperman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man.But what comic fans of the day learned aboutSupermanwas much more important. Up against Doctor Doom,Superman’s flaws were quickly exposed, as first Victor Von Doom created a dust version of Kryptonite that would have nearly killed Superman if it weren’t for Spider-Man’s intervention.
Then, just as Superman is finally about to get the upper hand, Doctor Doom flees back to Latverian soil and pleads diplomatic immunity. In this simple tactic,Superman’s true weakness is shown: his careful adherence to the laws of the world, which villains consistently break.
Superman Has a Lot of Weaknesses, Despite Being One of DC’s Most Powerful Characters
Superman’s Respect For Humanity’s Laws Saves Doctor Doom
Superman is often said to bethe greatest hero of all time - or at least of the DC Universe. In a sea of villains and anti-heroes and companions like Batman constantly towing the killing line,Superman stands as a beacon of hope and the upholding of the laws of humanity. That’s exactly what he’s stood for in the eyes of fans for eighty-six years,ever since Superman’s debutinAction Comics#1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
In an increasingly complicated world, where a villain isn’t just a purse-snatcher who receives jail time, Superman needs to evolve.
And yet, in an increasingly complicated world, where a villain isn’t just a purse-snatcher who receives jail time, Superman needs to evolve. Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than inSuperman and Spider-Man, where the lines that Superman draws in the sand stop him from enacting his own justice. Never deeming himself a vigilante,Superman operates precisely within the law, and when Doctor Doom cites diplomatic immunity, the law forbids Superman from action. If every villain found such quick loopholes, Superman would be rendered entirely useless.
Superman’s Weakness to Kryptonite Makes Him a Liability
Doctor Doom Discovers His Weakness Immediately
While Marvel prepares for2025’s rise of Emperor Doom, Superman sits outside, unable to bring him to justice. But it’s not just diplomatic immunity that’s stopping Superman from saving the day, consideringDoctor Doom had concocted a version of Kryptonitethat not even Lex Luthor could have invented.A keen scientist, Doctor Doom accomplished what no Superman villain has done over the years and nearly killed the Man of Steel - all in one issue.
Looking for another story that explores some of Superman’s weaknesses and strange lore gapes? Check out the currentAction Comicsstory by Mark Waid and Clayton Henry, which begins withAction Comics#1070 and runs weekly until the end of 2024!
Compiled with Superman’s strict observance of the law,Superman’s Kryptonite weakness is still making him a liabilityover forty years later.If Spider-Man hadn’t been there for his DC friend, Marvel might have been the death of the Man of Tomorrow. While the issue of Superman’s rule-following can always be broken if he decides the law is hampering him too much, Kryptonite is a biological issue that continues to haunt him. And that’s not even counting his underrated weakness against magic.
Doctor Doom’s Magical Abilities Could Fell the Man of Steel
Superman Stands No Chance Against Victor Von Doom
Doctor Doom has a rich historyin Marvel and holds some interesting powers, too. Regardless of his dictatorship of the country of Latveria or his brilliant scientific mind,Victor Von Doom is also an accomplished magician, enough so to become Marvel’s current Sorcerer Supreme. While he didn’t display such powers during the events ofSuperman and Spider-Man,if he had even used a lick of his magical prowess, the Man of Steel would have been brought so low that maybe not even Spider-Man could have saved him.
Famously,Superman has a secondary weakness: his insensitivity to magic. Many of his villains operate with such magical powers, leaving the Kryptonite to simpler villains who don’t want to work as hard to win. It seems there’s something innate in his Kryptonian DNA that reacts against magic, showing thathis non-human side is the reason for his failure. And yet, his strict observance of human law also causes him to fail. On every side, it seems, Superman is buffeted by weakness.
DC Settled Wonder Woman’s Power Level by Having Her Fight Superman to the Death
Wonder Woman’s fight to the death with Superman has officially settled Diana’s power levels and determined the stronger being of the two heroes.
As DC’s contemporary comics begin tothreaten Superman’s perfect image, the evidence of his past failures haunts him. No villain is ever going to observe the law, and so, when it comes down to it, Superman’s one-sided respect towards rules is his biggest weakness. As long asDoctor Doomreigns on international soil,Supermancan’t do anything about it. Unless he finally wants to break the law to save the world.
Superman and Spider-Manis available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
