Summary

Superman and Wonder Woman are two of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe, often trading blows despite being allies.
Superman possesses incredible raw power, including super strength, speed, and fantastical powers like heat vision and invulnerability.
Wonder Woman, a demi-goddess with super strength and intelligence, can easily hurt Superman using her knowledge and martial arts skills.

Superman is considered one of the strongest characters not only in the DC Universe but also in all of the superhero comics. He is the archetype of strength in superhero comics, with many characters’ strength being measured against him. In the DC Universe, not many heroes can match the Man of Steel, but one hero who has often been seen as his equal is Wonder Woman. Created in 1941, just three years after Superman made his debut, Wonder Woman has also been a symbol of strength and moral certainty in a manner similar to Superman.

Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman make up what is known as the DC Trinity, the three most popular and influential heroes in the DC Universe. Yet despite Batman always being written to come out on top in fights, most fans know when it comes to strength he is far from the strongest. Superman and Wonder Woman are two figures that, despite being allies (and even romantic partners in some universes), also find themselves trading blows. This begs the question of who is stronger: Superman or Wonder Woman.

The Case for Superman

Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and debuted in Action Comics #1 in 1938. While he possessed super strength at his creation, he was not as strong as he would later become. He could not fly in his first appearance, but instead, he could leap tall buildings in a single bound. Over time, Superman not only gained the ability to fly but also developed more fantastical powers, and his strength grew.

Superman’s abilities include super strength, stamina, invulnerability, and super speed, which is classified as faster than a speeding bullet. He also possesses heat vision, x-ray vision, and powerful breath that can create massive winds and can freeze objects. Many people might just classify Superman as a strong guy, the brawns without the brains, but he is rather intelligent. His super speed allows him to process a lot of information, and he also has access to alien technology in his fortress of solitude.

Over the years, Superman’s incredible power has been displayed in many ways. In Superman: The Movie, he is able to travel so fast that he can travel in time by changing the Earth’s rotation. Superman Returns showcases him lifting up an entire continent made up of Kryptonite, his biggest weakness. He has faced off and fought some of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe, like Doomsday and Darkseid. When combining his strength with his strong moral character, there is a reason why Superman is seen as the greatest superhero ever and one that the heroes of the DC Universe look up to and aspire to be like.

Wonder Woman’s Counter Argument

Created by psychologist William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, Wonder Woman debuted in All-Star Comics #8. Marston based Wonder Woman on his wife, Elizabeth, and their partner, Olive Byrne. Originally depicted as a clay statue given life by the gods, Wonder Woman has since been established as a demi-god, the daughter of Zeus the Amazon Queen Hippolyta. Wonder Woman was raised on Themisycra, the island of the Amazon, and spent her life training as a warrior. Yet Wonder Woman is not just a skilled fighter but was also taught art, philosophy, and politics and has a great level of both practical and emotional intelligence.

Wonder Woman being a demi-god gives her super strength. She is nigh-invulnerable and possesses enhanced speed, healing, and also the gift of flight. The revelation that she is Zeus’s daughter also means she can harness lightning and use it as a weapon. Wonder Woman also possesses a great deal of weapons, including her signature bracelets.

In the original comics, the bracelets increase her strength but also have the ability to take away her power if they are bound together by a man as part of the character’s BDSM influence infused by her creators. Later additions removed that element of the bracelets, and they are now used to keep her demi-god powers in check, but the bracelets can still allow her to clash them together to expel a shockwave of electric energy. They also allow her to deflect bullets, a signature move of the character.

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Wonder Woman’s signature weapon, though, is the Lasso of Truth, also known as the Lasso of Hestia. The lasso forces anyone in it to tell the truth, and the item itself is almost indestructible. Wonder Woman can use the lasso both as an offensive and defensive weapon, as well as giving her the ability to grapple enemies from far away or save people just out of reach.

The fact that Wonder Woman is a demi-goddess gives her a major chance in a fight with Superman. Superman is one of the most powerful characters of all time, but he does have weaknesses. While most people know his signature weakness of Kryptonite, another overlooked one is he has no immunity to magic. This is how the hero Shazam! (formerly Captain Marvel) is able to hold onto his own against Superman. Wonder Woman is magic and, therefore, can harm Superman.

Times They Have Fought Before

Superman and Wonder Woman have often been seen as allies, but as is the nature of superhero storytelling, they have also been put into situations where they need to fight. Oftentimes, it is under some form of mind control, but there are plenty of moments when the characters find themselves with no other choice. In Superman #211, Wonder Woman attempts to stop Superman from using an experimental device that she believes has the risk of killing him, while he wants to use it in an attempt to save lives. Despite Wonder Woman holding her own, the comic was written in favor of Superman.

In Justice League #11 from 2012, during the “Villian’s Journey” story arc, Wonder Woman is shown kicking Superman and landing a major blow to him, showcasing how powerful she was in this reality. This storyline eventually concludes with Superman and Wonder Woman sharing a kiss and beginning a romantic relationship. Despite the romance, the two actually fought a lot in the New 52 with many forms of mind control. In Superman/Wonder Woman #17, Superman is under the control of Circe, but Wonder Woman easily wins the fight due to having become the new God of War.

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In terms of adaptations outside the comics, the two biggest cases seem to favor Superman. One is in 2017’s Justice League and 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a revived Superman with none of his humanity in check is able to dispatch much of the Justice League easily. Only Wonder Woman is left standing to hold her own and actually does really well, both being able to hold him off and taking a straightforward headbutt. Yet Superman gets the upper hand by using his ability to fly and then uses gravity on the headbutt to knock her to the ground, but it is clear that the DCEU Wonder Woman could have been easily matched against him.

Superman Is More Powerful, Wonder Woman Is More Skillful

While the obvious answer might be Superman, it is more complicated than that. Removing Superman’s inhibitions and making him evil without any regard for someone’s life or safety gives his almost god-like powers the upper hand, but when fans ask who would win between Superman and Wonder Woman, they want to know the characters fighting the most common depictions of themselves and not just shells because in that case what is the point.

Even if Superman were to throw everything at Wonder Woman, she could likely hurt him pretty badly and possibly stop him. Zeus’ lightning is already established as having the power to hurt Superman, thanks to how Shazam uses it in the comics. Wonder Woman could easily use that, and her bracelets could block a heat vision blast from Superman. The Lasso of Truth could bind Superman, yet despite how strong it is with godly power, Superman has flexed his abilities to break free of it.

Superman might possess more raw power than Wonder Woman in terms of both physical strength and just extra abilities, but Wonder Woman has more knowledge at her disposal. Due to his incredible strength, Superman has less combat training and relies more upon sheer physical strength to overwhelm an opponent. Wonder Woman also has super strength, but she can couple that with various forms of martial arts and different fighting techniques that Superman likely isn’t prepared to receive a hit from. She is essentially the best of both Batman and Superman, with skill and strength.

Superman is still the most powerful hero in the DC Universe, but there is a reason Wonder Woman is the second and, given the right circumstances, could be number one.

James Gunn is directing the next Superman film, set for release in 2025; check out our video regarding the film’s logo below.