By Updated Apr 8, 2026, 12:23 PM EDT Nicolas Ayala is a Senior Writer for the Comics team at ScreenRant, with over five years of experience writing about Superhero media, action movies, and TV shows. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
One of the few DC heroes more powerful than confirms they aren't actually stronger than the Man of Steel. Superman fills the captain role of the Justice League for a reason, as not only does his optimism and grit help his team push against all odds, but his incredible Kryptonian might also earns him the victories that dozens of heroes cannot attain together.
Power rankings are never straightforward, as Superman's multiple defeats at the hands of Batman have proved throughout the years. However, there are very few fellow than Superman. Wonder Woman and Shazam are usually on the same level as the Man of Steel, while Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter are often depicted as physically stronger, and Doctor Fate and the Flash can overpower Superman using magic and super-speed, respectively.
Again, power comparisons are never clear-cut, and the nearly invincible Martian Manhunter proves it to a young Clark Kent.
Martian Manhunter Admits He's Not As Powerful As Superman
Action Comics #1097; Written by Mark Waid; Art by Skylar Patridge & Ivan Plascencia
After fending off , Booster Gold, Mary Marvel, and Martian Manhunter introduce themselves to Superboy in Action Comics #1097. Each hero from the future provides a brief description of their origins and powers in order to convince Superoy that they're on his side. Surprisingly, though, Martian Manhunter tells the young Clark Kent that he possesses "many abilities similar to yours, albeit not quite as powerful."
Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold have a hard time fighting Epoch, just as Superboy does. However, Superboy is far less strong, fast, and generally skilled at using his Kryptonian powers at this point in the timeline. Meanwhile, J'onn J'onnz is many years more experienced and better trained than Clark Kent. Naturally, Superman from Martian Manhunter's future is far more powerful, and therefore J'onn should be at the same level or even a little bit higher in DC's power rankings.
How Strong Is Martian Manhunter In DC Canon?
J'onn J'onzz is frequently one of the most versatile powerhouses in the DC Universe, boasting a suite of abilities that make him a living Swiss Army knife. Martian Manhunter's physical foundation includes vast superhuman strength, invulnerability, and flight, but his true edge lies in his complete mastery over his molecular structure. This allows for phasic intangibility that enables him to bypass any physical defense, as well as density control, which can turn his body harder than a diamond or as fluid as water. When combined with his rapid-fire regenerative healing factor, J'onn becomes nearly impossible to permanently injure.
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Beyond the physical, Martian Manhunter is arguably the most formidable telepath on Earth, with a mental reach that has, at times, spanned the entire globe. J'onn is capable of shielding the minds of the entire Justice League from psychic assault, projecting lifelike illusions, and even shutting down the motor functions of high-level villains with a mere thought. Like Superman, simultaneously, and also like the Man of Steel, Martian Manhunter can be brought down rather easily by a single weakness: in his case, fire.
While Superman generally holds the edge in terms of pure, singular feats of strength and speed, J'onn possesses a wider array of hacks that can neutralize a Kryptonian. Superman himself has famously remarked that , primarily because J'onn can attack from angles Clark cannot defend against. In Action Comics #1097, Martian Manhunter likely describes himself as weaker than Superman only to appear friendlier to Superboy.
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Could Martian Manhunter defeat Superman in a no-holds-barred battle?
Action Comics #1097 is now available from DC Comics.
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