10 Powerless Characters Who Have Defeated Superman
3. Ra's Al Ghul - JLA: Tower Of Babel
A classic in the annals of comic history, Tower of Babel reminds us about two important things. Firstly, that you are never too powerful to be beat in the DC universe, and secondly, that Batman really, really needs a therapist.
Because after the Dark Knight realises how strong his team mates are, he builds specific plans to defeat them should he ever need to, presumably deciding that creating Saw traps is easier than learning the trust his friends. These plans are then, perhaps unsurprisingly, stolen by Ra's Al Ghul, who uses them to defeat each individual member of the Justice League, including Superman.
The Man of Steel is subjected to the unique torment of a specifically crafted Kryptonite, which makes his skin go see-through. Initially, this is hilarious - but then Clark starts screaming, and it's revealed that this translucent skin means the sunlight that powers him goes straight into his internal organs, making him so energised that he has to focus on not exploding, and then suddenly it's considerably less funny.