Superman's villains have horrible names.

[WhatsHisFace]

Mr. Mxyptlk = horrible.
Bizarro = horrible. (Bizarre mixed with Pisaro... wow)
Braniac = horrible. (Maniac with a brain... awful)
Darkseid = horrible. (StarWars reference FTL)
General Zod = horrible. (Almost as bad as "Xander Drax" from "The Phantom")

Why is it that Superman's villains all have such awful names? It's no wonder they don't pass focus-testing and make it into the films.

[JTStarkiller]

I actually like all five of those.

[C. Lee]

Darkseid = horrible. (StarWars reference FTL)

Darkseid was created in 1970.....Star Wars came out in 1977.

[ampersand]

I actually always have sad Darkseid's name as "dark-seed." I just think it sounds better.

[C. Lee]

I actually always have sad Darkseid's name as "dark-seed." I just think it sounds better.

That's how I pronounced it forever too (I started reading the New Gods and related books in the 70's).....it wasn't until he appeared in the animated series that I heard it different.

[XFanTim]

Mr. Mxyptlk = horrible.
Bizarro = horrible. (Bizarre mixed with Pisaro... wow)
Braniac = horrible. (Maniac with a brain... awful)
Darkseid = horrible. (StarWars reference FTL)
General Zod = horrible. (Almost as bad as "Xander Drax" from "The Phantom")

Why is it that Superman's villains all have such awful names? It's no wonder they don't pass focus-testing and make it into the films.

You've got the origin of those names all wrong.

Brainiac is Brain + IAC, where IAC was a common ending in the names of early computer systems. For instance, ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer). So the name means something like "computer brain".

Darkseid debuted in 1970 -- seven years before Star Wars. So his name can't be a reference to the Dark Side of the force.

I'm pretty sure Bizzaro is just Bizzare + o. WTF is pisaro?

[XFanTim]

While I'm being pedantic, it's Mxyzptlk -- but even the writers of Superman have spelled his name wrong. (It started as Mxyztplk, was changed due to spelling error, then retroactively explained as being the Earth-1 and Earth-2 versions.)

[Doctor Baywatch]

what a stupid thread.

[EagleVision]

Like the name Bizarro
Like the name Darkseid
I don't see Doomsday up there but that's off the hook
Mxyzptlk- like the character but I could do without him although I enjoy the comic Man of Tomorrow where Supes kills him.
Brainiac is decent.
General Zod sounds similar to God.
The rest of the villain names are decent.
I don't think all the names are as good as Batman's rogues gallery per se but they're all right. They'll do.

[Spike_x1]

Like the name Bizarro
Like the name Darkseid
I don't see Doomsday up there but that's off the hook
Mxyzptlk- like the character but I could do without him although I enjoy the comic Man of Tomorrow where Supes kills him.
Brainiac is decent.
General Zod sounds similar to God.
The rest of the villain names are decent.
I don't think all the names are as good as Batman's rogues gallery per se but they're all right. They'll do.There are many names of Superman's rogues that haven't been listed anywhere in this thread.

Where's Neutron, Skyhook, Mongul, Silver Banshee, Bloodsport, Cyborg, Riot, Metallo, Hi-Tech, Terra-Man, Anomaly, Parasite, Barrage, Prankster, Maxima, Master Jailer, Manchester Black, Lex Luthor, Kryptonite Man, Toyman, Blackrock, and Atomic Skull? If WhatsHisFace is going to put down the names of the rogues, he should at least do a bit of searching and make his list look (at least a tad) like he knows anything about the topic.

[Doctor Baywatch]

Darkseid wasn't even a real Superman villain in the beginning.

[Dedpool]

Brainiac, Bizarro, and Metallo aren't the greatest handles. But I like Parasite, Mongul, Doomsday, and Zod.

[XFanTim]

General Zod sounds similar to God.
This has actually been a bit of a problem for him in the past.

General Zod: Beware, Superman, for it is I, your archenemy, General Zod!
Superman: What? God is my enemy?
G. Zod: No, not God you idiot, Zod! I've come to kill you.
Superman: God is trying to kill me? Oh my God! I'm screwed!
G. Zod: No, it's Zod with a Z.
Superman: I mean, I'm super and all, but we're talking the omnipotent God! What can I do against that?
G. Zod: Are you deaf? Z-O-D, Zod!
Superman: I surrender.
G. Zod: *sigh*


Ok, maybe not.

[mcentepede]

heard from some comic guys that Darth Vader was actually heavily influenced by Darkseid...Stars Wars came out 7 years after and the guy said that Lucas read some comics where he saw Darkseid and was awestruck of the `` evil-ness`` of Darkseid and blah...blah...blah.

[El Payaso]

Darkseid debuted in 1970 -- seven years before Star Wars. So his name can't be a reference to the Dark Side of the force.

In fact I'd bet it's the other way around.

[elgaz]

Is this thread for real? Show me a superhero who's opposing villains don't have corny names. The Joker? The Penguin? Black Adam? Magneto? Dr Doom?

It's comic book characters for crying out loud.