Warning: spoilers for Naomi: Season Two #2 are ahead.
The art of comic book readers concocting dream match-ups between worthy adversaries has proven to be the fanbase’s bread and butter over the years, but one emerging match-up that should no longer be overlooked is Superman vs. Naomi in DC Comics. The character of Naomi McDuffie, or simply Naomi, is still relatively new to the DC Comics roster, having only just passed the three-year anniversary of her comic book debut in March 2022. Superman, meanwhile, is an American pop culture icon with well over 80 years worth of history to his name.
Because Naomi is still in her infancy as a character, few audiences have come up with exciting dream scenarios or opponents for the DC rookie, whereas Superman, one of the strongest characters in the DC Universe, has plenty of opponents to test his strength in the never-ending debates of fans. Some even go as far as to match Superman up against characters outside of DC’s lore. Naomi’s powers include flight, superhuman strength, durability, and energy projection, making her comparable to Superman in this respect. But on paper, Naomi and Superman are two of the furthest characters anyone would think to put in a versus match-up.
However, things may finally start to change in Naomi’s favor as her outing in Naomi: Season Two #2 by Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker, and Jamal Campbell asserts her in a new dominant light. In the issue, Naomi is seen going toe-to-toe with Solomon Grundy and Cyborg Superman, both of whom Superman has struggled with in the past. So, theoretically, since Naomi fared better than the Man of Steel ever did against two regular foes of his, that at least places her in the conversation of being stronger than him.
As recurring threats in Superman’s life, he’s struggled to fend off both Solomon Grundy and especially Cyborg Superman in the past. Yet, in the span of one page, in her first encounter with both, Naomi disposes of the two delinquents seemingly without breaking a sweat: first pounding her fists into the Cyborg’s face before being seen holding the much bigger Grundy at bay. Like Superman, Naomi carries superhuman strength as one of her powers. By using her strength to beat two of Superman’s strongest villains, DC seems to be quietly positioning Naomi as someone who is at the very least in the same league as Superman in the strength department.
Recent adventures in the DC Universe have primed Naomi as one of the Justice League’s newest recruits, literally putting her in the same league as Superman. In the same breath, Naomi has displayed new abilities recently (namely magic manipulation) that put her a league above Superman, as magic is one of his biggest weaknesses. Now, it’s not implausible to debate who could be stronger. Obviously, because these are fictional characters in a fictional world without definitive conceptions of strength, fans may never get a true answer as to who is the strongest, but Superman vs. Naomi is a new, fun, and fresh match-up for readers to consider debating.
Naomi: Season 2 #2 is now available from DC Comics.
