James Gunn's new DCU may not officially have a Justice League yet, but Superman introduced the foundation for one. While the film primarily centered on Clark Kent's (David Corenswet) story, several other heroes and metahumans made their presence known, hinting at a world already rich with superpowered figures. As Gunn explained, his DCU will skip most origin stories, with metahumans existing on Earth for centuries.
In Superman, the Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) funded hero group, the Justice Gang, is introduced, featuring Guy Gardner's Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). This team is not the Justice League (yet), but Superman does need their help to save the city from Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) tearing it apart.
After retconning Peacemaker Season 1, Gunn explained on Threads that Kryptonian heroes Superman and Supergirl (Milly Alcock) team up with the Justice Gang, "a lot," forming their own type of league, but they do not report to Lord.
Following the events of Lanterns, Supergirl, and Man of Tomorrow, many fans could also conclude that these heroes will be part of the eventual Justice League in this new universe. Other heroes expected to join are Batman and Wonder Woman, who have been reportedly made a top priority at DC Studios.
Justice League Heroes, Ranked By Power Level
5. Hawkgirl
As one of the fiercest new faces in Gunn's DCU, Merced's Hawkgirl made an unforgettable finishing move in Superman when she killed Vasil Ghurkos, coldly telling him she's not like Superman.
Possessing superhuman strength, speed, and durability, Hawkgirl can fly at high speeds, making her a formidable fighter on the team despite being the least powerful overall.
Her signature weapon, a mace, enhances her close-combat skills, capable of knocking out squads of armed soldiers and even injuring powerful beings, such as the Kaiju. Though her reincarnation ability hints at a deeper, mysterious past, in Superman, she's already proven she doesn't need a second chance to make an impact.
4. Mr. Terrific
While Mr. Terrific lacks the raw physical power of his superhuman teammates, his unmatched intellect and cutting-edge technology more than make up for it, similar to an Iron Man-type character at Marvel.
His T-Spheres give him a distinct edge, functioning as both powerful offensive weapons and advanced analytical tools capable of scanning, hacking, and even detonating threats from within. The quick and easy fight against Lex's Raptors showed off how unstoppable he can be against common enemies.
Though not bulletproof or super strong like Hawkgirl, Terrific's gadgets allow him to compete on her level and beyond, as seen when he single-handedly decoded Lex's dangerous Pocket Universe: "I don't need your help. I'm goddamn Mr. Terrific."
3. Green Lantern
Guy Gardner's Green Lantern stands as one of the most powerful members of the early DCU lineup, wielding the power of the Green Lantern Corps. His Power Ring gives him nearly limitless abilities, from flight and energy projection to creating massive constructs shaped entirely by his willpower and imagination.
In Superman, Fillion's character showcased this potential by taking on a Kaiju-level threat with oven mitts and even saving Mister Terrific with a quick-thinking construct that muzzled the beast mid-battle.
Traditionally, Green Lanterns rank among the most formidable figures in DC lore, and fans can expect to see that power on full display when Lanterns debuts next year, introducing Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre).
2. Supergirl
Although Supergirl only appeared briefly in Superman, her presence hinted at the immense power she brings to the DCU.
Much like her cousin, Kara's Kryptonian physiology grants her extraordinary strength, speed, flight, and near invulnerability under Earth's yellow sun.
Even in her short screen time, her durability was on display, shrugging off powerful impacts from her dog, Krypto, without a scratch. Fans will get a much better sense of her true capabilities next year in her solo film, Supergirl (dropping "Woman of Tomorrow"), which is expected to explore her full potential.
If Kara follows her comic book roots, she'll be nearly as strong as Superman himself, making her one of the DCU's most formidable heroes and a major player in whatever team Gunn is building.
1. Superman
Superman's Kryptonian physiology grants him immense strength, speed, and near invulnerability under Earth's yellow sun, allowing him to battle colossal threats like the Kaiju and survive environments as extreme as outer space and even black holes.
Despite this, Gunn's version of Superman appears slightly toned down compared to previous iterations. His powers are vast but not limitless, emphasizing restraint, humanity, and grounded storytelling over godlike omnipotence.
It's safe to say that when Kryptonite isn't around, no other hero in the DCU can rival his combination of power, precision, and empathy, arguably his greatest superpower.
