Though he appeared infrequently in the years after 'Crisis on Infinite Earths,' a major event that re-wrote DC history and eliminated the existence of all Kryptonians, these were usually non-Kryptonian versions of the character, or they came from an alternate reality. When he is released, often alongside several other Kryptonian lackeys, he wreaks havoc with his newfound powers, which are identical to Superman's. Who better to challenge Superman than his own dark reflection? Like most of Superman's long-running enemies, Zod has had several iterations throughout the years, all bonded by the common thread that Zod is a Kryptonian war criminal, trapped in the extra-dimensional space, the Phantom Zone, by Kryptonian authorities. Though these stories have occasionally been funny, such as when Superman visited the 5th Dimension, scuttling Mxyzptlk's attempt at running for mayor by plaguing him with the same mischief that Mxyzptlk employed against Superman, they have also been downright deadly, such as when he gave a portion of his power to the Joker, who inadvertently managed to seize all of Mxyzptlk's power, conquering and altering the world in the process. The versions of Mxyzptlk - or Mxyztplk, in some versions - are almost too numerous to list, as he's appeared in almost every incarnation of Superman's history, one of the few villains Superman has faced who use magic - the only thing besides Kryptonite that can reliably affect Superman - against him. One of Superman's oldest super-powered foes, the all-powerful Mxyzptlk could originally only be defeated if Superman could trick him into saying his own name backward - Kltpzyxm - or, later, by Superman meeting a bizarre or seemingly impossible set of conditions that Mxyzptlk himself determined. Mxyzptlk is an imp from the 5th Dimension who has used his chaotic, reality-warping powers to bedevil and bewilder Superman since very early in the character's 75-year history. Recently, Kal-El has been on a quest to put an end to Mongul's reign over Warworld in the current arc of Action Comics. However, Sinestro eventually regained control of his army and imprisoned Mongul II - though he later returned with a new Warworld. Though Mongul I was eventually killed by the demon Neron, his son, Mongul II quickly rose to power as an enemy of the Green Lanterns, and a member of the Sinestro Corps, their sworn enemies, even rising to lead the Corps after the defeat of its founder, Sinestro. His most famous and diabolical act was the destruction of Coast City, home of the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, as part of another scheme to conquer Earth - which resulted in Hal Jordan's eventual fall from grace, as well as Mongul's imprisonment in an intergalactic prison. The first Mongul had incredible strength, rivaling even that of Superman, but more than that he was cunning and ruthless, often using trickery and treachery to assault his enemies. After attempts to turn Earth into another Warworld, Superman and a veritable army of other heroes invaded the planet, deposing Mongul and saving the Earth. He traveled around, attempting to conquer other worlds, until he came across Warworld, an artificial planet that he ruled without question, forcing its inhabitants to do battle in gladiatorial combat. Mongul was originally the despotic ruler of a brutal alien world - an occupation not uncommon to enemies of Superman - until the citizens rebelled, exiling him into space. Parasite is a formidable foe, and his early origin, in which he had a wife and family who he could no longer touch, added an element of pathos necessary for the best villains. He also retains knowledge gained from these encounters, so unlike many of Superman's foes (at least before he unmasked), Parasite is actually usually aware of his secret identity. But against someone like Superman, Parasite's deadly touch allows him to sap the powers and memories of his victims, making him more deadly every time they come in contact. Originally, this need was only satisfied by the life energy of others, leaving common mortals dead at his touch. Thinking that a container hidden in one of the labs contained valuables, he opened it, exposing himself to strange, radioactive material and becoming the twisted, vampiric Parasite. Another character with several varying but closely related origins and identities depending on the time period, Parasite began life as either Raymond Jensen, or in modern incarnations, Rudy Jones, a low-level worker in a laboratory.
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