Galactus is easily one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, but DC’s equivalent, Imperiex, puts that power to shame. This may sound like a shocking claim - Galactus is a common benchmark for understanding the upper limits of comic-book power - and yet the facts bear out Imperiex as the more dangerous galactic destroyer.
Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in 1966. Since his first appearance in Fantastic Four #48, he has stayed consistent as one of the biggest threats in the Marvel Universe. Possessing the Power Cosmic, Galactus has nearly infinite power, essentially making him a god. One of his most well-known traits, however, is his need to eat planets. Galactus’ life is sustained through the energy that he receives by consuming planets. Galactus’ popularity with fans has grown ever since his first appearance, and his appetite has made its way through much of the Marvel Universe. With all that in mind, how exactly can Imperiex trump Galactus' power?
In 2000, Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill created DC’s answer to Galactus with the introduction of Imperiex. First appearing in Superman Vol 2 #153, Imperiex is an entity made entirely of energy inside a super durable suit of armor and is DC’s embodiment of entropy. The villain has existed since the beginning of time and has destroyed and recreated the universe on several occasions. When he encounters DC’s heroes, Imperiex plans on destroying the universe again by causing a new Big Bang. In order to make this happen, he has to destroy Earth, the planet which holds the universe together. Before being defeated by the combined efforts of several DC heroes and villains, Imperiex leaves a trail of destruction, obliterating several other planets.
Imperiex and Galactus have both achieved some colossal feats. Galactus has a much longer history and therefore has more accomplishments to choose from. He has defeated Thanos, Odin, the Annihilation Wave, several Celestials and many other prominent Marvel characters in battle and has destroyed galaxies. He is even able to resurrect the dead and create new life. Imperiex is also able to go toe-to-toe with some of DC’s heaviest hitters, holding his own against Superman and even vaporizing Doomsday with an energy blast. He can also create black holes that are capable of destroying entire universes. Both are immeasurably strong, immortal, and can consume entire planets.
The one thing that helps Imperiex pull ahead in this battle is his ability to destroy and recreate the universe. While Galactus has a lot of destructive power, he needs time and focus to destroy even one planet, and while History of the Marvel Universe confirmed that he will one day sacrifice his energy to restart the Big Bang, that will only come after a lifetime of gathering power. Since Imperiex is capable of doing multiple times what Galactus is only able to attempt as his endgame, the power differential actually isn't even close, even if both these beings are unimaginably powerful by human standards.