irredeemable
Crack open almost any issue on the shelves of your local comic book store and there's good chance you'll see a superhero pounding on some random villain to the applause of the masses. Spandex-wearing purveyors of social justice fill each comic with a sense of hope for a better tomorrow, and that pattern has been the backbone of the industry for decades. However, after years of the same old thing, those stories are starting to become about as exciting as watching Canadian Parliament.
Luckily for fans of quality reading, a new trend has been gaining momentum in the world of comics over the past few years. Writers and artists have made a concerted effort to put the spotlight on the supervillains for once, in place of their white bread hero counterparts. These characters may be ultra-violent and deeply disturbed, but they are also fascinating to observe.
Much like Silence Of The Lambs hooked audiences after exploring the sadistic mind of a serial killer, modern comics have gone in a similar direction by giving these villains a chance to shine, and have paved the way for some killer (no pun intended) movie personifications. In celebration of these evil-doers, we’re taking a look at the 10 Best Supervillain Comics Of All Time.
Spider Man: Kraven's Last Hunt
The supervillain: Kraven the Hunter
Kraven, a Russian ex-pat and a member of the Sinister Six, becomes an anti-hero of the best kind when he kills (or so he thinks) Spider-Man and roams NYC impersonating the webbed wonder.
Suicide Squad (1987)
The supervillain(s): The Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad made their first debut in a series titled The Brave and the Bold, and pitted the felonious group against terrors like a nuclear bomb and a giant serpent.
Catwoman: When In Rome (2004)
The supervillain(s): Catwoman and the Riddler
This six-issue miniseries follows these Batman nemeses through their escapades of betrayal, theivery, and conspiracy in Rome.
Batman Annual #14 (1990)
The supervillain: Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face
The politician-gone-bad has his tragic backstory revealed in this special annual issue.
Doctor Octopus: Year One (2004)
The supervillain: Otto Octavius, aka Doctor Octopus
For another backstory that makes you root for the bad guy, this comic reveals the past of the mad scientist known as Doc Ock.
Lex Luthor: Man of Steel (2005)
The supervillain: Lex Luthor
With this reimagined look at the rationale behind the fight to stop Superman, Lex Luthor has more sound motivation to be Clark's Kryptonite.
Irredeemable (2009)
The supervillain: The Plutonian
It's the best kind of bad guy: one that used to be good. As you follow the previously defender of justice into his turn to the dark side, you can't help but root for his success.
Wanted (2003-1004)
The supervillain: Wesley Gibson
Fun fact: Main character/antihero Wesley's look is based on Eminem.
Magneto: Testament (2008)
The supervillain: Magneto
Though it's hard to find someone we love to hate and hate to love more than the X-Men movie version, the grim history revealed in this comic adds another layer of depth to one of our top villains of all time.
Batman: The Killing Joke (1988)
The supervillain: The Joker
This definitive backstory of the Joker is a masterpiece of comic proportions, with it's depth preceding even its award-winning 2008 interpretation by Heath Ledger.
