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For every memorable superhero in the comic book world, there’s an even more interesting villain waiting for the right time to strike. Since the dawn of the superhero comic in the ‘30s, writers and artists have had to keep coming up with new and better villains for these do-gooders to fight on a monthly basis. Like Professor Moriarty in the old Sherlock Holmes stories or Blofeld in the James Bond series, a good villain can elevate a story, raise the stakes, and make us cheer even louder for the hero.
The conflict between good and evil is fundamental in storytelling, and when the heroes and villains have super strength and futuristic gadgets, the action and drama only gets bigger. These battles keep us coming back to superhero comics every week, and this entire month DC Entertainment is dedicating all of its books to the company’s best villains.
In an initiative known as"Villains Month," all 52 DC comics are focusing on a different foe throughout September, including The Joker, Captain Cold, Deadshot, Darkseid, and more. As the heroes watch helplessly from the sidelines, we’re primed to get insight into some of the most twisted minds in comics like never before. So as DC pays tribute to its biggest and baddest, we’re taking a trip on the dark side with our countdown of The 25 Greatest Comic Book Villains of All Time.
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25. Venom
First appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #199 (April 1988)
Created by: Randy Schueller, David Michelinie, and Todd McFarlane
Most villainous act: Trying to kill Peter Parker and his family.
With a collection of sharp fangs and that iconic tongue, Miley Cyrus Venom broke onto the scene in the late ‘80s and instantly became a fan favorite villain in the Marvel Universe. In addition to having all of Spider-Man’s abilities, he also knows who's really hiding under the red and blue mask, creating a much more personal hatred between the two.
Fans latched onto Venom early because of terrifying appearance, but as the years went on, it became clear that he's much more than a cool pin-up image. He's a character who is just as much of a psychological threat as he is a physical threat to Spider-Man. Oftentimes he feels like something out of a horror movie, as opposed to a comic.
Recent years have seen Venom change hosts and become a hero in his own comic book title, but we’ll always see Eddie Brock as the one true incarnation of the character. If Venom can survive Topher Grace, we think a brief stint as a hero won’t hurt his credibility.
24. Marie L'Angell
First appearance: Preacher #8 (1995)
Created by: Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
Most villainous act: Locking Jesse in a casket underwater and having his girlfriend killed.
Garth Ennis created a roster of deplorable characters during his Preacher run, but none could match the protagonist Jesse Custer’s wheelchair-bound grandmother, Marie L'Angell. When Jesse was a child, Marie L'Angell instilled the fear of god into him by torturing him both mentally and physically. Whenever he misbehaved, he was locked in a coffin and placed underwater for days on end. She soon found Jesse after he tried to escape as a young man, and she again put him and Tulip, his lover, through endless torture.
Marie L'Angell works so well as a villain because she’s the type of evil we see in the real world. She’s a religious fanatic who believes in fire and brimstone more than love and compassion. She’s frail in body and deranged in spirit, but she still manages to attract a group of devoted followers by her side to carry out her malicious intentions. We’ve seen villains with impressive super powers and dangerous weapons over the years, but we’ve never witnessed anyone wield the power of fear and hatred quite like Marie L'Angell.
23. Professor Zoom
First appearance: The Flash #139 (1963)
Created by: John Boome and Carmine Infantino
Most villainous act: Killing the Flash’s wife.
Sure Batman and Spider-Man’s villains are household names, but the most diverse and underrated rogues gallery in the comic book world belongs to The Flash. And who better to highlight than his mirror image, Eobard Thawne, a.k.a. Professor Zoom, a.k.a. The Reverse Flash? This inverted menace isn’t just about posturing and ego like other villains. Possessing the same super speed as The Flash, Thawne made a name for himself by vibrating his hand through the chest of The Flash’s fiancé, Iris West. Damn.
The backstory of Thawne is complicated, involving time travel and cosmic treadmills that we simply don’t have the patience to recount here. Boiled down to its essence, Professor Zoom is a man who traveled back in time to become a hero like The Flash, but his homicidal tendencies drove him down a path to comic book infamy. Ultimately, this bitter rivalry culminated in shocking fashion when The Flash broke Thawne’s neck to protect the new love in his life. Double damn.
22. Bane
First appearance: Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 (1993)
Created by: Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, and Dough Moench
Most villainous act: Breaking Batman’s back.
No matter what the character does, Bane will always be most famous for breaking Batman’s back. There's no bigger way to announce your arrival onto the comic book scene than to put one of the industry’s icons into a wheelchair. Bane is a man of mystery; a brilliant mercenary with no backstory or name. He’s more of a force of nature than a flesh and blood man, and whenever he shows up, pain is sure to follow.
After breaking the Bat in Knightfall, Bane’s stock sunk in the DC Universe for over a decade until he became the co-star of the supervillain team-up title, Secret Six. It was here that Bane shed his one-dimensional stereotype and rightfully reclaimed his place as one of Batman’s better villains. This comeback story was topped off by an appearance in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, where he transcended the world of comic books and became a part of the pop culture zeitgeist, thanks to Tom Hardy's weird Sean Connery impression.
21. Thanos
First appearance: Iron Man #55 (1973)
Created by: Jim Starlin
Most villainous act: Attempting to destroy the universe just to impress a girl.
No villain is as simultaneously terrifying and pathetic as Thanos. On one hand, the Mad Titan is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, capable of wielding the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet for his own gain. But the main reason why he craves destruction is because he wants to impress Mistress Death, who he has a schoolboy crush on.
This is the type of romantic drama more suited for Archie and Veronica, but it plays out on a cosmic scale. It's a brilliant premise, though, and it just goes to prove Freud right, that everything eventually boils down to sex. Lady problems aside, Thanos is a tyrant of pure destruction and hatred who is more than worthy of going toe-to-toe with Marvel’s heavyweights. We can't wait to see him show up in an Avengers sequel. Hopefully his next role will include more than just a smirk.
20. Apocalypse
First appearance: X-Factor #6 (1986)
Created by: Louise and Walter Simonson
Most villainous act: Taking over the planet and molding it in his image.
Apocalypse is one of the only comic book villains to make good on his threats to take over the world. In 1995’s Age of Apocalypse, we got an alternate universe where Apocalypse has won his war against mutants and humanity, and the remaining survivors are left to rot in a dystopian future filled with chaos and bloodshed.
Apocalypse doesn’t posture, nor does he let his ego get in the way; this is a mutant of immeasurable power who takes Herbert Spencer’s “survival of the fittest” mentality to heart by eliminating anyone he believes is too weak to live in his world. Apocalypse has roamed Earth since the time of the Pharaohs, and over the years he has evolved into a near-perfect mutant/machine hybrid capable of imposing his will on the world.
19. Bullseye
First appearance: Daredevil #131 (1976)
Created by: Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr.
Most villains act: Impaling Elektra.
The rvialry between Bullseye and Daredevil culminated in the classic Daredevil #181, where Bullseye perpetrated one of the most infamous acts in comic book history by killing Matt Murdock’s love interest, Elektra Natchios. Unlike comic books today that advertise their shocking plot twists months in advance, the death of Elektra took readers completely by surprise as Bullseye drove her own weapon through her abdomen with a smile on his face.
It was this moment that forever cemented Bullseye as not only Daredevil’s arch-enemy, but as one of the most twisted characters in the Marvel Universe. Since then, he has continuously driven Murdock to the brink of insanity, including the murder of another girlfriend, Karen Page. It seems like anyone Matt Murdock gets close to is immediately put in Bullseye’s crosshairs. It’s only a matter of time before Ol’ Horn Head is forced to break out the funeral suit again.
18. The Governor
First appearance: The Walking Dead #27 (2006)
Creator: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard
Most villainous act: Leading the assault that results in Lori’s death.
Unlike the typical comic book villains out there today, The Governor is not the type of baddie we admire. He’s a deeply twisted man with a hatred for anyone he can’t control. Most comic book villains’ schemes don’t reach far beyond botched bank robberies and failed attempts to take over the world. The Governor, however, is the type of evil we read about in the most sickening newspaper headlines.
As the leader of the Woodbury settlement, The Governor initially comes across as genuinely concerned about Rick and company in The Walking Dead. But after the pleasantries are over, he unleashs his inner psychopath by beating and torturing Glenn and Rick—leading to Rick’s hand being lopped off—and ordering Michonne to be repeatedly raped.
None of those atrocities compare to his most despicable moment, when he leads an attack on Rick’s opposing gang, which leaves Lori and her unborn child dead.
During his short career, The Governor caused more pain and suffering for our heroes with a few guns and some rope than most of the super-powered villains on this list.
17. Bizarro
First appearance: Superboy #68 (1958)
Created by: Otto Binder and George Papp
Most villainous act: Masquerading as Superman and kidnapping Lois Lane.
This twisted mirror image of Superman may be playful on the surface, but make no mistake about it, Bizarro is just as strong as the Man of Steel. And he has no moral code. Depending on what version of the character you're referring to, Bizarro is either a failed clone of Superman or a member of the backward-talking Bizarro World. Either way, he's one of the most feared members of the DC rogues gallery.
With his ghostly pale complexion and his signature inverted “S” shield, Bizarro doesn’t think of himself as a villain; in fact, he doesn’t think much at all. But this confused creature often causes chaos and destruction completely by accident on a regular basis.
16. Red Skull
First appearance: Captain America Comics #7 (1941)
Created by: Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, and France Herron
Most villainous act: He’s a Nazi. ‘Nuff said.
While we love to cheer on many of the villains on this list, we just can’t do that for Red Skull, which is one of the reasons why he’s still so memorable after 70+ years. Born Johan Schmidt, the Red Skull was witness to the Nazi takeover of Germany and realized that the only way to survive was to adapt with the times. Adopting the Nazi ideology, Schmidt took on the guise of the Red Skull and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming one of Hitler’s closest confidants.
There is no redemption story or misunderstood genius for the Skull. He's a monster, plain and simple. He also happens to be a master strategist and manipulator, who is obsessed with crushing the symbol of liberty: Captain America. Despite slipping in the Marvel pantheon in recent years, the Red Skull will always remain so frightening because he was born from real world evil and is a constant reminder of one of history’s greatest villains.
15. Catwoman
First appearance: Batman #1 (1940)
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Most villainous act: Jewel heists—lots of 'em.
Her allegiances and morals may have shifted over the years, but we’ll always look at Catwoman as one of Batman’s greatest villains. This feline femme fatale doesn’t have any super powers or fancy gadgets—in fact, that’s part of her charm. Selina Kyle relies on her wits, athleticism, and sex appeal to get what she wants, and she’s rarely denied.
Catwoman’s motivations rarely extend past her own selfish desires. She has a taste for expensive jewelry, priceless art, and basically anything that doesn’t belong to her. However, the one thing she has never been able to get is Batman himself. Turns out the Caped Crusader is more interested in pounding on drug peddlers and pimps than spending the night with a woman in skin-tight spandex and a whip. Weird, right?
14. Deathstroke
First appearance: New Teen Titans #2 (1980)
Created by: Marv Wolfman and George Perez
Most villainous act: Nearly killing the Teen Titans in “The Judas Contract.”
You don’t get any tougher than Deathstroke. This cold-blooded killer doesn’t just have advanced fighting abilities and a superhuman healing factor, he’s also one of the smartest tacticians in all of comics. This is a man who can out-think Batman and fight off half the Justice League all at once.
During the 1980s, fans weren’t just satisfied with seeing Deathstroke every few months as a villain; eventually, the demand for the character to have his own series forced DC to make him the star of his own book. Now Deathstroke is more of an anti-hero than a straight-up villain, but despite showing more compassion nowadays, the character hasn't lost the bloodlust we’ve come to love over the years.
13. Dark Phoenix
First appearance: X-Men #1 (1963)
Created by: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee (Jean Grey) John Byrne and Chris Claremont (Dark Phoenix)
Most villainous act: Destroying an entire planetary system.
Jean Grey was first created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as the young, innocent female member of the original X-Men. Once John Byrne and Chris Claremont got a hold of her in the ‘80s, however, they turned her into an intergalactic genocidal threat known as the Dark Phoenix. With limitless powers and an utter disdain for all living things, the now-possessed Jean Grey went on a spree of destruction that threatened the entire universe.
Eventually Jean took enough control of the Phoenix force to let herself be mercifully killed, but the damage was already done. During her short run, the Dark Phoenix was the most destructive force that the Marvel Universe has ever seen. The best villains are the ones who have a personal connection to the heroes, and as a former member of the X-Men, and love interest to Cyclops, Jean’s journey from hero to villain was bittersweet for everyone, including the readers at home.
12. Loki
First appearance: Journey into Mystery #85 (1962)
Created by: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Taking over Asgard from Thor and Odin.
Leave it to Jacky Kirby and Stan Lee to take a character from Norse mythology and turn him into one of the great comic book villains of all time. Loki, the God of Mischief, is Thor’s vengeful half-brother, and this sibling rivalry has fueled their hatred for more than 50 years in the comic books. Loki sees himself as inferior to Thor in his father’s eyes, so instead of attempting to make Odin proud, he just tries to usurp the throne of Asgard for himself and kill off his family.
Loki isn’t all about his genius intellect, though; he also possesses superior fighting skills and has the ability to shapeshift. Over the years, this power has transformed Loki from a vengeful god into a sultry femme fatale and, most recently, a small child. But no matter what form he takes, Loki is a power-hungry god with a serious hatred for everything except his own reflection.
11. Ozymandias
First appearance: Watchmen #1 (1986)
Created by: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Most villainous act: Destroying New York City.
Oftentimes evil is simply a matter of point of view. And in no character is that more evident than Ozymandias. In Alan Moore’s masterpiece, Watchmen, Ozymandias, a.k.a. Adrian Vedit, is the smartest man on the planet, with a limitless fortune at his disposal. Yet he’s also incredibly troubled by an impending nuclear war that is about to be waged by world leaders who he feels are beneath him.
The solution is simple—fake an extraterrestrial attack that will unite all of the countries of Earth, averting an all-out nuclear holocaust. Of course this deception means sacrificing countless millions of innocents in the process, but for Veidt, this is a small price to pay for peace.
Veidt’s villainy all depends on your own subjectivity. We can debate endlessly about the merits of his decisions, but we can talk for just as long about him as a complete sociopath. Either way, millions were instantly killed by his decision.
10. Ra’s al Ghul
First appearance: Batman #232 (1971)
Created by: Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams
Most villainous act: Taking down the Justice League using Batman’s contingency plans.
Sometimes the most interesting villains don’t believe that they're evil at all. In the case of one of Batman’s most dangerous foes, Ra’s al Ghul, he views himself as peacemaker; a man who can restore balance to the world by destroying the corruption that has infested it. It’s this grey morality that has made Ra’s one of the Dark Knight’s most believable villains ever.
Whether he’s matching Batman intellectually, psychologically, or physically, Ra’s is the Caped Crusader’s equal in every way. Yet one area where he has Batman beat is through his daughter, Talia. The conflicted romance between Bruce Wayne and Talia has given Ra’s the upper hand on countless occasions, and it adds yet another dimension to their conflict.
In recent years, Ra’s has moved beyond being just a Batman villain and has become a threat of every character in the DC Universe. He’s a layered character who dreams of peace through terrorism. Unfortunately this is an evil we can relate to all too well.
9. Kingpin
First appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967)
Created by: John Romita and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Torturing Daredevil in “Born Again.”
Sometimes you don’t need a silly costume or super powers to be the most feared man in New York. Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. The Kingpin, may not look much more intimidating than a B-movie gangster, but he’s as powerful as they come. He’s the unquestioned leader of all of the street crime, drug trafficking, and weapon sales in New York, and despite the collected efforts of both Spider-Man and Daredevil, he refuses to be taken down.
Backed up by an army of subordinates and underbosses, Kingpin always keeps his nose clean, despite having the dirtiest hands in the city. But on the off chance that he is confronted by one of Marvel's heroes, Fisk is more than capable of handling himself in a brawl. You see, he may look like he just hit up a Sizzler pretty hard, but Kingpin is around 400 deceiving pounds of muscle and is capable crushing a man’s skull without breaking a sweat.
8. Sinestro
First appearance: Green Lantern #7 (1961)
Created by: John Broome and Gil Kane
Most villainous act: Creating the Sinestro Corps.
No comic book villain in the past decade has undergone a renaissance quite like Sinestro. From the ‘60s through the early 2000s, Sinestro was just the Green Lantern’s opposite number, complete with absurdly villainous schemes and a yellow power ring. He was evil—he just wasn’t very effective. Then writer Geoff Johns came along and gave the character a much needed facelift.
With Johns depicting the character as a realistic dictator in the same vein as Adolf Hitler or Saddam Hussein, this new-look Sinestro quickly became the most feared foe in comics. Instead of facing off against the Green Lanterns alone, he banded together a group of murderous villains from across DC to form the Sinestro Corps, an army dedicated to restoring order to the universe through fear.
From broad caricature to misguided genius, Sinestro’s path to greatness certainly took a long time, but in recent years he hasn’t just become one of the great villains in comics, he’s become one of the most complex characters in all of mainstream superhero lore.
7. Green Goblin
First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #14 (1964)
Created by: Steve Ditko and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Killing Spider-Man’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy.
Never before has a villain had such a personal vendetta against a superhero and the man beneath the mask—then again, the Green Goblin, a.k.a. Norman Osborn, is no normal villain. The Green Goblin began as just another masked menace for Spider-Man to fight, but as the years went on, Norman Osborn developed a close relationship with Peter Parker’s friends and family, which inevitably led to tragedy when he killed Spider-Man’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy.
This was a seminal event in comics. No other super villain had crossed that line before, and from that moment on, no one was safe from the Goblin. Over the years, Norman has moved beyond just being a villain for Spider-Man to become a foe for the entire Marvel Universe, especially after his time as the leader of the corrupt government agency known as H.A.M.M.E.R. Whether he’s a corporate foe or armed with just a handfull of pumpkin bombs, the Osborn legacy is one of death and tragedy.
6. Galactus
First appearance: Fantastic Four #48 (1966)
Created by: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Has tried to eat Earth on multiple occasions.
The omniscient, god-like Galactus is easily the most unique villain on this list. He’s not driven by hatred or power; like a hurricane, he just exists. Galactus’ main motivation is that of any college kid at three in the morning: he’s hungry. But when you are a cosmic being of near limitless size, the only meal that will satiate you is a nutrient-rich planet. Earth just so happens to be one such snack.
On countless occasions, Galactus has tried to turn Earth into his next meal, only to be defeated, or reasoned with, at the last minute. Still, the threat of this immortal figure is always hanging over Earth’s head like a bright purple Sword of Damocles.
5. Darkseid
First appearance: Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (1970)
Created by: Jack Kirby
Most villainous act: Discovering a mathematical equation to remove humanity’s free will.
If there was a face of evil in the DC Universe, it would be Darkseid. This beefy tyrant is the unquestioned ruler of the war-torn planet of Apokolips, but that isn’t enough for him. Instead Darkseid obsesses day and night with being the one and only ruler of the universe. Through mayhem and intimidation, Darkseid trounces lesser planets and bends their inhabitants to his will. It’s only when he tries to conquer Earth does he find resistance in the form of the Justice League.
In recent years, Darkseid has been in the middle of a series of epic storylines at DC, including The Supergirl from Krypton, Final Crisis, and the introductory story arc of The New 52. Unlike many comic book villains, he isn’t a sympathetic mad man or a misunderstood monster; instead, Darkseid is the pure embodiment of evil, and whenever he shows up, you know destruction is sure to follow.
4. Doctor Doom
First appearance: Fantastic Four #5 (1962)
Created by: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Wearing a magical suit of armor crafted from his ex-girlfriend’s skin.
Doctor Doom—with a name like that, you shouldn’t expect the dude to be an accountant. As the dictator of the fictional country of Latveria, and the main nemesis of the Fantastic Four, Doom has achieved the title as the most prominent foe of the Marvel Universe. Doom’s motivations and hatred for humanity don’t differ much from the other villain in comics, but this signature look is what elevates his beyond his contemporaries.
The emotionless steel mask that Jack Kirby designed for the character is the perfect complement to Doom’s mystique. It never lets us get too close to who is underneath that bulky armor, and that bit of secrecy makes him such an engrossing character to study. Like the great villains we’ve seen in literature and cinema, Doom is a dignified genius who is just as likely to listen to some Mozart as he is to launch an attack on the United Nations.
3. Lex Luthor
First appearance: Action Comics #23 (1940)
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Most villainous act: Being elected president.
The reason why Lex Luthor stands out among Superman’s countless villains is that he’s the exact opposite of the Man of Steel. He’s bald, middle-aged, and, most importantly, human. Lex has been portrayed in two ways: as a mad scientist or a power-hungry businessman/politician. Both versions are supremely jealous of the love the people of Metropolis throw Superman’s way, and he has made it his life’s mission to debase and demoralize Kal-El whenever he gets the chance.
Unlike The Green Goblin and The Joker, Lex has never killed a superhero’s girlfriend, sidekick, or family member, but he makes up for it by constantly threatening the world behind the scenes. Luthor’s intelligence allows him to slip away from justice without getting his hands dirty. This is what has made him such a threat to the DC Universe over the years. He has the cutthroat mentality of Gordon Gecko, the intelligence of Stephen Hawking, and the ingenuity of Nikola Tesla. This brain-over-brawn equation makes Luthor the perfect foil for the most powerful being on the planet.
2. Magneto
First Appearance: X-Men #1 (1963)
Created by: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
Most villainous act: Ripping Wolverine’s adamantium out of his body.
There is no villain more twisted or sympathetic than Magneto. Like a cross between Malcolm X and Osama bin Laden, Magneto is a zealot for mutant rights at the expense of the human race. This is a man who lived through the Holocaust and vowed to never let himself or his people become subjected to hate and violence again. To achieve this, Magneto strikes at the heart of humanity and uses his limitless powers to destroy us, so that the mutants can conquer.
His bold proclamations and ranting monologues may be the stuff of super villain clichés, but there's more to Magneto than that. This is a man tied to his ideals. He does not waver, nor does he accept anything less than his dream of an Earth ruled by mutants. His exact opposite number is Professor Charles Xavier, who believes mutants and humans can prosper together. That may sound nice on paper, but the brilliance of Magneto is that no matter how many atrocities he commits, his views wind up being right more often than not.
1. The Joker
First appearance: Batman #1 (1940)
Created by: Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger, and Bob Kane
Most villainous act: Murdering Jason Todd.
In the world of comic books, no villain can match the pure malice and mayhem that is The Joker on a monthly basis. This sociopathic clown has spent the last seven decades wreaking havoc on Gotham City and the DC Universe at large. Yet despite his senseless love of violence, fans flock to read any story and watch any movie he’s featured in. You can argue he’s just as much of a household name as the Dark Knight himself.
Over the years, we’ve seen The Joker kill and maim countless denizens of Batman’s world, but no crime could match the murder of Jason Todd, a.k.a. the second Robin. This is when The Joker transcended typical comic book hijinks, and cemented himself as the most serious threat in Batman’s rouges gallery.
Whether you’re a fan of the campy version of The Joker from the Dick Sprang days, or of the homicidal incarnation we’ve been subjected to since the early ‘70s, the character always evolves with the times and keeps fans glued to the page. No matter how many dead bodies he leaves in his wake, we’ll never stop cheering the Clown Prince of Crime.