Summary
The world ofDC Comicsis most often associated with superheroes like Batman and Superman, but it boasts an equally impressive cast of villains, arguably more iconic than those of Marvel. It should come as no surprise that plenty of these characters have headlined their own stories, from ongoing titles to prestige miniseries. To make things even better, these stories often attract some of the best creative teams in comics.
Villains offer up some of the most compelling stories in comics, as a variety of creative teams attempt to explore the motivations and abilities of these antagonists. Ranging from tragic tales to action-packed origins, readers love a great super villain story, and they enrich the regular superheroes' adventures. Whether to delve into the psychology behind an iconic foe or to enjoy a good crime story, these tales of villainy are more than worth a read.
10Man-Bat(2021)
Dave Wielgosz, Sumit Kumar and Kyle Hotz
Man-Bat serves as Gotham’s answerto Jekyll and Hyde, as a scientist who, after experimenting on himself with a regenerative serum, turned into the monster known as Man-Bat.The 2021Man-Batminiseries explores the effect his terrifying form has on those around him, his own psychological state and even Gotham City. The series follows him as he takes on Batman, the Suicide Squad, Scarecrow and more, with everyone either terrified of him or working to catch him.
Man-Bat has had a number of stories in the past, but the 2021 miniseries serves as the best-written and most emotional exploration of the character. Although he does sometimes alternate between hero and villain, delving into the tragic duality of Kirk Langstrom reminds readers why he’s such a good villain to begin with.
9Crime Syndicate
Andy Schmidt and Kieran McKeown
In 2021, DC brought the Crime Syndicate into their own solo miniseries, which effectively reimagines the events of 1960’sThe Brave and the Bold#28 for the villains. Here, the team are forced to work together when Starro arrives, with the villains triumphing over the invader. In the aftermath of the battle, the heroic Legion of Justice make a play for some of the Syndicate’s conflicted members.
The Brave and the Bold#28 by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky marks the very first appearance of the Justice League of America.
The Crime Syndicate has served as one of the Justice League’s best villain teams since their debut inJustice League of America#29 (Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky). The series actually covers two sets of villains at once, both in its reimagining of Earth-Prime’s best villains as heroes and exploring the global conquest of the Syndicate.
Crime Syndicate Proves Green Lantern is the Flash’s Worst Nightmare
The Flash and Green Lantern are best friends in the DC Universe, but on Earth-3, they fight–and Green Lantern is the Flash’s worst nightmare.
John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, Bob Lewis, Karl Kesel, John K. Snyder III and Howard Chaykin
Although the Suicide Squad was initially a hard-as-nails team of soldiers, the idea was revamped during DC’sLegendsminiseries as a team of villains working for Amanda Waller. Later, they received their own ongoing series, which sent them on some of the most daring missions in the universe. Among the highlights were a rescue mission into the heart of Apokolips and a confrontation with Batman.
John Ostrander’s run onSuicide Squadremains the best, though it has some fierce competition as the team has been rebooted several times.For readers who want to take a break from the heroic motivations of Batman or Superman, watching the ragtag band of reluctant antiheroes go to work has brought readers a consistent history of compelling action.
10 Weirdest Suicide Squad Members the DCU Needs to Adapt Next
From an explosive child to a real-life DC writer, the Suicide Squad has many of the publisher’s wildest antiheroes, with some equally extreme deaths.
7Batman#232 (1971)
Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams
Batman#232 introduced the book’s readers to Ra’s al Ghul in a story that sees Bruce team up with the Demon’s Head after Robin is kidnapped and, from appearances, so is Talia. However, without realizing his new ally is a villain, Bruce wanders into a trap, joining the quest through dangerous terrain to find the two captives. Naturally, Bruce is forced to defend himself when he realizes he’s been deceived.
Batman#232 reveals that Ra’s al Ghul is contemplating retirement, and his elaborate facade was merely an attempt to test Bruce Wayne’s abilities in the hopes of him taking over.The issue very much belongs to the villain, as it builds him up to be an intellectual equal to The Dark Knight. Those who enjoy the issue should also look to Neal Adams’Batman vs Ra’s al Ghulfor a fantastic continuation of the rivalry.
6Deathstroke(2016-2020)
Christopher Priest, Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Joe Bennett and Mark Morales
When DC rebooted in 2016’s Rebirth event, Christopher Priest headlined a revival ofDeathstroke’s solo title. The series begins with the assassin getting caught up in a war involving DC’s obscure Black Panther pastiche, Red Lion, only to return to the U.S. to discover a bounty on his daughter’s head. From there, readers follow his story as he experiences everything from imprisonment in Arkham to getting captured by the Secret Society of Super-Villains.
The RebirthDeathstrokeseries isn’t the only title the villain has had, but it does serve as the most in-depth character study, one that explores his family as much as his job. As a character with no allegiances to anyone but himself and his employers, the series explores the perils of life as a mercenary – and the effects it has on Slade’s personal life.
Deathstroke Writer Confirms His Deadpool Crossover Comic
Former Deadpool writer, Christopher Priest, confirmed he put “Deadpool” in his Deathstroke comic series with the parody character Death Masque.
5Sinestro(2014-2016)
Cullen Bunn and Dale Eaglesham
After being revamped for the 21st century, Sinestro quickly became one of the most popular villains of the modern era. This escalated during the New 52, when the villain was given his very own series. The story follows his attempts to retakecontrol of the Yellow Lantern Corpswith his daughter at his side, and the growing threat of the Paling in the cosmos.
Sinestro’s motivations as a disillusioned Green Lantern who turns to fear as the tool for enforcing order makes for an interesting twist on the classic villain – and his series proves it.The villain has been the driving force behind some of the best Green Lantern stories in the past, and his own title established him and his corps as a rival to the likes of Hal Jordan.
4Joker(2008)
Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo
Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo have formed one of the best creative teams when it comes to the darker side of DC, especially Gotham. In theirJokerstory, they turned in one of their greatest stories. The graphic novel follows the Clown Prince of Crime after his latest release from Arkham, but is told through the perspective of one of his henchmen, Jonny Frost.
Jokercombines the intensity of old school 1970s thrillers with the horrific nature of its antagonist, who tortures and murders his way through the city’s underworld to carve back his power. The story serves as a tour de force of Gotham’s criminals, exploring how the Joker maintains the power and fearsome reputation he has.
The Joker’s Most Disturbing Kill is Too R-Rated For the DCEU
The Joker is no stranger to committing sick and twisted murders, but his most disturbing comic kill was far too R-Rated to ever appear in the DCEU.
3Black Adam(2022-2023)
Christopher Priest and Rafa Sandoval
After Black Adam became something of an antihero, Christopher Priest and Rafa Sandoval left their stamp on the one-time Shazam villain in a story that focuses on his legacy. After discovering that he’s dying, the villain seeks out a protégé, taking the young Malik under his wing. At the same time, he embarks on a journey to the underworld in the hopes of preventing his death.
Priest and Sandoval’sBlack Adamis a brilliant deconstruction of the antihero, exploring what motivates him and his concern for his own legacy. Replete with an epic battle with Batman and an exploration of the gods who empower the fallen Champion of Shazam, the limited series stands out as one of the best from the past five years of DC.
Black Adam’s New Power Upgrade Officially Changes the Hierarchy of Power in DC’s Vampire Universe
Previously thought to be dead, the vampiric Black Adam is teased to make a return in the sequel to ‘DC vs. Vampires’ with a major power upgrade.
2Vengeance of Bane(1993-1995)
Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan
Vengeance of Baneexplores the origins and motivations of one of Batman’s greatest rivals. Set on the small island of Santa Prisca, the story follows Bane as he’s subjected to a series of experiments using the super serum known as Venom.However, it also explores the character’s intelligence, his drive and specifically what he resents about The Dark Knight – namely the idea that he didn’t earn his power the way the villain did.
Vengeance of Baneserves as an origin story, an action-packed prison break and a character study all in one, and succeeds in what it sets out to do: establishing Bane as the anti-Batman. Along with his fellow inmates like Trogg and Bird, the villain stages an escape, and makes bringing down the Caped Crusader his priority. The story ends in their first fight, resulting in a humbled Bane realizing he has work to do if he wants to dethrone the hero.
Bane’s Master Plan To Break Batman in DC Comics Explained
Bane’s master plan to destroy Batman’s mind, body, and heart over 85 issues walks the line between clever and convoluted. Here’s every step!
1Batman#1 (1940)
Bob Kane, Bill Finger and James Robinson
Despite focusing on the Caped Crusader,Batman#1 was written as a book dedicated to the introduction of two key Gotham villains: Catwoman and Joker. The best of these sees the Clown Prince of Crime steal the show as readers are shown his murderous plot to rob from Gotham’s elite, culminating in a shootout with the city’s gangsters.
Batman#1 may be significant for giving The Dark Knight his own title, but it belongs to the villains, with even Hugo Strange leading a brilliant dark, sci-fi story. The fact that this single comic sets up both the hero’s primary love interest and his arch-nemesis in one fell swoop makes it one of the most impressive and key issues inDC Comicshistory.
The Joker
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman’s order and justice.
