10 Oddball Villains We're Excited to See in LEGO Batman
The Lego Batman Movie is just one month away and we have not been more excited since it was [...]
Kite-Man
Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang
First Appearance: Batman (vol. 1) #133
Kite-Man's stock is rising like the character himself these days. In addition to a cameo in The Lego Batman Movie, he is also making regular appearances in the current run of Batman written by Tom King. While the notion of a kite-themed supervillain is certainly silly, that's why we love him. He takes the gimmick-based concept of villainy to its illogical extreme and proudly touts his costume and powers alongside some truly scary foes. Kite-Man is the ultimate underdog of DC bad guys, and that's why you can't help but root for him.
King Tut
Created by Victor Buono
First Appearance: "The Curse of Tut", Batman (1966) Season 1
Not all of the villains of the 1966 Batman television show were drafted from the comics. Some, like Victor Buono's King Tut, were created specifically for the show. Tut was a professor of Egyptology who thought he was the actual reincarnation of a Pharaoh after taking a rock to the head. His ancient Egyptian-themed gimmicks and wild mood swings made him a favorite on the show. We're happy to see his schtick and attitude brought back for a movie that is also focused on a fun version of Batman.
Orca
Created by Larry Hama and Scott McDaniel
First Appearance: Batman (vol. 1) #579
Orca is a modern villain built on a classic origin where a scientist experiments upon herself and is transformed into a figure based upon their area of expertise. In the case of Grace Balin, she was a marine biologist attempting to use whale genes to fix damage in her spine. The result is one of the biggest bruisers in Batman's rogue gallery. She's smart and very physically capable, a nice reminder that women can tear through walls as easily as Clayface or Killer Croc.
Calendar Man
Created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff
First Appearance: Detective Comics (vol. 1) #259
Calendar Man received an update in Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb's Batman stories, where he became a much more cunning manipulator, but he'll never fully escape his schtick. Basing crimes around holidays and an understanding of the Gregorian calendar is about as hokey as it gets. We're happy to see Julian Day back in his calendar suit in The Lego Batman Movie, tossing aside any seriousness and embracing his roots.
Calculator
Created by Bob Rozakis and Mike Grell
First Appearance: Detective Comics (vol. 1) #463
Calculator is another character who has been updated over the past couple of decades to function in a more serious role, as a villain broker, in the DC Universe. But he also started out with a silly super suit based upon his name, one featuring giant calculator buttons on the chest. He's back in that style for his Lego form, buttons and all. We hope to see him provide some solid math-based puns and get to punch out one equation before he is inevitably punched out.
Eraser
Created by John Broome
First Appearance: Batman (vol. 1) #188
Eraser combines a solid modus operandi with one of the silliest costumes of any Batman villain. He offers to "erase" evidence of any crime in return for a slice of the profit. It's a smart business and one necessary for anyone being chased by the world's greatest detective. But then he also wears an eraser on his head. That's the sort of outfit that is so outrageous you just have to love it, and we're looking forward to what he does with his noggin when the movie comes out.
March Harriet
Created by Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen
First Appearance: Detective Comics (vol. 1) #841
Any Batman fan is bound to be familiar with the Alice In Wonderland-themed villain The Mad Hatter, but he's far from the only fan of this book in Gotham City. March Harriet helps fill out his cadre of accomplices in the well-known role of the March Hare. Since her introduction she has acted as far more than a hench-person too, leading other fantasy-based characters to fulfill her own missions and battle the Bat. We look forward to her hopping through some battles next month.
Crazy Quilt
Created by Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Boy Commandos #15
They don't make them much stranger than Crazy Quilt. This villain combines many of his creator Jack Kirby's best instincts in what turned out to be a largely forgotten creation. He is loud, exuberant, and impossible to ignore based on his appearance alone. Even as a cameo in The Lego Batman Movie, this colorful character is bound to leave audiences asking "Who's that guy?" We can't wait to provide the surprisingly convoluted answer to that question.
Zebra-Man
Created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff
First Appearance: Detective Comics (vol. 1) #275
Unlike most characters with an animal in their name, Zebra-Man does not possess the powers of a zebra. He actually controls magnetism instead, which seems like a much more useful concept. However, his appearance and name have strung him out to dry as a punchline in Batman lore. We're excited to see him get some time on the silver screen though in what appears to be the version re-invented by Mike W. Barr.
Billy Dee Williams' Two-Face
Created by Tim Burton and Billy Dee Williams
First Appearance: Batman (1989)
Two-Face is definitely an A-list Batman villain, but we think a special case should be made for the version appearing in The Lego Batman Movie. In both of Tim Burton's Batman movies, Billy Dee Williams was cast in the role of Harvey Dent. However, after he left the role was re-cast with Tommy Lee Jones who was Two-Face in Batman Forever. This meant fans never got to see Williams' make his heel turn. It looks like the Two-Face in this movie is a Lego minifig of what might have been. We couldn't be more excited to finally see Williams as Two-Face in any form.
