The early 1940s saw DC Comics lay the foundation of the superhero genre, with costumed heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. People were enthralled by the escapism from the horrors of World War II that comic books and superheroes provided. Initially, these superheroes exclusively fought gangsters and the Axis Powers. However, this period also marked the introduction of their counterparts – supervillains. With the launch of colorful, costumed criminals with a wide array of gimmicks and abilities who could match the power of superheroes, supervillains are, in many ways, what made the superhero genre timeless. Even after the war ended and gangsters became old news, supervillains remained a constant source of conflict for superheroes.
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From mad scientists to crooks in spandex, DC Comics practically invented the concept of supervillains. For decades, these villains have remained a constant thorn in the side of the superhero community and have become some of the most popular characters in DC Comics.
10) Clayface
While there have been many versions of Clayface, the original Basil Carlo is the best. Debuting in 1940, Carlo was an actor who went insane after discovering he wouldn’t be involved in the remake of one of his classic movies. Under the disguise of Clayface, the monster he played in the film, he began killing off the movie’s cast and crew until Batman stopped him. Carlo originally had no powers but eventually stole the shapeshifting abilities of other villains who took on the Clayface identity. Now, as a hulking mass of clay, Carlo can shapeshift to look like anyone or transform parts of his body into weapons. With his indestructible body and uncanny shapeshifting abilities, Carlo is the strongest and most versatile Clayface Batman has ever fought.
9) Black Adam
First appearing in 1945 as the villain of Captain Marvel (renamed Shazam), Teth-Adam, aka Black Adam, was initially created by Fawcett Comics before DC Comics bought the rights to the character. Hailing from Ancient Egypt, Black Adam was the first champion of the wizard Shazam. Granted with the powers of the Egyptian Gods, Black Adam became mad with power, which motivated the wizard to imprison him for thousands of years. Upon being released in the modern day, Black Adam was initially portrayed as a one-note villain. However, over the years, DC developed Black Adam into a morally complex anti-villain and the ruler of the country Khandaq. Whether he’s fighting on the side of good or evil, Black Adam will do anything to protect his people.
8) Vandal Savage
For thousands of years, Vandal Savage has only desired one thing: world domination. He was introduced in 1943 as an enemy of the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott. Vandal Savage has been alive since the Stone Age. When he came across a meteorite, it bathed him in radiation that made him immortal. Over the next 50,000 years, Vandal Savage assumed countless identities, including Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Blackbeard. Savage is a master strategist who uses his intellect to outsmart his opponents. He was also the founder of one of the first supervillain teams, the Injustice Society, which was a foil to the Justice Society. No matter how much time passes, Vandal Savage will always be a significant threat in DC Comics.
7) Scarecrow
Batman may terrify criminals, but Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow, is the true master of fear. Debuting in 1941, Crane was a renowned professor until he was fired for conducting torturous human experimentation on his students by exposing them to hallucinogenic gas. Obsessed with understanding the nature of fear, Crane donned the Scarecrow identity and continued perfecting his trademark weapon: fear toxin. Primarily delivered as a gas, Scarecrow sprays his victims with the fear toxin, which causes them to hallucinate their worst fears. This weapon alone makes him one of Batman’s most psychologically challenging foes. A psychopathic and murderous mad scientist, Scarecrow won’t rest until he turns Gotham into a waking nightmare.
6) Ares
Where Wonder Woman is the ultimate advocate for peace and truth, Ares is the supreme disperser of war and deception. DC Comics’ version of the Greek God of War made his first appearance in 1942, when World War II was still raging. With his godly physiology, mystical prowess, and hordes of monsters at his command, Ares is one of Wonder Woman’s deadliest adversaries. Whether by slaughtering soldiers on the front lines or by corrupting the minds of world leaders, Ares will never stop until humanity is wiped off the face of the Earth. The more death and destruction Ares conjures, the stronger he becomes. And as long as humanity has the capacity for hatred, Ares will always be there to embolden their worst desires.
5) Riddler
Batman has earned his nickname of the World’s Greatest Detective in large part because of his ability to decipher the puzzles and clues left behind by Edward Nygma, aka the Riddler. Debuting in 1948, Nygma was obsessed with puzzles and began a life of crime to prove his intellectual superiority over others. His trademark gimmick is leaving riddles at crime scenes for Batman to try to solve. Riddler is also infamous for relying on death traps instead of physical strength to kill the Dark Knight. Every time Batman outsmarts the Riddler, the villain becomes more obsessed and unbalanced. With his genius-level intellect and lack of empathy, Riddler pushes Batman’s detective skills like no other.
4) Penguin
First appearing in 1941, Oswald Coppblepot, aka Penguin, may at first seem like a sophisticated gentleman, but he’s actually one of Gotham City’s most notorious crime lords. Like many of Batman’s rogues, Penguin has been portrayed as both silly and utterly terrifying. With deformities that gave him a short and stocky build, a long nose, and malformed hands and feet, Penguin was bullied and ridiculed as a child. This abuse fueled his desire for power and inspired Penguin to create a vast criminal enterprise. Penguin is also infamous for his use of weaponized umbrellas, which conceal guns, swords, flamethrowers, and more. Even more than his bizarre appearance and weaponry, Penguin is a cutthroat strategist and master manipulator who will always have a tight grip over Gotham.
3) Two-Face
Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, was Batman’s best friend before fate turned them into mortal enemies. Introduced in 1942, Harvey was an honorable district attorney who sought to bring Gotham’s criminals to justice. However, during a trial, a mob boss sprayed Harvey with acid, horrifically disfiguring half of his face. Driven mad by the disfiguration, Two-Face developed an evil split personality and became obsessed with the randomness of chance. Aside from his striking appearance, Two-Face is well-known for his eerie use of a silver-dollar coin, which he uses to determine every decision he makes. With the flip of a coin, Two-Face decides whether his victims live or die. A profoundly tragic figure, Two-Face shows that even the most virtuous of men can fall to villainy.
2) Lex Luthor
The archenemy of DC Comics’ first and greatest hero, Lex Luthor, is Superman’s antithesis. Debuting in 1940, Lex Luthor is a criminal mastermind and billionaire who uses his superior intellect in his never-ending quest to destroy the Man of Steel. Fueled by envy and unparalleled hate, Luthor detests Superman’s very existence as an alien who brings hope to the downtrodden. Desperate to be considered humanity’s savior, Luthor famously exploits Superman’s weaknesses like Kryptonite and red sunlight. And like an evil Iron Man, Luthor will don a power suit so that he can take on the Man of Tomorrow face to face. Whereas Superman represents humanity’s potential for good, Luthor embodies humanity’s capacity for greed, pride, hatred, and nihilism, and therefore will always remain relevant.
1) Joker
Inarguably one of the most famous, influential, and evil comic book characters of all time, the Joker practically invented the concept of a supervillain. Introduced in 1940, the Clown Prince of Crime was one of the first recurring costumed criminals in comics. Created to be Batman’s polar opposite, the Joker is a homicidal madman who embodies pure chaos and pushes the Dark Knight to his limits. He’s an incredibly malleable character who can switch seamlessly from a goofy prankster to a psychopathic serial killer at the drop of a hat. He has also committed some of the most heinous crimes in DC, from murdering Jason Todd to crippling Batgirl. As long as there’s a Batman, the Joker will always be there to try to get the last laugh.
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