The 1990s were an important, if controversial, time for DC Comics because of its dark storylines and edgy anti-heroes dressed in belts and leather. Still, the ‘90s saw the debut of many of DC Comics’ most memorable stories and characters. Given their greater emphasis on dark storytelling during this period, not surprisingly, DC Comics introduced some of its most terrifying villains to date. More importantly, this decade saw many of these villains triumph over the heroes, crippling–or even murdering–some of the most beloved characters in comic book history. Oftentimes, DC Comics did this to pave the way for new generations of heroes to take up the mantles of their fallen predecessors. Still, the ‘90s saw the forces of evil grow more potent and deadlier than ever before.
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Storylines like “The Death of Superman,” “Knightfall,” and others have deeply ingrained themselves into comic book lore in large part because of the chilling villains who emerged to tear down the symbols of justice and heroism that had defined DC Comics. These are the most iconic evildoers who came to prominence in this decade.
10) Fatality
When Green Lantern Jon Stewart failed to save the planet Xanshi from destruction, one of its last survivors, Yrra Cynril, aka Fatality, swore revenge. Debuting in 1997, Fatality began a one-woman crusade to kill every Green Lantern using her enhanced strength and deadly weaponry. After many fights against the Green Lanterns, Fatality joined the Sinestro Corps, where she became one of their deadliest members. However, she would eventually find herself forcefully inducted into the Star Sapphire Corps, which purged the hate from her heart and transformed her into a hero. This redemption wouldn’t last long, though, as Fatality eventually freed herself from the Star Sapphire’s influence and resumed her quest for vengeance. Fatality is a complex villain who represents Jon Stewart’s greatest failure.
9) Black Flash
In 1998, the Flash had to race against death itself. The Black Flash is the grim reaper of speedsters, tasked with returning them to the Speed Force upon their deaths. Like a relentless predator, the Black Flash won’t stop until his targets are claimed. As a dark manifestation of the Speed Force, he’s unbelievably fast, and with a single touch can induce death. Whenever he appears, the Flash and other speedsters must push themselves to their limits to stay out of the Black Flash’s grasp. With his immortality, overwhelming speed, and lethal touch, the Black Flash is one of the Flash Family’s deadliest foes and the scourge of all Speed Force-users.
8) Livewire
Like Harley Quinn, Leslie Willis, aka Livewire, was originally created for the DC Animated Universe. Livewire first appeared in Superman: The Animated Series in 1997, before making her comic debut in the spinoff series Superman Adventures that same year. Formerly a radio host, Willis made a career out of bashing the Man of Steel. However, a freak accident caused her to be electrocuted and resulted in her developing electric powers. Blaming Superman for her accident, Livewire turned to a life of crime. Livewire can generate enough voltage to harm even Superman, and she can transform into a being of pure electricity. With her destructive electrical powers and origins as an agitator attacking others online to gain notoriety, Livewire is a dangerous villain whose relevance has only grown over time.
7) Prometheus
A twisted version of Batman, Prometheus was the son of two psychopathic criminals who killed numerous people until the police gunned them down. Swearing vengeance against all do-gooders, Prometheus spent his life studying and training across the world to become the deadliest man alive. Of all his dangerous gadgetry, his most indispensable is a helmet that can instantly analyze and predict his opponents’ next movements. During his first appearance in 1998, Prometheus used his genius intellect and deadly weaponry to single-handedly defeat every member of the Justice League by exploiting their weaknesses. Prometheus is also well-known for destroying Star City, cutting off the hero Arsenal’s arm, and killing his daughter, Lian. Even without any powers, Prometheus is a terrifying villain who hasn’t received the recognition he deserves.
6) King Shark
The son of a Hawaiian shark god, Nanaue, aka King Shark, is a cannibalistic serial killer who became an enemy of Superboy in 1994. As a humanoid shark, King Shark possesses incredible strength, durability, rows of razor-sharp teeth, and the ability to breathe underwater. Even though he’s often portrayed as having low intelligence, King Shark has still managed to build an underworld criminal empire and establish himself as a deadly foe of Aquaman and the Teen Titans. Often acting as the muscle for the government task force of incarcerated supervillains known as the Suicide Squad, King Shark has become one of the team’s most recurring and prominent members over the years.
5) Victor Zsasz
Easily one of the most disturbing villains in Batman’s rogues’ gallery, Victor Zsasz has been terrorizing Gotham since his introduction in 1992. Once a wealthy businessman who lost everything, Zsasz tried to take his own life but instead ended up killing a homeless man who attempted to rob him. This experience marked a cruel turning point in Zsasz’s life. Seeing the terror in the homeless man’s eyes as he died, Zsasz experienced a dark revelation – that life was meaningless. Zsasz thereafter began killing people to “free” them from their pointless lives. Even creepier, Zsasz ritually carves a small tally mark into his flesh with a knife for every life he claims. With tally marks all over his body, Zsasz has accumulated hundreds of victims over the years.
4) Cyborg Superman
When Superman died in battle against the villain Doomsday, the subsequent appearance of a cyborg which resembled the Man of Tomorrow made people believe that he had returned. However, the lookalike who emerged wasn’t Superman at all, but instead the supervillain Hank Henshaw, aka Cyborg Superman. Debuting in 1990, Henshaw and his astronaut crew were bombarded with cosmic radiation, killing most of them. Blaming Superman for the accident, Henshaw’s consciousness transferred into the pod that brought the Man of Steel to Earth. Using Superman’s DNA, Henshaw created a new body for himself and claimed to be the hero resurrected. To destroy Superman’s legacy, he annihilated Coast City. Even after the real Superman returned, Cyborg Superman has remained one of the hero’s most powerful and hateful enemies.
3) Parallax
After the destruction of Coast City in 1994, Hal Jordan’s desire for the power to restore his home drove him insane, leading him to slaughter the entire Green Lantern Corps as the villain known as Parallax. However, it would eventually be revealed that Parallax wasn’t just a name, but a living entity that had possessed Hal and corrupted him. Parallax is the living embodiment of fear. Imprisoned by the Guardians of the Universe thousands of years ago, Parallax escaped and, through Hal, had reigned with terror across the cosmos. Although Hal ultimately purged himself of Parallax, the eldritch entity survived and fuels the Yellow Rings of the Sinestro Corps. With his numerous atrocities, Parallax is one of the most powerful and impactful villains in Green Lantern lore.
2) Doomsday
1992’s “The Death of Superman,” in which a nightmarish monster murdered the Man of Tomorrow, is widely regarded as one of the most shocking storylines in DC history. Thousands of years ago on Krypton, scientists sought to develop the ultimate lifeform through rapid evolution. They were successful but had unintentionally programmed Doomsday to hate all life. Virtually a mindless and unstoppable killing machine, Doomsday ravaged dozens of worlds before landing on Earth. The battle between Superman and Doomsday shook the planet, with both dying in the conflict. However, every time Doomsday dies, he just comes back to life, forever immune to whatever killed him. An immortal monster driven only by hate, Doomsday is one of the most destructive villains in DC Comics.
1) Bane
In 1994’s iconic story “Knightfall,” readers watched in horror as the Caped Crusader was broken by his newest and deadliest adversary: Bane. Hailing from the country Santa Prisca, Bane was raised in a hellish prison for the crimes of his father. Bane broke out of prison, moved to Gotham, and within a year deduced Batman’s secret identity. In one of the most iconic panels in comic book history, Bane shattered Batman’s spine over his knee and left him for dead. Since then, through his genius intellect and strength-enhancing Venom drug, Bane has committed heinous crimes like taking over Gotham and murdering Alfred. One of the greatest villains of all time, Bane broke Batman’s body and mind in a way few others have managed to do either before or since.
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