10 DC Supervillains Who Defined the 2010s

During the 2010s, DC Comics was in a perpetual state of reboots and rewrites that continuously revamped the DC Multiverse. First, in 2011, was the highly controversial reboot, the New 52, which made the DC Universe and its characters darker. After much backlash over the changes, DC tried to rectify the situation with Rebirth in 2016, which sought to combine the best parts of the old and new versions of DC Comics while also focusing on more hopeful themes. These reboots produced some truly terrifying villains. As the DC Multiverse was repeatedly torn apart and rebuilt, monstrous evildoers emerged from twisted worlds to spread their dark influence.

During the 2010s, the DC Universe found itself more vulnerable than ever to multiversal invasion, as dark and twisted doppelgängers from parallel Earths sought to expand their empires. It also saw the debut of the Dark Multiverse, a hellish place from which the most nightmarish of abominations arise. Additionally, this decade revealed new depths of evil that had taken hold of the cities that heroes have sworn to protect.

10) Volthoom

Debuting in 2012, Volthoom hails from Earth-15 and is the first being in the multiverse to wield a Power Ring. Volthoom discovered the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum, the source of power for every Lantern Corps. When his world died, he traversed all of time and space to find a way to restore his lost homeworld. Upon travelling 10 billion years into the past of DC’s main universe, Volthoom worked with the Guardians of the Universe to forge the first Power Ring, which Volthoom tried to wield to restore his world and protect the multiverse. Unfortunately, the entirety of the Spectrum proved to be too much for Volthoom, and he became a genocidal maniac. Volthoom became so dangerous that the Guardians created the first Green Lanterns to defeat him.

9) Marionette

Introduced in 2018, Erika Manson, aka Marionette, is a supervillain from the Watchmen Universe alongside her mute, invisible gun-wielding husband, Marcos Maez, aka Mime. Erika was the daughter of the owner of a puppet store who was being extorted by the police. After her father committed suicide, the young Erika and her friend Marcos killed the corrupt cops and together began a life of crime. As Marionette, her trademark weapons are flesh-slicing strings. When nuclear Armageddon threatens their world, Marionette and Mime are recruited by the villain Ozymandias to help him find Doctor Manhattan so that he could save their world. A tragic and complex villain, Marionette is a welcome addition to the Watchmen Universe.

8) Upside-Down Man

Crawling out from the Dark Multiverse in 2018, the Upside-Down Man is a frightening member of the Otherkin, a race of all-powerful Lovecraftian monsters who represent the dark possibilities of magic. When magic was first created and burned bright across the multiverse, the Upside-Down Man was formed from the shadows it cast. The Goddess of Magic Hecate banished this nightmarish creature to the Dark Multiverse for eons, but he eventually managed to escape. Upon reentering the positive multiverse, the Upside-Down Man set his sights on consuming all magic and plunging creation into darkness. A master of dark magic, the Upside-Down Man commands legions of monsters, turned Swamp Thing into ash, and killed John Constantine.

7) Grid

Longtime Teen Titan and Justice Leaguer Cyborg has always feared that his technology would strip away his humanity, and Grid is that fear come to life. Debuting in 2013, Grid originated as an artificially designed virus housed in Cyborg’s systems and employed to study every superhuman on Earth. However, Grid became sentient. Self-aware, he sought to experience freedom and emotion himself. He turned on Cyborg and was able to gain control of the hero’s cybernetic parts and tore himself free. With a new body, Grid joined the evil version of the Justice League from Earth-3 known as the Crime Syndicate and aided in their invasion of the main DC Universe. With all of Cyborg’s abilities but none of his empathy or morality, Grid is a cunning and powerful villain.

6) First Born

During the New 52 era, Wonder Woman was rewritten as the daughter of Zeus, and in 2011, she was introduced to her terrifying half-brother, First Born. The eldest child of Zeus and Hera, the First Born was cast from Olympus to prevent him from one day usurping his father. The First Born was raised by hyenas and became a bloodthirsty god. When this feral god tried to invade Olympus, Poseidon buried him underground for thousands of years. After breaking free in the modern day, the First Born swore to kill every god and their children. The First Born especially hates Wonder Woman because of Zeus’s love for her. Although DC has since retconned Zeus being Wonder Woman’s father, the First Born is still a savage and powerful villain.

5) Atomica

When Rhonda Pineda made her debut in 2013, she became the fourth person to assume the Atom mantle. And although Rhonda was torn between her loyalties to the Justice League and Justice League of America, she still seemed to be a well-meaning hero. That, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. Rhonda’s real moniker is Atomica, a sadistic villain hailing from Earth-3 who was working as a double agent to pave the way for the Crime Syndicate’s invasion of the main DC Universe. Her boyfriend is the villain Johnny Quick and the pair were notorious serial killers even before they gained their abilities. A psychopath who enjoys tearing her victims apart from the inside out, Atomica’s reveal was one of the biggest twists in recent DC Comics history.

4) Grail

Introduced in 2015, Grail is the cruel daughter of Darkseid and the Amazon assassin Myrina. Myrina raised Grail to kill Darkseid and be a force for good. Unfortunately, while Grail does desire Darkseid’s demise, she is inherently evil and a sadistic villain who wants to spread death and destruction. During the Darkseid War, Grail successfully pulled off a plan with the aid of the Anti-Monitor to kill Darkseid. Grail then resurrected her father as a mindless servant to her will. A vicious fighter who combines New God and Amazon physiology, Grail nearly murdered the entire Justice League. Even though Grail has, as of now, become Darkseid’s servant, she is still one of the smartest and deadliest villains Wonder Woman and the Justice League have ever faced.

3) Godspeed

When August Heart first appeared in 2017, he was a noble detective and friend of Barry Allen. That all changed, however, when his brother, Jorge, was murdered and August was struck by lightning from a Speed Force storm. With access to the Speed Force, August became the relentless vigilante and serial killer known as Godspeed. Determined to become Central City’s greatest protector, Godspeed began killing innocent speedsters so that he could drain their energy and become even stronger. Godspeed also regularly murders criminals and is on a quest to discover the identity of Jorge’s killer. Godspeed’s corrupt sense of morality and desire for vengeance have turned him from one of Barry’s closest friends to one of his deadliest enemies.

2) Court of Owls

In 2011, DC Comics introduced the ultimate obstruction to Batman’s mission to create a better Gotham: the Court of Owls. For hundreds of years, this secret society, made up of Gotham’s wealthiest families, has controlled the city behind the scenes. If anyone, including Batman, compromises their plans for Gotham, they unleash their legions of highly trained undead assassins called Talons to preserve their power. The Court’s exact numbers and membership are shrouded in mystery, making them an ever-present and elusive adversary to the Dark Knight. Gotham has always been a cesspool of corruption and crime, and the Court of Owls are the all-knowing puppet-masters ensuring that it remains so.

1) Batman Who Laughs

The Batman Who Laughs is the horrific amalgamation of the Dark Knight and the Joker. Debuting in 2017 as a resident of Earth -22 and the Dark Multiverse, this version of the Caped Crusader was infected by the Joker with a maddening nanotoxin. Driven insane, the Batman Who Laughs became the leader of the Dark Knights and invaded the positive multiverse. When the Dark Knights fell, the Batman Who Laughs continued working from the shadows, manipulating the Legion of Doom and the goddess Perpetua into helping him conquer the multiverse. His power grew further when he obtained godhood and transformed into the omnipotent Darkest Knight. A nightmarish madman born from the darkness, the Batman Who Laughs is the ultimate antithesis of hope.

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