10 DC Villains Who Became Justice Leaguers

The Justice League is DC Comics’ premier superhero team and has saved the universe from countless threats. As seen in the new Justice League Unlimited series, almost every superhero in DC Comics has joined the League at one time or another. Yet, superheroes aren’t the only people to join the Justice League. There have been numerous instances of notorious supervillains becoming members of the acclaimed superhero team. The circumstances that lead to these villains joining the League have included facing an apocalyptic threat, a genuine desire for redemption, or being forced into an uneasy alliance. These unexpected recruits have caused interesting team dynamics and made compelling storylines.

Most of these villains who joined the Justice League only did so for a minimal time before returning to their evil ways. Even in the short time these villains were members, they were instrumental in helping save the day from even worse threats. This list will also include characters who started as villains before becoming anti-heroes, because for many of them their time as members of the Justice League was instrumental in their transition to morally gray heroism.

10) Clock King

A C-list villain of Batman and Green Arrow, Billy Tockman, aka Clock King, is a supervillain who plans out his crimes down to the last second. Clock King and several other low-ranking villains formed a new Injustice League. When the Injustice League accidentally thwarted a terrorist attack, they tried to rebrand themselves as heroes. This team of C-List villains was then asked to join Justice League International and was accepted. However, they were made into a new branch, Justice League Antarctica, and sent to the frozen continent to get them out of the real League’s hair. Clock King and the rest of the team were then quickly defeated by genetically altered killer penguins. The Justice League of Antarctica quickly disbanded afterwards, ending Clock King’s brief flirtation with heroism.

9) Lobo

The notorious intergalactic alien bounty hunter Lobo is willing to fight and kill anyone if he is in the mood. His role as both a villain and an anti-hero has made him an enemy and ally of the Justice League. Lobo became an official member when Batman recruited him. Batman saved Lobo from the villain Maxwell Lord’s mind control powers. Grateful for the rescue, Lobo joined Batman’s new Justice League of America team as a favor. Lobo was still a destructive force of nature, but he surprisingly got along with his teammates, especially Atom. Of course, no team can keep the Main Man constrained for long, and Lobo went back to his chaotic bounty hunting lifestyle once he felt that his debt to Batman had been paid.

8) Killer Frost

The third villain to take on the Killer Frost identity, Caitlin Snow, suffered a lab accident that gave her cryokinetic abilities and a need to absorb the life force of others to live. After her arrest by Firestorm and brief time as a member of the Suicide Squad, Killer Frost was paroled and got a chance at redemption. Batman recruited Killer Frost to be a member of his new Justice League of America team, and the villain gladly took the opportunity to make up for her life of crime. She also joined Jon Kent’s version of the team and later the Justice League Unlimited. Although she can sometimes be manipulated back into villainy temporarily, Killer Frost is determined to leave her criminal life behind her for good.

7) Major Disaster

Paul Booker, aka Major Disaster, was a Green Lantern villain with the ability to cause chaos and natural disasters. Major Disaster began as a petty crook and member of the Injustice Gang but tried to redeem himself by joining the Justice League. Unfortunately, he and several other villains became members of Justice League Antarctica instead. However, after the team disbanded, Major Disaster got another chance to be a real hero as a member of the secret task force, Justice League Elite. But though he helped save the world multiple times, Major Disaster sadly fell back into his old criminal ways to support his daughter financially.

6) Harley Quinn

Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn, with her chaotic and violent personality, at first seems like an odd choice to join the Justice League. Starting as Joker’s girlfriend/henchwoman, Harley eventually ditched him when she finally realized how toxic he was to her. Since then, she’s been everything from an independent villain to an anti-hero seeking redemption. And, when the Justice League disappears and is presumed dead, she’s recruited into Jon Kent’s new Justice League. With the return of the original Justice League and the formation of the vast roster of Justice League Unlimited, Harley was among the numerous new members enlisted, showing just how far she’s moved on from her origin as Joker’s lackey.

5) Captain Cold

As a villain who lives by a strict moral code, the induction of the freeze-gun-wielding Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold, is arguably quite understandable. During the New 52, Captain Cold was one of many supervillains who teamed up with the League to thwart the invasion of the Crime Syndicate. As a sign of gratitude, the Justice League offered Captain Cold a spot on the team, which he accepted. Although Captain Cold seemed genuinely willing to reform, DC’s Rebirth reboot saw the ice-based villain return to his criminal ways as the leader of the Rogues and as Flash’s mortal enemy.

4) Black Adam

The first champion of the wizard Shazam, Teth Adam, aka Black Adam, used his godlike powers for selfish ends, leading to his imprisonment for thousands of years. After breaking free in the modern day, Black Adam took over the county of Khandaq, where he became a benevolent monarch. Still, he’s acted as a ruthless anti-villain, willing to kill anyone whose death he believes will aid the people of Khandaq. To prove his desire to be a better person, Black Adam joined the Justice League. Although Black Adam still retains a propensity for lethal force, he was instrumental in defeating the Dark Army during the events of Dark Crisis, as he shared his godly abilities with the rest of the League to boost their power.

3) Catwoman

Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, began as a villain before gradually becoming a more nuanced character who would fight for good or evil. Amanda Waller recruited the notorious cat burglar to serve on a government-sanctioned Justice League of America team. Along with the rest of the team, Catwoman helped protect American interests from various supervillains such as Black Adam and Shadow Thief. Of course, it would eventually be revealed that Waller created this team as a countermeasure to original Justice League, and possibly destroy them, if they ever went rogue. Obviously in Waller’s scheme, Catwoman was recruited to be the counterpart to Batman. When the team disbanded following the invasion of the Crime Syndicate, Catwoman went back to her life as a loner.

2) Maxwell Lord

Unlike other villains on this list, Maxwell Lord initially presented himself as an ally and member of the Justice League until his true colors were revealed. Lord was a wealthy businessman and entrepreneur who founded and led the Justice League International for several years. However, it would eventually be revealed that Lord had mind control powers and was simultaneously the leader of Checkmate, a secret organization created to monitor metahuman activity. Lord went one step further with his mission, as he wanted to kill all superpowered beings on the planet. After murdering Blue Beetle, Lord was exposed as a villain by Booster Gold and was subsequently murdered by Wonder Woman. Lord transformed from appearing as the Justice League’s greatest supporter to being revealed as their deadliest enemy.

1) Lex Luthor

The archenemy of Superman, Lex Luthor, is one of the last people you would expect to join the Justice League. Yet, when the Crime Syndicate attacked Earth, it was Luthor who rallied both heroes and villains against the invaders. The Justice League then recruited Luthor into their ranks. Luthor helped the League during the “Amazo Virus” and “Darkseid War” storylines. After the death of the New 52 Superman, Luthor donned a new suit of armor and declared himself to be the new Man of Steel. This didn’t last long, though. When the Pre-Flashpoint Superman returned, Luthor again felt overshadowed by the original hero. Luthor then abandoned his heroic persona and Justice League membership and returned to his conniving ways, believing that being a hero was a meaningless endeavor.

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