DC Comics gave comic readers the first superheros and supervillains, and has played a huge role in making those types of characters better. DC villains were once simple bad guys with colorful gimmicks, but as the DC Multiverse became more complex, the villains grew as well. DC has created some of the most popular villains of all time, and the best of them have grown in ways that no one would have expected when they first read about them back in the Golden and Silver Ages of comics. DC villains perfectly fit the DC Multiverse, and have defined the world of multiple heroes. However, the best DC villains could fit in any superhero universe.
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There are some DC villains that would be amazing in the Marvel Universe. In fact, looking at who they are, they would honestly be much better. These ten DC villains would make a huge splash in the Marvel Universe, becoming superior to every other villain out there.
10) Mister Freeze
Once upon a time, Mister Freeze was a lame Batman gimmick villain. However, all of that changed when Mister Freeze premiered in Batman: The Animated Series. Mister Freeze became a tragic villain, a man who would do anything to save the woman he loved. This was the perfect twist and it would make him a great Marvel villain. Marvel is full of more sympathetic villains, and Freeze would become something more special in the Marvel Universe. Freeze’s sympathetic tendencies would work much better in the more grey Marvel Universe, and would allow him to become a more well-rounded character.
9) Doctor Psycho
Doctor Psycho is a Wonder Woman villain, his telepathic powers making him a match for her physical might. Telepathy isn’t exactly a common power in the DC Multiverse, and Doctor Psycho can play havoc with nearly every hero and hero team out there. However, in the Marvel Universe, Doctor Psycho’s threat would fit in much better. Marvel has many broken superpowers, and telepathy is one of them. Doctor Psycho would become a much more formidable villain in a world where telepathy is as mastered as it is in the Marvel Universe, and would have even more enemies to face. Imagine the misogynistic Psycho up against Jean Grey, Emma Frost, or Psylocke. It would be perfect.
8) Ares
Ares is Wonder Woman’s most well-known villain, which isn’t really saying much because of how underutilized her foes are. As the God of War, Ares is a challenging villain for nearly every hero out there, but would be doubly useful in the Marvel Universe. Marvel has dipped more into human mythology than DC has, so Ares fits better there. Ares would be a perfect foil for Thor and Hercules, and would even be a cool challenge for characters like Wolverine, Captain America, Cable, the Winter Solider, and the other characters who came to prominence because of war. Ares would become a major villain the Marvel Universe in the way he isn’t in the DC Multiverse. Plus, he could battle the heroic Ares to see who is the greater war god.
7) Doomsday
“The Death of Superman” is an iconic tale, and introduced readers to one of the most dangerous villains in comics: Doomsday. Doomsday is an engine of destruction, one that is feared throughout the DC Multiverse, despite there being numerous heroes and villains who can beat him. However, Doomsday becomes infinitely more dangerous in the Marvel Universe. The power levels are much lower in the Marvel Universe, making Doomsday an even bigger threat than he is at DC. Doomsday and the Hulk is just one of the many great fights readers can get from Doomsday in the Marvel Universe, and seeing how Marvel’s weaker heroes deal with Doomsday would lead to some great stories.
6) Amazo
Amazo has the power to copy the powers of any superhuman it meets, making it one of the coolest cannon fodder villains out there. Amazos usually become equipped with the powers of the Justice League, but this would obviously be different in the Marvel Universe. Amazo against the Avengers would be awesome, watching the team try to figure out how to defeat an enemy with all of their powers Just imagine if Ultron got his hands on Amazo tech. Amazos really shine when they face off against weaker heroes, as they have to figure out a way to beat an enemy with the greatest powers on Earth. Amazo is the kind of villain who works as a major antagonist as a story arc, but also one who can be a cool mid-level enemy.
5) Deathstroke
Deathstroke is the Titans’ greatest villain, and has earned his reputation as the most dangerous mercenary in the DC Multiverse. Both Marvel and DC have great mercenaries, and Deathstroke would be especially good in the Marvel Universe.There’s so much more competition for him. Imagine Deathstroke against heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, Daredevil, Wolverine, or Deadpool are the kind of match-ups that fans would drool over. Imagine a rivalry between Deathstroke and Taskmaster. Deathstroke would be even more formidable among the weaker heroes of the Marvel Universe, and would be challenged by the more powerful heroes in new ways.
4) Clayface
Clayface is a villain with a lot of potential as a character, and that potential isn’t always met by his position as a midlevel Batman villain. However, drop him in Marvel’s New York City, and you suddenly have something new. Clayface would fit wonderfully with heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil, and his shapechanging powers would make him a challenge for even more powerful heroes. Clayface wouldn’t just be fighting one powerless vigilante and his adopted kids, but multiple heroes with different powers and skills, challenging him in new ways and allowing him to grow as a villain to levels that he just can’t as yet another Batman villain.
3) The Joker
The Joker is an overrated villain, but that would change in the Marvel Universe. The Joker is living chaos, and that would fit well with a variety of Marvel heroes. The Joker’s nihilism fits better in the kind of world that Marvel exists in. One of the things about DC is that the Earth seems like less of a place where someone like the Joker would thrive. However, the Marvel Universe, in many ways, is defined by hatred (look at the way everyone treats mutants or how the heroes all hate each other or the way the villains just can’t work together) and that’s the kind of place that the Joker can thrive in better.
2) Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is the perfect unhinged genius, and he would find so much to hate about the Marvel Universe. He would hate Reed Richards and Tony Stark. Mutants would fill him with revulsion. Captain America would be someone to manipulatefor him and the Avengers would be a team that he would try to control. Doctor Doom and Lex would make amazing frenemies, working together until it was time to grab for power. Lex would thrive in the Marvel Universe, because he’s made for an environment where conflict is so easy to start. Lex would pull the strings of the heroes in the most fun ways, and would recreate the villain community in his terrible image.
1) Darkseid
Darkseid is the God of Evil, and was created by Silver Age Marvel architect Jack Kirby. Darkseid would fit perfectly into the Marvel Universe, his desire for control finding many outlets. Darkseid would occupy much the same place he does in the DC Multiverse, but with Marvel’s greater stable of cosmic characters would have way more challenges to face. Darkseid’s power level eclipses basically every major Marvel character, which would make him a nearly unstoppable force. On top of that, there are multiple items in the Marvel Universe that he would target to make his dream of universal control a reality. Darkseid would change the Marvel Universe forever, and become the greatest villain ever (yes, better than Thanos; Thanos wishes he was on Darkseid’s level).
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