Let’s not mince words: DC Comics has the greatest villains ever. Over the decades, all of the most popular villains and villain ideas came from DC. Their A-list villains are some of the most well-known and influential in comic history, with bad guys like Lex Luthor, the Joker, Bane, General Zod, Cheetah, Sinestro, and more all setting the table for every comic villain that has come after them. However, the A-list villains aren’t the only ones that deserve praise. The DC Multiverse is a place with length and breadth that other superhero universes can only dream of, and this has led to the creation of some of the most amazing villains ever.
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DC has always had a very deep bench, and some of their best villains have been B-listers. These are the villains that comic readers know and love; every time they show up, fans know they’re going to get a good story. They may not be all-powerful or have personal grudges against their heroic foes, but they have it where it counts. These are the ten best B-list DC villains, antagonists that have fueled decades of great stories.
10) Bizarro
Bizarro is a well-known character with decades of stories under his belt. He’s the perfect opposite of Superman, and he’s a favorite of many Man of Steel fans. Bizarro can be very dangerous — he has all of the same powers of the Big Blue Boy Scout — but he’s usually portrayed as more of a joke character, a character who is sort of pathetic in a lot of ways. This is what has kept him from the A-list; his stories usually have a humorous edge or play into how sad his existence is, and his lesser threat has kept him under the radar. However, he’s still a great character to read about, and this has kept him just popular enough.
9) Prometheus
The Justice League has some underrated villains, and one of the best, and biggest missed opportunities in DC history, is Prometheus. The villain debuted in Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s JLA. He’s basically an evil Batman; his parents were criminals killed by cops in a cross-country crime spree, and he devoted his life to destroying justice as a concept. He’s battled the Justice League and Batman, but the only creator who used the character correctly was Morrison (and, yes, James Robinson; Cry for Justice is hated, but it got the character right). This has held him back from joining the A-list, and that’s a tragedy. Seriously go and red New Years Evil: Prometheus #1, JLA #16-17, and “World War III” and tell me you don’t want more of that character.
8) Doctor Psycho
Wonder Woman’s villain aren’t exactly well-known, and an argument can be made that none of them are A-listers, not even Ares or Cheetah. That doesn’t mean she has bad villains, though; they just aren’t as popular. Doctor Psycho is a villain who isn’t the most popular, but still one who is a treat every time he shows up. The diminutive telepath hates Diana (and women in general) and has done everything he can to destroy her. Doctor Psycho is one of those villains who have appeared in every era of Wonder Woman (although the current version isn’t the same as the original Golden Age one), but never really gets the big pushes. However, he’s still a powerful, entertaining villain that deserves to show up more.
7) Krona
Krona is one of the most important villains to DC history that many fans have never heard of. Krona was a Maltusian, the species that would become the Oans, and wanted to discover the truth of the creation of the universe, creating machines to allowed him to look back in time, something that as forbidden to the Maltusians. He witnessed the Hand that made the universe, an event that played a huge role in the creation of the multiverse, and was nearly destroyed. While he’s mostly a Green Lantern villain to this day, he played a huge role in the brilliant Crisis on Infinite Earths, and when ever there’s any multiversal shenanigans, he’s talked about. He’s also a grave threat to basically any hero, making him a great total package of villainy.
6) Mordru
Mordru started his existence as a Legion of Superheroes foe. He was always trying to take control of all the magic of the future, battling the massive team numerous times over the decades and challenging them in ways that solo villains were rarely able to. It was eventually revealed that he was a Lord of Chaos, and that he had been alive for countless millennia, explaining why he was always so powerful and able to come back from any defeat. In JSA, readers were introduced to the present day version of the villain, and it made him better than ever. Mordru played a massive role in the first 50 issues of JSA, and could easily be moved up to the A-list at any time.
5) Johnny Sorrow
Johnny Sorrow is another villain that came from JSA, and he is easily one of DC’s best kept secrets. Johnny Sorrow was a thief in the Golden Age armed with a machine that allowed him to phase through matter. However, a battle with the Justice Society saw the machine malfunction and throw him into the Subtle Realms, where he became a servant of the King of Tears and his Lovecraftian ilk. He was given the power of intangibility and to be able to kill anyone who sees him without his mask, as well as enhanced physical capabilities and some other magic based powers that come and go. Since then, every story he’s been in has been top-notch (yes, even Justice League vs. Suicide Squad), he just doesn’t have the recognition that he should. However, he’s always been one of the best villains out there, and has become a legendary JSA foe.
4) Blockbuster II
The first Blockbuster was a super strong brute without a lot of brain power who would battle Batman occasionally. He joined the Secret Society of Supervillains before dying of a heart attack caused by his powers. The next Blockbuster was the original’s brother, and was both super strong and intelligent, which allowed him to become the ruler of Bludhaven’s underworld. He’s become Nightwing’s main enemy, and he’s a near-flawless villain. He’s basically the Kingpin with superpowers, which is just as cool as it sounds. He’s a big threat to any street-level hero out there, and has become rather popular among fans of Nightwing’s solo books.
3) Parasite
Superman faces some deadly villains, and one of the best and most underrated has always been the Parasite. Parasite’s abilities to leach energy from any superpowered person around him makes him an extremely dangerous foe. The longer the fight takes, the more powerful he can get, and this led to some pretty amazing battles against Superman and other heroes. Parasite is a great villain, but he’s not one that is terribly complicated, which has held him back. He’s better as a cannon fodder villain than he is a mastermind, or someone being manipulated by another villain. This has kept him in the B-list, but that doesn’t change how awesome a villain he really is.
2) Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is one of those villains that can jump back and forth between the A and B-lists, although he’s mostly a B-lister. The immortal caveman has been imposing his will upon the peoples of the world for millennia, and the villain has built up a power base that makes him ridiculously dangerous. Savage can work against just about any hero out there, and has been able to challenge both the Justice League and the Justice Society. He’s the kind of villain that can be brought into just about any kind of DC story and thrive, making him into one of the coolest villains in comics.
1) Captain Cold
Captain Cold is the king of the gimmick villains. Len Snart got his hands on a cold gun and became the master of absolute zero, using his gun and his smarts to battle the fastest man alive, the Flash. He’s battled both Barry Allen and Wally West to a standstill, and is the leader of the Rogues, the greatest supervillain team in comics. He’s a surprisingly deep character with an amazing personality, and is a joy to read every time he’s on the page. On top of that, he has one of the coolest costumes ever. He’s a character that is easy to look down on — everything about him screams lame Silver Age villain — but he’s been able to transcend all of that and become a legend.
What are your favorite B-list DC villains? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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