5 DC Villain Rip-Offs Who Became Beloved Characters In Their Own Right

DC Comics has created some of the greatest villains of all time. It’s a throughline that unites every decade of the publisher; there have always been amazing villains created by DC. Over the years, many of these villains have become massively popular, their ideas echoing through the decades in ways that no one anticipated. Like many art-based industries, comics are built on the “borrowing” of ideas; Superman, the first superhero, was a pastiche of ideas from numerous sources. These all-time great DC villains became the blueprints for other characters, leading to some characters that were blatant rip-offs. However, there are some times when these rip-offs create best of all-time characters.

There have been numerous times over the years that creators have looked at a DC villain and decided that they could create something special with it. These new characters take many of the ideas from their progenitors, and find new ways to use them, creating characters that have stood the test of time. These five characters are all rip-offs of DC villains, and each of them has become beloved in the minds of fans.

5) Doctor Doom

Doctor Doom is Marvel’s most complex villain, but that doesn’t mean he’s original. If you look very closely at the character, you can easily figure out what DC villain he’s a rip-off of: Lex Luthor. Both of them are powerful mad scientist types who have a burning hatred for their arch-enemies. Both are grandiose and somewhat charming. Both of them like the color green. While there are subtle differences between the characters and some interplay — Lex going from a criminal to a wealthy industrialist feels like a reaction to how much better being a leader made Doom — it’s plain to see how related they are. Even with all of that, Doctor Doom has become one of the most popular villains in comics, and may actually be more beloved than Lex Luthor.

4) Deadpool

This is one of the most well-known instances of a DC villain being ripped off, and also one of the most interesting. Deathstroke the Terminator became massively popular in the early ’80s, and would inspire Deadpool. Looking back on the Merc with a Mouth’s old days, he was honestly more similar to Slade Wilson than he’s become. Back then, Wade Wilson wasn’t the fourth-wall breaking jokester he is today, but a mouthy mercenary villain that shared more in common with the Teen Titan’s greatest enemy. However, all of that changed over the years; Deadpool has morphed into a completely different character, and it’s paid off for him, who has become more interesting than ever thanks to this change.

3) Thanos

Thanos was created in the Darkseid mold, although changes were made to the character as the years went on. Going back and looking at the original costume design for the Mad Titan shows how much of a blatant rip-off the villain was at first. They had nearly identical costumes, with the Marvel villain going with the bare arms and legs look that has been a staple of Darkseid’s costume (although Mistress Death’s least favorite booty call couldn’t rock the thigh high boots) for years. There was even the fact that both of them are looking for all-powerful McGuffins. Thanos has changed a lot over the years, but that Darkseid DNA is impossible not to spot.

2) The Hulk

The Hulk is the strongest one there is, but he’s definitely not the most original one there is. The massive rage monster used loads of ideas from numerous sources, and there was a DC villain who seemingly served as an inspiration for the Jade Giant: Solomon Grundy. While their origins are completely different — one is an undead monster from Slaughter Swamp and the other was created by science (of course, the Hulk’s origin has changed so that it’s not really just science any more, but the One Below All and the Marvel monster is technically undead, so they’re closer than they were in a weird way) — and they’re morally opposed, both of them are monosyllabic monsters known for their boundless rage and amazing strength, as well as having non-traditional skin tones. Grundy doesn’t seem like a major inspiration for the Hulk, but it’s definitely there.

1) Green Goblin

Green Goblin is a legendary villain, and it’s hard to realize that he’s actually a rip-off character. However, Norman Osborn’s evil alter ego is obviously based on the most popular supervillain of them all — the Joker. Both of them are monstrous psychopaths. Both of them are known for their maniacal glee, with their trademark toothy grins. Finally, both of them love green and purple. While there are certainly differences, once you start seeing the similarities between the two characters, it’s basically impossible to miss them. Green Goblin owes everything that makes him great to the Joker, and proves that imitation can be the sincerest form of flattery.

What are you favorite characters who are rip-offs of DC villains? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

10 DC Villains As Popular As The Heroes