6 More DC Heroes Who Should Be Villains

Once upon a time, DC Comics had an ad campaign calling themselves “the original universe” and it was honestly pretty clever. It’s easy to forget that DC was where the superhero started. They’ve quietly been redefining what it means to be a hero over the decades with their tremendous stories. Their characters have gotten more fleshed out and complex, and this has led things in some rather interesting directions. Some heroes have had shades of grey added to them – or in some cases started as villains – which would make a fall to the darkness an intriguing possibility. Some heroes have gotten to a point where a villain arc could do wonders for them and the DC Multiverse.

There are heroes that just make more sense as villains, even some of the greatest in the oldest superhero universe. Sometimes, it’s a good step to take with hero, keeping them from getting stale and taking readers on new journeys. These seven DC heroes would smash it as villains, bringing a new aspect to their characters that would be sensational.

6) Damian Wayne

Damian Wayne is the current Robin, and one of the best to put on the costume. He’s the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and has been trying to live up to his father’s example since he was young. However, the other part of his family has a legacy of its own. He’s the grandson of the Demon’s Head, the heir to a power that shook the world from the shadows. An evil Damian story could shake the character out of the funk he’s in. He’s one of the most skilled vigilante sin the DC Multiverse, trained both by the best of the League of Assassins and the Bat-Family. Making him into a villain would change the dynamic of Gotham City and bring in an interesting generational conflict.

5) Red Hood

Jason Todd is the Bat-Family’s black sheep. He was the mouthy, angry Robin and fans decided to kill him off in an infamous telephone poll. When he returned in the 21st century, he was brought back as a villain and it was honestly the best the character had ever been. Making him Batman’s greatest failure and how he dealt with becoming something more as a bad guy was way cooler than his future return to the side of angels. Now, he’s just a more violent vigilante with a lot of angst and he’s long since progressed past boring. As a villain, he has righteous anger and something to prove, which is more than he has as a hero.

4) Huntress

Helena Bertinelli was a mob boss’s daughter when her family was targeted for a hit. She survived and swore vengeance, becoming Gotham’s most violent protector. However, from the start, she clashed with just about everyone. She was pretty often antagonistic with her fellow vigiliantes and Batman did not like her or trust her. Her being driven from the Bat-Family by their treatment and embracing the legacy of the Bertinellis would be a much better place for her than the weird limbo she’s in when she’s not a member of the Birds of Prey. In fact, just make her a BoP villain and the problem is solved.

3) Lobo

Lobo was meant to be a mockery of Wolverine and other anti-heroes, and he became a minor superstar in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The Main Man was a lot of things, but heroic was never one of them. He usually just ended up fighting on the right side most of the time, but is also known for his clashes against Superman and other hroes. He’s honestly more interesting as a villain. His brutality and power makes him more than a match for most, and it’s more fun for him to be a rampaging monster, stopping only for his beloved space dolphins, than for him to be a rather rote anti-hero.

2) Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing is the avatar of the Green and one of the most powerful beings on Earth. He has complete control over all plant life, and has been able to trounce Superman all on his own. He’s the ultimate protector of the planet, but what if he decided that all of the problems stemmed from the hairless apes everywhere? Imagine Swamp Thing with the attitude of Poison Ivy at her worst, out to destroy humanity for their crimes against nature. He’s so powerful and hard to deal with that he would make an amazing villain, testing the heroes to their breaking point and beyond.

1) The Spectre

The Spectre is the Justice Society’s most powerful member. He’s the Spirit of Vengeance, empowered by the Presence to punish all evildoers, and is one of the most formidable beings in the multiverse. His power levels are beyond that of gods; he can bend reality with a whim, is as strong as he needs to be, nigh-indestructible, and has access to any energy he needs. The Spectre usually needs a host; when it’s on its own, it’s more susceptible to going on rampages of punishment. The Spectre makes an excellent villain, and it would be cool to lean into that aspect of the character, making him the ultimate boogeyman for the DC Multiverse.

What DC heroes do you think should be villains? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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