7 Greatest Liars in DC Comics, Ranked (& Batman Beats The Joker)

DC Comics is full of the purest heroes and the most dastardly villains. You would imagine that those two categories would have very little in common, but they actually do. See, it doesn’t matter what side of the moral divide that the heroes and villains of the DC Multiverse are on because lies unite all of them. Lies are one of the most surprising building blocks of DC’s superheroes and supervillains. It all starts with secret identities, as the heroes are constantly lying to people around them for their own protection. It goes on from there, as heroes and villain alike both keep secrets from their fellows. Lies unite everyone in the DC Multiverse under the same roof.

Nearly every hero and villain have lied, even Superman and Wonder Woman, but there are levels to it. Some heroes and villains are bigger liars than others, able to pull the wool over the eyes of everyone they come across. These are the seven greatest liars in DC Comics, their falsehoods on another level from those of others.

7) Green Arrow

Green Arrow is one of the greatest vigilantes on Earth, and has proven to be an amazing hero. He’s saved Star City and Seattle numerous times, been a member of the Justice League in good-standing, and is widely respected by many heroes, but he’s also a liar. For one thing, he was one of the main secret keepers of the Justice League mindwipes from Identity Crisis. He’s also lied to Black Canary many times, even cheating on her. His greatest lie was revealed in the classic Green Arrow tale “The Archer’s Quest”, where we learned that he had known about his son Connor since he was born, even though he claimed not to. His lies aren’t innocent, and the fact he can keep such terrible secrets tells you everything you need to know about his relationship to the truth.

6) Glorious Godfrey

Darkseid is DC’s greatest villain, but he’s far from alone. He’s the lord of the planet Apokolips, with armies of Parademons at his disposal. On top of that, there are his elites, the leaders of the various parts of his government. Glorious Godfrey is basically the propagandist for Darkseid, telling any lie that the lord of Apokolips needs him to. He’s often been sent to Earth, his lies and manipulative skill allowing him to convince anyone of anything he wants, making them more pliable for his dark master’s plans. Lies are basically his bread and butter, and there are few better.

5) Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller is one of DC’s great villains. The head of Task Force X, she’s been lying to the members of the Suicide Squad, and basically anyone who she speaks to, for years. Waller is a government employee, and has grown up in an environment where lying is basically breathing. She’s all about making sure that she knows more than everyone else, and no one else knows what she’s up to. All of her plans, like her last big attack on the superheroes in Absolute Power, have revolved around her ability to lie, keeping everyone guessing what she’s going to do next.

4) Ra’s al Ghul

Ra’s al Ghul is one of Batman’s greatest enemies, and lies have been a huge part of what he does for centuries. He’s kept the secret of the Lazarus Pits for ages, misleading anyone who tries to find them. He’s been manipulating people for his entire existence, all in an attempt to gain as much power as possible. He’s lied to the Dark Knight, his daughter Talia, and his grandson Damian, people who claims to respect and love. Secrets have been a huge part of the thing that keeps him alive, and has no problem lying to keep his power.

3) The Joker

The Joker is the most deadly villain in Gotham City, and lies are just one of the weapons he’s used over the years. He’s lied about his origin many times, to the point that even when readers get an origin story for him, they don’t believe it. He’s lied to every criminal who’s worked in his gang, and every supervillain he’s worked with. The Joker’s attitude towards the truth is basically multiple choice; it’s whatever he needs it to be in the moment.

2) Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor is DC’s most unhinged genius, and has been lying for as long as he’s been around. It started in childhood, when he lied to his abusive alcoholic father to protect himself and his sister from beatings, but it would get far less altruistic in the years to come. His rise to power was built on lies, and he’s been lying to the people of the world for ages, painting himself as a great, moral man who was always trying to make the world a better place for everyone. He’s lied to his fellow villains, tricking them into teaming up with him and then betraying them. He’s lied to the heroes almost constantly, which makes trusting him when he’s in one of his more heroic phases difficult. Lex’s middle name might as well be “liar”. It would fit the alliteration at least.

1) Batman

Batman is one of the greatest heroes around, and he’s also the greatest liar. Sure, his lies aren’t as inherently destructive to the world like some villains’ lies, but they have done immeasurable damage to the superhero community. He’s one of the leaders of the heroes, and yet most of them know that he’s going to lie to them about something. He’s constantly keeping secrets and lying about it, and sometimes his lies have been the kind of thing that almost cost the heroes their lives. It’s hard to trust Batman, because there’s always some dangerous lie he’s told that has yet to be revealed.

What are the biggest lies told by DC characters? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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