DC Comicshas stood out as one of the best comic book publishers since the 1930s, thanks to its stable of iconic characters like Batman, Superman, Joker and Lex Luthor. While the company is best-known for its superheroes, its villains are every bit as loved by readers. Ranging from their flashy designs to interesting gadgets, the best villains are made great through their origin stories – and some certainly stand out above others.
DC’s villains rival those of Marvel Comics in no small part thanks to the complexities and often tragedy of their origins. While some backstories of these foes can be relatable, the villains work best when they maintain a healthy balance between being understandable yet irredeemable. The makings of a great villain origin story can be broad, but the best ones include emotion, a deep relationship to the heroes and
10Eclipso
Origin story told in Eclipso: The Darkness Within
The DCU is home to many supernatural beings, including the Spectre, the universe’s Spirit of Vengeance. Before his creation, however, that post was filled by the villain known as Eclipso. Created by God to deliver his wrath to the wicked, the entity was imprisoned within the Black Diamond when his methods were deemed too brutal. With his vessel shattered into tiny shards and scattered around the Earth, the villain’s power was greatly diminished, though he can possess anyone who comes into contact with a piece.
Having Eclipso share an origin story with one of DC’s most powerful beings only serves to remind the readers of his sheer power and the danger he poses to the JLA. Driven by a need for revenge against God and the Spectre, the supernatural villain stands out as one of the most dangerous foes in the DCU.
9The Brain
Origin told inDoom Patrol#86
As arguably the mosticonic villain of the Doom Patrol, the Brain fits the weirdness of the series to a tee, thanks to his design as a visible brain stored inside a robotic outer shell. In a tragic twist, he also fits the team’s origin story formula, as one of several meta humans created by the experimentation of Niles Caulder. After being left for dead in an explosion caused by a group of criminals, the former associate of the Chief was placed inside the jar he now calls home. Angered and despondent by the Chief’s decision, he declared revenge on his old colleague.
The Brain sharing an origin with his enemies, the Doom Patrol, makes for an excellent duality to the series, exploring how Caulder’s ruthless ambition is responsible for the whole conflict. It also adds a layer of tragedy to the villain’s story, and it’s difficult to not view him as just another of the outcast characters of the Doom Patrol series.
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8Joker
Origin told inBatman: The Killing Joke
The Killing Joke’sJoker origin adds a layer of both tragedy and irony to Batman’s greatest foe, as it effectively suggests the hero was the cause of his enemy, albeit unintentionally. The story reimagines Joker as having been a failing comedian who, in an effort to make money to provide for his wife and unborn child, worked for a group of gangsters on a heist. However, realizing he was set up as a fall guy, the man accidentally stumbles backwards into a vat of chemicals after seeing Batman arrive on scene.
The Killing Joke’stake on Jokerhas become canon in the minds of many fans, and some writers enjoy alluding to this as the villain’s definitive origin. The idea that the Caped Crusader accidentally created his biggest rival feeds into the idea some readers have that the hero’s war on crime isn’t as morally cut and dry as it seems.
7Dex-Starr
Origin told inGreen Lantern#55 (2010)
The Green Lantern mythos expanded during the 2000s to include a variety of corps from across the emotional spectrum. One of the best of these was the rage-fueled Red Lantern Corps, composed of villains motivated by revenge and hatred to join up. While characters like Atrocitus often steal the limelight, one of the most emotional backstories came from the intelligent cat, Dex-Starr, driven to anger by the death of his owner.
Dex-Starr’s origins as a simple housecat driven to anger over his owner’s murder makes for a relatable, sympathetic and delightfully simple origin. Surrounded by terrifying monsters, the villain is a reminder that some of the most hateful characters are driven to their rage by tragedy – and flipping the trope of people seeking revenge for their pets made it even better.
6Man-Bat
Origin told inDetective Comics#400-402
Man-Bat was first introduced as a monstrous mirror image of the Caped Crusader, something in-keeping with the idea that the hero’s rogues should reflect his fears. InDetective Comics#400, it’s explained that the monster is actually Doctor Kirk Langstrom, a scientist who used an experimental serum designed to harness the sonar abilities of bats on himself. What followed was a hideous transformation into a feral bat creature.
Man-Bat’s origin story is a modernization of the classic Jekyll and Hyde story, reimagining the monstrous transformation to fit one of Bruce Wayne’s greatest fears. While the character has since found a way to control his transformation, he works well as a horror-themed villain for the World’s Greatest Detective.
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5Doomsday
Origin told inSuperman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey
Doomsday made his debut during the “Death of Superman” event, where he crash-landed on Earth and fought the Man of Steel to the death. Originally from Krypton, the creature was created by a ruthless scientist, who subjected him to repeated, increasingly cruel deaths. As the monster would be reborn, he’d adapt to whatever killed his previous self, turning him into the ulttimate organism.
Doomsday’s origin is tragic, but his monstrous, hate-filled nature has robbed him of the sympathy that typically accompanies a sad backstory. The villain was created for a simple purpose: to be the ultimate killing machine capable of defeating Superman. In that, he is more than successful.
4Black Manta
Origin told inAquaman#10 (2011 Series)
Black Manta was originally introduced as a villain who was effectively driven by a hatred of the ocean and what lives within it. Under Geoff Johns, however, the villain was retconned into having one of the best origin stories in comics. Beginning as the son of a ruthless, high-tech pirate, he was driven to revenge when Aquaman caused his dad’s death at sea.
Black Manta’s origin works because it manages to maintain a balance of sympathy without taking away from the character’s threat or malice. The villain combines high-tech piracy with revenge, making him one of Aquaman’s most formidable foes.
3Cheetah
Origin told inWonder Woman#7 (1987)
As one of Wonder Woman’s oldest foes, Cheetah has endeared herself to readers as one of the Amazon princess' mightiest villains. While not the origin story her creator William Moulton Marston had in mind, George Perez’s backstory for the villain has become the definitive one. In Wonder Woman #7, it’s explained that the villain was once a British archaeologist who, after finding a lost tribe, is manipulated into participating in a ritual of the god Urzkartaga, which turns her into Cheetah.
Cheetah’s origin story almost feels like it belongs in an old pulp adventure comic, and it perfectly matches the focus on mythology and fantasy that has made Wonder Woman comics great. Where the Golden Age version of the villain was more campy, her modern counterpart has a compelling backstory, one that explains her threat to Diana Prince.
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2Bane
Origin told inVengeance of BaneandBatman: Gotham Knights#48
Born in the Pena Duro prison on Santa Prisca,Bane was experimented onwith the super serum known as Venom. At the same time, he trained his body and mind to shape himself into the most formidable man in the prison, which eventually gave him the strength and cunning to escape. As told in Vengeance of Bane, he learned of the Batman and, feeling him unworthy of his status, resolved to travel to Gotham, break the Bat and take the city for his own. Later, readers learn that his father, King Snake, abandoned his pregnant mother during political turmoil – she died in prison while giving birth to him, and he was forced to serve out her sentence.
Bane’s origin story is one of tragedy but, unlike other empathetic villains, he has channeled that pain into an unapologetic ambition for domination. While he may occasionally team up with Batman, the mastermind’s dedication to breaking the Bat and proving himself the best there is makes him more a force of nature than a tragic figure. The villain doesn’t indulge in self pity, instead focusing on his mission: conquest.
1Mr Freeze
Origin told inBatman the Animated Seriesepisode “Heart of Ice”
Mr Freeze started out as a fairly typical Silver Age villain, one defined by his ice-themed gimmick as he’d rob banks. That all changed inBatman: the Animated Series, where viewers were shown a new side of the character, one steeped in tragedy. Here, it was explained that Victor von Fries had previously been a law-abiding scientist, but was driven to a life of crime to fund his research to save his wife from an incurable illness.
While not every super villain needs a tragic backstory (and most work better without one), Freeze’s story has shown how a one-note villain can ascend to one of the best-written foes in comics. When examined at the basic level, Freeze is one of the few villains driven by love, rather than greed, hate or mental illness. This has given him room to act as an antihero when needed, while readers know that, in-keeping with the tragic nature of his story, he’ll be a criminal for as long as his wife remains ill.
