DC Comics has stood 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. Although the company is best known for its superheroes, the villains are loved by readers. Ranging from their flashy designs to interesting gadgets, the best villains are made great by 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 of the enemies’ backstories can be relatable, the villains work best when they maintain a healthy balance between understandable yet irredeemable. The makings of a great villain origin story can be broad, but the best ones include emotion, a deep connection to the heroes, and
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Eclipso
Origin story told in Eclipso: The Darkness Within
The DCU is home to many supernatural beings, including the Spectre, the spirit of vengeance of ​​the universe. Before his creation, however, this post was filled by the villain known as Eclipso. Created by God to unleash his wrath on the wicked, the entity was imprisoned in the Black Diamond when his methods were deemed too brutal. With his ship broken into tiny shards and scattered around the Earth, the villain’s power is greatly diminished, although he can possess anyone who comes in contact with a piece.
Eclipso sharing an origin story with one of DC’s most powerful beings only serves to remind readers of his sheer power and the danger he poses to the JLA. Driven by a need for revenge against God and the Spectre, this supernatural villain stands out as one of the most dangerous enemies in the DCU.
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The brain
The source tells in Dum Patrol #86
As arguably the Doom Patrol’s most iconic villain, the Brain fits the series’ weirdness to a tee, thanks to its design as a visible brain stored in a robotic outer shell. In a tragic twist, he also fits the team’s origin story formula, as one of several metahumans created by Niles Caulder’s experimentation. After he was left for dead in an explosion caused by a group of criminals, the former associate of the chief was placed in the jar he now calls home. Angry and dismayed by the principal’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 entire conflict. It also adds a layer of tragedy to the villain’s story, and it’s hard to see him as just another of the useless characters of the Doom Patrol series.
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Joker
The source tells in Batman: The Killing Joke
The killing jokes Joker’s origin adds a layer of tragedy and irony to Batman’s greatest enemy, as it effectively suggests the hero was the cause of his enemy, albeit unintentionally. The story reimagines Joker as a failing comedian who, in an effort to make money to provide for his wife and unborn child, works for a group of gangsters on a heist. However, realizing he was set up as a case guy, the man accidentally stumbles backwards into a vat of chemicals after seeing Batman arrive on scene.
The killing jokes Taking on the Joker has become canon in the minds of many fans, and some writers enjoy alluding to this as the definitive origin of the villain. 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.
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Dex-Starr
The source tells in Green 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 wrath of the Red Lantern Corps, composed of villains motivated by revenge and hatred to join forces. While characters like Atrocitus often steal the limelight, one of the most emotional backstories came from the intelligent cat, Dex-Star, 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 make for a relatable, sympathetic and delightfully simple beginning. 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.
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Man-Bat
The source tells in Detective Comics #400-402
Man-Bat was first introduced as a monstrous mirror image of the Caped Crusader, somewhat in keeping with the idea that the hero’s rogue should reflect his fears. in Detective Comics #400, it is revealed 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.
The story of Man-Bat 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 World’s Greatest Detective.
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Doomsday
The source tells in Superman/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 cruel scientist who subjected him to repeated, increasingly cruel deaths. As the monster would be reborn, he would adapt to whatever killed his previous self, turning him into the ultimate organism.
Doomsday’s beginnings are tragic, but his monstrous, hate-filled nature has robbed him of the sympathy that typically accompanies a sad backstory. This villain was created for a simple purpose: to be the ultimate killing machine capable of defeating Superman. In this, he is more than successful.
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Black Manta
The source tells in Aquaman #10 (2011 series)
Black Manta was originally introduced as a villain who is effectively driven by a hatred of the ocean and who lives in it. Under Geoff Johns, however, the villain went on to become 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 father’s death at sea.
The beginning of Black Manta works because it manages to maintain a balance of sympathy without taking away from the menace or evil of the character. This villain combines high-tech piracy with revenge, making him one of Aquaman’s most formidable enemies.
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Cheetah
The source tells in Wonder Woman #7 (1987)
As one of Wonder Woman’s oldest enemies, Cheetah has endeared herself to readers as one of the Amazon princess’ mightiest villains. Although not the origin story its creator William Moulton Marston had in mind, George Perez’s backstory for the villain became the definitive one. In Wonder Woman #7, it is explained that the villain was once a British archaeologist who, after finding a lost tribe, is manipulated into participating in a ritual by the god Urzkartaga, which turns her into a 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 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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Train
The source tells in Revenge of the train And Batman: Gotham Knights #48
Born in the Pena Duro prison on Santa Prisca, Bane was experimented with the super serum known as Venom. At the same time, he trained his body and mind to shape himself into the most formidable person in the prison, which eventually gave him the strength and cunning to escape. As told in Vengeance of Bane, he learned from the Batman and, feeling him unworthy of his status, decided 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 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. Although he may occasionally team up with Batman, the mastermind’s dedication to breaking the Bat and proving himself to be the best there is makes him more of a force of nature than a tragic figure. The villain does not indulge in self-pity, instead focusing on his mission: conquest.
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Mr. Freeze
The source tells in Batman The Animated Series Episode “Heart of Ice”
Mr. Freeze started out as a fairly typical Silver Age villain, one defined by his ice-themed gimmick of robbing banks. It all changed Batman: The Animated SeriesWhere viewers were shown a new side of the character, one steeped in tragedy. It was explained here that Victor Van Vries was previously a law-abiding scientist, but was driven to a life of crime to fund his research to save his wife from an incurable disease.
While not every super villain needs a tragic backstory (and most work better without one), Freeze’s story showed how a one-note villain can rise to one of the best-written foes in comics. When examined at the most basic level, Freeze is one of the few villains driven by love, rather than greed, hatred or mental illness. This gave him room to act as an anti-hero when necessary, while the reader knows that by the tragic nature of his story, he will be a criminal as long as his wife remains ill.