The world of DC Comics it has long been defined by the endless battle between good and evil. Throughout the company's nineteen years, generations of creators have added a long list of villains to the universe. These villains have varied in intensity and motivation, from sarcastic actors to depictions of chaos and brutality.
DC villains are often created to represent the themes and fears associated with their heroes, with each villain required to have an edge over their heroic foe. While some characters have always been calm and non-threatening, others have been defined by their ability to strike fear into the hearts of others. In fact, some of the best stories in the company's history were written to focus on the idea of fear itself, including horrors that brought superheroes to their knees.
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The Joker
Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger
The Joker first appeared in the 1940s Batman #1, where he quickly established himself as one of Batman's most unrepentant enemies in Gotham's elite battle. In the following years, this villain has proven himself to be one of the most unpredictable, volatile, and violent inhabitants of the DC Universe, with a large number of deaths in Gotham.
Whether the Joker is scary often depends on who is writing it, with some creators preferring a campy version that relies on antics and others exploring a more sinister creature. For many readers, the mere sight of a serial killer is enough to make his stories frightening, and his unbridled violence makes that fear even worse.
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Solomon Grundy
Created by Alfred Bester and Paul Reinman
Based on the nursery rhyme of the same name, DC's Solomon Grundy was once a criminal, Cyrus Gold, who was resurrected after being killed and abandoned in Slaughter Swamp. When he came back from the dead, the supernatural villain had super strength, invulnerability to the normal methods of death, and a huge Hulk-like body.
As a ravenous, mindless zombie, Grundy stands out among DC's biggest monsters, although other stories have revealed a more intelligent version of the character. Despite the sadistic side to the villain, as shown in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Batman: A long Halloweenthe pale zombie is one character even Batman doesn't want to get on his wrong side.
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The Scarecrow
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane
The Scarecrow, also known as Doctor Jonathan Crane, is a villain dedicated to spreading fear, so it makes sense that he has established himself as one of DC's most formidable foes. Armed with his deadly fear toxin, his modus operandi is to induce terrifying nightmares in his victims, immobilize them and allow them to commit their crimes. In other stories, he releases his gas throughout the cities, sending them into uncontrollable chaos.
The Scarecrow is a walking fear factory in Gotham City, and recent stories have shown how even Shazam's loved ones are vulnerable to his nightmares. Combined with a scary costume that evokes the scary parts of Halloween, the villain spreads fear everywhere he goes.
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Parallax
It was created, in its current form, by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver
Parallax is one of DC's most interesting villains because of the enigmatic story of his creation. At first, Parallax was just Hal Jordan's identity created after he went rogue after the destruction of Beach City. Later, this villain was the subject of a retcon by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver Green Lantern: Rebirthexplaining that Hal has been under the influence of the fear-based business all along.
Considering the fact that he's DC's living persona of horror, it's hard to find anything scarier than Parallax in the literal sense. When all is said and done, both the range of his power and impact combined with his appearance as a gigantic cosmic monster, the insectoid cosmic makes Parallax one of the scariest monsters of the DCU.
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Doctor Destiny
Created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky
Doctor Destiny was originally introduced as a genius who used technology, such as an anti-gravity tool that he used against the Justice League. However, as time has gone on, this villain has been redefined as a supernatural enemy, who can enter people's dreams and attack them mentally. In his later battles with the League, he entered their dreams, made them into nightmares, and effectively prevented them from the real world.
As terrifying as Doctor Destiny looks, her powers actually bring true horror, giving her the ability to throw her enemies into inescapable nightmares. In one of the most blood-curdling appearances in the DCU, a villain can torture a character for the rest of their life.
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Darkseid
Created by Jack Kirby
Darkseid was created by Jack Kirby to serve as the main villain in his tales of the Fourth World, which explore the ongoing war between New Genesis and Apokolips. Driven by power and victory, Darkseid has devoted his life to finding the Anti-Life Equation, which, once discovered, will give him the power to control the free will of sentient beings.
Darkseid doesn't have an evil nature or an irrational mind like other villains. Instead, it's his intelligence, relentless nature and the fearsome nature of his Omega Beams that make him a formidable figure even Superman fears. News like The Final Problem and “Rock of Ages” explores the horrific future the villain has in store, full of tyranny, evil versions of heroes and endless death.
4
The Downward Man
Created by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno
It was created Justice League DarkThe Downward Man is a creature from a race of dangerous creatures, Another species, from a terrifying plane of existence, from Another Realm. Formed at the beginning of time when the universe was a place of darkness, the villain became the biggest threat to the Justice League Dark, tricking them into darkness.
The Upside-Down Man reflects the dark horror of the era of James Tynion IV and Ram V. Justice League Darkbrings readers a formidable foe created in the last decade. From his fearsome appearance to his dark magic abilities that allow him to unleash horrors on the world, the villain is one of DC's biggest threats.
3
The Trigon
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
Trigon was created to serve as DC's answer to Satan himself, a demon lord from another dimension who has destroyed most of the world in his universe. Bound to a gem that empowers his warrior daughter, Raven, the demon has a variety of powers, ranging from teleportation and superpowers to energy blasts and virtual reality manipulation.
Trigon isn't just the most terrifying villain of the Teen Titans; he is such a powerful being that it is unclear if Darkseid can withstand his wrath. As one of the few characters out there who can displace the likes of Mr. Mxyzptlk, this Satan-inspired monster is one of the greatest threats in the known universe – and his presence is pure biblical horror.
2
M'Nagalah
Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson
As he makes his perilous journey across the United States back to his swamp, the Swamp Thing encounters a variety of villains and creatures. No one was more fearsome than M'Nagalah, an ancient spaceman who lived in caves beneath a village that offered sacrifices to him. After meeting Alec Holland's new form, the townspeople try to lure him into the mines, leading to a confrontation with the monster.
M'Nagalah combines Lovecraftian horror with existential dread, a fear that seems indestructible. Although the creature is temporarily restrained, it returns, as shown when Atom stumbles upon the creature. Able to manipulate the minds of ordinary people and create evil creatures to do her will, M'Nagalah is basically DC's answer to Cthulhu.
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The Great Darkness
Created by Alan Moore and Stan Woch
The Great Darkness was created by Alan Moore during his run on Swamp Thing, and serves as the DCU's embodiment of evil and evil. As a fundamental force of existence, the true nature of the villain is rarely shown, rather it is represented by its agents. Lying in another realm of existence, the ancient creature nearly brought the entire universe to its knees A Dark Tragedy in an Endless World by Joshua Williamson and Daniel Sampere while it has heroes and villains alike.
The Great Darkness is a perfect match for the Light of Existence, embodying DC's spirit of brutality. An all-encompassing, inescapable, and indestructible being, Darkness is omnipresent, and is held by the Pariah to threaten life itself. The self is not presented as having great ambitions of its own, rather it functions as an inescapable force to exist in the world DC Comics.