Batman’s comic book villains, ranked from laughable to coolest
Batman has one of the biggest rogue galleries in comic book history. Some of his enemies are considered some of the best, if not the best, villains in comics. But for every Joker or Catwoman, there is a Kite-Man. As with any superhero with eighty years of history behind them, Batman’s villains range from laughable to cool.
Nothing is ever perfect, but Batman’s lineup of villains is near. He has a deep bench with a lot of heavy hitters who can support their own weight against him and the whole bat family. Even the laughable ones have something appealing about them, proving there’s just something special about being a Batman villain.
ten Laughable: Kite-Man
Kite-Man is the definition of laughable. He’s a criminal who flies with a giant kite – really a glider – and all dressed in green. He never gets any respect, even from Batman. Even his real name, Chuck Brown, refers to Charlie Brown.
Kite Man debuted in Batman # 133 in August 1960 and has been widely criticized until recent years. Its modern update to the DC Rebirth comic era, as well as its portrayal in the Harley quinn animated series on HBO Max, made it much more popular.
9 Laughter: Mirror-Man
Kite Man may have improved his fan base in recent years, but Mirror-Man remains firmly a relic of the Silver Age.
Floyd Ventrix first appeared in Detective Comics # 213 in 1954 and he was a classic Silver Age villain in the sense that he had a gadget and stuck to it. He used his genius IQ to build traps and elaborate devices to commit crimes, running into Batman and Robin on numerous occasions. Although he looks like he’s ready for the 1966 Batman live-action series starting Adam West, he never appeared.
8 Laughable: polka-dot man
The Polka-Dot Man is another Silver Age hero who might be appreciated by today’s media. It is part of the next The suicide squad. His trip so far, however, has not been a great one.
Abner Krill wore a polka-dot-covered suit that he could then pull off and turn into weapons, although the concept was never stronger and in an effort to change the feeling that he was just a fool he began to carry a baseball bat. In the comics, he’s dead, and there’s a good chance he’ll die in the movie as well.
7 Laughable: crazy quilt
A ridiculous Batman villain with a visual look similar to Polka-Dot Man is the Crazy Quilt. Different versions of the character have been around since 1948, but the main one that fans are familiar with is Paul Dekker, who first appeared in the 1960s. He wears a special helmet that emits fractal beams that kill or hypnotize people.
He never really managed to be just dumb, despite attempts to update him in the modern age. Crazy Quilt would go on to become Robin’s main villain after Boy Wonder permanently blinded the villain by turning his laser beams back on himself.
6 Laughable: the king of condiments
The Condiment King is one of Batman’s dumbest villains, and that’s intentional. It was created as a joke for Batman: The Animated Series, possibly the best Batman cartoon ever. Like many originals B: TAS creations, it was later introduced into comics.
The Condiment King made its first appearance as a regular DC sequel in Batgirl: first year # 8. Although he is very silly, he is endearing. The Condiment King is consciously played for a laugh while former Silver Age villains like Crazy Quilt weren’t.
5 Cool: the fantasy
Another Batman: The Animated Series the transplant to the comics is The Phantasm. Fantasy is a villain Batman might have thought he could reform, but Andrea Beaumont in many ways seems lost.
After making an iconic appearance in Batman: the mask of fantasy, Andrea recently made her DC Comics debut in the 12-issue Batman / Catwoman miniseries by writer Tom King and artist Clay Mann. While the series is still ongoing, she appears to be playing pretty much the same role she did on the animated show.
4 Cool: Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is a villain who has made a number of appearances in Batman: The Animated Series and has been a staple in the comics since its debut in Batman # 181 in June 1966. Poison Ivy is so cool and compelling because of its complexity.
Seemingly wicked, she primarily seeks to protect the environmental health of the world. Sometimes that puts her on the wrong side of industrialist Bruce Wayne, and sometimes not. She is also a legendary misanthrope whose softer side is often revealed through her closest friendship.
3 Cool: Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn’s status as a villain may be a matter of debate these days, but she runs a very fine line in the comics, animated series, and movies. She’s certainly one of Batman’s coolest villains, bringing a lot of energy and wit to her decades-old rivalry with the Joker.
Harley Quinn debuted in Batman: The Animated Series before migrating to comics and becoming a big fan favorite. Her relationship with Poison Ivy through the comics and other media has played a huge role in enriching the stories of both characters.
2 Cool: Catwoman
Catwoman is another villain who may not be a villain anymore. Her relationship with Batman has called her status into question, but throughout the history of Batman comics she has been one of his greatest enemies.
A jewelry thief and cat burglar, she seems more interested in playing cat and mouse with Batman than in what she actually does. Catwoman isn’t a major threat to the Dark Knight, but she’s one of the coolest and most entertaining villains he’s ever faced.
1 Cool: the Joker
It can be difficult to classify the Joker as cool given his demeanor, but he remains Batman’s definitive villain due to his strength. A monster without conscience and often without reasoning, the Joker exists simply to wreak havoc.
That way, it’s the perfect movie for Batman, whose whole life is built around order. Both are yin and yang, light and dark, without any compromise. A hero is only as good as his villain, and Batman is one of the greatest superheroes of all time, just like Joker is one of the greatest villains.
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