Every great hero needs great villains, and when it comes to superhero comics, the supervillains that go up against the likes of Batman, Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Justice League, and more are often just as popular as the heroes themselves.
The best supervillains of all time transcend their individual nemeses as great characters in their own right, many of whom have been elevated into starring roles over the years. Villains such as Doctor Doom, Lex Luthor, the Joker, and many more are as iconic as their heroic enemies, and that's just scratching the surface.
We here at Newsarama love a good supervillain, so we've taken it upon ourselves to make our picks for the 25 best comic book supervillains of all time. Who's your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
25. Parallax
Most classic villains are perfectly formed nemeses for their heroic counterparts, with powers and personalities that test the hero's abilities to their limits. But in the case of Parallax, the villain is the hero, a corrupted version of Green Lantern Hal Jordan who was turned into a bloodthirsty being of fear, slaying the entirety of the Green Lantern Corps before dying himself.
Later, after Hal was resurrected as a hero and the Corps was revived, Parallax was revealed as a possessing entity that was responsible for the Green Lantern ring's inability to affect things that were the color yellow. Parallax then became an ongoing villain in its own right, serving as the patron entity of the fear-based Sinestro Corps of Yellow Lanterns.
24. Ultron
The concept of AI as an existential threat has been a topic of both real world conversation and science fiction for decades, but nowhere in comics is that idea expressed with such terrifying dispassion and physical menace as through Ultron, the evil, sentient artificial intelligence created in comics by Hank Pym of the Avengers.
In the time since Ultron's first appearance in 1968's Avengers #55, he's evolved from a fairly straightforward evil robot to the rawest embodiment of what could happen if an AI ever had a genocidal hatred of organic life and the raw power - and rage - to carry it out. Though his profile has diminished slightly since a somewhat off-kilter portrayal in the MCU, there's a reason every hero in the Marvel Universe still shudders at the name Ultron.
23. Ozymandias
That Adrian Veidt - better known as Ozymandias - turns out to be the villain of Watchmen is one of the comic's most devastating gut-punches. Throughout Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' masterpiece Veidt appears to be an ally to the washed up heroes trying to prevent doomsday. Alas, it's all part of an ambitious play by "the smartest man in the world" who, by the book's end, will be responsible for the deaths of over 3 million people as he attempts to enforce an uneasy kind of world peace.
What makes Veidt such an interesting character is that, while his actions are monstrous, he genuinely believes that he is working for a greater good - albeit one filtered through his own arrogance. Watchmen, tantalizingly, ends at a point where it's ambiguous just how successful he's been.
22. Doomsday
Few villains have managed to punch a hole not just in arguably the greatest superhero ever but also the entire superhero comic book market, but Doomsday managed to do both as the big, brawny threat at the heart of The Death and Return of Superman. As the title implies, the landmark 1993 story killed the Man of Steel at Doomsday's hand, launching one of the biggest selling, most hyped comic book stories of all time, with fans and speculators alike buying numerous copies of the issues involved.
This spiked the comic book buying market and helped contribute to a massive boom in the industry throughout the '90s. Doomsday hasn't had quite that impact since, but it's impossible to ignore how important he is to both Superman and to superhero comics in general.
21. Apocalypse
One of the most iconic X-villains of the '90s, Apocalypse is the embodiment of the eternal adversary, dedicated to his philosophy of "survival of the fittest," no matter what brutality is necessary to force mutants to grow stronger and, in his eyes, more worthy of inheriting the Earth alongside him, corrupting numerous mutants in his thousands of years of existence.
For a villain who is named after a word that has come to be synonymous with the end of the world - and a reputation to match - Apocalypse is a remarkably complex character, whose motivations have often shifted over the years. Even into the Krakoa era, in which Apocalypse took his place alongside Magneto and Xavier as a more neutral mutant leader, he retained his predilection for tempering mutants in his brutal crucible.
20. Captain Cold
Some villains want to conquer the world, and others just want to make a living, as dishonest as their chosen profession may be. The latter is the case with Captain Cold, the leader of the Rogues, a kind of twisted labor union for Flash villains. Armed with a freeze ray, a parka, and a scowl, Leonard Snart has been menacing Central City since 1957's Showcase #8, making him one of the oldest villains on this list.
And with that age comes refinement, as Cold has gone from being a simple gimmick villain to one of DC's most interesting characters - a thief with a heart of tarnished gold and a code of dubious honor, who forms a perfect foil for the Flash's reputation as an everyman hero.
19. Shredder
Not many supervillains are as instantly recognizable to people who have never even picked up a comic book as the Shredder, the ultimate enemy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who slashed his way off the comic book page and onto TV screens every Saturday morning as one of the most iconic villains of the '80s and '90s.
But like other unlikely icons such as the Joker, the Shredder initially wasn't planned to continue on after his apparent death in his first comic book story. However, it quickly became clear that Shredder is an indispensable part of the Turtles' mythos who stands toe-to-toe with other major villains of the era, leading to a renewed presence in the TMNT comics that looms large to this day.
18. Loki
Thanks to the MCU, these days Loki is unquestionably known best as a reformed villain, more of an antihero with a tarnished heart of gold than an out-and-out menace. But for decades - millennia, if you count their mythological counterpart - Loki was one of the most mischievously merciless villains in Marvel Comics, as a primary antagonist not just for Thor, but for the entire Marvel Universe, even serving as the villain who brought together the original Avengers.
Loki's anti-hero renaissance started in comics before carrying over into the MCU thanks to the immense popularity of Tom Hiddleston's winning performance. And now, in the current Immortal Thor ongoing title, Loki has reclaimed their mantle as the God of Lies, acting once again as a villain for Thor with still evolving motives.
17. Mystique
Mystique is truly the ultimate femme fatale, a highly skilled operative with the power to become anyone she wants - and the will to use her abilities in pursuit of her own complex goals. Like many of the best modern supervillains, Mystique's motives, and even her allegiances, have often been entangled and complicated. But at her core, Mystique always moves with her own best interests and those of her many-layered plans at heart.
Thanks in large part to her role in the live-action X-Men films, Mystique is often regarded as an anti-hero, but for decades she was a primary antagonist for the X-Men and their allies, even inheriting leadership of the Brotherhood of Mutants from Magneto (she did admittedly drop the "evil" part of the team's name - though not from their villainous ethos).
16. Bane
There has to be something to be said for stepping up for your first at-bat and knocking a massive grand slam out of the park. In the case of Batman's super-strong foe Bane, it's that rookie-of-the-year spirit that earns him a place on the list of the best supervillains of all time. See, Bane didn't just beat Batman way back in his first story, he broke Batman - literally.
Though his track record since has been a bit so-so, Bane nearly retired Batman in their first big clash, breaking the Caped Crusader's back and forcing him to bring in a replacement to take his place while he healed. That alone puts a villain in the upper echelon of bad guys.
15. Kingpin
It may have taken him nearly 50 years to become a household name outside of comics, but Marvel's Kingpin of Crime Wilson Fisk has risen to become a favorite villain for Marvel fans of all media. That's thanks in large part to Vincent D'Onofrio's admittedly pitch-perfect performance as the character in the MCU, but longtime comic readers have known just how brutally menacing the Kingpin is for years and years.
Though he started as an enemy of Spider-Man - and has remained a thorn in the wall-crawler's side - Kingpin solidified his rep as someone heroes truly don't want to mess with through his battles with Daredevil. In his dogged pursuit of destroying the Man Without Fear, Kingpin has shown himself to be one of the most violently ruthless and malevolently manipulative villains in the Marvel Universe.
14. Eobard Thawne
On a list of the world's creepiest supervillains, Eobard Thawne - AKA Professor Zoom or the Reverse-Flash - would surely rank very highly indeed. A genetically-engineered genius from the 25th century, Thawne was a fan of Barry Allen who became obsessed with opposing and replacing his idol. But while most supervillains' schemes are unhinged in a fun way, there's something genuinely unsettling about Eobard Thawne's penchant for time-traveling sadism. He famously killed Barry's girlfriend Iris West in the pre-Crisis continuity.
While that event has since been undone, he's followed it up with a string of other crimes including erasing his brother entirely from existence, killing his own parents and, in 2011's Flashpoint, traveling back in time and murdering Barry Allen's mother. He's the Flash's arch-nemesis and a truly chilling villain.
13. Doctor Octopus
Though he may not be the first villain some fans think of as Spider-Man's ultimate arch-nemesis, there's a case to be made that the title could in fact belong to Doctor Octopus. Otto Octavius has been a thorn in the wall-crawler's side since 1963's Amazing Spider-Man #3, making him one of Peter Parker's earliest foes.
Through the years, Doc Ock has remained one of Spidey's most menacing villains across comics, movies, and games, both on his own and as the founder of the Sinister Six. In 2013, Doctor Octopus had his biggest moment ever when he managed to swap bodies with Peter Parker to become the Superior Spider-Man. Though Peter eventually returned, Doc Ock made an indelible mark on Spider-Man's history, and on the Marvel Universe.
12. Galactus
There's a somewhat apocryphal story that Fantastic Four's world-eating nemesis Galactus was created after Stan Lee and Jack Kirby discussed what might happen if the FF met a god. And whether that's exactly how he was created, that's the sense of gravitas and moment that was given to the first meeting of Galactus and the FF way back in 1967.
Galactus is a massive being who devours the life-force of planets - an incredibly cool concept. But even more than that, in the years since his creation, Galactus' existence has become a platform for some of the most interesting philosophical stories ever told in Marvel Comics, raising questions of why a being of such destructive power is also a necessary part of Marvel's cosmic order.
11. Ra's al-Ghul
Of all the villains in Batman's rogue's gallery, Ra's al Ghul is surely the one with whom Batman has the most complex relationship. An immortal (thanks to the existence of Lazarus Pits) eco-terrorist, tactical genius, and leader of the League of Assassins, Ra's' concerns are far wider-ranging than the likes of the Penguin, Two-Face, or the Joker.
But despite the threat that he poses - given the chance, Ra's would cheerfully wipe out most of humanity, allegedly for the sake of saving the planet - there's a sense in his conflicts with Bruce Wayne (who he has already successfully identified as being the Batman) of mutual respect, not to mention a familial connection in the form of Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce and Ra's' daughter, Talia. Batman and Ra's remain bitter enemies but, well, it's complicated.
10. Omni-Man
The idea of an evil Superman isn't exclusive to Invincible's Omni-Man, even in our current pop culture landscape (we're looking at you, Homelander). But of all the inversions of Superman's archetype, Invincible's Omni-Man may be the most physically brutal and emotionally crushing, with a story that almost makes you want to root for the ultra-powerful Viltrumite conqueror.
Sent to Earth by his warlike conqueror society to take over the world and add it to their empire, Omni-Man's only weakness - and the only thing that stops him - is his strange, twisted love for his son. Of all the characters inspired by the Man of Steel who don't share his core morality, Omni-Man may be the most frightening and shocking.
9. Norman Osborn
A true villain finds a way to work his schemes and master plans no matter what conditions he's under, and that's what has made Norman Osborn rise through the ranks as not just arguably Spider-Man's top villain, but also one of the most daunting foes of the entire Marvel Universe, even able to go toe-to-toe with the Avengers at one point.
Whether he's the Green Goblin, the director of HAMMER, or the leader of the Dark Avengers, Osborn looms large over the Marvel Universe. He's currently undergoing some rehab to the side of the angels as an ally and mentor to Peter Parker, but Marvel has been teasing the return of his maniacal dark side very soon - perhaps too soon for comfort.
8. Amanda Waller
Very much DC's big villain of the moment in the comics, Amanda Waller has also broken through into the mainstream in recent years thanks to appearances in the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game, and Viola Davis' commanding performance in the DCEU movies. "The Wall" isn't a straightforward baddy - over the years she's been both an enemy and an ally to DC's heroes - but as the head of Task Force X she's by nature a ruthless figure.
Waller's ultimate aim is to rid the world of metahumans once and for all and she's increasingly driven to brutal and manipulative extremes in pursuit of that goal. Her schemes appear to be reaching something of a head at the moment with the upcoming Absolute Power event promising to push her villainy to new heights.
7. Red Skull
The Red Skull originated all the way back in the '40s as a symbol not just of comic book villainy, but of the real world evil of the Nazis during World War II. Created by France Herron, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, all of whom actually served in the war, as a nemesis for Captain America, the grinning death mask of the Red Skull represents a legacy far more sinister than most supervillains.
And while multiple people have become the Skull aside from the original, Johann Schmidt, they all have in common a hatred for those they deem lesser and different, and a diabolical will to carry on the violent machinations of the Third Reich in the present day. It's hard to be more villainous than that.
6. Darkseid
There are more definitive Superman villains than Darkseid - Lex Luthor is a perennial thorn in Kal-El's side, while Doomsday succeeded in killing him (at least for a while). And yet no other foe strikes as much fear into the Man of Steel and his comrades in the Justice League than the Dread Lord of Apokolips. Darkseid - or Uxas, his given name - is incredibly powerful, fearsomely intelligent, and utterly ruthless in his quest to bend all of reality to his will.
Created by the great Jack Kirby, Darkseid quickly established himself as a formidable foe in the writer/artist's legendary run on New Gods. Since then he's returned again and again, often delivering a serious ass-kicking to any heroes unlucky enough to cross his path, as seen recently in Batman/Superman: World's Finest.
5. Magneto
Calling Magneto simply a "villain" is a bit of a simplification. Over the years, Magneto's role in the Marvel Universe has varied significantly over the decades since his 1963 debut in X-Men #1, to the point where he's even been an out-and-out hero and member of the X-Men team.
But most of Magneto's biggest moments, both in comics and in other media such as the classic X-Men animated series and the beloved original film franchise, have come when the mutant Master of Magnetism was acting specifically as a villain. Even in the times Magneto has joined the X-Men or shared their mission, he's carried an air of gravitas and menace that comes from his many years as the team's most ardent foe.
4. Thanos
In the Marvel Universe, the very utterance of the name Thanos is enough to send shivers up even the strongest superhero's spine - and the Mad Titan's sense of ominous terror has even seeped its way off the comic page and into wider pop culture thanks to his role in the Avengers movies.
Strong enough to challenge all of Earth's Mightiest Heroes and all of their allies, with enough actual villainous follow through to successfully wipe out half of all life in the universe, Thanos is one of the few villains that has shown what it's like when the good guys actually lose. Not many bad guys can lay claim to a victory over the heroes that's so unequivocal it becomes a real world meme for years afterward.
3. The Joker
The Joker is one of those rare comic book characters who has gained a life and popularity so far outside his initial conception as a supervillain that he's practically become a symbol for a certain kind of madcap desperation with an all-too-serious society that forces us to resort to laughter to cope with the non-stop tragedy unfolding around us.
But long before he was the clown prince of memes, the Joker was a legitimately horrifying villain who developed into the perfect opposite number for Batman, embodying a sort of colorful chaos that makes him a true nemesis for the Dark Knight's stoic determination. And much like Batman himself, the Joker has been a malleable canvas for numerous interpretations over the years, all built around his tragically terrifying core concept.
2. Doctor Doom
Marvel's masked menace Doctor Doom is many things, in many guises: ruthless dictator, brilliant scientist, gifted magician, and all around villain par excellence. In many ways a leading man just as much as a nemesis to the Fantastic Four, Doom is something of an inversion of the pre-superhero pulp adventurer archetype, who turns the grinning "man of bronze" trope into a grimacing man of molten iron.
Part of what makes Doom such an appealing villain is that his sheer ability, his actual competence and skill, makes him exciting and engaging to readers even beyond his iconic visuals. But every time we get too close to Doom, he does something so unequivocally evil that it reminds us why he's a bad guy to begin with.
1. Lex Luthor
If there's one character that springs to mind the moment you read the word "supervillain," it's very likely Lex Luthor. Though his history is a bit more complex than many fans may realize, Superman's arch-enemy is almost as famous as the Man of Steel himself, even for people who aren't into superheroes at all, and he has been a key part of nearly every modern adaptation of the hero.
Part evil corporate overlord, part sinister super-scientist, and all arrogance, Luthor's character has come to be a poetic expression of humanity's modern day ills wrapped in a package of smug superiority. Luthor is not just a great foil for Superman, he's a perfect villain, even above and beyond his heroic counterpart.
