Batman villains

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For a more comprehensive list, see List of Batman villains

Batman's foes form one of the most distinctive rogues galleries in comic books. These villains range from the psychotic criminals locked in Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, through Gotham City's mafia bosses, to world conquerors.

Throughout his existence, Batman's rogues gallery has been particularly distinctive because a large majority of its number are defined by a theme, often-times iconic or archetypical psychosis, compulsion, obsession, or a gimmick. Much has also been made in recent years of the psychological similarities between Batman and several of his more well-recognised and significant opponents, with several providing direct parallels to character traits of Batman himself (such as the Scarecrow's use of fear as a weapon and Two-Face's dual identity; see Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth and Alan Moore's The Killing Joke for significant explorations of this theme).

[edit] History

In early Batman stories, the character often fought mad scientists and gangsters, conventions carried over from the pulp magazines that had influenced his creation. Early recurring villains included Doctor Death, Professor Hugo Strange, and the vampiric Monk. Aside from Strange, none had any real staying power.

Authors introduced many of the most familiar Batman villains in the 1940s. Golden Age Batman villains largely drew inspiration from the rogues gallery of Dick Tracy, whose villains were often grotesquely disfigured in order to highlight their evil nature to readers. The first issue of Batman, in 1940, marks the first appearance of Batmans's two most prominent adversaries: the Joker, Batman's archnemesis, and Catwoman, both a villain and love interest to the Dark Knight.

The Penguin and Two-Face also premiered during the early 1940s in Detective Comics, appearing often since their introduction, especially the Penguin. The Riddler, originally debuting in 1948 in Detective Comics, vanished from the comic book until his appearance in the late 1960s in the television show saw his return to popularity. Other foes created in the same era, such as the Scarecrow, and the Mad Hatter, appeared less frequently than some other villains, their mind-controlling skills and weapons that would later became their signatures, eventually made them classic recurring villains up until today. Deadshot and the original Clayface also debuted in the Golden Age.

By the 1950s, Batman's rogues gallery was largely ignored apart from the likes of the Joker (who appeared in virtually every Batman issue published), the Penguin, and Catwoman. With the growing emphasis on science fiction in the late 1950s Batman stories, even the Joker was shunted aside in favor of alien adversaries.

Villains with physical skills or super-powers slowly began to appear: these villains reflected a growing preoccupation with science fiction in Batman comics. Mr. Freeze and Killer Moth first appeared in the late 1950s, and the botanical scientist Poison Ivy in the 1960s, along with the debut of a new superpowered Clayface, a mud shape-shifter. Many older villains received a boost in popularity thanks to the 1960s Batman television series and consequently, after a long period of dormancy, again became fixtures in the comic books.

In the 1970s, new Batman villains adopted influences from horror, pulp and films. Man-Bat, a geneticist who turned himself into a humanoid bat, the murderous Clayface III, and Ra's Al Ghul all first appeared in this decade. Ra's al Ghul was different from most Batman foes, in that he was, unlike the typical mobster-stereotype, a centuries-old eco-terrorist who commands a large empire of loyal servants, as well as the League of Assassins, a ninja organization (probably inspired by the Martial Arts hype of the era). Ra's is an ideological mastermind in the tradition of Fu Manchu or the James Bond villains. His daughter Talia is one of Batman's best-known love interests. Ra's and Talia were the first villains to learn of Batman's secret identity.

The 1980s introduced grim villains like crocodile mutant Killer Croc, self-amputated ex-Russian agent KGBeast, pullback insane Mafiosi leaders like Black Mask and the schizophrenic Ventriloquist's puppet, Scarface. This wave of brutal villains continued in the early 1990s with serial killer Victor Zsasz, and Bane, an assassin addicted to Venom steroids who deduced Batman's secret identity and broke his spine, temporarily putting him in forced retirement.

New manipulative Bane-like enemies with personal relationships and hate issues with Batman's persona started to appear in recent times, including Hush, apparently one of Bruce Wayne's old friends, as well as assassin David Cain, the father and trainer of current Batgirl Cassandra Cain. Additionally, the long thought murdered second Robin Jason Todd recently returned as the Red Hood putting Batman to the test.

[edit] Villains introduced by the Animated Series

Joker's unbalanced lover, Harley Quinn, was first seen in 1992 in Batman: The Animated Series; the character was introduced to comics years later due to her popularity. Other characters were also created or revamped in the animated DC universe, with their changes carried over to other media, such as Baby Doll or Lock-Up and the Clock King or Mr. Freeze, whose new origin was integrated into the comics.

[edit] Escalation theory

Several writers have noted that the first appearance of real super-villains in Gotham City was just when Batman arrived to fight crime. Commissioner Gordon, in Batman: The Long Halloween, implies that these villains are somehow attracted to Batman's presence in the city. According to this theory, Batman is the catalyst for these villains' crimes (this is actually similar to one presented by pop psychiatrist Benjamin Wolper in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns). Gordon also implies this in the film Batman Begins. However, Paul Dini denounced this in the Batman: The Animated Series episode Trial, with the lawyer defending Batman saying that the villains caused their own problems, and would be terrorizing the city in any case.

Batman
Creators:	Bob Kane and Bill Finger • Other writers and artists
Supporting Characters:	Robin (Tim Drake) • Nightwing (Dick Grayson) • Batgirl • Batwoman • Alfred Pennyworth • Lucius Fox • Barbara Gordon • Commissioner Gordon • Harvey Bullock
Villains:	Bane • Catwoman • Clayface • Harley Quinn • Joker • Killer Croc • Mr. Freeze • Penguin • Poison Ivy • Ra's al Ghul • Red Hood (Jason Todd) • Riddler • Scarecrow • Two-Face • Other villains
Locations:	Arkham Asylum • Batcave • Gotham City • Wayne Enterprises • Wayne Manor
Miscellanea:	Batarang • Batmobile • Batsuit • Popular media • Publications • Storylines • Alternate versions of Batman