Top 20 Greatest Justice League Villains
#20: Maxwell Lord
Though early on he was a backer for the Justice League International, it didn’t take long for this apple to become rotten. Maxwell Lord is someone who is always looking to game the system. He’s a powerful telepath and one of the greatest master manipulators that the DC universe has ever seen. His most nefarious plots include weaponizing Batman’s supercomputer Brother Eye and mind-controlling Superman into attacking his fellow Leaguers. When he sets out to do something, the only way you can stop him is by killing him. And even then, he wins. Because when Wonder Woman kills him in “Infinite Crisis” it tarnishes her reputation and gives the entire superhero community a massive black eye. In the end, it’s Lord who reigns supreme.
#19: The Reverse Flash
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Eobard Thawne might be the biggest OP of the millennium. Though he’s primarily a Flash villain (and arguably the best one), he’s a menace in all timelines and a headache for everyone. He’s been a key member of multiple anti-Justice League groups like the Injustice League and the Legion of Doom. And when he popped up in the “Time Masters” comic, he made complete fools out of Leaguers like Booster Gold, Green Lantern, and even Superman. He’s also put Batman through immense hell, as evidenced from the time when he broke into the Batcave and even ripped up the letter Thomas Wayne wrote for him. Point is: whenever he’s interacted with heroes, he’s always proven to be a thorn in their side.
#18: The White Martians
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Looks can be deceiving, especially with the White Martians. When these evil superpowered extraterrestrials arrived on Earth, they pretended to be a superhero group called the Hyperclan. Pretty much every member had a power similar to a League counterpart and no aversion to publicly killing criminals. Things like this quickly gained them the public’s favor and seriously gave the Justice League a run for their money. Though they’ve been beaten before, they proved to be tough enemies. Not to mention they also became some of the most iconic villains from Grant Morrison’s legendary “Justice League” run.
#17: Superboy Prime
Superboy Prime was a young Kal-El from an Earth where he was the only superpowered individual. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, he ended up in a “pocket universe,” where he grew bitter. Observing other superheroes from his place in the pocket universe, he became judgmental about the changes he saw. He’s kind of like a self-insert for the disgruntled comic book fan in that way. Except he soon became a psychopathic supervillain. Once he entered the actual DC universe, practically no one could stop him. Imagine somebody with triple the powers of regular Superman and no moral fiber. That’s Superboy Prime! Forget about battling the Justice League, he’s practically battled the entire superhero community! As Superboy Prime proves, fanboy rage is very real!
#16: Eclipso
After an expedition went bad, Bruce Gordon became possessed by the diamond called the Heart of Darkness and was soon taken over by Eclipso. While he was originally the embodiment of God’s wrath, Eclipso became corrupted and was taken over by evil. He’s battled the Justice League on numerous occasions and has been a threat to many magical-based superheroes. He’s also taken control of superheroes many times in the past and that includes the League. When he once mind controlled them during the New 52, things were so dire that other villains from the Suicide Squad had to step in to take him down. Eclipso is a villain that is easily the stuff of nightmares.
#15: Perpetua
What lies beyond the Source Wall? When the Justice League broke it after stopping Barbatos and the Batman Who Laughs in “Dark Nights Metal,” a lot of nasty stuff came out. Easily the most terrifying creature to be broken out was the nigh unstoppable cosmic being known as Perpetua. She was responsible for the creation of the multiverse that we know today. Her legacy isn’t just felt by the worlds she’s created, but also by the children she’s birthed. That’s right, Perpetua is also the mother of the World Forger, the Monitor, and the freaking Anti-Monitor. She may not be God, but she’s certainly godlike. To say that the Justice League was not prepared to deal with her would be a criminal understatement.
#14: The Batman Who Laughs
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Have you ever wondered what would happen if Batman turned into the Joker? After the Batman of Earth Negative 22 killed the evil clown, he became exposed to toxins which transformed him. It wouldn’t be long before he eventually succumbed to the madness. And once he did, every earth in the multiverse was essentially in danger. He killed his own Earth’s Justice League, and with other evil multiversal Batmen, nearly drove the main Justice League to the brink of insanity. But the rap sheet didn’t end there. He also collaborated with the evil Barbatos, infected multiple Leaguers, and manipulated and later combatted cosmic beings like Perpetua. The Batman Who Laughs just operates on a level we can’t even comprehend.
#13: Prometheus
Prometheus is kind of like his own one-man army. Through the special helmet he’s equipped with, he can essentially learn anything almost instantaneously, including an adversary’s fighting style. He’s one of the most feared bad guys to come from Grant Morrison’s “JLA” run. And later during “Cry For Justice,” he was so dangerous that Green Arrow actually killed him to stop him for good. While multiple people would adopt this persona, the most infamous one is actually someone we’ve yet to learn the identity of, which only adds to his intrigue. His tech plus his genius-level intellect also makes him someone who the League always needs to look out for.
#12: The Joker
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He might arguably be Batman’s greatest nemesis, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t tangled with other heroes. On occasion, Joker has brought his lethal blend of comedy to the entire Justice League. When he was once given godlike powers thanks to Mr. Mxyzptlk in “Emperor Joker,” he brought the Man of Steel to his knees. It also can’t be forgotten that he was an integral part of the newly-reformed Legion of Doom from Scott Snyder’s “Justice League” series. At the end of the day, he may have eyes for Batman, but if he wants, Joker can be a real problem for everyone.
#11: Doomsday
Few freaks of nature can devastate the entire superhero community in such a short amount of time. Almost immediately after he debuted, Doomsday killed Superman and mopped the floor with the rest of the League. His ability to bounce back from pretty much anything, his animalistic mind, and his insane strength mean he’s one tough nut to crack. He’s such a problem, that Martian Manhunter and Supergirl traveled all the way to Hell to stop him from breaking free. If that doesn’t scream hardcore to you then we don’t know what will.
#10: The Injustice League
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If superheroes band together to form a team… er… “league,” it makes sense that their foes would do the same. The Injustice League has been through several incarnations, starting out as a rather incompetent band that was exiled to Antarctica. Subsequent incarnations were more serious and featured heavy-hitters like Lex Luthor, Cheetah, and the Joker. Their goal was to soundly defeat the Justice League and give themselves free reign to conquer the world. You know, typical bad guy stuff – but with the talent and powers to pull it off. Fortunately, gatherings of super-villains almost never know how to really work together, and the League has been able to triumph again and again.
#9: Despero
An intergalactic tyrant, Despero goes back to the League’s early days. Ruler of the other-dimensional Kalanor, Despero’s one ambition is conquest – of anything and everything. He is helped in his ambition by his third eye, which gives him the ability to both read and control minds, as well as telekinesis. He also possesses regenerative powers, which make it difficult for him to be permanently destroyed. Ever since his initial defeat by the League, Despero has harbored a burning hatred for them. So far, at least, he hasn’t succeeded in annihilating them.
#8: Starro
Although retconning of the League’s origin has at times altered this, their very first villain was actually Starro the Conqueror. On the surface, it doesn’t look so menacing. After all, it’s just a gigantic starfish, right? Not so fast. This alien being possesses amazingly advanced mind control abilities. Using smaller drone-like versions of itself which take over the minds of any person they attach to, Starro is able to control massive amount of humans – and, by extension, metahumans. Starro’s encounters with the Justice League have been relatively few and far between, although he has appeared elsewhere in the DC Universe. But when he does encounter the League, the event is always memorable.
#7: The Anti-Monitor
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Introduced in the landmark “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline, the Anti-Monitor was a supremely powerful being who ruled the anti-matter universe – and was determined to destroy all the other universes. The Justice League was among the hundreds of heroes who helped defeat him during the Crisis. But it was during the New 52’s Darkseid War that he became one of the League’s most dangerous villains. The Anti-Monitor plotted to destroy Darkseid, for his own personal reasons – and the League and their friends and foes had to keep him from destroying all life in the process.
#6: Amazo
One of the League’s earliest foes, Amazo the android fought the heroes before Superman and Batman were regularly participating in their adventures. Created by the brilliant scientist Professor Ivo as part of his quest to gain immortality, Amazo had the ability to duplicate the powers of heroes he fought. In essence, then, the League would fight a version of itself – but with all the powers rolled up into one being. Over the years, Amazo has been recreated in several different forms – but each of them is designed to give the League a huge headache.
#5: The Crime Syndicate
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After DC came up with Earth-One and Earth-Two, where slightly different versions of their heroes existed, the introduction of Earth-Three was inevitable. But on this Earth, the likes of Ultraman, Superwoman, Owlman, Johnny Quick and Power Ring were super-villains – and when they discovered their heroic counterparts on Earth-One, they attacked. The Crime Syndicate returned several times over the years. Even after the Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped out their Earth-Three selves, they survived as members of the anti-matter universe. As with Amazo, when the League fights The Crime Syndicate, it’s like they’re fighting themselves – which requires some strategic thinking in order for them to emerge victorious.
#4: Lex Luthor
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Sure, he’s Superman’s arch-enemy, but he doesn’t limit his evil-doing to Metropolis. This incredibly rich super-genius has crossed paths with the League on many occasions. Aside from his efforts as a leader of the Injustice League, Luthor has also had some solo jousts with the team. His power and influence has time and again made him an incredibly formidable opponent for the League – one that can’t be defeated simply with super strength and laser vision.
#3: Vandal Savage
He may not have fancy powers or weapons to help him conquer the world, but he has patience and determination - and why not? He’s immortal and has been alive for thousands of years; he can outwait anybody. And since he has amassed enormous wealth, intelligence, tactical skills and power over his long lifetime, he has access to resources that make him a huge threat. Since he seemingly cannot be killed, there’s no real way for the Justice League to defeat him – just delay him. He strikes with all the power and force he can muster, but he knows that if he fails, he’ll always be able to try again.
#2: Brainiac
Another foe with a strong Superman connection, Brainiac is an artificial intelligence, with a heavy emphasis on the intelligence part. This remorseless, relentless fighting machine has changed appearances over the years but is always a cold, calculating being bent on adding to his collection, all in the name of furthering his knowledge of the universe. Whether he’s threatening to vivisect Aquaman or shrinking entire cities like Kandor for his collection, Brainiac is not to be messed with. He may just be a walking computer, but he is definitely not user-friendly.
#1: Darkseid
Some members of the Justice League are practically as powerful as gods. Darkseid really IS one. And not a nice one, either. The ruler of the hellish planet Apokolips, Darkseid has a burning hatred for Earth because we keep resisting him. He’s used to conquering and smashing his enemies, bringing multitudes under his demonic rule. But The Justice League and other Earth heroes somehow keep foiling his efforts. His ultimate goal is to acquire the Anti-Life Equation, which would grant him absolute control over all sentient beings, so it’s a good thing the members of the Justice League have continuously prevented that from happening.
