When audiences are young, they root for the hero. When they grow older, they cheer for the villain. Comic fans love a good villain, one who can get them all excited. Most of the time, though, that excitement is usually for the well-known bad guys. What about the lesser-known villains?
The A-list villains like Joker, Lex Luthor, and others who have yet to appear will always have a place in the ever-expanding DCEU. But how many times have they constantly been seen and used? Perhaps it’s time for the A and B-list baddies to take a step back and let some lesser-known villains shine.
Should Join: Manchester Black
For years, fans of the DCEU have been demanding and begging for a sequel to Man Of Steel. While it may never come to pass, it’s still fun to brainstorm and think of the villains from Superman’s rogues gallery the movie may feature. The names of Brainiac and Darkseid have been thrown around but not the name Manchester Black.
A power telepath and leader of The Elite, Black’s gotten some love in Supergirl and an animated movie but debuting on the big screen, taking on Superman? That would do the British villain justice.
Shouldn’t: Dex-Starr
Thanks to the Snyder Cut, there’s a renewed interest in the DCEU and what lies beyond Earth. Specifically, fans are looking forward to the possibility of popular Green Lanterns joining and taking on intergalactic villains. However, Dex-Starr shouldn’t be one.
That’s not saying a cat born from being abandoned on the streets, filled with rage and pet to Red Lantern Atrocitus shouldn’t join the DCEU. It’s just as far as first villains go, the Red Lanterns and a rage-filled cat aren’t the best baddies for the Lantern’s first outing.
Should Join: Black Hand
Truth is, a majority of the villains the Green Lantern Crops face are big names. Mongul, Sinestro, and Parallax are grade-A threats. Sifting through all those villains, though, one can dig up the likes of Black Hand.
For years, Black Hand was a joke villain, using an invention to siphon power off of Hal Jordan’s ring. Then, Hand became a member of the Black Lantern Corps and became a serious threat. Dropping him into the DCEU would be a good start-up to evolve him into that kind of villain.
Shouldn’t: Kilg%re
While plenty of DC villains have made appearances in the ever-growing Arrowverse, that doesn’t mean every single villain should pop up in the DCEU. Among those names lies Kilg%re, a vicious robot who requires energy to survive.
Capable of taking over robot systems and controlling human hosts, Kilg%re sounds interesting enough but truth is, he’s just not that threatening of a foe. Sure, he’s an evil robot dead set on taking over humanity but how many other DC villains are just like that? At least five or six.
Should Join: Onomatopoeia
It goes without saying, DC has some very, very strange villains. That said, some of these strange villains do deserve and are owed time to shine who haven’t previously gotten attention, like the assassin, Onomatopoeia.
A killer who only speaks in sound effect fashion, Onomatopoeia has been known to torment multiple heroes, ranging from Batman and Green Arrow. With no real appearance in Arrow, the villain’s big-screen debut could be with any hero and be one for the superhero books, no matter who the hero is.
Shouldn’t: Angle Man
After the success of WW84, it was obvious that the Wonder Woman series would quickly become a trilogy. With the third movie in development, the list of villains who could join is endless. Angle Man, however, isn’t on the list.
Angle Man was a thief the Amazon hero encountered throughout her series, who used a triangular device to manipulate reality. While some low-level villains deserve more love, Angle Man’s too far out there to work. Not to mention he’s a thief going up against Wonder Woman. Not the brightest move.
Should Join: Scavenger
Black Manta. Orm. The Trench. These are the typical villain’s fans think of when the name Aquaman pops into their minds. Aquaman’s always been lacking a bit in the villain category but that’s not to say he doesn’t have some interesting ones outside of the A-listers, like Scavenger.
A deep-sea thief who was always stealing from Atlantis, Peter Mortimor, the Scavenger, is a low-level yet intriguing villain. He’s simple in nature and would make for a great opening scene villain or tie into the Black Manta, giving their thief-like connection.
Shouldn’t: Human Flame
Martian Manhunter is one of the best heroes in the DC Universe. The last survivor of a race of aliens on Mars, Manhunter’s always been a fan favorite and one sought after to be in the DCEU. His villains, not so much, especially Human Flame.
The first villain Manhunter faced, Human Flame’s gone through a few changes over the years but none that improved upon his weak character and stereotypical fire-based powers. While J’onn J’onzz is now a part of the DCEU thanks to the Snyder Cut, Human Flame shouldn’t.
Should Join: Calendar Man
Without a doubt, Batman has the best Rogues Gallery in DC, rivaled by only a few. As such, among that collection of villains, there are winners and losers, with Calender Man viewed as being one of the biggest losers.
Yet, in the now-iconic Long Halloween storyline, Calendar Man was reinvented. Going from a goofy criminal who based his crimes on days of the year, Calendar Man became a disturbing serial killer. With The Batman diving into the detective side of Batman, maybe Calendar Man could be apart of a sequel.
Shouldn’t: Condiment King
Of course, not all villains can be improved upon. Sometimes, it just doesn’t always work, depending on their character or power. For the likes of the Condiment King, it’s a mix of both powers, nature, and just plain foolishness on his part.
Condiment King is literally a villain who uses condiments to pull off crimes and attack citizens. Perhaps he gets a little too much hate but when a villain in Batman’s rogue’s gallery is utilizing ketchup and mustard to rob a bank, it’s seen as somewhat justifiable.
