Top 10 Batman Villains

Many are the characters that have faced Batman in the little over 75 years that makes us know the alter ego of Bruce Wayne, but some have had more relevance than others and above all some have more charisma than others, that is why some have persecuted our superhero for many years, while others perished almost instantly.

Here we bring you Batman's ten enemies, in no order of preference beyond alphabetical, that fans like the most for one reason or another, ten villains that have carried a lot of weight for decades and that we will continue reading about them for many years to come.

Many other villains have been important, so if you think that someone else deserves to be among the best, we invite you to indicate it in the comments, thus opening the debate.

Bane

Bane

Real name: -A stranger-

First apparition: 'Batman: Vengeance of Bane No. 1' (January 1993)

Creators: Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan

Bane is one of Batman's relatively recent villains, since he has been fighting against the dark knight for little more than two decades, something that contrasts with other enemies of the batman that stalk him practically from his beginnings.

He is one of Batman's strongest and smartest enemies and was selected by IGN as the 34th greatest villain of all time. He is known to all for being the monster that broke Batman's back, being one of the few who has managed to defeat the masked hero, that happened in the plot line of 'Knightfall' that was narrated between 1993 and 1994.

Bane was born in the Peña Dura prison of the fictional Caribbean Republic of Santa Prisca, sentenced to serve the sentence of his father Edmund Dorrance, a revolutionary. In this prison, Bane learned from various teachers and became the most fearsome being in the place. After escaping already in his adulthood he goes to Gotham, a place that he sees similar to Peña Dura since both are governed by fear, there he wants to end Batman, the maximum expression of that fear and for this he demolishes the walls of the Arkham Asylum to allying with a large number of villains that Batman himself has locked up.

On two occasions the character has appeared on the big screen, the first in Joel Schumacher's embarrassing adaptation 'Batman & Robin' in 1997 in which the virtually unknown Jeep Swenson gave him life and the second in the excellent 2012 film 'The Dark Knight Rises' ('The Dark Knight Rises') by Christopher Nolan, in which he was played by the then rising star Tom Hardy.

Catwoman

Catwoman

Real name: Selina Kyle

First apparition: 'Batman No. 1' (Spring 1940)

Creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Catwoman / Selina Kyle is one of the most complex characters surrounding Batman / Bruce Wayne, has been both a superhero and a villain, as well as the batman's romantic interest. According to IGN and their popular list of the greatest villains of all time, Catwoman is the 11th best villain in history.

Selina Kyle was originally a skilled jewel thief and as a villain she has had her own moral code for example, forbidding him to commit murder. In its beginnings it was known as La Gata, although at that time she stole jewelry disguised as an old woman and without having any distinctive feature of the felines.

Shortly after its first appearance, its origin was clarified in 'The Secret of Catwoman's Life' in the fall of 1940. Selina Kyle was an aviation stewardess who suffered a flight accident that caused her amnesiaAfter that he becomes obsessed with his only memory of his father's pet shop and especially the cats, with whom he becomes obsessed.

Three actresses have played Catwoman in the movies, Michelle Pfeiffer He did it in 1992 in Tim Burton's film 'Batman Returns' ('Batman Returns'), in 2004 the character had his own film called, of course, 'Catwoman' and Halle Berry played the character in this infamous movie that earned her the Razzie Award for worst actress of that year and ultimately Anne Hathaway played Selina Kyle in 'The Dark Knight Rises' ('The Dark Knight Rises') in 2012. Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt were Catwoman in the series of the 60 and Camren Bicondova plays the character on 'Gotham' television.

Two faces

Two Faces

Real name: Harvey Dent

First apparition: 'Detective Comics No. 66' (August 1942)

Creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Initially Harvey Dent was an ally of Batman in his fight against crime as he was the Gotham City district attorney but, after losing the left half of his face to being acid sprayed during a trial, becomes a villain who decide between good and evil by flipping a coin and that he commits his crimes inspired by the number 2. As other authors such as Frank Miller have subsequently defined it, apparently his personality disorder was accentuated with the incident that disfigured them but it was already evident in him previously. He is the 12th greatest villain of all time according to the popular IGN list.

Billy Dee Williams was Harvey Dent in 'Batman' de 1989, Tommy Lee Jones was Two Faces in 'Batman Forever' The 1995 y Aaron Eckhart was Harvey Dent in 'The Dark Knight' ('The Dark Knight') in 2008 to become Two Faces in 'The Dark Knight Rises' in 2012. On the small screen Nicholas D'Agosto as Harvey Dent on the television series 'Gotham'.

Enigma

Riddler

Real name: Edward nigma

First apparition: 'Detective Comics No. 140' (October 1948)

Creators: Bill Finger and Dick Sprang

Enigma is the 59th greatest villain of all time according to IGN and he is known for his green question mark suit and his riddles with which he wants to confuse both the police and Batman himself.

Edward Nigma, who is the real name of this villain although we have also known him as Edward Nashton, he was a successful inventor in a technology company But he ended up getting bored with his job and decided to dedicate himself to crime. Being a rather clumsy villain in the fight He has not hesitated to ally with other villains or manipulate them to try to finish off Batman.

The histrionic actor Jim Carrey gave life to this character in the 1997 film 'Batman Forever' by Joel Schumacher. Frank Gorshin was Enigma in 60s television fiction, while Corey Michael Smith plays Edward Nigma in 'Gotham'.

Espantapájaros

Scarecrow

Real name: Jonathan crane

First apparition: 'World's Finest Comics No. 3' (Fall 1941)

Creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Like so many other Gotham villains, the Scarecrow hasn't always been a danger to peace in the city, Jonathan Crane was a professor of psychology that he was fired after conducting a psychological experiment with his own students in which he fired blanks in class. After being forced to abandon his profession, he turned to evil using his knowledge of both psychology and biochemistry to create fear-inducing drugs.

This villain who gives his victims a toxin so that they see their greatest fears and phobias leaving them vulnerable to his attacks is considered the 58th greatest villain of all time according to IGN.

The character of Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow was played by Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy and Charlie Tahan plays Jonathan Crane in the series 'Gotham'.

Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn

Real name: Harleen quinzel

First apparition: 'Joker's Favor' episode No. 22 of the television series 'Batman: The Animated Series' ('Batman: The Animated Series') (September 11, 1992)

Creators: Paul Dini and Bruce Timm

Harley Quinn has several curiosities, on the one hand it is one of the most modern villains who have faced Batman, since he is a character that appeared in the 90s like Bane and for another it is not a creation of the comic world since his first appearance was in the animated series 'Batman: The Animated Series' ('Batman: The Animated Series') in a chapter titled 'Joker's Favor' that we could translate as 'Favor de Joker'.

This criminal dressed as a harlequin is partner of what is probably the most famous villain who has faced the bat man, the joker. Harleen Quinzel, which is what this villain is actually called, was the doctor assigned by the Arkham psychiatric hospital to the JokerAfter falling in love with him, she helped him escape and since then follows him in his evil plans. IGN awarded this character 45th place on the list of greatest villains of all time.

Coming soon Margot Robbie will play Harley Quinn for the first time on the big screen in David Ayer's "Suicide Squad."

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy

Real name: Pamela lillian isley

First apparition: 'Batman No. 181' (June 1966)

Creators: Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff

In the 60's Poison Ivy arrived to make our superhero's life miserable. It is about a sensual villain who uses plant toxins to carry out her crimes, although she does not rule out seduction to succeed in her plans, something that leads her 64th position on IGN's list of the greatest villains of all time, a great position, although the last of the ten characters that we consider to be the best that have faced Batman.

The main objective of Poison Ivy is to destroy the human race so that plants can take over the world and that is that Pamela Lillian Isley, which is what this redhead dressed in leaves is really called, was a botanical doctor from Seattle with great knowledge about of plants, before scientist Jason Woodrue, aka the Floronic Man will experiment with her by injecting toxins into her blood to make her immune to any type of poisons, viruses and bacteria which left her sterile, hence she treats her plants as if they were her own children.

Poison Ivy has a great relationship with another villain, Harley QuinnProbably the only relationship between Batman's enemies that is based on friendship, as Poison Ivy tries to save Harley Quinn from her dangerous relationship with the Joker.

Uma Thurman played the character in Joel Schumacher's disastrous 1997 film 'Batman and Robin' ('Batman & Robin').

Joker

Joker

Real name: -A stranger-

First apparition: 'Batman No. 1' (May 1940)

Creators: Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane

Without a doubt, the Joker is the most famous villain of those who have faced Batman in all of history, IGN ranks him as the 2nd best villain of all time, only behind Magneto, something that could lead to a long debate.

When Batman began starring in his own comic in 1940, after having achieved great popularity in 'Detective Comics', you had to give him a rival to match, so the Joker already appeared in the first issue of the comic 'Batman'One of the most complete villains, without having any superpowers, this wild-card-looking villain is one of the most dangerous due to his great intelligence and his experience with weapons and explosives.

In 1988, in the comic 'Batman: The Killing Joke' its possible origin was presented, having been an employee of a chemical products plant, he is tricked by criminals into helping them rob a place adjacent to said factory, when the police discover them, he falls into a pond of toxic waste and when his skin comes out of it she has turned white and her hair green.

As a curiosity, it must be said that the role on the big screen has been carried out by three Oscar winners. In 'Batman' in 1989 Jack Nicholson, winner at that time of two Oscars and who would later win a third, he put himself in the shoes of this villainIn 2008 It was Heath Ledger who played the Joker in 'The Dark Knight' ('The Dark Knight'), which earned him the statuette posthumously and the Oscar winner Jared Leto just played this famous character in the film 'Suicide Squad' and may even appear in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, although that remains to be seen. Cesar Romero played the Joker in the 60's series and it is speculated that the character carried out by Cameron Monaghan in the series 'Gotham' may finally be the Joker.

Penguin

Penguin

Real name: Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot

First apparition: 'Detective Comics # 58' (December 1941)

Creators: Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Armed with different deadly umbrellas, the Penguin tries to spread terror in Gotham City as one of the greatest criminals. He is one of the first great villains to have faced Batman, probably the second to arrive after the Joker. The relationship between Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot and the bat man is most curious, since his crimes are sometimes allowed by Batman in exchange for him being his informant. You also have to keep in mind that he is one of the few villains who is in full mental faculties to know what he does evil.

IGN considers the Penguin the 51st greatest villain of all time.

Burgess Meredith played the Penguin in the 60s TV series 'Batman' while the role in the series 'Gotham' it falls to Robin Lord Taylor, although the most famous Penguin in the audiovisual world is the one who carried out Danny DeVitto in 'Batman Returns' by Tim Burton.

Ra's al Ghul

Ra's al Ghul

Real name: -A stranger-

First apparition: 'Batman No. 232' (June 1971)

Creators: Dennis O'Neil

Although it is not one of the oldest enemies, since it was not created until the 70s, Ra's al Ghul was considered by IGN as the 7th greatest villain of all time, which means in that same list the second of those who have faced Batman, only behind the Joker, something that says a lot about this character who is also the father of another of the most dangerous villains he has faced Bruce Wayne's alter ego, Talia al Ghul, considered the 42nd villain on IGN's list.

Known as Ra 'al Ghul, which means "The Head of the Demon", this character has its origin in the time of the Crusades and behind him is a long story of revenge Which means that after seeing how his wife was murdered and blamed on him, he decided to use his medical knowledge, almost magical, to end not only the murderer, but also his entire culture.

Ra's al Ghul's goal is eradicate ninety percent of the human race, which he considers a cancer for Earth, to create a new Eden, which, obviously, Batman wants to avoid.

In Christopher Nolan's trilogy on 'The Dark Knight' Liam Neeson played this role, although Ken Watanabe also called himself that in the first installment, something that whoever has seen the film will understand.