9. Black Adam

This guy tried being a hero for a while, but then someone went and killed his wife and child. He then went on a path of destruction that could only be called World War III, that’s right they called it World War III because one guy got really pissed.

The Skinny:

Strong enough to go toe to toe with Superman, Black Adam is the antithesis to Captain Marvel. Think Namor the Submariner with Thor’s powers and your starting to get close to getting what this guy is typically like.

Update:

Recently Black Adam discovered that his wife was in fact alive. He freed her from her captors and went on another path of destruction, this time to the Rock of Eternity. The only keeping Adam and his wife from destroying humanity is the JSA, his former teammates.

8. Thanos

Just ask Eros the Starfox (if he’s still alive) there is no worse fate in all the universe than to wake up with Thanos staring you in the face. After all, his name does mean death (at least in the Marvel Universe it does). Called the Mad Titan, Thanos has a thing for death, in the end he is the most powerful nihilist in the Marvel Universe.

The Skinny:

Once the possessor of the Infinite Gauntlet, Thanos has aspirations to take control of the entire universe, and he’s come close on numerous occasions. Typically Thor or the enigmatic Adam Warlock are on hand to put a stop to his plans.

Update:

Thanos is currently dead, he was killed by Drax The Destroyer during Annihilation.

7. Norman Osborn

This long time Spider-Man rogue has a hankerin’ to be public enemy #1, or at least to make the top five on a villains list. Norman Osborn died a long time ago, and for a good amount of time he stayed dead. But eventually he made his return to the living and has been expanding as a character ever since Civil War.

The Skinny:

 The Norman Osborn character has come a long way since his first appearance in 1964, while he technically does have super powers, he relies on his cunning and new power suit to get the job done.

Update:

Making a huge mess of things is what Norman Osborn is up to now. He’s replaced SHIELD with HAMMER and is basically the number one cop in all the land. Currently he’s leading his own team of Avengers into Latveria to help Dr. Doom. That’s right, I said help him.

6.Darkseid

The ruler of Apokolips the dark and dreadful planet of slavery and decay, Darkseid is easily on of the greatest villains that comics have ever seen. This dark ruler has threatened the entire universe for years, and has tested the mettle of several of DC’s greatest heroes.

The Skinny:

Darkseid has a number of deadly powers not the least of which is the Omega Beams that kill whatever he targets. He also has a power called the Omega Sanction that he recently used on Batman. Like Thanos, Darkseid has a thing for death and destruction with a splash of domination thrown in for good measure.

Update:

Darkseid is also currently pushing up daisy’s, but who’s to say that he won’t be making a comeback anytime soon.

5. Lex Luthor

The greatest criminal mastermind you say? That’s the title that best fits Lex Luthor. Luthor uses his genius in a number of ways, as a criminal mastermind, businessman, and scientist. He hates Superman for a number of reasons as well, mostly because he’s an alien who thinks he’s better than everyone else.

The Skinny:

Long gone are the days of super powered war suits that have their own rear view mirrors, these days Luthor plays a different game. He’s recently had his fair share of trouble dating back to Infinite Crisis. He also got caught up in the middle of Salvation Run, two series that are worth a second look.

Update:

Last seen in a hidden bunker with General Lane (Lois Lanes father who is supposed to be dead), Luthor is devising ways to destroy Superman and the rest of the Kryptonians that escaped from the bottled city of Kandor.

4. Magneto

The X-Men’s greatest villain, Magneto has control over the magnetic forces. A counter to Xavier’s idea of a peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants, Magneto seeks to crush humanity under his boot heel most days. When he’s in a bad mood he kills people.

The Skinny:

The master of Magnetism has had a run of ill luck recently losing his powers during ‘M’ Day. In the Ultimate universe Magneto doesn’t have that problem and has declared war on all of humanity. Using Thor’s hammer (which should be impossible) he flooded the city of New York killing thousands.

Update:

The earth 616 Magneto has recently had his powers restored by the High Evolutionary. What he plans to do next is anyone’s guess, but it’s a safe bet it will suck for the X-Men.

3. Dr. Doom

The Monarch of Latveria is no joke. The arch enemy of Mr. Fantastic and the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom is a scientist and sorcerer. With those combined powers he’s managed quite a few feats over the years like stealing the powers of the Silver Surfer and fighting toe to toe against the Beyonder.

The Skinny:

Doom has been a busy little bee lately. He was released from the raft in exchange for an alliance with Norman Osborn, he flash fried the Black Panther recently as well. His armor is just as advanced as Iron Man’s and when you add in the magic he knows he’s one of the most formidable villains ever.

Update:

Despite his great power he recently got his head handed to him by Morgana Le Fay. If not for the Intervention of Norman Osborn and his team of Dark Avengers then he would be dead. His fate is ultimately intertwined with Dark Reign.

2. Darth Vader

The Ultimate Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader is one of the most storied bad guys in modern fiction. The comics get extra kudos for working with a character whose fate has already been determined. His effect on popular culture is undeniable and the universe built around him has a life all its own.

The Skinny:

Anakin Skywalker is featured in several stories, from Rebellion to the Dark Times. He’s also featured in the ongoing Clone Wars features from Dark Horse comics in his pre-Vader days. That’s what really makes this character so unique. He was a hero through and through for a long time before he fell to the Dark Side. He’s probably the only guy who could contend for greatest villain and greatest hero at the same time.

Update:

This month is a great month for Lord Vader, with the return of the Dark Times ongoing adventure. A book he shares with former Jedi Dass Jenir. The book will deal with the fallout from Vector and will hopefully continue to fill us in on the missing chapters in Vader’s life, so stay tuned for that.

1.  The Joker

This is it; the man you decided was the greatest villain of all, the Joker. While the recent portrayal of the iconic character by the late Heath Ledger might have had something to do with the characters sudden popularity, the title of number one is still fitting. After all, you voted Batman to be the toughest not too long ago, it’s only fitting that his arch nemesis be the number one villain. This guy gives Batman fits like none other. Just name the landmark story and the Joker is involved from the Killing Joke to Death in the Family the Joker is always there.

The Skinny:

Personally I feel like the Joker’s been getting a raw deal lately, with the exception of some great limited series starring him, within continuity he’s been used a s a pawn an awful lot. Despite that, over the years the Joker has been a consistent game changer in the sense that the whole tone of a book changes from the minute he makes the scene.

Update:

The Joker hasn’t been seen in action recently, the last word was that he had joined Libra’s group of villains during Final Crisis. Rest assured however that in the current Battle for the Cowl story arc, the Joker is bound to make an appearance.