The 10 Scariest Villains In DC History, Ranked

The world of DC Comics The universe of the Corporation has long been defined by the endless war between good and evil. Throughout the Corporation’s nine decades of existence, generations of creators have added a long list of villains to the universe. These villains have varied powers and motivations, ranging from bumbling pranksters to the very embodiment of chaos and malevolence.

DC villains are often created to represent themes and fears specific to their heroes, with each villain having to have some sort of edge over their heroic foe. While some characters have always been fairly kitschy and non-threatening, others have been defined by their ability to strike fear into the hearts of others. In fact, some of the best stories in the company’s history have been written to focus on the idea of ​​fear itself, including horrors that have brought the best heroes to their knees.

10 The Joker

Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

The Joker first appeared in the 1940s Batman #1, where he immediately established himself as one of Batman’s most bitter enemies in a war against Gotham’s elite. In the years since, the villain has proven himself to be one of the most unpredictable, volatile, and violent villains in the DC Universe, with one of the highest body counts in Gotham.

The Joker’s terrifying nature often depends on who writes it, with some creators preferring a kitsch version that relies on pranks, while others explore a much more sinister creature. For many readers, the mere appearance of a killer clown is enough to make his stories terrifying, and his uncontrolled violence only compounds that fear.

9 Salomon Grundy

Created by Alfred Bester and Paul Reinman

Based on the nursery rhyme of the same name, DC’s Solomon Grundy was once a criminal, Cyrus Gold, who was resurrected after being killed and abandoned in Slaughter Swamp. Upon his return from the dead, the supernatural villain possessed superhuman strength, invulnerability to conventional means of death, and a large body similar to that of the Hulk.

As a massive, unreasonable zombie, Grundy stands out among DC’s greatest monsters, though some stories have featured a more intelligent version of the character. Despite a tragic side to the villain, as suggested by stories by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, Batman: The Long HalloweenThe Pale Zombie is a character that even Batman doesn’t want to alienate.

8 Scarecrow

Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane

The Scarecrow, also known as Doctor Jonathan Crane, is a villain dedicated to spreading fear, so it makes sense that he has established himself as one of DC’s most fearsome foes. Armed with his dangerous fear toxin, his modus operandi is to induce horrific nightmares and hallucinations in his victims, immobilizing them and allowing him to commit his crimes. In some stories, he has unleashed his gas on entire cities, plunging them into unbridled chaos.

The Scarecrow is a walking fear factory in Gotham City, and recent stories have shown that even Shazam is vulnerable to his nightmares. Paired with a terrifying costume that evokes the most sinister moments of Halloween, the villain sows terror wherever he goes.

7 Parallax

Created, in its current form, by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Parallax is one of DC’s most interesting villains due to the complicated history of his creation. Originally, Parallax was simply the identity adopted by Hal Jordan after he turned evil following the destruction of Coast City. Later, the villain was the subject of Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver’s retcon in Green Lantern: Rebirthexplaining that Hal had been under the influence of a fear-based parasitic entity the entire time.

Given that he’s the living embodiment of fear in DC, it’s hard to find anything more terrifying than Parallax in the literal sense of the word. Ultimately, the scope of his power and influence, combined with his appearance as a giant insectoid cosmic monster, make Parallax one of the scariest monsters in the DCU.

6 Doctor Destiny

Created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky

Doctor Destiny was originally introduced as a supervillain who used technology, such as an anti-gravity device that he used against the Justice League. However, over time, the villain was redefined as a supernatural enemy, capable of entering people’s dreams and launching psychological attacks against them. In his later battles with the League, he infiltrated their dreams, turning them into nightmares, effectively immobilizing them in the real world.

As frightening as Doctor Destiny’s appearance is, it’s actually his power that gives him true horror, granting him the ability to plunge his enemies into inescapable nightmares. With one of the most frightening appearances in the DCU, the villain can traumatize a character for the rest of their life.

5 Darkseid

Created by Jack Kirby

Darkseid was created by Jack Kirby to serve as the main villain in his Fourth World mythos, which explores the ongoing war between New Genesis and Apokolips. Motivated by power and conquest, Darkseid dedicated his life to finding the Anti-Life Equation, which, if found, would grant him control over the free will of sentient beings.

Darkseid doesn’t possess the same monstrous form or unreasoning mind as other villains. Instead, it’s his intelligence, relentless nature, and the horror of his Omega Beams that make him so terrifying that even Superman fears him. Stories like Final Crisis and “Rock of Ages” explored the horrific future the villain holds, filled with tyranny, monstrous versions of heroes, and endless death.

4 The Upside Down Man

Created by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno

Created for Justice League DarkThe Upside-Down Man is a being from a race of nightmarish creatures, the Otherkind, from a macabre plane of existence, the Other Place. Formed at the dawn of time, when the universe was a place of darkness, the villain became the greatest threat to the Justice League Dark, manipulating them into darkness.

The Upside-Down Man reflects the dark horror of James Tynion IV and Ram V’s tenure on Justice League Darkbringing readers the most frightening foe created in the last decade. From his terrifying appearance to his mastery of dark magic that allows him to unleash horrors upon the world, the villain is one of DC’s greatest supernatural threats.

3 Trigon

Created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez

Trigon was created as an answer to Satan himself, a demonic overlord from another dimension who has destroyed countless worlds in his universe. Imprisoned within the gem that empowers his heroic daughter, Raven, the demonic despot possesses an array of abilities, from teleportation and super strength to energy blasts and reality manipulation.

Trigon isn’t just the Teen Titans’ most terrifying villain; he’s a being so powerful that it’s unclear if even Darkseid could withstand his wrath. As one of the few characters in existence who can fend off the likes of Mr. Mxyzptlk, the Satan-inspired monster is one of the greatest threats to the known universe—and his existence is pure Biblical horror.

2 M’Nagalah

Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson

As he embarks on his perilous journey across the United States to return to his swamp, Swamp Thing encounters a variety of villains and creatures. None are as terrifying as M’Nagalah, an ancient being from outer space who dwells in the caves beneath a small town that makes sacrifices to him. After encountering Alec Holland’s new form, the townspeople attempt to lure him into the mines, leading to a confrontation with the monster.

M’Nagalah blends elements of Lovecraftian horror with existential dread, a seemingly indestructible terror. While the creature can be temporarily hampered, it comes back, as demonstrated when the Atom fell upon the being. Able to manipulate the minds of ordinary people and create deformed creatures to do its bidding, M’Nagalah is DC’s answer to Cthulhu in some ways.

1 The Great Darkness

Created by Alan Moore and Stan Woch

The Great Darkness was created by Alan Moore during his run as Swamp Thing, and he serves as the embodiment of malevolence and evil in the DCU. As a fundamental force of existence, the villain’s true form is rarely shown, but rather represented by his agents. Dormant in another plane of existence, the ancient being nearly brought the universe to its knees in Black Crisis on Infinite Earths by Joshua Williamson and Daniel Sampere when it had both heroes and villains.

The Great Darkness is the perfect balance to the light of the Presence, embodying DC’s spirit of malevolence. An omnipresent, inescapable, and indestructible being, the Darkness is pervasive throughout the universe and has been manipulated by Pariah to threaten existence itself. The being is not typically depicted as having any major aspirations of its own, but rather as an inescapable force upon existence in the world of DC Comics.