DC Reveals Batman's Top 3 Villains, And Yes - The Joker Made the Cut

Batman has perhaps the greatest rogues gallery in superhero comics, but three villains in particular have been a persistent thorn in the Dark Knight’s side. Most Bat-fans should be able to guess that the Joker ranks high on that list, but the other two villains with the most appearances might be enough to rival the Clown Prince of Crime.

In an “Ask the Question” blog post at DC.com, Alex Jaffe answered a fan question about the Bat-villains who have appeared the most in both Batman and Detective Comics. A fan going by “Amazing Jedi-Man” posits that the Joker has appeared the most, but is curious who takes second place.

“Your first guess is right,” Jaffe responds.“It’s the Joker, by a wide margin.” But when it comes to second place, Jaffe gives that honor to two other long-serving members of Batman’s rogues gallery:

After him, it depends on how strict you want to be about the “villain” classification. It might be Catwoman, but many of her appearances in Batman and Detective Comics, especially since 1990, have not strictly been as an antagonist. If you want to discount her, then our second-most frequent Batman foe would actually be the Penguin.

The Joker, Catwoman and Penguin Are the Most Recurring Bat-Villains

If You Count Catwoman as a Villain, Of Course

It makes sense that the Joker and Catwoman have appeared the most across both Batman and Detective Comics, since both characters first appeared all the way back in 1940’s Batman #1. The Penguin followed the next year in Detective Comics #58. All three would go on to be utilized rather frequently in Gotham-based comics, with the Joker’s stature rising enough that he’s not only one of the biggest villains in the DCU, but one of the most popular villains in popular culture today.

Given their popularity, it’s interesting to see what each character was like in their debut appearance. The Joker arrives fully-formed in his self-titled debut story, a force of chaos and anarchy who puts Batman and Robin to the test by staging a series of high-profile murders. The creators seemed to realize they had a hit on their hands, as another story called “The Joker Returns” closes out Batman #1 with another explosive story of the Joker wreaking havoc. The Clown Prince of Crime survives at the end, which was a true rarity in the first year of Batman’s existence, as most of those early stories ended with the villain meeting a grisly fate.

Who’s the Greatest Bat-Villain of Them All?

Three Gotham Staples

In contrast, Selina Kyle has gone through a number of changes since first appearing in Batman #1’s “The Cat.” Instead of wearing a catsuit with claws and a leather whip, this early version was a thief who kept one step ahead of Batman and Robin by being a master of disguise. The still-unnamed thief began wearing a creepy cat-mask soon thereafter, but one thing in place from the beginning was her flirtatious relationship with the Dark Knight. Catwoman’s wavering status between villain and antihero also took root fairly early on, as she was reformed and became an ally to Batman in the early fifties.

In spite of being a rather goofy character, the Penguin has been a top Batman villain for the entirety of his existence. While initially just a super-criminal who made use of gadget-laden trick umbrellas, the Penguin has become more of a mob boss in recent decades, perhaps best evidenced by the character’s recent high-profile television series starring Colin Farrell. Given the history, it’s fascinating to learn that Batman’s top three villains are the Joker, Catwoman, and the Penguin.

Source: DC.com

The Joker

Created By

Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson

Cast

Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, Barry Keoghan

First Appearance

Batman (1940)

Alias

Red Hood, Clown Prince of Crime, Ace of Knaves

RELATIONSHIPS

Batman (archenemy), Harley Quinn (former psychiatrist, on-and-off girlfriend), Penguin (frequent collaborator), Two-Face (frequent collaborator)

Alliance

Injustice League, Legion of Doom, Injustice Gang

The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman's order and justice.

Movies

Batman: The Movie, Batman, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, The Dark Knight, The Lego Batman Movie, Joker, Joker: Folie a Deux

TV Shows

Batman (1966), Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, The Batman, Gotham, Harley Quinn, Batwoman

Video Games

Batman: Return of the Joker, The Adventures of Batman & Robin (SNES), Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Batman: Arkham Asylum (dupe), Batman: Arkham City, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Batman: Arkham Knight, Mortal Kombat 11, Injustice 2, Gotham Knights

Franchise

D.C.

POWERS

Criminal Mastermind, Expert Chemist, Weaponized Props, Psychological Manipulation, Combat Skills, Unpredictability, High Pain Tolerance, Charisma, Escape Artist

HISTORY

The Joker's history has been depicted with various origin stories, the most common being his transformation into the Joker after falling into a vat of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green, and lips bright red. This disfigurement drives him insane, leading him to become Batman's greatest nemesis.

NAME

Arthur Fleck

Age

Varies by portrayal; generally depicted as being in his 30s to 40s.

Height

Typically depicted around 6 feet (1.83 meters).

Comic Books

Joker #1, The Joker #5, Joker: Killer Smile #1, Batman: Three Jokers #1, Batman: The Joker War Zone #1, DC's Year of the Villain: Joker #1, Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #1, The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1, Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity Secret Files #1, The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1

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Batman

Created By

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

First Appearance

Detective Comics

Alias

Bruce Wayne

Alliance

Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.

One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.

FIRST APP

Detective Comics #27 (1939)

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