The Joker is one of the most unpredictable and chaotic figures in all of DC comics. His power comes from his bizarre plans, dangerous gadgets and above all else, his madness. His inability to hold back is both a detriment and a key part of his character.
Joker is in some ways one of the most damaging and powerful villains in Batman's long list of foes. But, there are a few villains who are surprisingly more powerful than the clown prince of crime. Whether it seems unlikely or not, here are 10 villains you wouldn't think are more powerful than the Joker, but actually are!
10 CAPTAIN COLD
The Flash has his own impressive gallery of rogues and Captain Cold is one of the most prominent amongst them. The character has an illustrious history with the scarlet speedster, but you wouldn't assume he was any more capable than Gotham's resident maniac.
However, Snart's freeze gun already puts him at a significant advantage to the Joker. Not only this, he has a tactical mind almost unlike anyone else and both his plans and his weapons are enough to stop super powered individuals. Joker can sometimes barely handle vigilantes so full on meta-humans would be far above him.
9 DEATHSTROKE
Deathstroke is an interesting villain as he's gone through many incarnations. Whether he has enhanced abilities or not, he is still incredibly deadly with a blade. While his army is far more protective than you would imagine, it is his combat skills that give him the advantage here.
Deathstroke is simply a far more formidable threat than the Joker. The Gotham criminal is certainly capable in a fight, but not in comparison to a trained assassin like Slade Wilson. Slade also has a level of endurance that Joker couldn't match and is far more experienced when it comes to tactical killings and planned assassinations. Joker is the hammer to the precision of Wilson's blade.
8 CLAYFACE
Clayface is an often overlooked member of the Batman villain family. The failed actor is usually a pawn in another villain's game. But Clayface has a lot of attributes that Joker simply does not possess, that makes him far more powerful if he ever used them effectively.
Basil Karlo's powers alone give him an edge in a fight. He too is unpredictable and has a vast imagination on how to successfully use his abilities. The power to morph and shape his body not only makes him almost indestructible, but has also been used in some versions to imitate other humans effectively allowing him to shape shift.
7 TALIA AL GHUL
Talia Al Ghul possesses two things that Joker struggles with. Resources and allies. While Joker tears through henchmen pretty quickly and having to resort to crime to ensure his workers get paid, Talia's link to the League means she's always got backup.
Her training has resulted in a level of fearlessness that perhaps even the Joker doesn't have and she's one of the best combatants in all of the DC universe. Not only this, but she essentially has an army that could follow her in to battle and is dangerous for Bats because she has his heart in her grasp.
6 BLACK MANTA
Any regular human who has reached the depths of Atlantis, fought against it's King, joined the Legion of Doom alongside other powered individuals and is still alive to talk about it, deserves to be praised as an elite villain. Black Manta has done all of those things.
While he may be defeated on numerous occasions and Joker has also made it to the Legion, the other accomplishments on this list could not have been achieved by the psychopath in white paint. Manta's hard work and obsession with destroying Aquaman has led him down a dangerous path that has made him even more powerful.
5 CATWOMAN
The feline petty thief usually bites off more than she can chew. That doesn't stop her from being far more powerful than the Joker could ever be though. While he relies on loud and crazy plans, Selina Kyle can slip in and out without anyone knowing she was even there.
She's a far superior fighter to the clown and actually finds herself in far more successful situations due to her cunning and efforts to plan a heist. She knows exactly how to scout a target and has far more power through her agility and ability to escape at any given moment. Pitted against the Joker she could soundly defeat him given the right situation.
4 TRICKSTER
The Trickster could be perceived to be a cheap knockoff version of the original practical joker of the DC universe. When you look at what the Trickster has to contend against though, it becomes apparent that perhaps he may actually be more powerful that Batman's version.
The Trickster has to compete against the fastest man alive and sometimes doesn't do a bad job of it. The fact he has evaded capture so many times and pulled off countless successful traps, suggests to us that Trickster is actually far more capable as a villain than the Joker may ever be. Perhaps a hint more sanity is what gives Trickster the leg up in this instance.
3 HUSH
Hush is one of Batman's most fascinating villains. He hasn't made the impact that the clown prince of crime has, but he has a set of powers that make him far more unique and dangerous, especially to arch nemesis Bruce Wayne.
The plastic surgery that Hush has received means that he looks identical to the billionaire. This gives him almost unlimited power to perhaps access Bruce's personal items, money or most importantly, his spotlight. Hush has the power to completely ruin Bruce Wayne's life and has tried on several occasions. He also has enough money of his own to fund all this revenge.
2 HARLEY QUINN
As the love interest and protegee of the Joker it's easy to overlook Harley Quinn. It can be assumed that she would never be able to surpass the man who created her. Quinn has a lot more to offer than many may realise though and has stepped out of Mr J's shadow to become a villain in her own right.
Her resourcefulness is nothing short of extraordinary with Harley often able to pull a miracle out of the bag. She's clearly more powerful than Joker as she's also stronger when she's going solo, finding more success in her own right, or as part of villainous teams like the Suicide Squad. She's a superior fighter and although she's still pretty delusional, she's clearer headed and more focused than her former boss.
1 LEX LUTHOR
There's always been a debate about who's really more powerful, Lex Luthor or the Joker. In the comics, it has been implied that Joker can outmanoeuvre Lex because of his unpredictability. Luthor's logical thinking process can't quite compete with the madness of Mr J.
Despite this, when you analyse what each man has access to, Luthor is perhaps more of a threat. He can fight Kryptonians, is far more intelligent, has designed indestructible exo-suits and is usually the leader of the Legion of Doom. He's been known to have some moments of madness himself; ultimately though, money speaks louder and Lex has a lot of it.