DC Comics has a lot of interesting villains in its diverse cast of characters. However, while every villain has some devoted fans, there are many who DC seems unsure of how to handle. Many villains are obviously brimming with potential or boast a great design, only lack in execution. A big issue, especially recently, has been that longer arcs and events dedicated to single threats leave little room for other villains to flourish.

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One of the most miscalculated things a publisher can do with a good villain is to water down their powers or even try setting them on a path of redemption. On the other hand, fans prefer to see these villains posing a threat to the heroes, and definitely don't want them diminished. So while certain villains get the A-list treatment, many more minor hitters deserve better treatment.

10 Shade Is Shrouded In Mystery And Changing Allegiances

CBR Dark Knights of Steel The Shade montage image

Shade has been known to hold varying allegiances throughout his history in DC Comics, often being a villain but also helping some heroes. But he is by far best served as a villain. The gentleman of mystery, armed with his nightstick, can plunge his enemies into sudden darkness.

Shade's potential to make for some great stories comes from his powers and history and his connection to the Shadowlands. The Shadowlands are a dark corner of the multiverse, from which entities like the Great Darkness were birthed. Seeing Shade explore the land from which he gets his powers would be great.

9 Per Degaton Is A Fascist Supervillain With Power Over Time

Per Degaton holding a gun next to seal of JSA

Per Degaton is one of the Justice Society of America's major villains, a fascist from the Golden Age who has the power to manipulate time. Fascist supervillains have a tried and true track record, which has been great for Captain America.

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The idea of a time-traveling fascist supervillain should be much cooler in execution than just an idea. It should be said that Degaton's diminished role is due to the JSA's own absence from a title. But now that comics' first superhero team is back in their own book, it's time to make something of Degaton.

8 M'Nagalah Could Return Cosmic Horror Threats To DC

M'nagalah attacks the DC universe

With relatively few appearances, M'Nagalah debuted in the original Swamp Thing series, where he was discovered lurking in the mines of a small town. The monster is basically a Lovecraftian Elder God, a cosmic entity with world-ending power when able to reach full strength.

M'Nagalah returned as a villain in The Atom, where he attempted to absorb the microscopic superhero into his being. Cosmic horror has a healthy market, especially for those who prefer a darker tone of story, and has incredible potential to turn this villain into the next crisis threat.

7 Floronic Man Should Really Be The Anti-Swamp Thing

The Floronic Man standing in a field grinning

Floronic Man, also known as Jason Woodrue, is one of Swamp Thing's most formidable villains. Where Swamp Thing is the Protector of the Green, Floronic Man serves the Rot and matches his heroic enemy's horror tone. Woodrue would be a great story for the question, "what if Swamp Thing was a villain?"

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Many stories have been dedicated to showcasing the power of Swamp Thing, but there are few for Floronic Man. Considering the popularity of Swamp Thing, the potential to duplicate that success with a villain should be obvious.

6 Hugo Strange Should Be Recreated Into Batman's Lex Luthor

Hugo Strange smiling on a DC Comics cover

Although he has a dedicated following among Batman's most devoted fans, Hugo Strange has seen relatively few definitive stories the way Joker, Bane, and Riddler have. But considering his intellect and scheming, Strange should be elevated to a more recurring Batman villain akin to Lex Luthor.

Hugo Strange's intelligence is so great he was famously one of the first villains to discover Batman's secret identity as Bruce Wayne. With Joker acting as the chaos of Gotham's criminal underworld, Bane, the muscle, Penguin, the crime boss, and Strange should be the mastermind.

5 Tattooed Man Could Be A Great Villain To Any Hero

Tattooed Man bringing tattoos to life in DC Comics

Well known for his ability to bring his tattoos to life, Tattooed Man can use these ink-based constructs very much like a Green Lantern construct. Three men have carried the mantle of Tattooed Man, but Mark Richards is by far the best known and has been the most fleshed out.

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Like many of DC's coolest villains, Richards began his villainy as an assassin, with his tattoos representing those he killed. His powers make him a fun twist on the mental construct power. A villain who can bring to life anything tattooed on his body is simply fantastic.

4 Chemo Could Be A Formidable Force Of Destruction

Chemo leaking dark toxic energy

Chemo was created by a scientist's chemical waste placed in a hard transparent body suit that subsequently gained sentience. The villain is now reminiscent of the science-fiction/horror monster The Blob, and poses the threat of his toxic chemical waste; he even briefly proved a major threat to Superman.

However, he has largely been reduced to a "jobber," a villain who only serves as a demonstration of a hero's power, rarely posing a significant threat. His last major appearance was a brief bit in Shazam! (2021), and he's been mostly irrelevant since before Infinite Crisis (2005).

3 KGBeast Is A Stateless Agent Of Chaos From The Cold War

KGBeast Nightwing holding hostage

Introduced during Jim Starlin's run on Batman, KGBeast was an exiled KGB agent, one intent on terrorizing the USA. His first story saw him plotting to assassinate Ronald Reagan on a trip to Gotham, forcing Batman to intervene to save the president from this new threat.

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KGBeast is something of the antithesis of the Captain America archetype, serving as an evil super-soldier spy with a mission of destruction. He could stand alongside the likes of Bane in the threat and resolve, serving as a spy intent on toppling society. But, instead, he's often depicted as a villainous henchman.

2 Black Manta Could Claim The High Seas For Himself

Black Manta with his glowing red eyes underwater, fish swimming around in DC Comics

Primarily due to his placement in the world of Aquaman, a title itself often obscure compared to others, Black Manta has been underrated for far too long in comics. Yet, everything about Manta, from his suit and design to his origin story and motivation, is incredible and compelling.

In many ways, Black Manta is even more interesting as a villain than Aquaman is as a hero. A recent miniseries attempted to explore Manta's complexity, but made the mistake of trying to spin him into an antihero figure. But Black Manta is by far best as an outright villain.

1 Atomic Skull's Name Is As Awesome As His Powers

Atomic Skull projecting atomic energy next to Batman and Superman

There are few villains who, despite such a cool name and design, have missed the mark with audiences as much as Atomic Skull. By all accounts, Atomic Skull should be one of the DCU's more formidable and well-known villains, boasting a design that works for Marvel's Ghost Rider.

Instead, Atomic Skull has been relegated almost entirely to more minor supporting roles and short arcs, one of many villains just used to give heroes something to do. However, the villain is a formidable enemy, even to Superman, thanks to his strength and projection of atomic energy.

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