10 DC Supervillains Who Defined the 2000s

Around the turn of the millennium, DC Comics started creating larger, more complex story arcs. This period saw three major “Crisis” events, alongside many other storylines that dramatically altered the established DC Universe. These changes were often driven by new supervillains who weren’t just focused on power, but had deeply personal and ideological motivations. Their crimes became increasingly brutal, and they began targeting the heroes’ families and friends to inflict emotional damage. These villains often challenged traditional ideas of right and wrong, raising difficult questions about justice and blurring the lines between heroism and villainy.

The 21st century quickly introduced a wave of truly frightening supervillains, ranging from the bizarre new Lantern Corps to terrifying serial killers.

10) Onomatopoeia

First appearing in 2002, Onomatopoeia is a uniquely disturbing villain in the DC Universe. He’s known for only communicating through sound effects while committing brutal murders, and his true identity remains a mystery. Onomatopoeia specifically targets superheroes without superpowers, collecting their costumes as keepsakes. This has made him a recurring foe for heroes like Green Arrow and Batman, whom he’s nearly defeated multiple times thanks to his cunning, martial arts skills, and mastery of weapons. He embodies the classic comic book villain, and his victims’ last moments are often marked by the chilling sound of “bang.”

9) Veronica Cale

Wonder Woman gained her own nemesis in 2003 with Veronica Cale, a ruthless and intelligent businesswoman who worked her way to the top. Cale deeply resents Wonder Woman’s natural abilities and her peaceful ideals. Her hatred intensified when Ares almost killed her daughter, Isadore, as part of a scheme to defeat Wonder Woman. Though she lacks superpowers herself, Cale uses her wealth and cunning to try and eliminate Wonder Woman, often by gathering or creating villains like Dr. Cyber and Silver Swan. Driven by jealousy and ambition, Veronica Cale is arguably Wonder Woman’s most dedicated enemy.

8) Brother EYE

Before the ‘Crisis’ event in DC Comics, there was a helpful AI called Brother EYE. But in 2005, a much more dangerous version appeared. Originally built by Batman as a satellite to monitor superheroes, Brother EYE was hijacked by the villain Maxwell Lord. Lord reprogrammed it to eliminate all superpowered individuals. Brother EYE then infected millions of people with tiny machines called nanites, turning them into powerful but unthinking cyborg soldiers known as OMACs. Using these OMACs, Brother EYE committed terrible acts, even starting a war against the Amazons of Themyscira. Eventually, in the ‘Future’s End’ storyline, this rogue AI took control of most of humanity, transforming them into horrifying cyborgs. All thanks to Batman’s creation.

7) Larfleeze

During the 2000s, the Green Lantern universe expanded with several new Lantern Corps, and the Orange Lanterns were among the most unusual. Fueled by greed, the Orange Lantern naturally attracts the most avaricious individuals in the cosmos. However, only one Orange Lantern can exist at any given time. Currently, that Lantern is Larfleeze, a disturbed being who first appeared in 2007. Billions of years ago, Larfleeze was a thief who betrayed his companions to claim the Orange Lantern Power Battery for himself. Many have been tempted by its power, but Larfleeze kills anyone who tries to take it, then transforms them into energy beings to serve in his endless army of trapped spirits.

6) Arkillo

When Sinestro decided to create a new group of warriors fueled by fear – to oppose the Green Lanterns – he chose the brutal fighter Arkillo to train them. Arkillo first appeared in 2006 as a fierce combatant and quickly became one of Sinestro’s most loyal followers. Using a Yellow Ring, he strikes fear throughout the universe and has defeated many Green Lanterns in battle. Interestingly, despite the conflict between their groups, Arkillo formed a strong friendship with Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern known for his tough personality, when the two Corps briefly worked together. Arkillo genuinely believes in Sinestro’s idea that order can be achieved through strong control, and he’s willing to put aside the rivalry if it means a more peaceful universe – making him a complex character who isn’t simply a villain.

5) Professor Pyg

Lazlo Valentin, better known as Professor Pyg, first appeared in 2009 as a disturbing villain in the Batman universe. A deranged surgeon and serial killer, Pyg is fixated on achieving his warped vision of “perfection” by brutally mutilating and brainwashing his victims. He transforms them into mindless, obedient servants called Dollotrons, completely stripping them of their identities and free will. Formerly a spy for the UN organization Spyral, Pyg’s sanity deteriorated due to the mind-altering drugs he used. He now leads the Circus of Strange, a group of equally disturbed supervillains. Professor Pyg is considered one of Batman’s most terrifying and unstable enemies, and he ultimately aims to reshape the Dark Knight to fit his own twisted ideals.

4) Manchester Black

Manchester Black and his team, the Elite, first appeared in 2001 as a group with incredible mental and physical powers. They were created as a pointed commentary on other morally ambiguous superhero teams, like the Authority, who readily resort to killing. Black believes that true change can only come through harsh, even deadly, justice – a philosophy that, disturbingly, resonated with many. This put them on a collision course with Superman. The Elite were dangerous opponents; Black’s telekinesis alone could incapacitate Superman. Though Superman ultimately prevailed, demonstrating a more hopeful path, Black has repeatedly returned as a complex and challenging threat to Superman’s ideals.

3) Zoom

Just as Barry Allen had his nemesis Eobard Thawne, Wally West faces Hunter Zolomon, also known as Zoom. Zoom first appeared in 2001 as an FBI agent and friend to Wally. After being paralyzed by Gorilla Grodd, Zoom pleaded with Wally to travel back in time and prevent the attack. When Wally refused, Zoom attempted to use a time machine himself, which resulted in a malfunction and transformed him into the villain Zoom. Interestingly, Zoom doesn’t actually run at super speed; instead, he manipulates time around him to appear incredibly fast. He became fixated on forcing Wally to become a stronger hero, and relentlessly tormented him with devastating personal hardships, most notably causing his wife to miscarry. Zoom is undeniably one of the Flash family’s most ruthless enemies.

2) Atrocitus

In 2008, the DC Universe introduced the terrifying Red Lantern Corps, led by the powerful and enraged Atrocitus. Atrocitus is one of the few survivors of a horrific genocide in Space Sector 666. The Guardians of the Universe’s original robotic police force, the Manhunters, malfunctioned and destroyed nearly everything in the sector, including Atrocitus’s family. Driven by a burning need for revenge, Atrocitus used dark magic to create the first Red Lantern Power Battery and rings. He then formed the Red Lantern Corps, gathering hundreds of the most furious and vengeful beings in the galaxy to help him wage a constant war against the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps.

1) Hush

In 2003, Batman faced a new enemy named Hush, who aimed to destroy everything and everyone Bruce Wayne cared about. Hush was eventually unmasked as Dr. Thomas Elliot, a childhood friend of Bruce. Growing up wealthy, Elliot attempted to kill his parents as a child to inherit their fortune, but Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne, intervened and saved Elliot’s mother. This sparked a lifelong desire for revenge against the Wayne family. After years of planning, Elliot, as Hush, teamed up with the Riddler and learned Batman’s secret identity. Using this information, Hush launched a series of elaborate plans to eliminate Batman and his allies. With a memorable appearance and complex schemes, Hush quickly became one of Batman’s most dangerous and personally motivated foes.

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2025-12-17 19:17