7 Old Batman Villains You Want To Forget but Can’t

by

Batman is famous for having incredibly compelling villains, and it’s easy to understand why. Characters like the Joker, Ra’s al Ghul, and Mr. Freeze are among the most entertaining and frightening foes a hero could encounter. They’re captivating because they’re both insane and strangely charming, leaving a lasting impression on readers. What makes these villains so effective is how memorable they are – each one has a distinct personality and core idea that sets them apart and makes them truly unique.

Batman has some of the most iconic villains in comics, but that can be a problem. Some are so disturbing or bizarre, it’s hard to forget them, even if you want to. This list covers seven of Batman’s older foes that many fans wish they could erase from their memory. They’re stuck in our heads because they’re frightening, repulsive, or just incredibly foolish, and unfortunately, they’ll likely remain there for a long time.

7) Two-Face III

I’ve always been fascinated by the lesser-known Two-Faces, and there’s one in particular that’s truly unforgettable. It’s not the original Harvey Dent, or even the imposter who tried to take his place, but the *third* Two-Face. Most people don’t even know he exists, but those who do… well, his story is just unbelievably strange, even for the Golden Age of comics! This guy, Paul Sloane, was an actor hired to *play* Two-Face in a movie about the villain. But here’s where it gets wild: a stuntman, completely irrationally jealous because Sloane had caught the eye of his girlfriend, swapped the fake acid used in the disfigurement scene with *real* acid. Seriously, it happened! It’s a story you won’t believe.

The experience deeply traumatized Sloane, leading him to believe he *was* Two-Face. It’s strangely compelling to make a film about a living criminal, especially when that man suffers a major mental breakdown over something so trivial. The whole situation is ridiculous – he essentially became a supervillain because of someone else’s jealousy. This version of Two-Face is unique and memorable, simply because his origin story is so unbelievably silly.

6) Idiot

This villain is almost laughable due to his name – it’s baffling how ‘Idiot’ even made it through the editing process. His backstory is equally absurd. The idea of a villain formed from the worst traits of four Arkham Asylum patients, desperate to prove his existence, is genuinely unsettling. But beyond the ridiculous name, the character was created through sheer carelessness. How could a doctor at Arkham think connecting the minds of four unstable patients with a magical root wouldn’t lead to disaster?

The villain known as Idiot is genuinely disturbing – he’s a cannibal with powers that can shatter minds. This combination could have made him a truly compelling antagonist, but his name undermines any sense of threat. He first appeared in *Batman* #471 and hasn’t been seen since that storyline concluded. While the Batman comics have moved past him, I still think he has a lot of unrealized potential, held back by a terrible name.

5) Bruno

It’s hard to believe this character still gets attention, but here we are. Bruno first showed up in *The Dark Knight Returns* #3, and she’s the quintessential Frank Miller creation – a blatant Neo-Nazi who worked for the Joker. Her disturbing design – bare-chested with a particularly offensive symbol – is impossible to ignore. Beyond being a Nazi, she lacks much personality, but despite being a forgettable henchman, she’s so strangely memorable that she stands out. She was clearly designed to shock, and she definitely succeeds. It’s just… what *was* the thought process behind that design?

4) Penny Plunderer

The Penny Plunderer is a somewhat silly and outdated Batman villain. First appearing in World’s Finest Comics #30, Joe Coyne was unique for only committing crimes involving pennies. This limited his potential for elaborate schemes, and even his original 1940s story struggled to create believable plots for him. He resurfaced after the Crisis on Infinite Earths in Batman Chronicles #19, but met a rather definitive end – he was crushed by one of the giant pennies Batman keeps in the Batcave and, according to the story, went to hell.

This backstory completely transforms the character, taking him from a silly, harmless villain to someone genuinely disturbing. The story raises so many questions – why would someone as trivial as the Penny Plunderer end up in hell? What terrible deeds could he have committed beyond petty theft? His development was shockingly rapid, and that unexpected turn has stayed with audiences. He’s a ridiculous villain with a surprisingly dark fate, and that contrast is what makes him memorable, even though it’s hard to imagine bringing him back in a story. Honestly, it’s difficult to see how he could be used again after that.

3) The Eraser

I always thought the Eraser had a really cool premise, but it just didn’t work out. He first showed up in a Batman comic way back in issue #188, and it’s wild to learn he actually went to high school with Bruce Wayne – though he didn’t exactly excel! He became a criminal who specialized in cleaning up after other criminals, wiping away any trace of their crimes. He was *so* good, even Batman and Robin couldn’t find a thing! It’s a genuinely interesting idea with a lot of potential, but honestly, the character’s terrible look really held him back.

I have no problem with unique character designs, and I enjoy creating villains, but this one is just over the top. I understand he’s called the Eraser, but his appearance is distracting – especially his pointed feet. He’s meant to remove things, not create new shapes! This character actually has a lot of story potential, but unfortunately, his design is so outlandish that it makes him unusable in future narratives. It’s really disappointing.

2) The King of the Cats

The King of the Cats is a bizarre villain best left forgotten. First appearing in *Batman* #69, he copied Catwoman’s crime style after she’d retired, and became fixated on her. He sent her flowers and proposed they jointly control the criminal world, even kidnapping Batman and Robin to prove their power as a team. Beyond his strange obsession and self-proclaimed title, the truly disturbing part is that he was actually Selina Kyle’s brother.

Karl Kyle’s intense desire to rule alongside Selina takes a disturbing turn when you discover they’re siblings. This revelation completely changes how you see him, making his motivations deeply unsettling. I really wish I could forget this character exists – he feels like a poor imitation of Catwoman – but his strangeness is impossible to ignore once you know the truth.

1) Ten-Eyed Man

This villain is truly one of the most disturbing characters ever created. What makes him so unsettling is the sheer uniqueness of his condition. After losing his eyesight in an accident, Philip Reardon underwent a gruesome surgery where optical nerves were grafted onto his fingertips, as seen in *Batman* #226. This gives him an overwhelming amount of sensory input – five times more visual information than normal. Adding to his torment, each of these new ‘eyes’ is incredibly sensitive, meaning even simple actions like gripping something or making a fist cause him intense pain.

To make matters worse, the Ten-Eyed Man has been revamped into a truly frightening character. He now claims to have powers like seeing through walls, reading souls, and even predicting the future. Whenever he appears in a comic, he genuinely creeps me out. He feels less like a typical villain and more like a terrifying, ancient being destined for a tragic fate. He’s deeply unsettling and horrifying – someone I’d love to forget, but I suspect will haunt me for a long time.

Here are seven of Batman’s most memorable enemies – the ones you’d rather not think about, but inevitably do. They’re certainly not the best Gotham has to offer, and some probably deserve to be forgotten. What are your thoughts? Share them in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/7-more-dc-marvel-crossovers-we-need-to-see-after-deadpool-batman/embed/#

Read More

2025-10-06 16:13