10 Best New DC Villains of the Last 10 Years

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Even though DC’s heroes constantly battle evil, there will always be new threats emerging. While we enjoy reading about heroes and their victories, it’s often the villains who make these stories truly captivating. The DC Universe is known for having some incredibly compelling villains – the iconic ones like the Joker, Reverse-Flash, and Lex Luthor, as well as some fantastic new additions over the past ten years.

Creating a compelling hero is tough, but crafting a truly memorable villain is even harder. Fortunately, since the DC Rebirth era began, several DC villains have stood out as more than just temporary threats. Characters like Godspeed, a speedster who genuinely pushed Barry Allen to his limits, and Olgrun, an ancient evil lurking beyond our world, have proven to be exceptional. Here are 10 of the best villains DC Comics has created over the past ten years.

10. The Sinister Sons

The Sinister Sons comic features two young villains, one of whom is a relatively recent addition to DC lore. The duo first appeared a few years ago, stemming from storylines in Green Lantern and Kneel Before Zod. They’re essentially the evil counterparts to the Super Sons, inheriting the legacies of iconic villains Sinestro and General Zod. Though they haven’t achieved much yet, I really enjoyed the Sinister Sons comic and believe the concept of these young villains striking out on their own to build a reputation was a fantastic idea.

9. Crytoon

Crytoon is a unique villain in the DC universe, appearing in the story Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham. He wasn’t originally part of the main DC continuity, but he’s a compelling character nonetheless. Once a child patient at Arkham Asylum, Crytoon was used as a pawn by a group called the Stadtgeist. He’s often seen as the opposite of the Joker – instead of a laughing clown, he’s a killer fixated on cartoons who constantly cries. Disturbingly, he acts out cartoon violence in real life, like dropping anvils on people, with horrifying consequences.

8. Punchline

After Harley Quinn broke away from the Joker, he found a new partner in Alexis Kaye, who became known as Punchline. Similar to Harley, Punchline was intensely devoted to the Joker, but she specialized in poisons instead of psychology—she even developed her own version of Joker Venom. Eventually, Punchline also left the Joker’s side, and she went on to lead the criminal group called the Royal Flush Gang.

7. Godspeed

I usually prefer Reverse-Flash, but Godspeed was a really strong villain for the Flash too. August Heart started as a detective and was even friends with Barry Allen. He gained super speed during a Speed Force storm, becoming a speedster like the Flash. The big difference was that while the Flash believed in justice, Godspeed preferred to simply kill criminals instead of letting the legal system handle them. He was a great contrast to the Flash, and it’s too bad he hasn’t been featured more often.

6. Zanni

Zanni is a recent addition to the list of villains, but he’s proven to be one of the most compelling opponents in the DC All In storyline. As a being from the Fifth Dimension, Zanni’s power comes from creativity and spectacle. While he was incredibly strong during the heyday of the circus, his abilities diminished as superheroes became more common. However, Dick Grayson – who grew up performing in the circus – became the key to restoring Zanni’s power. Zanni has watched Nightwing for years and will do anything to get the hero to work for him.

5. The Devil Nezha

Devil Nezha kicked off the Batman/Superman: World’s Finest series as its first villain, and he made quite an entrance! This powerful demon quickly seized control of all magic within the DC Universe, essentially dominating every magical hero and villain – even Green Lantern, surprisingly. Though initially imprisoned, Nezha resurfaced in recent storylines, becoming the main threat in both the Batman vs. Robin arc and the Lazarus Planet event. He proved to be a formidable opponent, and fans are hoping he’s been defeated for good.

4. Olgrun

As a film buff, I’ve been digging into the lore, and Olgrun is a seriously compelling villain. He’s mostly operated behind the scenes so far, but don’t let that fool you – he’s incredibly dangerous. Apparently, he was the most powerful of the Old Gods, but went completely insane after being tricked into killing his own daughter. The other Old Gods had to step in and split him into seven different pieces just to stop his destruction. Even fragmented, his influence is still out there, just outside the main DC Universe, and he’s powerful enough to have created these terrifying creatures called the Radiant Dead – a force that can basically absorb anything. So, while he’s weakened, Olgrun is still a huge problem and a real threat to everything.

3. Upside-Down Man

Certain villains are truly memorable, and the Upside-Down Man is definitely one of them. He’s a leader of the Otherkind, a terrifying race of monsters created by dark magic, and is incredibly powerful. Hailing from the Dark Multiverse, he’s exceptionally strong, quick, and can manipulate magic to do almost anything – altering matter or even reshaping reality. You definitely wouldn’t want to cross paths with him.

2. Failsafe

Okay, so usually I love Batman’s contingency plans – the guy always has a backup for everything. But this time, letting the Zur-En-Arrh Batman take the reins with ‘Failsafe’ was a huge mistake. Basically, Failsafe is this android built to kill Batman if he ever crossed the line and took a life. It got triggered when the Joker had Penguin fake his own death, and then… wow. This thing hunted Batman across the globe, even to the moon! It was loaded with tech, always seemed to be a step ahead, and honestly, it was one of the toughest fights I’ve ever seen Batman in. It really pushed him to his absolute limit.

1. Absolute Joker

It feels a little unfair to include Joker, but his version in the Absolute Universe is so distinct, he’s practically a new character. This version, supposedly named Jack Grimm, has been alive since the late 1800s and has been secretly living as his own descendants. He’s built a powerful company, JK Holdings, but underneath the successful businessman lies a terrifying monster – a ghastly, clown-like creature who hunts, kills, and devours people on the private islands he’s purchased.

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2026-02-10 01:45