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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2016 6:47:14 GMT -5
 I have been reading Shaxper's Batman thread for the past six months or so and got me thinking about Batman of whom that I felt has the best rouge gallery around that started in May of 1939 of which both Bob Kane and Bill Finger created him. I'm not familiar of any of the Batman Villains after 2000 because I've not read any of the books at all. My history of Batman is from 1939 to 1999 of which it is the first 60 years of Batman that I'm quite fond of and I will be focusing on the villains that made him a legendary Superhero to date. I'm going to try my best to cut down the images and have a better pacing of this thread and I hope to have it done by March of which I'll be spending more time on this thread than I did with the 50 Most Influential Character just concluded recently. I'm not an expert on Batman; but I do have a good understanding of the villains that he faces and I will be centering on them during the Golden and Silver Age of Comics and some of them in the Bronze Age as well. So, I will start this thread sometimes later in this week so that I wanted to get this going and I decided to end my hiatus for now and start thinking about this right away while I have the time to do it. There are lots of female villains in this thread and I was surprised to think of that and I just wanted to let you know that Batman has his way of confronting them and that's made his life quite complicated when he has to face a beautiful, but deadly female villain that makes it very difficult to overcome. FOR THE RECORDI’m ranking them in order of toughness (deadliest in mind) and giving Batman all the problems that he’s trying to stop these villains and most of all not by popularity and/or anything else that I can come up with. It is not an easy list to do and I’m going to try my best to get this list done by end of March so that I can use the month of May to start up a new batch of 50 (that will start in June) that you all want me to do and share with all members of Classic Comics Forum. Anyway, this list isn’t an easy one to prepare for and I just wanted to be fair to everyone here of the villains that I selected and I’m quite familiar with. AND OF COURSESomething that the Dynamic Duo has to contend with and I'm not going to forget about Robin, The Boy Wonder either!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2016 6:54:07 GMT -5
Number 50 will come up later on Today! If I leave any of your favorites out - please be aware that I'm only be sharing the ones that I'm familiar with and I will try to keep this list in the best of my understanding and objective.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2016 11:42:20 GMT -5
#50, Both Joe Chill and Lew Moxon Joe Chill Lew MoxonNote to EveryoneNo #49 on my list because it's being shared by two individuals Chill and Moxon in this Countdown. Basically it was Lew Moxon that hired Joe Chill to murder Bruce Wayne's Parents - Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha Wayne of which everyone here know this origin of Batman. In Batman #47 showcases the death of Dr. Wayne and his Wife Martha and later on in Detective Comics #235 in a great story of which Dr. Thomas Wayne wore the first Batman's Costume and his son Bruce was admiring it and wanted to wear that costume when he gets older and his Father agrees to that. This story was the centerpiece of Batman's Origin of which he subconsciously remembered something about that costume that his Father wore and that's was focus point of the villainy of both Chill and Moxon created the Caped Crusader unwillingly and shaped the future of Bruce Wayne's quest to stamp out evil and injustice in Gotham City and beyond. I felt that these two characters were key characters and I wanted include them because they were the first villains that Bruce Wayne ever encountered and that's why I wanted to include both of them in this starting point of Batman's long career in fighting Crime since May of 1939 and one of the most talked about Superhero that DC Comics ever created. I felt that both Bill Finger and Bob Kane created a masterpiece together and I'm very happy to know that Bill Finger gets the credit that he's deserved when these two got together and created the Caped Crusader. To me, Batman will always be the Caped Crusader first and foremost. Batman #47  Origin Story of Batman To me, it is the true origin story of Batman and I only accept this comic book for that reason alone and if anyone here disagree with me - that's fine with me and you can state your point here and I will try my best to accept your argument here. But, I felt that this Golden Age Story is the true origin story of Batman and nothing else can take it away from me. I read this comic book 35 years ago from a dear friend of mine who turned the pages for me allowing me to read this treasured tale. I have only read this book once and it was a honor to read this story back then. Detective Comics #235 Story of the First Batman This is my favorite story of Batman and I just loved the way this story unfolds and how a little boy by the name of Bruce Wayne admiring the costume that his Father wore at a costume ball that featured flying characters. I just loved how the story was written and pretty sure that everyone here has read it at one time in their lives and and I don't want to dwell on the specifics of this story of how it's came out but to remember the true meaning of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. I'm moving onto Number #48 in a day or two and I need time to prepare for it.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 20, 2016 17:00:29 GMT -5
The origin in Batman #47 is the only Batman origin, as far as I'm concerned.
Even the story in Detective Comics #235 (where the role of Lew Moxon is revealed) is unnecessary modern meddling.
It reaches the heights of retroactive ridiculousness in the current TV series "Gotham" where it seems that the death of the Waynes is part of a conspiracy involving several hundred thousand people - and young Bruce Wayne is involved because he's participating in the coverup!
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 21, 2016 1:21:57 GMT -5
I love this scene so much - one of the defining moments of Batman's career and Finger knew exactly what he was doing. Remove this scene, this moment from Batman's history and we're not dealing with Batman any more. Though it's only four panels, Bill Finger builds this scene so slowly. That "I want to tell you a story without an ending... maybe you can supply it..." is Batman playing to his own legend and it works because the moment calls for it. It's been eight years since Batman was given an origin Detective Comics 33 and he's encountered every type of criminal you can imagine...except for the one who started it all... |
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 21, 2016 1:39:14 GMT -5
The origin in Batman #47 is the only Batman origin, as far as I'm concerned. Even the story in Detective Comics #235 (where the role of Lew Moxon is revealed) is unnecessary modern meddling. It reaches the heights of retroactive ridiculousness in the current TV series "Gotham" where it seems that the death of the Waynes is part of a conspiracy involving several hundred thousand people - and young Bruce Wayne is involved because he's participating in the coverup!
Detective Comics 235 is one of those stories that absolutely should not work yet somehow does (for me, at least). We get two MAJOR revelations in this tale: 1. Bruce Wayne was not the first Batman - in fact, he wasn't even the first Wayne to become a Batman, and 2. Everything we knew about the Wayne murder was a lie.
In principle neither of that works for reasons I don't think I have to get into and yet, in practice it's a classic. It's as if Bill Finger said to himself, "I'm going to write myself into the deepest hole I can think of and then get out of it".
In my mind however, Moxon does undo the only failing I have with Batman's origin in that his existence does absolve Thomas Wayne of his responsibility in the murder of himself and his wife. 
Instead of Chill being a mugger after Martha Wayne's necklace whose hand is somewhat forced by Thomas Wayne recklessly deciding to pick a fight with him, with Detective 235 we learn that Chill was going to kill the Waynes regardless of what Thomas Wayne chose to do. Designated for death anyway then, I have no problem with Thomas Wayne acting so rashly since with Moxon in the picture, Martha was going to be silenced by Chill no matter what.
...and what's with Bruce Wayne moving right next to Chill in that last panel on the first page? Did he feel safer at Chill's side or did he just want to get a better look at his father as he's being shot?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 6:43:23 GMT -5
#48 Kite Man, Charles "Chuck" Brown First Appearance: Batman #133  The only story that I ever read that involves him was Batman #315 of which I read so long ago and this villain that I shared to you today is for illustrated purposes. This villain is a joke to me and I'm using him as a scapegoat to help you understand the villain that I'm sharing to you. Every villain that I select in this thread is based on my own experience reading Batman from 1939 to 1999. Every villain that I select here after this one is in my opinion is the next deadliest and having said that and there are some exception to the rule and I will try my best to explain that. This isn't an easy thread for me to do and it's will be a challenge for me to explain why I select these villains to all of you here. Kite Man made his appearance in Batman #315 and this story that I don't have a copy of this book but I have a hard time remembering this story and I went to the internet to help me out and I'm sharing a link towards that story. I really do not know much about this character but the link indicates that DC Comics did not use him again 7 years later in a Hawkman Comic Book. I did not know that and I simply cared less finding out about that story.  Batman #315Link to Batman #315Link to Batman #315Cool Pictures of Kite Man   This what I wanted to on this thread and I will be using Wikipedia now and then to get information that I need to help me understand the villain that I want to share with you. The next villain Number #47 will be my first serious villain and this point on things will get interesting and I'm going to try my best to entertain you. Kite Man is history and let's move on to Number #47, I hope that I will start sometimes on Friday and because of Christmas and all - I've may not get it done one or two days after that.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 16:30:53 GMT -5
#47 Spellbinder, Delbert Billings Spellbinder (Delbert Billings) first appeared in Detective Comics #358 (December 1966), and was created by John Broome and Sheldon Moldoff. To be honest, I barely remember this story but his colorful costume made me to put him in this countdown for no apparent reasons. He is a nobody to me. He was a forger of Pop Art – that’s brought me to my attention to include him in this countdown. That's the only thing that I know when I was talking with friends at the Local Comic Bookstore that I go to occasionally. He uses hypnotism and optic tricks to fool his adversaries into something else that’s makes them difficult to adjust in any environment. He employs a sizable group of henchmen to do his dirty work and use them well. That's I do know about him and that's why he is in this countdown for that purpose alone. From learning from FriendsHe successfully eluded Batman twice in a series of robberies and then on the 3rd attempt Batman finally figures out what to do and overcame him and sent this criminal to Jail. I really don’t know that well of him; but according to my dear friend Jeff that he’s adversary of worthy contention that takes a lot of effort to bring him to Justice. This is the best in my memory and sorry that I did not get a chance to read this book below.  Original Image - the other image was deleted by Roquefort Raider on my own request. From WikipediaSpellbinder joined a loosely knit conglomerate of crime organized by the Monarch of Menace. He was the first member of the group to be captured by Batman, who later disguised himself as Spellbinder to infiltrate the group and capture the Monarch From MeI have never heard of Monarch of Menace in my lifetime Going Outside the BoxI do know about Spellbinder in Batman Beyond and that's why I went outside the box to include him in this countdown for that reason alone because this character is quite nasty and gave Terry (Batman) McGinnis the run for his money and I do consider him quite deadly for a lot of reasons and I do remember the three animated cartoons that this show has to offer. They are listed in this Wikipedia paragraph below in italic. In Batman Beyond, Spellbinder is the alter-ego of Ira Billings, the psychologist at Hamilton High. He wears a costume featuring an orange-and-black swirl design, and uses a large floating "eyeball" that allows him to project images into the minds of others using hypnosis. He appears in the episodes "Spellbound", "Hooked Up", and "Eyewitness"; and was voiced by Jon Cypher. Dr. Ira Billings was a school psychologist, dissatisfied with students he has worked with for years, whom he sees as merely spoiled brats, he utilizes his virtual technology to trick them into acts based on their fantasies which in reality are stealing valuable possessions.Just watch this You Tube Clip and you can see that Ira Billings who is Spellbinder is one of the top 50 deadliest Batman Villain in this countdown. I'm sorry that this Batman isn't Bruce Wayne here, but Bruce did managed to assist Terry to defeat him and he had some nasty run-ins with this character. He is one of my favorite villain in Batman Beyond. I had to include both of them to make this countdown real to me. Anyway, I'm done with Spellbinder and he's at Number 47.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 21, 2016 17:37:52 GMT -5
#48 Kite Man, Charles "Chuck" Brown I've never read a Kite-Man story, but I love some of these obscure rascals from the Rogues Gallery. Like The Zodiac Master! Or Dr. No-Face! Or the Polka-Dot Man! That Bat-Mite story, "Batwoman's Publicity Agent!", on the other hand, is one of the best stories from the later Schiff era. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 21, 2016 17:40:38 GMT -5
#47 Spellbinder, Delbert Billings I got Detective #358 just a few months ago and I barely remember it. I've been meaning to read it again.
I sort of remember the wonderfully awkward Moldoff art.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 21:43:12 GMT -5
#47 Spellbinder, Delbert Billings I got Detective #358 just a few months ago and I barely remember it. I've been meaning to read it again.
I sort of remember the wonderfully awkward Moldoff art.
I just loved Moldoff's Art and that's one of the reason(s) that I like the early Batman stories so much because his art compliments it so much. Thanks for mentioning that. |
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 22, 2016 1:35:10 GMT -5
Though I don't think it was ever referenced within the comics themselves after the fact, in 1978 DC attempted to explain once and for all how Superman's glasses disguise could so effectively trick even those closest to Kent/Superman. Apparently, Superman had been subconsciously exerting a hypnotic influence over people strong enough so that to the citizens of the DC Universe, Clark Kent looked like a rather frail, anemic, older man and not just like "Superman with a pair of glasses" (as he appeared to us, the readers). As I said, the idea didn't take but it was a nice little story that's still remembered today as something of an oddity if nothing else.
I mention this here, because at the center of this tale, is a super villain whose actions set off a chain of events which result in Superman finally being able to figure out why his secret identity works so much better than it should and that super villain is... Spellbinder.
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 22, 2016 1:43:54 GMT -5
Spellbinder's interesting if for no other reason than the fact that he could have been Batman's Mysterio - a villain capable of casting illusions and against whom Batman could never be certain that the threat he's facing is actually the threat he's facing. In this light, it's kind of disappointing that he wasn't used more.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2016 10:51:15 GMT -5
A Triple Play, Three Gorgeous Dames of Crime44 Dragon Fly
45 Silken Spider
46 Tiger MothNote: Identities of these three villains are unknown to me at the time that I read this book of which they made their first appearance in a Batman Comic Book.  From Left to Right ... Dragon Fly, Silken Spider, and Tiger Moth. They made their first appearance in Batman #181 and I'm not going in great details of the first appearance of Poison Ivy of whom is on my list of deadly Batman Villain later on and I'm not going to reveal her rank in this countdown and you all have to be patience about it.  Anyway, this is an introductory post to inform all of you that I need an extra day to understand the story of Batman #181 unfolds here and I will draw it to a close by tomorrow morning. To me, to be honest with you of which I did some research on them and they were members of League of Assassins later on when they fought Nightwing in a battle together of which I did not know at all. To me, that tells me that they are deadly by design and a menace to society at the time that they did battle with Nightwing of which I did not read that story at all and because of that I'm very curious about that story after all. BTW - The League of Assassins is also on the list and that will be revealed later on.  This is the picture of the Group of which Nightwing fought later on and I don't know exactly what issue it was because the information in the Internet is not rock solid and I just can't place a finger on it at all. To be Continued tomorrow after more research is being done today.
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 22, 2016 11:27:59 GMT -5
#48 Kite Man, Charles "Chuck" BrownFirst Appearance: Batman #133 The only story that I ever read that involves him was Batman #315 of which I read so long ago and this villain that I shared to you today is for illustrated purposes. This villain is a joke to me and I'm using him as a scapegoat to help you understand the villain that I'm sharing to you. Every villain that I select in this thread is based on my own experience reading Batman from 1939 to 1999. Every villain that I select here after this one is in my opinion is the next deadliest and having said that and there are some exception to the rule and I will try my best to explain that. This isn't an easy thread for me to do and it's will be a challenge for me to explain why I select these villains to all of you here. Kite Man made his appearance in Batman #315 and this story that I don't have a copy of this book but I have a hard time remembering this story and I went to the internet to help me out and I'm sharing a link towards that story. I really do not know much about this character but the link indicates that DC Comics did not use him again 7 years later in a Hawkman Comic Book. I did not know that and I simply cared less finding out about that story. Batman #315Link to Batman #315Link to Batman #315Cool Pictures of Kite Man This what I wanted to on this thread and I will be using Wikipedia now and then to get information that I need to help me understand the villain that I want to share with you. The next villain Number #47 will be my first serious villain and this point on things will get interesting and I'm going to try my best to entertain you. Kite Man is history and let's move on to Number #47, I hope that I will start sometimes on Friday and because of Christmas and all - I've may not get it done one or two days after that. "Most deadliest?" hmmm... I don't think I'd rate him higher than more deadlier. |
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