Villains are the cornerstone of any comic. For if there is no conflict, there is no story. Villains are often the mirror images of our protagonists or if they are the protagonists themselves then the story is completely bonkers. We love villains because we have them, ergo we love to hate somebody (how cliché). But it’s a good tool for writers to condone the negative behavior and represent it in their literature at the same time. What happens when these already evil and menacing souls achieve supernatural and often cosmic powers? The answer is simple, all hell breaks loose. Here are 15 insanely overpowered versions of your favorite supervillains.
1. Emperor Joker
This was technically canon, when I say technically, I say that because it was a Superman story disguised as a Joker rampage. The entire story and the ‘mini-event’ covered several standalone issues and a lot of Superman family tie-ins. Emperor Joker is the canon DC Joker when he tricked Superman villain Mr. Mxzptlk into transferring all of his fifth-dimensional powers to the Joker. This results in a chaotic world where Joker is literally a god who bends the fabric of time as necessary. It is so laughable and horrific at the same time. Emperor Joker witnesses the Joker destroying the entirety of China in one fell sweep and he has captured Batman whom he tortures and kills every night. Oh, did I mention? This comic also includes a defeating scream as every issue ends; it is later revealed that this is Batman uttering his final cry every night.
2. Red Death
Part of DC’s metal event, Red Death was the fusion of that earth’s Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne. The red death one shot also gave us some background with regards to the origin of the character. The comic starts with Bruce requesting Barry to hand over the speed force with consent. Barry refuses for obvious reason and then the Batman goes on a rampage trying to force Barry to give up the speed force. Ultimately the fight leads to Barry and Bruce fusing together when inside the speed force vortex. The resulting speedster was called red death. It was the fused body of Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne along wi all the Flash powers and the Batman intellect and for some reason a murderous mentality. The speed trail of this evil entity was that of bats, that aged an individual as soon as they touched them. Red death eventually met his fate when Barry Allen retook control at the end of the metal event and died protecting the micro-verse powering an ark.
3. God Doom
In the secret wars, comic storyline Doctor Victor Von Doom went into the depths of the universe, killed a Beyonder and took his powers as his own. This granted Doctor Doom the power to mould the very fabric of reality (even though he still not mend his own appearance). God Doom went on to create a whole new Battleworld and then recruit fighters from all realities; he built this world so he could be amused while he ruled the universe. Readers are advised that God Doom took down an infinity gauntlet powered Black Panther and ripped Thanos’ spine from his body.
4. Infinity Gauntlet Thanos
In the original infinity gauntlet and infinity war storyline, Thanos does assemble all of the six infinity stones and then proceeds to not only kill half of all life in creation but he also destroys the spirit of all the heroes that try to stop him. His snap is not the only lethal move pulled that day. Infinity its gauntlet Thanos has even challenged the immortal entity known as eternity at which point the living council and the one above all offered him the job of eternity which Thanos refused.
5. Superdoom
When the new 52 version of comics released after the Flashpoint event, DC was trying to establish all of its characters as their young alter egos. The post-crisis heroes had aged and now a reboot was needed. This reboot was new 52. Along with this reboot came all new first encounters. One such first encounter was that of Superman and Doomsday in the new 52. In this particular instance, Superman goes crazy in battle rage and shreds doomsday to bits. This effectively kills doomsday but also infects Superman with the doomsday virus. Slowly but surely Clark Kent then transforms into a mangled version of doomsday called as Superdoom.
6. Red Daughter of Krypton
Another product of the new 52 universes was the red daughter of Krypton, this woman is basically Supergirl (Kara Zor-el ) with a red power ring and temper issues. We all know Supergirl reputation for anger management and her NIH indestructible persona. Put that together with the mind games and the power received from a red power ring of anger and you get a woman capable of godly feats of wrath. Red Daughter of Krypton, is in fact, the one to end Superdoom’s rampage.
7. Korvac
Michael Korvac was a computer technician in the earth-691 universe in the Marvel comic multiverse. Eventually, he betrays Earth when the sol system is conquered by the brotherhood of Badoon. This brotherhood not only enslaved Korvac but they also rebuilt his torso and effectively made him a cyborg. This cyborg then traveled back to earth -616 and downloaded information from a space station belonging to Galactus. This lets Korvac acquire the power cosmic and the whole Korvac saga ended when the heroes intervened and stopped him, but not without casualties.
8. Magus
The future and evil version of Adam Warlock, magus hails from a time when he has conquered and enslaved the majority of the worlds in our known universe. His assortment of powers includes super strength, enhanced endurance, regenerative powers, and energy manipulation to the degree of even harnessing the power cosmic. The only way magus was taken down in comics was when Adam Warlock harnessed the power of the soul stone after getting help from Thanos.
9. Dormammu
The ruler of the dark dimension and a being beyond time, Dormammu is an ancient deity whose lore is found in dr strange comics. We know of Dormammu as only an extraterrestrial being of nigh unlimited power. He is a sorcerer beyond time and he is the master of dark magic. His power is ever increasing and he can achieve incredible feats when his power his enhanced by worship.
10. The Beyonder
The Beyonder is a cosmic entity in the Marvel universe who can move at will and who controls the fabric of reality on his fingertips. Many times has he crossed paths with both the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy and it is often that he wins if no trickery is involved. After all, what can puny heroes do in front of an all-powerful deity hellbent on death and destruction?
11. Old Thanos
In the new standalone Marvel comic titled ‘Thanos’, we got a look at the endgame of the Marvel comic multiverse. It was distorted and desolated and we got to see it through Thanos’ eyes. It all starts when Frank castle comes to the present to fetch Thanos for someday. The catch is that the one ordering the fetching is an older version of Thanos who has conquered the universe and Frank castle has been imbued by the powers of Ghost rider in this future. The spirit of vengeance introduces us to a future Thanos who had defeated everyone in the future m and now he’s unable to die and he resides in his throne room made out of Galactus’ decomposed skull.
12. Godspeed
Godspeed: The main and final villain of Flash. Hunter Solomon is a speedster from the future. Well, our future. The man hit hold of speedforce by an accident and then he realized he could go faster every time he absorbed the speedforce of another speedster. Hunter Solomon then took it upon himself to travel through time and space and kill every speedster to assimilate all of the speedforce into his own body. It was in this self-serving crusade that Godspeed encountered the Flash.
13. The Devastator
Another entry from the DC metal event. Devastator is a version of Bruce Wayne who lived in a reality where Superman went full blown evil. This Bruce Wayne has seen the death of his comrades at the hands of this insane evil Superman and when he was about to be killed by Superman it was when Bruce decided to inject himself with the doomsday virus. This gave Batman the power to turn into doomsday and destroy his reality’s Superman. Of course, the rampage did not end there as Devastator then proceeded to wipe out the remaining heroes and then retrofit every survivor in his reality with the doomsday virus. Needless to say, the reality was shunned by the multiverse but Devastator was brought to the canon reality by Barbados and the Batman who laughs.
14. Pheonix Force
Phoenix force is a cosmic entity in the Marvel Comic Verse. She is primordial and she is eternal. He power is limitless and the Phoenix force has a very tenuous relationship with Jean Grey. Jean has often (and most notably in the dark Phoenix saga), given in to the Phoenix force and lost control to an extent of wiping out the entire roster of X-Men. The villain that manifests itself in Jean is one of great power and very little remorse. Or we are too small and far too weak to affect this entity.
15. Superboy Prime
Kal El of earth prime was brought up on the stories of the Comic Verse. He was the child of Martha Kent and he had the same life as the DC Superman, he was about to become the superhero of a universe where comics were real but then our heroes ripped him from his own reality and then he emerged as a crazed maniacal villain. Superboy prime was Kal El, a crazed Kal El to be exact. He was loathed by our entire universe for his attempts to murder our Superman. In the end, he was the perpetrator of the infinite crisis and also the events main threat.
