Greatest Thieves From The Comic Books:
We all want shiny things in life. Some want super cars. Some want fame beyond their wildest imagination. Some want women. Some vow for power. But to do all that requires huge amounts of one basic amenity – Money. And here’s the thing about money. Nobody has enough of it and those who do are not ready to share. So what does a guy or girl needs to do get loads of it and ensure they stay at the top of the pecking table every time there’s a call for supper? Steal it of course!! The Comic Book Universes have lots of master thieves and burglars that have carved out a niche for themselves as experts at burrowing and not giving back. They can take you out for a spin and leave you hanging in the middle of the road and you would never have the slightest idea of what just happened.
10. The Thief
Nobody knows this guy’s real name. The Thief was a pretty mysterious fellow that landed up in Gotham a few years ago. He is also the one that inspired Cat Woman to get back into the life of crime after she gave birth to her first child. The Thief is known to be a very stoic but sadistic individual. He is also very opportunistic, never letting go of increasing his pockets. The Thief was capable enough of taking the spot of Gotham’s best Burglar for hire when Cat Woman was not there to fill up the shoes. After Cat Woman tries to reclaim her throne, the Thief reveals it was him who tried to kill her in the first place. The Thief was arrested soon but not before Cat Woman gave him a thrashing of a life time and even blew his apartment up in the process.
9. The Prowler
The Prowler is the uncle of Miles Morales – the African American version of Spider-Man. Aaron Davis started out as a small time criminal but climbed up the New York Mafia and became a well-known burglar. The Prowler once broke into a high tech Oscorp laboratory and stole a genetically modified Spider that was created with some DNA that Oscorp had stolen from Spider-Man. The DNA would then fall into the hands of Miles Morales, after he was bitten by the same Spider. The Prowler would then become Miles Morales greatest enemy. He would move on to steal a lot of high tech weaponry from the Tinkerer and create a powerful suit of armour for himself. The Prowler may not be the most popular thief in the list but he most certainly is the most resourceful of the lot.
8. Batroc the Leaper
Batroc the Leaper is an Olympic level athlete who was born and brought up in Marseilles, France. His full name is Georges Batroc and he specializes in Savate, a French kickboxing technique that focuses on acrobatics. Batroc the Leaper has generally been a small time super villain of Captain America but the number of appearances the guy has had in the past years is sheer madness. Batroc’s true ability lies in his skill of smuggling and the art of the steal. Batroc has even served in the French Foreign Legion and is well-versed in lethal martial arts techniques. Batroc is even respected by Captain America and the Punisher in this regard. Batroc’s natural acrobatic skills coupled with his extraordinary spatial awareness makes for a great thief and burglar.
7. Sky Pirate
Sky Pirate is a mantle that has been occupied by not just one but two individuals. The first Sky Pirate was called the Air Pirate and he was an enemy of Alan Scott, the first Green Lantern. The second Sky Pirate was a genius level inventor called Miles Lydecker. Miles would develop a technology that used ultrasonic waves to make things afloat. Lydecker would soon fall under the influence of an Anti-War group and would call himself Sky Pirate, using the same technology he developed to steal from the air planes mid-air and act as a stratospheric robin hood. Lydecker would later realise the error of his ways and retreat to developing nations, where his sole mission was helping the poor and the downtrodden.
6. Gambit
Gambit aka Remy Etienne Lebeau was born in New Orleans in the State of Louisiana. Remy is a human mutant with the ability to make any object he touches be imbued with explosive plasma energy. In short, Remy can turn anything into an explosive if he touches it long enough. Gambit is a gambler at heart, as the name clearly suggests. He lives for the big heists. Gambit has honed his skills as a thief and burglar over the years. But it is not these abilities of a master thief that make him such a huge hit. It is his hypnotic charm. Whenever Gambit is in a fix, he can use an uncanny ability to induce suggestions into other people and they will clear a path for him. It is this ability that makes him score such a high position in this list.
5. Ghost
Ghost used to be a brilliant scientist who believed his life was going nowhere. When he decided to quit, he suddenly found the love of his life and a promotion that somehow compelled him to stay in the company. It later turned out that all of this was a farce set up by the corporation he was working for to stop him from resigning. Right before his company sent hit men to kill him, Ghost merged with a battle suit technology of his own design and became absolutely intangible. Ghost has since then waged a one man war against all corporations. He is one of the world’s greatest hackers. Using his advanced intellect and his Ghost Tech suit, he has broken into the most high security prisons and lived to tell the tale.
4. Shadow Thief
Carl Sands had been a long time criminal serving his prison sentence in a maximum security prison. He was also a genius, experimenting on technology that allowed him to manipulate shadows. He created a shadow vest – a piece of armour that made Carl Sands the Shadow Thief. Using the Vest, Sands can not only turn intangible, but also slide through surfaces and use short term teleportation through shadows. The side effect was using the Vest for too long would have drastic effects on the planet’s atmosphere. After gaining additional abilities from the Star Breaker, he could even conjure weapons out of shadow matter. He used his tech to conduct several impossible heists successfully.
3. Black Cat
In Marvel Comics, there is seldom anyone that comes to having such an impeccable record as Black Cat. Felicia Hardy is the daughter of a famous cat burglar herself. After becoming Black Cat, Felicia only saw her career being taken to new heights. Black Cat had expert knowledge of bull-whips, which she used extensively in combat when she was pushed into a tight spot. Felicia is an expert thief but it is her ability to alter probability and induce bad luck onto her enemies is what makes her a true artist of the trade.
2. Chameleon
Chameleon is a classic Spider-Man villain. He is a mercenary for hire who uses holographic shape-shifting technology to assume identities of other individuals. Chameleon is so adept at using this that he can even take on personality traits of the individuals he takes the roles of while under disguise. Chameleon, due to his shape-shifting skill, can infiltrate the highest of security and gain whatever data or object he desires.
1. Cat Woman
Selina Kyle is the most skilled burglar the comic book universe has ever seen. She was born and brought up in the streets of Gotham, a place that breeds nerves of steel. Selina Kyle is a skilled Olympic level gymnast and an expert at using bullwhips. She is also very resourceful, being able to know how to use the environment to her advantage. Cat Woman’s skills can be measured from the fact that not even Batman has been able to keep up with Ms Kyle from time to time. As far as thieves go, no one comes close to the legacy Cat Woman has left behind.
