List of comic book supervillain debuts
Debuts by decade -- 1940s
Table:
Character / Team

Year Debuted

Company

Creator/s

First Appearance

Hath-Set

1940 (January)

DC

Gardner Fox, Dennis Neville

Flash Comics #1

Professor Hugo Strange

1940 (February)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Detective Comics (vol. 1) #36

Doctor Sivana

1940 (February)

Fawcett Comics/DC

Bill Parker, C. C. Beck

Whiz Comics #2

Lex Luthor

1940 (April)

DC

Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster

Action Comics (vol. 1) #23

The Joker

1940 (April)

DC

Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger

Batman (vol. 1) #1

Catwoman

1940 (April)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Batman (vol. 1) #1

Tony Zucco

1940 (April)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson

Detective Comics (vol. 1) #38

Clayface

1940 (June)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Detective Comics (vol. 1) #40

Scarecrow

1941 (September)

DC

Bill Finger, Bob Kane

World's Finest Comics #3

Red Skull

1941 (October)

Marvel/Timely

Joe Simon, Jack Kirby

Captain America Comics #1

The Penguin

1941 (December)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Detective Comics (vol. 1) #58

Captain Nazi

1941 (December)

Fawcett Comics/DC

Bill Woolfolk, Mac Raboy

Master Comics #21

Ibac

1942 (March)

Fawcett Comics/DC

Otto Binder, C. C. Beck

Captain Marvel Adventures #8

The Puzzler

1942 (June)

DC

Action Comics (vol. 1) #49

Two-Face

1942 (August)

DC

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Detective Comics (vol. 1) #66

Prankster

1942 (August)

DC

Action Comics (vol. 1) #51

The Shade

1942 (September)

DC

Gardner Fox

Flash Comics #33

Rag Doll

1942 (December)

DC

Gardner Fox

Flash Comics #36

Sabbac

(Fawcett) 1943; (DC) 2004

Fawcett Comics/DC

(Fawcett) Otto Binder, Al Carreno; (DC) Judd Winick, Tom Raney

(Fawcett) Captain Marvel, Jr. #4; (DC) Outsiders, vol. 3 #8

Mister Mind and the Monster Society of Evil

1943

Fawcett Comics/DC

Otto Binder, C. C. Beck

Captain Marvel Adventures #22

Taking into account the table plus the context paragraphs provided.

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Hath-Set is a DC Comics supervillain created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville . The character is the archenemy of Hawkman and Hawkgirl .
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox ( May 20 , 1911 - December 24 , 1986 ) was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics . Comic book historians estimate that he wrote more than 4,000 comics stories , including 1,500 for DC Comics . Fox was also a science fiction author and wrote many novels and short stories . Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash , Hawkman , Doctor Fate , Zatanna and the original Sandman , and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America and later recreated the team as the Justice League of America . Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story Flash of Two Worlds !
Flash Comics is a comics anthology published by All-American Publications and later by National Periodical Publications ( DC Comics ) . The title had 104 issues published from January 1940 to February 1949 . Despite the title , the anthology featured the adventures of multiple superheroes in addition to Jay Garrick , the original Flash . Characters introduced in the series include the Flash , Hawkman ( Carter Hall ) , Hawkgirl and Black Canary .
Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics , commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman . The character is one of Batman 's first recurring villains and is also one of the first Batman villains to discover the hero 's secret identity . BD Wong portrays the character in the television series Gotham .
Robert Kane ( born Robert Kahn /kɑːn/ ; October 24 , 1915 - November 3 , 1998 ) was an American comic book writer , animator and artist who co-created , with Bill Finger , the DC Comics character Batman . Kane also co-created the animated series Cool McCool . He was inducted into the comic book industry 's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1994 and into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1996 .
Milton Finger , known professionally as Bill Finger ( February 8 , 1914 - January 18 , 1974 ) , was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the co-creator , with Bob Kane , of the DC Comics character Batman , and the co-architect of the series ' development . Although Finger did not receive contemporaneous credit for his hand in the development of Batman , Kane acknowledged Finger 's contributions years after Finger 's death . Finger also wrote many of the original 1940s Green Lantern stories , featuring Alan Scott as the original , and contributed to the development of numerous other comic book series . He was posthumously inducted into the comic book industry 's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999 . The Bill Finger Award , founded by Jerry Robinson and presented annually at the San Diego Comic-Con to honor excellence in comic-book writing , is named for him .
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published by DC Comics . The first volume , published from 1937 to 2011 ( and later continued in 2016 ) , is best known for introducing the superhero Batman in Detective Comics # 27 ( cover-dated May 1939 ) . A second series of the same title was launched in the fall of 2011 , but in 2016 reverted to the original volume numbering . The series is the source of its publishing company 's name , and - along with Action Comics , the series that launched with the debut of Superman - one of the medium 's signature series . The series published 881 issues between 1937 and 2011 and is the longest continuously published comic book in the United States . [ Note 1 ]
Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics . Created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck , the character first appeared in late 1939 , opposite superhero Captain Marvel , in the debut story of both characters , found in Whiz Comics # 2 ( cover-dated February 1940 ) by Fawcett Comics . Sivana was soon established as Captain Marvel 's archenemy and frequent foe . Sivana has kept that role through to the present , in his appearances in DC Comics , which eventually acquired the rights to Fawcett 's superhero characters . In 2009 , Doctor Sivana was ranked as IGN 's 82nd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time . The character made his cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe 2019 film Shazam ! , portrayed by Mark Strong .
William Lee Parker ( September 11 , 1911 - January 31 , 1963 ) was an American comic book writer and editor . He is best known for creating the Fawcett Comics character , Captain Marvel , in 1939 , along with artist C. C. Beck .
Charles Clarence Beck ( June 8 , 1910 - November 22 , 1989 ) was an American cartoonist and comic book artist , best known for his work on Captain Marvel ( today known as Shazam ! ) at Fawcett Comics and DC Comics . He was inducted into the comic book industry 's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1997 .
Whiz Comics was a monthly ongoing comic book anthology series , published by Fawcett Comics from 1940-1953 , best known for introducing Captain Marvel .
Alexander Joseph Lex Luthor ( /ˈluːθər/ ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in publications by the publisher DC Comics . The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster . Lex Luthor originally appeared in Action Comics No . 23 ( cover dated : April 1940 ) .1 He has since endured as an archenemy of Superman . Originally introduced as a mad scientist whose schemes Superman would routinely foil , Lex 's portrayal has evolved over the years and his characterisation has deepened . In contemporary stories , Lex is portrayed as a wealthy , power-mad American business magnate , ingenious engineer , philanthropist to the city of Metropolis , and one of the most intelligent people in the world . A well-known public figure , he is the owner of a conglomerate called LexCorp . He is intent on ridding the world of the alien Superman , whom Lex Luthor views as an obstacle to his plans and as a threat to the very existence of humanity . Given his high status as a supervillain , however , he has often come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe . The character has traditionally lacked superpowers or a dual identity and typically appears with a bald head . He periodically wears his Warsuit , a high-tech battle suit giving him enhanced strength , flight , advanced weaponry , and other capabilities . The character was originally introduced as a diabolical recluse , but during the Modern Age , he was reimagined by writers as a devious , high-profile industrialist , who has crafted his public persona to avoid suspicion and arrest .
Jerome Siegel ( /ˈsiːɡəl/ ; October 17 , 1914 - January 28 , 1996 ) , who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter and Jerry Ess , was an American comic book writer . His most famous creation was Superman , which he created in collaboration with his friend Joe Shuster . Siegel and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry 's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993 .
Joseph Shuster ( /ˈʃuːstər/ ; July 10 , 1914 - July 30 , 1992 ) was a Canadian-American comic book artist best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman , with writer Jerry Siegel , in Action Comics # 1 ( cover-dated June 1938 ) . Shuster was involved in a number of legal battles over ownership of the Superman character . His comic book career after Superman was relatively unsuccessful , and by the mid-1970s Shuster had left the field completely due to partial blindness . He and Siegel were inducted into both the comic book industry 's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993 . In 2005 , the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association instituted the Joe Shuster Awards , named to honor the Canada-born artist .
Action Comics is an American comic book/magazine series that introduced Superman , one of the first major superhero characters . The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications , and later as National Comics Publications and as National Periodical Publications , before taking on its current name of DC Comics . Its original incarnation ran from 1938 to 2011 and stands as one of the longest-running comic books with consecutively numbered issues . A second volume of Action Comics beginning with issue # 1 ran from 2011 to 2016 . Action Comics returned to its original numbering beginning with issue # 957 ( Aug. 2016 ) .
The Joker is a supervillain created by Bill Finger , Bob Kane , and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman ( April 25 , 1940 ) , published by DC Comics . Credit for the Joker 's creation is disputed ; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker 's design while acknowledging Finger 's writing contribution . Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance , he was spared by editorial intervention , allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman . In his comic book appearances , the Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind . Introduced as a psychopath with a warped , sadistic sense of humor ; the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority , before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s . As Batman 's nemesis , the Joker has been part of the superhero 's defining stories , including the murder of Jason Todd - the second Robin and Batman 's ward - and the paralysis of one of Batman 's allies , Barbara Gordon . The Joker has had various possible origin stories during his decades of appearances . The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white and turns his hair green and lips bright red ; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane . The antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance , the Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary . The Joker possesses no superhuman abilities , instead using his expertise in chemical engineering to develop poisonous or lethal concoctions and thematic weaponry , including razor-tipped playing cards , deadly joy buzzers , and acid-spraying lapel flowers . The Joker sometimes works with other Gotham City supervillains , such as the Penguin and Two-Face , and groups like the Injustice Gang and Injustice League , but these relationships often collapse due to the Joker 's desire for unbridled chaos . The 1990s introduced a romantic interest for the Joker in his former psychiatrist , Harley Quinn , who becomes his villainous sidekick .
Sherrill David Robinson ( January 1 , 1922 - December 7 , 2011 ) , known as Jerry Robinson , was an American comic book artist known for his work on DC Comics ' Batman line of comics during the 1940s . He is best known as the co-creator of Robin and the Joker and for his work on behalf of creators ' rights . He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2004 .
Batman is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero Batman as its main protagonist . The character first appeared in Detective Comics # 27 ( cover dated May 1939 ) . Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication with a cover date of Spring 1940 . It was first advertised in early April 1940 , one month after the first appearance of his new sidekick , Robin , the Boy Wonder . Batman comics have proven to be popular since the 1940s . Though the Batman comic book was initially launched as a quarterly publication , it later became a bimonthly series through the late 1950s , after which it became a monthly publication and has remained so since . In September 2011 , The New 52 rebooted DC 's continuity . In this new timeline , the original Batman series ended and was relaunched with a new first issue . In 2016 , DC Comics began a second relaunch of its entire line of titles called DC Rebirth . Batman ( vol . 3 ) # 1 ( August 2016 ) was the debut twice-monthly relaunch of the comic book series .
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics , commonly in association with superhero Batman . The character made her debut as the Cat in Batman # 1 ( Spring 1940 ) , and her real name is Selina Kyle . She is Batman 's most enduring love interest and is known for her complex love-hate relationship with him . Catwoman is a Gotham City burglar who typically wears a tight , one-piece outfit and uses a bullwhip for a weapon . She was originally characterized as a supervillain and adversary of Batman , but she has been featured in a series since the 1990s which portrays her as an antiheroine , often doing the wrong things for the right reasons . The character thrived since her earliest appearances , but she took an extended hiatus from September 1954 to November 1966 due to the developing Comics Code Authority in 1954 . These issues involved the rules regarding the development and portrayal of female characters that were in violation of the Comics Code , a code which is no longer in use . In the comics , Holly Robinson and Eiko Hasigawa have both adopted the Catwoman identity , apart from Selina Kyle . Catwoman has been featured in many media adaptations related to Batman . Actresses Julie Newmar , Lee Meriwether , and Eartha Kitt introduced her to a large audience on the 1960s Batman television series and the 1966 Batman film . Michelle Pfeiffer portrayed the character in 1992 's Batman Returns . Halle Berry starred in 2004 's Catwoman ; this , however , was a critical and commercial flop and bears little similarity to the Batman character .
Anthony Tony Zucco is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . First appearing in Detective Comics # 38 ( April 1940 ) , Zucco is a mobster responsible for murdering the parents of Dick Grayson , which leads to Grayson becoming the original Robin and Nightwing . The character has appeared in Batman : The Animated Series , voiced by Thomas F. Wilson , and The Batman , voiced by Mark Hamill . Richard Zeppieri portrayed him in the first season of the DC Universe series Titans .
Clayface is an alias used by several fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Most incarnations of the character possess clay-like bodies and shape-shifting abilities , and all of them have been depicted as adversaries of the superhero Batman . In 2009 , Clayface was ranked as IGN 's 73rd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time .
The Scarecrow ( Jonathan Crane ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics , created by Bill Finger , Bob Kane , and Jerry Robinson . The character first appeared in World 's Finest Comics # 3 ( September , 1941 ) . The self-proclaimed Master of Fear is commonly depicted as an obsessive ex-professor of psychology in Gotham City who uses a variety of experimental drugs and toxins to exploit the fears and phobias of his victims . He is one of the most enduring enemies of the hero Batman and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up the Dark Knight 's rogues gallery . In 2009 , The Scarecrow was ranked as IGN 's 58th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time . He has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media , including feature films , television series , and video games . He has been voiced by Henry Polic II and Jeffrey Combs in the DC animated universe , by Dino Andrade and John Noble in the Batman : Arkham video game series , and by Robert Englund in Injustice 2 . He has also been portrayed in live-action by Coolio in Batman & Robin , Cillian Murphy in The Dark Knight Trilogy , and both Charlie Tahan and David W. Thompson in the FOX television series Gotham .
World 's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986 . The series was initially titled World 's Best Comics for its first issue ; issue # 2 ( Summer 1941 ) switched to the more familiar name . Michael E. Uslan has speculated that this was because DC received a cease and desist letter from Better Publications , Inc. , who had been publishing a comic book entitled Best Comics since November 1939 . Virtually every issue featured DC 's two leading superheroes , Superman and Batman , with the earliest issues also featuring Batman 's sidekick , Robin .
The Red Skull ( Johann Schmidt ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is usually depicted as the archenemy of the superhero Captain America . Portrayed as a Nazi agent and protégé of Adolf Hitler , the character was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , and first appeared in Captain America Comics # 7 ( October 1941 ) . The Red Skull was ranked number 21 on Wizard magazine 's Top 100 Greatest Villains Ever list and ranked as IGN 's 14th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time . The character has been adapted to a variety of other media platforms , including animated television series , video games and live-action feature films . He was portrayed by actor Scott Paulin in the 1990 direct-to-video film Captain America . In the Marvel Cinematic Universe , the character was played by Hugo Weaving in Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) and by Ross Marquand in Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and Avengers : Endgame ( 2019 ) .
Joseph Henry Simon ( born Hymie Simon ; October 11 , 1913 - December 14 , 2011 ) was an American comic book writer , artist , editor , and publisher . Simon created or co-created many important characters in the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of Comic Books , such as Captain America , and served as the first editor of Timely Comics , the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics . With his partner , artist Jack Kirby , he co-created Captain America , one of comics ' most enduring superheroes , and the team worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy , and co-created the Newsboy Legion , the Boy Commandos , and Manhunter . Simon and Kirby creations for other comics publishers include Boys ' Ranch , Fighting American and the Fly . In the late 1940s , the duo created the field of romance comics , and were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics . Simon , who went on to work in advertising and commercial art , also founded the satirical magazine Sick in 1960 , remaining with it for a decade . He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s . Simon was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999 .
Jack Kirby ( born Jacob Kurtzberg ; /ˈkɜːrtsbɜːrɡ/ ; August 28 , 1917 - February 6 , 1994 ) was an American comic book artist , writer and editor , widely regarded as one of the medium 's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators . He grew up in New York City and learned to draw cartoon figures by tracing characters from comic strips and editorial cartoons . He entered the nascent comics industry in the 1930s , drawing various comics features under different pen names , including Jack Curtiss , before ultimately settling on Jack Kirby . In 1940 , he and writer-editor Joe Simon created the highly successful superhero character Captain America for Timely Comics , predecessor of Marvel Comics . During the 1940s , Kirby regularly teamed with Simon , creating numerous characters for that company and for National Comics Publications , later to become DC Comics . After serving in the European Theater in World War II , Kirby produced work for DC Comics , Harvey Comics , Hillman Periodicals and other publishers . At Crestwood Publications , he and Simon created the genre of romance comics and later founded their own short-lived comic company , Mainline Publications . Kirby was involved in Timely 's 1950s iteration , Atlas Comics , which in the next decade became Marvel . There , in the 1960s under writer-editor Stan Lee , Kirby created many of the company 's major characters , including the Fantastic Four , the X-Men and the Hulk . The Lee-Kirby titles garnered high sales and critical acclaim , but in 1970 , feeling he had been treated unfairly , largely in the realm of authorship credit and creators ' rights , Kirby left the company for rival DC . At DC , Kirby created his Fourth World saga which spanned several comics titles . While these series proved commercially unsuccessful and were canceled , the Fourth World 's New Gods have continued as a significant part of the DC Universe .
Captain America is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the character first appeared in Captain America Comics # 1 ( cover dated March 1941 ) from Timely Comics , a predecessor of Marvel Comics . Captain America was designed as a patriotic supersoldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II and was Timely Comics ' most popular character during the wartime period . The popularity of superheroes waned following the war , and the Captain America comic book was discontinued in 1950 , with a short-lived revival in 1953 . Since Marvel Comics revived the character in 1964 , Captain America has remained in publication . The character wears a costume bearing an American flag motif , and he utilizes a nearly indestructible shield that he throws as a projectile . Captain America is the alter ego of Steve Rogers , a frail young man enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum to aid the United States government 's efforts in World War II . Near the end of the war , he was trapped in ice and survived in suspended animation until he was revived in modern times . Although Captain America often struggles to maintain his ideals as a man out of his time , he remains a highly respected figure in his community , which includes becoming the long-time leader of the Avengers . Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character to appear in media outside comics with the release of the 1944 movie serial , Captain America . Since then , the character has been featured in other films and television series . In the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , the character is portrayed by Chris Evans .
The Penguin ( Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics , commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman . The character made his first appearance in Detective Comics # 58 ( December 1941 ) and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger . The Penguin is one of Batman 's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman 's rogues gallery . The Penguin is a Gotham City mobster who fancies himself the Gentleman of Crime . He is most often seen wearing a monocle , top hat , and tuxedo while carrying his signature umbrella . The character appears most times as a short , obese man with a long nose . Penguin uses high-tech umbrellas as different tools . His umbrellas have been used as guns , gas guns , swords/knives , a mini-helicopter and many other unconventional tools . The Penguin owns and runs a nightclub called the Iceberg Lounge which provides a cover for his criminal activity . Batman sometimes uses the nightclub as a source of criminal underworld information . Unlike most of Batman 's rogues gallery , the Penguin is completely sane and in full control of his actions , giving him a unique relationship with Batman . According to his creator Bob Kane , the character was inspired by the advertising mascot of Kool cigarettes in the 1940s ; a penguin with a top hat and cane .
Captain Nazi is a Fawcett Comics and DC Comics supervillain , a rival of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. As Baron Krieger , Captain Nazi made his first live-action appearance in a 2016 second season episode of The CW TV series DC 's Legends of Tomorrow , played by André Eriksen .
Emmanuel Mac Raboy ( April 17 , 1914 - December 12 , 1967 ) was an American comics artist best known for his comic-book work on Fawcett Comics ' Captain Marvel Jr. and as the Sunday comic-strip artist of Flash Gordon for more than 20 years . Born in New York City , Raboy began his art career with the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression . In the 1940s he began working with the Harry A. Chesler studio of comics artists . Raboy began drawing comic books and gained fame as the illustrator for Captain Marvel , Jr. and the Green Lama . Raboy was a great admirer of Alex Raymond , and kept a portfolio of Alex Raymond 's Flash Gordon comics by his side for inspiration and guidance as he worked . In the spring of 1946 , King Features hired Raboy to continue the Sunday page adventures of Flash Gordon , which he continued to work on until his death . Drew Friedman has stated , Raboy was an expert technician with pen and brush , and his lush covers are some of the most unusually beautiful ever to grace comic books .
Master Comics was a monthly ongoing comic book anthology series that began its 133-issue run ( cover dated March 1940 - April 1953 ) during the 1930s and 1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books . Published by Fawcett Comics , it contained features starring superhero characters including Master Man , in the first six issues only , Bulletman , Minute-Man , and its best-known character , Captain Marvel , Jr. , part of the lighthearted Marvel Family .
Ibac is a fictional Fawcett Comics and DC Comics supervillain , and a foe of Captain Marvel .
Otto Oscar Binder ( August 26 , 1911 - October 13 , 1974 ) was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories , and comic books . He is best known as the co-creator of Supergirl and for his many scripts for Captain Marvel Adventures and other stories involving the entire superhero Marvel Family . He was prolific in the comic book field and is credited with writing over 4400 stories across a variety of publishers under his own name , as well as more than 160 stories under the pen-name Eando Binder .
Captain Marvel , also known as Shazam ( /ʃəˈzæm/ ) , is a fictional superhero appearing in American comics originally published by Fawcett Comics , and currently published by DC Comics . Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939 . Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics # 2 ( cover-dated Feb. 1940 ) , published by Fawcett Comics . He is the alter ego of Billy Batson , a boy who , by speaking the magic word SHAZAM ! ( acronym of six immortal elders : Solomon , Hercules , Atlas , Zeus , Achilles , and Mercury ) , can transform himself into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength , speed , flight and other abilities . The character battles an extensive rogues ' gallery , primarily archenemies Doctor Sivana , Black Adam , and Mister Mind . Based on book selling points , the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s , outselling even Superman . Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other Marvels , primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. , who can harness powers similar to Billy 's . Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film , in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial , Adventures of Captain Marvel , with Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel and Frank Coghlan , Jr. as Billy Batson . Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953 , partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman . In 1972 , Fawcett licensed the character rights to DC , which by 1991 acquired all rights to the entire family of characters . DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times , with mixed success .
American comic book publishing company DC Comics has introduced many characters throughout its history , including numerous minor characters . These characters range from supporting characters , heroes and villains that appear infrequently to characters that only take part in a single story .
Two-Face ( Harvey Dent ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics , commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman . The character was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and first appeared in Detective Comics # 66 ( August 1942 ) . As one of Batman 's most enduring enemies , Two-Face belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman 's rogues gallery . Once an upstanding Gotham City District Attorney , Harvey Dent is hideously scarred on the left side of his face after mob boss Sal Maroni throws acidic chemicals at him during a court trial . He subsequently goes insane and adopts the Two-Face persona , becoming a criminal obsessed with the number two , the concept of duality and the conflict between good and evil . In later years , writers have portrayed Two-Face 's obsession with chance and fate as the result of schizophrenia , bipolar disorder , and dissociative identity disorder . He obsessively makes all important decisions by flipping his former lucky charm , a two-headed coin which was damaged on one side by the acid as well . The modern version is established as having once been a personal friend and ally of James Gordon and Batman . The character has been featured in various media adaptations , such as feature films , television series and video games . Two-Face has been voiced by Richard Moll in the DC animated universe , Troy Baker in the Batman : Arkham series , Billy Dee Williams in The Lego Batman Movie , and William Shatner in Batman vs. Two-Face . His live-action portrayals include Billy Dee Williams in Batman ( as Harvey Dent only ) , Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever , Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight , and Nicholas D'Agosto in the television series Gotham . In 2009 , Two-Face was ranked # 12 on IGN 's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time .
The Prankster ( Oswald Hubert Loomis ) is a fictional character , a supervillain in the DC Comics universe and primarily a foe of Superman . The Prankster 's particular gimmick is the use of various practical jokes and gags in committing his crimes .
The Shade ( Richard Swift ) is a comic book character developed in the 1940s for National Comics , first appearing in the pages of Flash Comics in a story titled The Man Who Commanded the Night , scripted by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Hal Sharp . Debuting as a villain , the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes , most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash . He eventually became a mentor for Jack Knight , the son of the Golden Age Starman , Ted Knight , a hero the Shade had also fought . Though initially portrayed in the Golden Age comics as a thief with a cane that could manipulate shadows , the character was reinvented in 1994 as a morally ambiguous Victorian era immortal who gained the ability to manipulate shadows and his immortality came from an unexplained mystical event . In 2009 , The Shade was ranked as IGN 's 89th Greatest Villain of All Time . Shade made his live appearance on the third season of The Flash played by Mike McLeod . This version of Shade is a nameless man who could vibrate his body to the point where it resembles a giant shadow of varying length .
Rag Doll is the name of three different supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Peter Merkel is a villain of the original Flash . The second Rag Doll is an enemy of Starman . The third Rag Doll is the son of the original and a member of the Secret Six .
Sabbac is the name of two comic book supervillains appearing in Fawcett Comics and/or DC Comics . The original Sabbac debuted in Captain Marvel , Jr. # 4 ( February 1943 ) , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Carreno in 1943 as an enemy of Captain Marvel , Jr. , while an updated version debuted in Outsiders vol . 3 # 8 , and was created by Judd Winick and Tom Raney in 2004 as a nemesis for both Junior and the Outsiders superhero team . A third version was introduced in Justice League # 21 in 2013 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank as an adversary for the Shazam Family and an associate of Black Adam and the Seven Deadly Sins of Man .
Judd Winick ( born February 12 , 1970 ) is an American comic book , comic strip and television writer/artist and former reality television personality . Winick first gained fame for his 1994 stint on MTV 's The Real World : San Francisco , before finding success with his work on comic books such as Green Lantern , Green Arrow , and Pedro and Me , his autobiographical graphic novel about his friendship with Real World castmate and AIDS educator Pedro Zamora . He also created the animated TV series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee for Cartoon Network , which ran for three seasons . For DC Comics , he most famously wrote the Batman storyline Under the Hood , which resurrected Jason Todd ( the second Robin ) following his murder by the Joker in the storyline A Death in the Family , in which he became the anti-heroic Red Hood following the Infinite Crisis storyline . He would also write a prequel miniseries Red Hood : The Lost Days , detailing the exact nature of Jason 's resurrection . He would also write the animated movie Batman : Under the Red Hood , which adapted his original story .
Tom Raney is an American comic book artist , known for illustrating titles as Annihilation Conquest , Alpha Flight , Ultimate X-Men and Uncanny X-Men for Marvel Comics , DV8 and Stormwatch for Image Comics , and Outsiders for DC Comics .
Captain Marvel Jr. , also known as Shazam Jr. ( Frederick Freddy Freeman ) , is a fictional superhero originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics . A member of the Marvel/Shazam Family team of superheroes associated with Shazam/Captain Marvel , he was created by Ed Herron and Mac Raboy , and first appeared in Whiz Comics # 25 in December 1941 . In the original Fawcett and DC continuity , Captain Marvel Jr. 's alter-ego was Freddy Freeman , a disabled newsboy saved by Captain Marvel from the villainous Captain Nazi . To save the dying boy 's life , Captain Marvel shares his powers with Freddy . By saying the name Captain Marvel , Freddy is transformed into Captain Marvel Jr. , a blue costumed version of himself possessing powers of superhuman strength , speed , wisdom , and more . Junior derived his powers from Captain Marvel himself , while the other Marvels derived their powers from the wizard Shazam . Unlike Captain Marvel and the modern-era version of Mary Marvel , Junior remained a teenager in his transformed state . A Trials of Shazam ! maxi-series published from 2006 to 2008 featured Freddy Freeman undergoing six trials to prove himself worthy of succeeding Captain Marvel , who takes over the wizard Shazam 's post on the Rock of Eternity . Upon completion of the Trials , Freddy assumed the superhero name Shazam . Following DC 's New 52 reboot in 2011 , Freddy Freeman - now a blond instead of the traditional dark-haired youth - appears in current DC Comics publications as one of Billy Batson 's foster siblings , and at Billy 's whim can share the Shazam powers and become an adult superhero . Freddy Freeman made his cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe film Shazam ! , portrayed by Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody as a teenager and adult respectively .
Outsiders is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . As its name suggests , the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community ( the Justice League ) . The Outsiders has had a number of different incarnations . They were founded by Batman , whose ties to the League had become strained , and introduced the classic line-up of Batman , Black Lightning , Metamorpho , Geo-Force , Katana , Halo and Looker . A later incarnation of the Outsiders from early 2000s comics was led by Nightwing and Arsenal following the dissolution of the Teen Titans superhero group , and depicted the team as a pro-active group hunting for super-criminals . For the team 's third incarnation , Batman reforms the team as a special strike team featuring classic members Katana and Metamorpho alongside new recruits such as Catwoman and Black Lightning 's daughter Thunder . After the Batman R.I.P . storyline , Alfred Pennyworth acts on Batman 's instructions to reassemble the team once more , recruiting new members and more of the team 's original lineup . Another version of the team with a familiar lineup briefly featured in Batman Incorporated in 2011 as the black ops section of Batman 's organisation . Following DC 's 2011 reboot , a new version of the Outsiders is introduced in the pages of Green Arrow as a secret society represented by seven weapon-themed clans . Members in this incarnation include Katana , Onyx , and several new characters . The original Outsiders are returned to continuity in 2017 , following DC Rebirth , once again as a secret team founded by Batman ; Batman revives the team with a new lineup in 2018 .
Mister Mind is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics , Mister Mind the character made a cameo appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures # 22 ( March 1943 ) before making his full first appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures # 26 ( August 1943 ) . One of Shazam/Captain Marvel 's primary villains , Mister Mind is a two-inch alien worm of high intelligence with telepathic powers . Mind usually carries out his villainous plans through an organization called the Monster Society of Evil , significant as one of the first supervillain teams in comics to contain villains that a superhero had fought previously ; prior to this , supervillain teams were composed of villains created just for that storyline . The Monster Society of Evil made its debut in Captain Marvel Adventures # 22 , and the resulting Monster Society of Evil story arc continued for two years in Captain Marvel Adventures , ending with issue # 46 ( May 1945 ) . Mister Mind appeared as a cameo in the DC Extended Universe film Shazam ! portrayed in CGI and voiced by the movies director David F. Sandberg .