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Stelfreeze Rogues Gallery

A gathering of the most traditional top tier villains by Brian Stelfreeze.

Batman: “So the question is, who wants to eliminate me?
Alfred: “That line is forming around the block, sir.
―Batman and Alfred discussing an attempt on his life.[src]

The Rogues Gallery is the term for the various villains that Batman has faced over the years. These have ranged from costumed villains like the Joker, Poison Ivy and Two-Face, plainclothes crime bosses like Rupert Thorne, Carmine Falcone and Joe Chill to lesser known foes such as Magpie, Killer Moth and Humpty Dumpty. As enemies of the Batman are often sympathetic or otherwise morally complex, he is also known to be enemies with anti-heroic allies such as Catwoman, Azrael or the Red Hood.

Central Rogues Gallery

Primary Antagonists

Characters consistently appearing as major-antagonists and predominate members of the Rogues Gallery.

Unknown
Selina Kyle
Basil Karlo
Dr. Harleen Quinzel
Unknown

Arch-Nemesis

Waylon Jones
Dr. Jervis Tetch
Oswald Cobblepot
Dr. Pamela Isley
Edward Nigma
Dr. Jonathan Crane
Dr. Kirk Langstrom
Dr. Victor Fries
Harvey Dent

Secondary Rogues

Secondary antagonists who are inconsistently featured in the main lineup and/or make frequent appearances but are of comparatively lesser status to the "core" members.

Roman Sionis
Arthur Brown
Floyd Lawton
Garfield Lynns
Dr. Thomas "Tommy" Elliot
Sandra Woosan
"Thomas Wayne, Jr"
Victor Zsasz
Andrea Beaumont
Lazlo Valentin
William Cobb

Recurring Rogues

Antagonists noteworthy for recurring appearances or notable of some influential/cult-status but who are not consistently featured prominent members of the rogues gallery

Aaron Helzinger
Lonnie Machin
Astrid Arkham
Eric Needham
Benjamin Turner
Thomas Blake
Preston Payne
Joseph Blackfire
Dr. Karl Hellfern 1st Super-Villain
Dr. Alexander Sartorius
Eduardo Flamingo
Dr. Jeremiah Arkham
James Gordon, Jr.
Anatoli Knyazev
Drury Walker
Lyle Bolton
Maximillian Zeus
Nyssa Raatko
Dr. Achilles Milo
Otis Flannegan
Roxanne Sutton
Dr. Francine Langstrom
Deever Tweed
Dumfree Tweed

Cross-Gallery Rogues

Villains from other superheroes' rogues galleries who have fought or become associated with Batman. Though some have served as "guest" enemies, some of these villains have become more heavily associated with Batman's rogues gallery through either major appearances in comics or Batman-related media.

George "Digger" Harkness
Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva
Jade Nguyen
William Tockman AKA Temple Fugate
Count Werner Vertigo AKA Werter Zytle
Slade Wilson
James "Jim" Craddock
Nanaue AKA Trixie
Alexander Joseph Luthor
     
Nam-Ek
Nam-Ek
Nam-Ek

Alternate Reality/Inter-dimensional Rogues

Enemies of Batman hailing from alternate-realities or higher states of dimensional existence. Often this category includes versions of Batman from parallel timelines, and higher-beings with power over reality comparable to that of a god.

Bruce Wayne (Earth -22)
Bruce Wayne (Unknown Dark Multiverse reality)
Alfred Pennyworth
Thomas Wayne, Jr.
Darwin Halliday
Richard "Dick" Grayson

The Dark Knights

     
Baby Batman
Baby Batman
Bruce Wayne (Dark Multiverse)
     
Batman the Dawnbreaker
Batman the Dawnbreaker
Bruce Wayne (Earth -32)
     
Batman the Devastator
Batman the Devastator
Bruce Wayne (Earth -1)
     
Batwoman the Drowned
Batwoman the Drowned
Bryce Wayne (Earth -11)
     
Batman the Merciless
Batman the Merciless
Bruce Wayne (Earth -12)
     
Batman the Murder Machine
Batman the Murder Machine
Bruce Wayne (Earth -44)
Bruce Wayne (Earth -22)
     
Batmage
Batmage
Bruce Wayne (Dark Multiverse)
     
Batmobeast
Batmobeast
Bruce Wayne (Road Warrior)
     
Batom
Batom
Unknown
     
Batrocitus
Batrocitus
Unknown
     
Beyonder
Beyonder
Terry McGinnis (Dark Multiverse)
     
B-Rex
B-Rex
Bruce Wayne (Batmanasaurus Rex)
     
Castle Bat
Castle Bat
Bruce Wayne (This Man. This City.)
     
Collector
Collector
Unknown
     
Doctor Arkham
Doctor Arkham
Unknown
     
Mindhunter
Mindhunter
Bruce Wayne
     
Night Glider
Night Glider
Unknown
Bruce Wayne (Earth -52)
     
Robin King
Robin King
Bruce Wayne (King of Pain)

Allies/Rivals

Characters who predominately operate as heroic vigilantes but who are known to serve as enemies to Batman due to shared-history and/or ideological differences.

Jean-Paul Valley
Michael Lane
Jack Ryder
Minhkhoa "Khoa" Khan
Claire Clover
Helena Bertinelli AKA Helena Wayne
Jonah Woodson Hex
Tatsu Yamashiro
Dean Hunter
Marian Mercer
Clark Kent AKA Kal-El
Catalina Flores
     
Vigilante II
Vigilante II
Dorian Chase
Benedict Rundstrom

Animal adversaries

Possible Future Rogues

Villains appearing in stories set within future timelines such as Batman Beyond or The Dark Knight Returns.

Plainclothes enemies

Villains of Batman who are more realistically portrayed gangsters, professional-criminals, crime-families, hit-men and crooked businesspeople rather than the more theatrical core Batman villains

Gangsters

In addition to super-villains, Batman has fought a variety of plainclothes mafiosos. These criminals were most prominent relatively early in Batman's career.

Major Crime-Lords

The most prominent gangster enemies of Batman.

Joseph Chilton

Assorted

Sherman Fine
Alberto Falcone
     
Jefferson Skeevers
Jefferson Skeevers
Anthony Marchetti
Sofia Gigante
Anthony Bressi

Minor

     
Able Crown
Able Crown
     
Eddie Skeevers
Eddie Skeevers
Edward Skeevers
     
Ernie Chubb
Ernie Chubb
     
Junior Galante
Junior Galante
Pasquale Galante, Jr.
Lawrence Loman

Evil businesspeople

Police and government officials

Due to the corruption and frequent amorality of Gotham's government and the United States Government, Batman has various enemies in government; notably in the GCPD which has a reputation for corruption and brutality.

Richard Rogers Flag, Jr.

Groups

     
Gorilla Gang
Gorilla Gang
     
League of Smiles
League of Smiles
     
New Rogues
New Rogues
     
Ten-Eyed Men
Ten-Eyed Men

The Black Glove

Dr. Guy Dax
Dr. Simon Hurt AKA Thomas Wayne
     
Pierrot Lunaire
Pierrot Lunaire
Unknown
Tristessa Delicias
     
El Sombrero
El Sombrero
Unknown
     
Swagman
Swagman
Unknown

The Blockbuster Gang

Members of Blüdhaven's, "Blockbuster Gang" which followed the second Blockbsuter, Roland Desmond. The gang was disbanded after Blockbuster's death and primarily fought Nightwing.

Guillermo Barrera
Lester Buchinsky
     
Giz
Giz
Unknown
     
Mateo Flores
Mateo Flores
Elaine Marsh-Morton
     
Mouse
Mouse
Pamela Sweigald
     
Shrike
Shrike
Boone
     
Thrilldevil
Thrilldevil
Juan-Andrés Santos Suarez
Dudley Sloames
Tom and Tad Trigger

The Circus of Strange

Eduardo Flamingo
Dr. Lazlo Valentin
Unknown

The Court of Owls

Members of Gotham's aristocratic colonial secret-society, "The Court of Owls", including their meta-human assassins, "The Talons".

     
Cressida Clarke
Cressida Clarke
     
Councilwoman Noctua
Councilwoman Noctua
Noctua
     
Gotham Butcher
Gotham Butcher
Felix Harmon
     
John Wycliffe
John Wycliffe
     
Joseph Powers
Joseph Powers
     
Judge of Owls
Judge of Owls
Unknown
     
Orator
Orator
Unknown
Richard (surname unknown)
Raymond McCreary
     
Sebastian Clark
Sebastian Clark
Mary Turner
     
Talon (Alexander Staunton)
Talon (Alexander Staunton)
Alexander Staunton
     
Talon (Alton Carver)
Talon (Alton Carver)
Alton Carver
     
Talon (Ephraim Newhouse)
Talon (Ephraim Newhouse)
Ephraim Newhouse
     
Talon (Henry Ballard)
Talon (Henry Ballard)
Henry Ballard
     
Talon (Mei Ling)
Talon (Mei Ling)
Mei Ling
     
Talon of 1780
Talon of 1780
Unknown
     
Talon (Uriah Boone)
Talon (Uriah Boone)
Uriah Boone
     
Talon (Xiao Loong)
Talon (Xiao Loong)
Xiao Loong

The League of Assassins

Members of the international eco-terrorist syndicate, the League of Assassins (sometimes referred to as the League of Shadows). Members of Batman's rogues gallery are mentioned above.

     
Dragon Fly
Dragon Fly
Arthur King/Malcolm Merlyn
     
Silken Spider
Silken Spider
     
Targa
Targa

The Wonderland Gang

Dr. Jervis Tetch
Lewis Yarnell
Harriet Pratt
Deever Tweed
Dumfree Tweed
Skitch Benson

Foes of Lesser Renown

Recurring minor rogues

Enemies of lesser renown and threat who will make substantially more appearances, typically as cameos, references or accomplices to greater criminals.

Noah Kuttler
Mortimer Drake
Mitchell Mayo
(Dr.) Paul Dekker
Dr. Bradford Thorne
Barton Mathis
Nina Damfino
Edgar Heed
Burt Weston
Lester Buchinsky
Warren Lawford
Gagsworth A. Gagsworthy
Nathan Finch
Humphrey Dumpler
Professor Victor Goodman
Charles Brown, Sr.
Margaret Pye
Camilla Ortin
Dr. Grace Balin
Alexis Kaye
Diedre Vance
Benjamin Gruener
Judson Caspian
Natalia Schmidt
Gunther Hardwicke
Val Kaliban
Philip Reardon
Doctor Gaige
Tom and Tad Trigger
Armand Lydecker
Elliot Caldwell

Minor enemies

Assorted enemies, typically of minimal mainstream appearances, henchman occupations, and/or an obscure joke-status

Arnold Etchinson
     
Absence
Absence
Una Nemo
Colin Wilkes
     
Actuary
Actuary
     
Adam Bomb
Adam Bomb
Unknown
     
Amba Kadiri
Amba Kadiri
Governor Andrew Warner
     
Anti-Superman
Anti-Superman
Perry White
"Jumbo" Carson
Paul Strobe
Mary Louise Dahl
Ned Creegan
     
Bat-Cop
Bat-Cop
Josef Muller
Luis Peralda
Wayne Bruce
     
Billy Numerous
Billy Numerous
     
Black and White Bandit
Black and White Bandit
Roscoe Chiara
     
Black Rogue
Black Rogue
Felix Dunn
Johnny LaMonica
Louis Ferryman
     
Bonecrusher
Bonecrusher
Dr. Kenneth Harbinger
Alexander Wyvern AKA A.S. Scarlet
Thomas Willowood AKA Thomas Wayne, Jr.
     
The Brand
The Brand
Unknown
     
Cannoneer
Cannoneer
Unknown
     
Carnivora
Carnivora
Unknown
Paul Sloane
Cassius Payne
     
Clock
Clock
"Slugsy" Kyle
     
Clubfoot
Clubfoot
Ward
     
Colonel Sulphur
Colonel Sulphur
     
Corrosive Man
Corrosive Man
Derek Mitchell
     
Crimesmith
Crimesmith
Randolph Garrow
Richard "Dick" Lyons
Christina Chiles
Avery Twombey
David Rennington
Dala DuBois
     
Dark Knight
Dark Knight
Alfred Pennyworth Clone
     
Darkwolf
Darkwolf
Unknown
Etienne Guiborg
Erasmus Rayne
     
Director
Director
Unknown
     
Doctor Fang
Doctor Fang
Unknown
Bartholomew "Bart" Magan
     
Doctor Zodiac
Doctor Zodiac
Theodore "Cash" Carrigan
     
Dodge
Dodge
Michael Lasky
Matilda Mathis
Daedalus Boch
     
Duplicate Man
Duplicate Man
Unknown
Daniel Matthews
     
Elemental Man
Elemental Man
John Dolan
Ignatius Ogilvy
Danial Kingdom
Leonard Fiasco
     
Executioner
Executioner
Willy Hooker
     
Facade
Facade
Erik Hanson
Joe Rigger
Dr. Jason Woodrue
Linda Friitawa
Bella Garten
Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong
     
Glass Man
Glass Man
Judson
     
The Globe
The Globe
Hammond Carter
Unknown
     
Gunhawk
Gunhawk
Liam Hawkleigh
The Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Android Computer
     
Harpy
Harpy
Iris Phelios
Joseph Wendell
Telman Davies
     
Human-Flea
Human-Flea
Martin Kemp
     
Human-Magnet
Human-Magnet
David Wist
     
Imperceptible Man
Imperceptible Man
Unknown
     
Iron-Hat Ferris
Iron-Hat Ferris
Ferris
Doctor Gibson
     
Johnny Stitches
Johnny Stitches
John Denetto
     
Johnny Warlock
Johnny Warlock
Jonathan "Johnny" Warren
Judge Clay
     
King Coal
King Coal
Unknown
Nanaue AKA Trixie
Sir Edmund Dorrance
Kommander Kraak
     
Lady Lunar
Lady Lunar
Stacy Macklin
     
Librarian
Librarian
Stanislaus Johns
Unknown
     
Madame X
Madame X
Unknown
     
Madame Zodiac
Madame Zodiac
Marissa
Theodore "Ted" Dymer
"Miranda"
     
Masquerader
Masquerader
Samuel Tweed
Matthew Warner
     
Metalhead
Metalhead
Dr. Byron Meredith
Kerry Astin
Floyd Ventris
     
Mister Baffle
Mister Baffle
Unknown
     
Mister Cipher
Mister Cipher
Unknown
     
Mister Hydro
Mister Hydro
Timothy Flagg
     
Mister Marvel
Mister Marvel
Unknown
     
Mister Roulette
Mister Roulette
Rigger Sims
     
Mister X
Mister X
Mousey
Rufus Macob
Louis DuBois AKA Nicolai Tepes
Brice Rogers
Porter Vito
     
Moth
Moth
Unknown
     
Mother
Mother
Unknown
Gregor Dosynski
     
Nicodemus
Nicodemus
Thomas Hart
Anton Knight
Kyodai Ken
Thaddeus "Tad" Ryerstad
Michael Adams
     
Panara
Panara
Leona Dorsey
     
Pi-Meson Man
Pi-Meson Man
Pincus Bridger
     
Pix
Pix
Prince Tito Daka
Prof. Henry Ross
     
Quakemaster
Quakemaster
Robert Coleman
Bixby Rhodes
     
Santa Klaus
Santa Klaus
Unknown
     
Savage Skull
Savage Skull
Jack Crane
     
Sea-Fox
Sea-Fox
Unknown
     
Sebastian Blackspell
Sebastian Blackspell
Sebastian Rothschild
     
The Shiner
The Shiner
David Smythe
Phillip Cobb
     
Simon the Pieman
Simon the Pieman
Unknown
Klaus Kristin
Delbert Billings
Swami Ymar
     
Sumo
Sumo
Unknown
Gunther Nash
Carl Finley
     
Synaptic Kid
Synaptic Kid
Theodore M. "Ted" Krosby
     
Thanatos
Thanatos
Sophia Santos
Henry Meke
     
Tusk
Tusk
Unknown
     
The Ventriloquist (III)
The Ventriloquist (III)
Shauna Belzer
Anthony Lupus
Lewis Bayard
Jaina Hudson
Jake Baker
Philo Zeiss

Notes and trivia

  • Chronologically, the first Batman Villain was Doctor Death in Detective Comics #29 (July, 1939) and the oldest villain with major recurring appearances is Professor Hugo Strange who first appeared in Detective Comics #36 (February, 1940).
    • Often, the first super-criminal who Batman fights in the lore is the Red Hood, who goes on to become the Joker after a fight with Batman in the ACE Chemicals.
  • The first large gathering of Batman Villains occurred in the four part 1977 storyline Batman: Where Were You on the Night Batman Was Killed? which lasted from Batman #291 to Batman #294. In this storyline, Batman was found dead with Joker, Catwoman, the Riddler and Lex Luthor all claiming credit for the murder. What ensued was a criminal-court assembled with Two-Face as prosecutor and Ra's al Ghul as judge to determine the true killer in-front of a court of Spook, Poison Ivy, Signalman, Mister Freeze, Scarecrow, and the second Mad Hatter. Also in attendance of the trial were Captain Stingaree, Killer Moth, Cluemaster, the Getaway Genius, Cavalier, Tweedle Dee, and Tweedle Dum. Ultimately it was determined that Joker was the true killer, however he only killed a Batman imposter and that Two-Face was actually Batman in disguise, seeking a confession.
  • In Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman's super-criminal enemies are referred to as, "The Freaks", predominately by Carmine Falcone and his mafia associates. In this story, the super-criminals who overthrow Carmine Falcone are the Two-Face, the Joker, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, the Penguin, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, and Solomon Grundy. In Batman: Dark Victory, Mister Freeze, Calendar Man and the Riddler are also included.
  • Many enemies of Batman are known for having been (and often being) queer coded, meaning the attribution of features and characterization affiliated as short-hand for the LGBTQ+ community. This was partly done in response to the formation of the Comics Code Authority censorship group, itself triggered by the homophobic & anti-comic book Seduction of the Innocent (1954), which accused The Batman franchise of being pro-gay propaganda directed at children. The standard identifiers for queer-coded villains include: effeminate men in stereotypically prissy or colourful clothing with extravagant hand gestures (Joker, Penguin, Riddler, etc.), female characters drawn with heavy eye-shadow and sharp features made to make them resemble transgender women or crossdressers (Poison Ivy and some depictions of Harley Quinn), or in some cases the, "Prison Lesbian" archetype from Hay's Code era cinema where certain forms of criminal women were given domineering, sassy, misandristic and powerful attributes in regards to other women made to imply them as being lesbian (interpreted most noticeably in Poison Ivy).
    • Since, many members of the rogues gallery have been made canonically queer such as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Nocturna, and Catman. Television shows and film have also featured queer interpretations of characters such as Clayface, Penguin, Harley Quinn and Riddler, while various continuities and assorted stories characterize the Joker as having a homosexual attraction to Batman.
  • The super-criminals of Gotham are often portrayed as having a form of code or community amongst them.
    • Various members often meet at Penguin's establishment, The Iceberg Lounge, where he will also store money and gadgets for them when they are in prison or Arkham Asylum.
    • In Batman: Endgame, it is explained that in the event of Batman's death, they are to shine the Batsignal upside-down like a sleeping back to assemble.
    • Blackbeard mentions how many non-Gotham organizations will refuse to do business with Gotham criminals due to fear of them and the Batman.
  • Various enemies of Batman are taken from the rogues galleries of other heroes. Most notably: Solomon Grundy was originally an enemy to Green Lantern, Deathstroke and Duela Dent were enemies of the Teen Titans, Clock King was a villain to Green Arrow, and the Gentleman Ghost was an adversary to Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
  • Like Batman, Nightwing has his own rogues gallery, predominately centralized in Gotham's sister-city of Blüdhaven and which broadly intersects with Batman's villains.
  • A popular interpretation of the rogues gallery is that each major member serves as a dark reflection of Batman's own identity. This including broad parallels such as Joker being his exact opposite who reacts to Batman's world-view with anarcho-nihilistic sadism, Catwoman serving as his shadow-foil, Hush being a perversion of his Bruce Wayne background and Ra's al Ghul being a Batman-like avenger who lost view of his morals. More nuanced instances within this reading include Scarecrow reflecting his need to assume a horror-influenced alter-ego to scare others, Poison Ivy reflecting his diluted moral extremism, Mister Freeze paralleling his obsession with vengeance, Killer Croc embodying his need to separate himself from humanity in an animalistic alter-ego, Two-Face representing the dichotomy of Bruce Wayne and Batman, the Riddler reflecting his need to prove his intellect at the possible expense of others, Bane embodying his need to dominate enemies to validate himself, Harley Quinn representing his perverse relationship with the Joker and/or the corrupting effects of his alter-ego on his normal self, and the Penguin representing him being a disturbed animalistic mind masquerading as a civilized individual in his Bruce Wayne persona, to name a few.

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