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Is it their insanity, their lack of rules, their opposite force against the hero, or something else? What is it that allures you to supervillains?

Their ruthless impulse in doing everyday things we are too polite to act on (see "Despicable Me." )

It varies. I used to like the dark mirror versions of characters, but it's an easy plot device. Not necessarily a bad one, it just seems overplayed nowadays.

I think that today a mark of a good villain is that they are written as a genuine threat. If at any stage in the storyline I encounter any doubts regarding the wellbeing of the hero, anyone related to the hero or that the hero's mission might fail, then at that point the villain has become a genuine threat, even if the hero does eventually win. That's good writing.

I like Circe because she truly believes Wonder Woman is a hypocrite, and actually has convincing arguments in her favor.

To me its all about how well they counter the hero and of course that can be different for different heroes.

But to me a truly great villain can take on the hero frustrating, challenging them, and be a genuine obstacle for the hero to overcome.

I like it when supervillains kill people and doesn't afraid of anything. uhuh

What is the best kind of villain?

Is it one just a few degrees removed from the hero(es), who has a point of view that can be understood? (re: Magneto, Sinestro, Zod)

Or is it the ones so psychotic that they have removed all feelings of morality for a completely different outlook? (re: Joker, Bullseye, Thanos)

Or the ones that could have made humanity better but were too vain & selfish, and are actually needy for praise? (re: Dr. Doom, Lex Luthor, Norman Osborn)

Goatees.

Originally posted by Digi
Goatees.
Beards in general, but goatees are the king of evil beards.

Fu Manchus come in second.

I like the poetic aspects of a villain, when they make being a bad guy...cool (not so much in the sense that you would like to do what they do, but that what they just said or did adds to their character in a positive way.

EDIT: To elaborate: it's great when a villain possesses an enviable trait, e.g. a strange kind of honor or even respect for their enemies even as they are willing to kill them or harm them.

when he kills Superman

I like whaen they have twisted perceptions of certain concepts...for example Zoom wanting to improve the heroes

Villains insist upon themselves far less than heroes, imo. That's why comic-villainy appeals to me.

Originally posted by roughrider
What is the best kind of villain?

Is it one just a few degrees removed from the hero(es), who has a point of view that can be understood? (re: Magneto, Sinestro, Zod)

Or is it the ones so psychotic that they have removed all feelings of morality for a completely different outlook? (re: Joker, Bullseye, Thanos)

Or the ones that could have made humanity better but were too vain & selfish, and are actually needy for praise? (re: Dr. Doom, Lex Luthor, Norman Osborn)

The first kind. The best villain is no villain at all, just an antagonist that can plausibly offer an alternative to the heroes' moral point of view. Anti-villains that discard manicheistic notions of morality are the more interesting ones IMO. Magneto and Ras al Ghul (in their most noble portrayals) spring to mind as the archetypes in Marvel and DC.

In second comes the looney toons. The freedom of not being constrained by anything, not even reason or internal moral values.

The self-serving maggots are the least interesting and respectable IMO. They are boring and small.

Originally posted by 753


The self-serving maggots are the least interesting and respectable IMO. They are boring and small.
I have to disagree. Villains who's major sin is hubris/vanity can be the most interesting. Not to mention the most entertaining if said villains have a flair for the dramatic or a twisted sense of humor.

All in all I think the least interesting (but often times most entertaining) villains are the Joker type villains because they're essentially playing Indian Poker with their drives and inner motives.

I like villains who could be written as not being villains at all - I'm thinking solely of Magneto and his deep back story which explains everything he does he thinks is the right thing to do and his reasons for believing that - and lets the reader see maybe he could be right all along.


Or charismatic, funny villains like Joker who are fun to watch and see what they are going to do next

Originally posted by Omgu8mynewt
I like villains who could be written as not being villains at all - I'm thinking solely of Magneto and his deep back story which explains everything he does he thinks is the right thing to do and his reasons for believing that - and lets the reader see maybe he could be right all along.


This.

Originally posted by Mr. Rhythmic
Is it their insanity, their lack of rules, their opposite force against the hero, or something else? What is it that allures you to supervillains? top villains like doom and magneto do what a lot of people WANT to do given the chance. changing the world cause they see something tragically wrong with it.

a majority of the lesser villains do what a majority of normal people would so in their shoes: try to get rich. the heroes usually mess up their debut which implants them into the circular life of crime. fu*k them


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villains just represent some form of anarchy, and the heroes represent order/status quo

Originally posted by psycho gundam

villains just represent some form of anarchy, and the heroes represent order/status quo
Not all villains. Doctor Doom together with Darkseid pretty much DEFINES Lawful Evil in the context of comic books.

Though I do have a question: where's the cutoff point between supervillain and cosmic menace? At the moment I'm thinking PC Mongul.

power and motive

juggernaut for all his power is nothing more than a common thug in motive/ambition.

doom (on the regular) isn't really cosmic scale since he doesn't really go beyond being a would be concuror and all that, his power isn't too up there either.

thanos, darkseid, etc. all have great power and ambitions. their exploits are almost (at least for thanos) always part of a cross-over with the weight of millions or more on the line every time.

they're cosmic

Originally posted by Mr. Rhythmic
Is it their insanity, their lack of rules, their opposite force against the hero, or something else? What is it that allures you to supervillains?

I like it that they see in a "different" way.

My way or the highway *****!