Every comic book reader knows the Joker, Poison Ivy and Catwoman. But what about the less popular Batman villains––the ones who were a little too generic and never earned enough time in DC’s spotlight? So many great Batman villains are waiting in the wings for their time to shine.
DC Comics should highlight these generic Batman villains, providing some modern makeovers and updates that could elevate villains like Calendar Man, Jeremiah Arkham and Lock-Up to a-tier villain status. Fans have seen quite a lot of Joker, Bane and Scarecrow in the past few years. It’s time to reintroduce older Batman villains––with modern twists––to captivate readers and deliver something new.
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10 Most Surprising Batman Facts that Most Fans Don’t Know
Batman may be one of the most mainstream comic book superheroes, but there are several facts that are unknown or misconstrued concerning him.
UPDATE: 2026/02/03 23:24 EST BY BRIAN CRONIN
I’ve updated this fun list by adding five more entries, and changed some formatting.
15
The Wrath is a Great Concept That Could Use a New Look
Image via DC
The Wrath was a villain whose criminal parents were killed when he was a child by James Gordon. He vowed vengeance on the police from that point forwards, James Gordon specifically. Obviously, he was essentially the anti-Bruce Wayne, with him becoming an evil version of Batman.
It’s a great hook, and the brilliant Michael Golden drew the character (Golden co-created the character with the iconic Mike W. Barr), but as good of an artist as Golden was, his design on the Wrath was a bit odd. The colors were kind of bright for a super villain, so a re-design would be a good idea.
14
The Brand Was Pretty Much “The Bland”
Image via DC
Created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff, the Brand was a distinctive villain who was a “Wild West” themed bad guy, who was like the Riddler, only instead of leaving riddles behind, the Brand left brands behind to distract the Dynamic Duo.
Bill Finger co-created Batman, and so it is always nice to try to work some of his OTHER creations into the Batman mythos, even a character as relatively generic as the Brand, whosse costume was as basic as just being a cowboy outfit with a big B on his chest. A new look for the character might make him stand out more, instead of being more like Brand X.
13
The Eraser Was a Bit TOO On Point
Image via DC
At the height of Batmania (from the success of the 1966 Batman TV series), the Batman comic book series tried to match the kitschy levels of the TV series with new villains, including The Eraser, a villain who had, you know, a giant Eraser head for a costume. That’s obviously quite silly, but here’s the thing, the Eraser had a legit good gimmick!
The Eraser was an old college classmate of Bruce Wayne whose specialty was “erasing” the evidence from crimes. That’s an actually clever gimmick. The villain just didn’t need to have a giant Eraser head for his costume on top of that. He was recently shown in a revamped format in a Harley Quinn one-shot, but he wasn’t really a super villain in that one, so that doesn’t count.
12
The Crime Doctor’s Look Was Too Generic
Image via DC
The Crime Doctor was a villain whose specialty was just the way that it sounds. He was a doctor who dealt with criminals. There would always be a super villain who needed the help of a doctor who catered to villains, and so he has built up a long career in comics (there were different versions of the character Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths and Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths).
More recently, the character evolved a bit, and began known as a TORTURER, as well as a regular doctor (he knows all of the nerve endings to attack). He has a good hook. However, the “problem” with the Crime Doctor is that his look is just, well, you know, a doctor. He just had plain scrubs. He probably would be better off if the character had a design that wasn’t so specific to a generic doctor look.
11
The Killer Moth Had a Good Gimmick, Just Needed a Better Look
Killer Moth shoots back at the police in The Batman Family in DC ComicsImage via DC Comics
Just like how the Wrath was the anti-Bruce Wayne, a boy whose criminal parents were killed by cops leading to him vowing vengeance on the police, the Killer Moth was ALSO an anti-Batman.
He was a genius who used gadgets who could be hired by criminals to help them against the police. And like Batman, all of his gadgets and vehicles were moth-themed. That’s a great hook that could easily be used nowadays. You just have to not treat the idea that his stuff is moth-themed as being “too silly.” So a better design for the Killer Moth could be helpful, as well.
10
Jeremiah Arkham Needs A Major Role In Batman Comics
While the villains in Arkham Asylum are menacing, there can be something sinister about the person operating the house itself. Jeremiah Arkham (who debuted in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 by Alan Grant, Norm Breyfogle & Adrienne Roy) has appeared in several Batman arcs and even became a version of Black Mask. However, DC needs to take a cue from the Batman: Arkham Asylum game to bring Jeremiah into modern comics.
In Rocksteady’s game, Batman could collect symbols from the audio provided by a supposed ghost of Arkham. DC should consider transforming Jeremiah Arkham into a supernatural foe, bringing gothic horror elements back into Batman’s monthly title.
9
Tony Zucco Could Bring Up Bad Memories For Dick Grayson
Image via DC
Tony Zucco debuted right alongside Dick Grayson in Detective Comics #38 (by Bill Finger, Bob Kane & Jerry Robinson). The mobster was, after all, responsible for the death of Robin’s parents. Tony Zucco was a fairly low-level criminal, harassing Haly’s Circus for protection money. Zucco even appeared in Tom Taylor’s recent Nightwing run.
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However, DC should consider doing even more with the character. In Batman: Three Jokers, the Joker attempted to turn Joe Chill into a version of the Joker, creating a Clown Prince of Crime connected to Bruce Wayne’s tragic past. DC should consider making Zuco more of a threat, possibly even a supervillain who takes over the mantle for someone else.
8
Professor Milo’s Genetic Experiments
Image via DC
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of evil scientists in DC Comics. Professor Milo barely stands out from the rest. However, after debuting in Detective Comics #247 by Bill Finger & Sheldon Moldoff, he notably contributed to the creation of Batman’s Zur-En-Arrh personality in Batman R.I.P. Professor Milo also appeared in Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited, experimenting on heroes using animal DNA (an early version of Batman Beyond‘s splicers).
To give Milo an edge over the other generic evil scientists in the DC Universe, Milo should specialize in that splicer technology, turning heroes and villains into amalgamated versions of the animals they use in their motifs. What if Milo turned Catwoman into a cat beast or Batman into a Man-Bat creature?
7
Crimson Knight: A Better Batman
Image via DC
When Jason Todd returned as the Red Hood after being killed by the Joker all those years ago, he tried to prove that Batman’s methods don’t work––locking criminals up in Arkham Asylum solves nothing. Red Hood wanted blood. DC should revive the Crimson Knight character from Batman’s Golden Age to serve as a similar antagonist.
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The Crimson Knight, who debuted in Detective Comics #271 (by Dave Wood & Sheldon Moldoff) was originally a crime boss who posed as a hero to gain Gotham’s trust. He fooled Batman until the Dynamic Duo learned his true identity and caught Crimson Knight stealing. In modern DC Comics, the Crimson Knight should be an armored vigilante who tries to be a better Batman than the Dark Knight himself.
6
Lock-Up Can Clean Up Gotham City
Lyle Bolton was Arkham Asylum’s new chief security officer, but he was abusive towards the inmates, causing even the Scarecrow to fear him. As Lock-Up, Lyle took his tough justice to whole new levels, becoming a supervillain himself. Lock-Up was originally a character in Batman: The Animated Series before making the leap to DC Comics.
DC could give Lock-Up a modern comic makeover, bringing him back as a main antagonist. If Lock-Up were any more powerful, he could potentially force Batman to team up with villains like Joker and Riddler, providing a common enemy.
