Top Ten Villains #5: The Riddler

"Riddle me this; Who is the man behind the cowl, Batman?"

Easily one of the most recognisable villains in the entire Batman mythos, Edward Nigma, better known as the Riddler, is a constant plague upon the Dark Knight, constantly coming up with ever more ingenious puzzles, riddles and death-traps to challenge his mental abilities. The Riddler is also one of the most long-standing members of the Rogue's Gallery, having been around for absolutely ages (his first appearance was in 1948) and having built up a considerable fanbase in that time. Whether a conniving crook or a murderous malignant narcissist, the Crown Prince of Puzzles is likely to remain a key player in Gotham for years to come.

First Appearance:

Detective Comics #140

Powers/Abilities:

Though not actually super-powered, despite being a super-villain, Riddler is still considered a threat by Batman when he does surface to begin another series of challenges. Nigma is known to be a genius in many senses of the word - he is able to create ingenious and complex death-traps and explosive devices, and is able to create near-unbreakable codes. His real strength, however, lies in his ability to generate riddles. Odd as it may sound, Nigma is able to solve any riddle within mere seconds, as well as craft a conundrum for whatever crime he wishes to commit. Though this is a great asset for him, it is also his biggest Achilles Heel; he is pathologically unable to commit a crime without leaving a clue beforehand. 

So why do I like Riddler that much? Easy, it's because he's brilliant. He's a genius-level villain who manages to remain sinister and mysterious whilst using what has to be the most unusual gimmick ever seen. That, and his suit is the coolest thing ever; I mean, really, there are only a few villain costumes I like more in terms of sheer interest and cool factor. To be honest, the character just appeals to me on almost every level, and it's only by the smallest of margins he isn't higher up in the list.

But who has cracked the Riddler's conundrum and won through to #4? Find out soon...

Top Ten Villains #6: Rita Repulsa

"Oh, don't leave! You'll miss my coming-out party. That's where I destroy the nearest planet!"

Self-proclaimed "Empress of Evil" and all-round great character, Rita Repulsa was trapped by the wizard Zordon for 10,000 years on the surface of the Moon. When she finally broke free, Rita's first imperative to her followers was a simple one; destroy the Earth. I dunno, it's something about all those tree-hugging hippies that gets to her or something. Rita's plans of attack almost always involve monsters, which he has an obsession with, and using magic from afar. To my knowledge, she has not once taken on the Power Rangers in an actual straight-up fight, but with that headdress, it's easy to see why.

First Appearance:

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Episode I: Day of the Dumpster

Powers/Abilities:

Rita is an extremely powerful sorcerer, with the ability to create monsters and minions magically using everyday items, such as clay, rocks or personal items of the Rangers themselves. In addition, she is able to magically transform her monsters into giant behemoths should the fight be going badly (of course, this never works - it's a kids' TV series, after all) and even summon entities of similar power to herself to aid her schemes. Her primary weapon of choice is her magic staff (c'mon, that thing is so not a wand, it's as tall as I am) and her backup weapon seems to be her best warrior, Goldar, who is usually sent to kick some ass and take names whilst Rita's monster gets into place.

Now, I know what you must be thinking: Why is Rita so high on this list? 

Well, MMPR was a big part of my childhood back in the day, and if I'm honest, I loved every minute of it. Sure, Rita Repulsa was silly and over-the-top and clichéd as a villain, but hey, that's where her charm lies; she doesn't try to be some dark anti-hero or "poor misunderstood soul," she's evil, she knows it and she frickin' loves it. That and, to be honest, sometimes she genuinely came up with sinister plans; the two-episode special The Green Candle was absolutely great, and she only improved as the series' went on, in my humble opinion.

But who has crushed Rita's latest monster and triggered her greatest headache of all to get to #5? Find out soon...

Top Ten Villains #7: Bane

"I know who I am. I am Bane, and I break people."

Bane, the musclebound Santa Priscan native who is, as yet, the only man to "break the Bat," is ranked amongst one of the most dangerous foes of the Dark Knight. If being over 7ft tall, gifted with genius-level intellect/a photographic memory and a mastery of martial arts wasn't enough, Bane also has access to the dangerously potent enhancer known only as Venom. Using it, Bane gains incredibly enhanced endurance, speed and strength, to the point where shattering an iron bar - or a spinal cord - is no problem at all.

First Appearance:

Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1

Powers/Abilities:

As mentioned above, Bane is a physical powerhouse, easily comparable to Blockbuster or Solomon Grundy in terms of physical strength - possibly even being more powerful than them when subjected to Venom. His enhanced strength makes him an extremely dangerous foe at close quarters, where he is able to to utilise his mastery of various martial arts and street-fighting techniques to best effect. In addition, Bane is known to be a genius level strategist, on a par with Batman himself; Hell, the guy figured out Bruce Wayne's secret identity just by examining body language and physical stature alone, as well as using other villains as pawns to tire Batman out before fighting him one-on-one. In short, Bane is AWESOME.

So why #7? Truth be told, it's no fault of Bane's as a character. He suffers from the same problem as Megatron, in that he's very cool, but there are villains I find cooler. So, unfortunately, Bane has lost out.

But who has overpowered the mighty Bane for spot #6? Find out soon...

Top Ten Villains #8: Megatron

"Everything I touch is food for my hunger, my hunger for power!"

Megatron, the megalomaniac leader of the Decepticons, is a highly dangerous and competent general, and is responsible for many atrocities on his homeworld of Cybertron, including plunging it into a civil war. Like his fellow Cybertronians, Megatron can transform into a variety of vehicles and weapons - indeed, the precise object he transforms into changes pretty constantly. What doesn't change is his desire for conquest - indeed, without the Autobots standing in his path, Megatron would basically rule the Earth now. 

First Appearance:

Transformers: Generation 1

Powers/Abilities:

Being a giant-sized metal-based life form, Megatron is a terrifying opponent at close quarters, having a level of durability and strength hugely above that of a trained human. In addition, he has the ability to transform into various combat vehicles and weapons - he has, at varying times in the canon, been able to transform into a gun, a tank, a jet fighter and a Cybertronian mobile weapon platform, as well as a few sports cars. Hey, every  leader's got an ego. 

In robot form, his primary weapon is his arm-mounted cannon, capable of levelling a city block at full power, and with which he fights those damn Autobots who keep getting in the way of his domination. He also has the ability to link this cannon to a black hole, generating significantly more powerful shots at the trade-off of leaving himself vulnerable to attack due to the energy drained from him to achieve this.

So why #8 on the list of villains? Well, I like Megatron a lot. He's cool, calm, and somewhat unusually for a supervillain, rational in his planning and strategy. However, I think it ultimately comes down to the fact that, unfortunately, Megs doesn't impress me as much as the villains that I chose above him. In a sense, he's less remarkable than them due to that rational behaviour, despite his robotic coolness, and that's probably why he's comparatively low.

But who has foiled Megatron's plans of conquest (again) and risen to #7? Find out soon...

Top Ten Villains #9: Moff Tarkin

"Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station."

Wilhuf Tarkin, the first Grand Moff of the Galactic Empire, is a cold-blooded tactician and master manipulator, whose career led him to become one of the most powerful men in the galaxy. Made infamous by the first Star Wars film, Tarkin is very deserving of his place on this list.

First Appearance:

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Powers/Abilities:

Unlike many of the desperados on this list, Tarkin has no special powers of note. What he does have is the MIGHT OF THE EMPIRE. Seriously, Tarkin has under his command an entire battle-fleet of the Galactic Empire's fighting ships, ranging from the puny TIE fighter squadrons to the powerful Imperial-II Star Destroyers. He also has, to protect him, an entire regiment of Stormtroopers, as well as the support crews and technical staff to maintain such a fighting force. 

But that's not why he's on here. Why, any general has access to such a force. No, sir, what seals Tarkin's place in infamy is the fact that he is the proud commander of the first Death Star, using the enormous battle-station's immense firepower to completely obliterate the planet of Alderaan. Not many villains can boast of destroying a planet, you know.

Why 9th, then? Well, a few reasons. First one is that he isn't all that prominent in the film, taking a backseat to Darth Vader for much of it. A little more exposure would have been nice. Secondly is the fact that he is most definitely not a recurring villain. Now, don't get me wrong, he's still great, but a lot of the villains on here have recurred at least three times, and as a result seem more developed in their villainy. 

But whose hyperdrive has propelled them above both Tarkin and Skeletor?

Find out next week!

Top Ten Villains #10: Skeletor

"Everything comes to he who waits... and I have waited so very long for this moment!"

Whether he's being camp or just outright murderous, everyone loves Skeletor. Though perhaps not as old as some of the villains I'll be featuring, he's certainly got a respectable pedigree, and is one of the most recognisable villains of the eighties.

First Appearance:

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Powers/Abilities:

Skeletor is a prodigious warrior, easily capable of outfighting almost any other fighter except He-Man. In addition, he's a powerful magician, able to attack his enemies directly with it as well as marshal his forces. Unarmed, the black magic Skeletor uses is powerful enough, but when channelled through his signature weapon, the Havoc Staff, it seems to have no upper limits to power.

As if this wasn't ridiculous enough, Skeletor is also a master scientist and engineer, able to create intricate and ingenious machines and devices to aid his plans. I mean, Jeeezus. 

He is also a cunning and sly strategist (as you'd expect from a villain) and, being a master of magic, knows a hell of a lot about the universe and it's functionings.

In short, he's a badass, though at times campy and even petulant, which is why poor ol' Skeletor occupies only the tenth spot. Still, given that this is a list of my favourite villains, that isn't too bad.

But who could possibly have beaten the sworn enemy of He-Man and all of Eternia to the 9th spot? 

Find out soon...

The Month of Villainy

There's only one thing other than a great hero that cements the reputation of a series of comics or TV shows, and that's a great villain. Without the likes of the Joker, the Master or Skeletor, the heroes we all know and love would have no real threats to deal with - after all, every Ahab needs their White Whale and every Holmes his Moriarty.


So, until the 17th of February, we're going to celebrate these masters of Misrule. Ladies and Gentlemen, prime your doomsday weapons and gather your henchmen, it's time for the Sector House Top Ten Villains Countdown!

All-Star Batman and Robin

The Dark Knight's first meeting with the Boy Wonder is retold here by Frank Miller - but with Batman attempting to murder everyone he sees and Wonder Woman's campaign to remove men from life underway, has Frank Miller finally slipped up?

Dramatis Personnae:
Batman
Robin
Alfred
Joker
Commissioner Gordon
Superman
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern
Plastic Man
Black Canary
Batgirl

Plot Summary:
Young acrobat Dick Grayson's life is brutally turned upside down when his parents, also circus acrobats, are violently gunned down by what remains of Gotham's mobsters. For Dick, life seems over... yet with the arrival of the Batman, Gotham's mysterious masked avenger, his life takes another, even darker turn.
Meanwhile, Superman, Plastic Man, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman anxiously discuss how to handle the Dark Knight. His reputation could ruin them all, yet they are forced to admit that, despite his unstable nature, they need him.

Verdict:

I think the first order of business for this review should be an apology. In truth, I am unable to make up my mind as to whether I thought this collection was good or bad; there are just so many conflicting excellencies and flaws that to come to a judgement was actually very tough indeed. I think I'd be within my rights to say that All-Star Batman and Robin gained from me the biggest mixed reaction I've had in years, and as a result this review may disagree heavily with the opinions of others who have read this series too.

On that note, let's start with the stuff I disliked, so that we can get it out of the way. First (and perhaps most unexpectedly) on this list is the characterisation of Batman. Frank Miller, the writer of this series, is a well-known contributor to the mythos of the Dark Knight, and indeed has crafted some of the best stories concerning him; I personally loved Batman: Year One, portraying as it did the humble beginnings of Bruce Wayne's crimefighting career and showing how he coped in those early days. In this respect, the mannerisms and actions of this latest incarnation of the Batman is something of a shock; whereas the Year One character was a deliberate, serious, brooding figure whose nobility and purity of purpose came out in his actions, Miller's new Batman, is, for want of a better term, a cackling psychopath. He is as cruel as he is amoral, resorting to methods the better known incarnations of the Caped Crusader would baulk at (such as poisoning criminals or even using molotov cocktails against them), and referring to both the criminals of Gotham and his so-called allies in the same unflattering, offensive terms. Oddly, I can understand why this approach was taken with regards to the way Batman is portrayed; Miller may have wanted to portray a character whose emotional scarring had driven him, at least in some manner, partially crazy, and as such acted a lot like the criminals he was supposed to be catching. Certainly this would make sense, at least in the early years. However, this interpretation leaves a lot to be desired. One of the most endearing and therefore loved parts of the Dark Knight's character is the kindness he has shown to the various Robins he has taken under his wing over the years; the original, Dick Grayson, didn't even know Bruce was Batman until his mentor chose to reveal himself – initially, Bruce hadn't intended to bring him in as a sidekick, but had wanted to try and give him a life he felt the boy deserved. Miller's Batman, on the other hand, shows such cruelty and neglect to Grayson, in the initial phases of his training that it is impossible in my mind to correlate this, arguably monstrous, individual who chooses to starve and bully his ward with the sympathetic kindness and charity of the original story. I simply cannot come to terms with it.

In terms of supporting characters, Vicki Vale is boring. There's really not a lot to say about her, other than her role seems to be that of a bit of titillation, a piece of eye candy for the geeks. To be honest, I don't like that in a comic; sure, you could argue the tight fitting uniform of, say, Green Lantern Arisia is used for the same reason, but she at least is given a definitive personality and reasonably complex character motivations. Vale, by contrast, spends about 70% of her time in the series drooling and gloating over the fact that she has scored a date with Bruce Wayne, and the other 30% of it lying comatose in a hospital. Hardly an inspiring example of gender equality in comics, eh?

Wonder Woman, too, comes across as a little overdone. Now, we all know that WW is an Amazon, and as a result is somewhat scathing of the abilities of men, but to have her every other line feature some sort of put-down about maleness in general is not only dull and far-from-subtle, it is also insulting to the reader. After all, we as a group do have the ability to pick out underlying themes and messages in our characters; we certainly don't need them served up to us on a silver plate. And yet, despite this, that is what we are given, as well as Frank Miller's obsession with the idea of Wonder Woman and Superman getting together. Give it a rest, Frank, we're happy with Lois Lane.

Having said all of this, there are still some great bits to the series. An example of this, though small, is the actions of Alfred Pennyworth. Thank God for Alfred. Though his role is small, he is absolutely no different from his other incarnations; a witty, sardonic yet ultimately caring mentor to all who live in Wayne Manor, even facing down Batman over his decision not to feed Robin. What a hero. Superman too is very enjoyable to watch, if only because he is just as he was in the Golden Age – that is to say, an idealised American, and boy I love him for it. There are two more reasons to like this Superman; he is determined to save the kidnapped Grayson in true superhero style, and he finally puts an end to Wonder Woman's constant bitching about how great she is by shouting at her so loud she is nearly knocked of her feet. All he tells her to do is to not be so arrogant, too.

Finally, there's Black Canary. Now, I'm going to make a confession here. Prior to this, I have only read two comics that involved Canary in any way. As a result, I had no idea what to expect when it became apparent she was to be part of the story. Gladly, she turned out to be one of my favourite characters, kicking ass and taking names in a way that Vicki Vale could do with learning from. Despite her obviously saucy uniform, which, like with most of the female characters, has been sexed up somewhat, she is a brutal fighter, and acts in a Robin Hood fashion, taking from criminals and giving to those in need. Of course, as a British chap, I can totally appreciate this homage to one of our greatest non-existent heroes, and it also links well with her future with another unorthodox hero – Green Arrow. Such clever writing is more of what I expect from Miller, and now and again it really does shine through.

Overall, however, both sides balance each other so much that it's actually quite hard to make a definitive decision as to whether it is worth buying All-Star Batman and Robin or not. Personally, I would recommend renting it before buying it, so you know what you're letting yourself in for. That way, if you don't like it, you can always send it back with no harm done.

Rating:

5/10