Categorizing Villains. Who's A-list? Who's B-list?

[Nyssane]

Stole this idea from a Spider-Man thread, but thought it would be fun to see what everyone here thinks is Wonder Woman's villain rankings in terms of "A-List," "B-List," etc.

Keep in mind that there is no concrete "A-List" and such; this is all subjective. But I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks are the rankings for Diana's rogues. Do you base them on powerset, how many appearances they've had, or overall prominence in the franchise?

For me, the listing goes as such:

A-List: The most iconic and prominent of Diana's rogues. These are the villains that are often used outside of the comics and are almost instantly recognizable by even most casual DC fans.

• Ares
• Circe
• Cheetah
• Giganta

B-List: The recurring enemies that have endured over the years but haven't had the amount of prominence in the comics as the A-Listers. These villains have been featured in a number of stories and are decently well-known to the majority of Wonder Woman fans.

• Angle Man
• Baroness von Gunther
• Deimos
• Doctor Cyber
• Doctor Poison
• Doctor Psycho
• Duke of Deception
• Eris
• Medusa
• Phobos
• Queen Clea
• Silver Swan
• Veronica Cale

C-List: These villains have made a decent number of appearances but usually aren't the lead villain in many of their stories. This category also includes "big bads" that are tied to a single writer's run.

• Aegeus
• Blue Snowman
• Cyborgirl
• Dark Angel
• Devastation
• Echidna
• Egg Fu
• Eviless/Saturna
• First Born
• Genocide
• Grail
• Gundra
• Hecate
• Hypnota
• The Mask
• Mayfly
• Minister Blizzard
• The Morrigan
• Osira
• Queen Atomia
• Queen of Fables
• White Magician
• Zara

D-List: These villains have very few (and inconsequential) appearances, and even many die-hard Wonder Woman fans may not remember much (if anything) about these characters.

• Adjudicator
• Armageddon
• Blakfu
• Cassandra Arnold
• Cat Eye, Baundo, and Abolith
• Crimson Centipede
• "Dark Man" (Lucius)
• Decay
• Derinoe
• Earl of Greed
• Eirene
• Fausta Grables
• Human Fireworks
• Inversion
• Karnell and the other Dark Gods
• King Crystallar
• Kung
• Lord Conquest
• Mavis
• Moot and Geof
• Mouse Man
• Paper Man
• Titans (Arch, Disdain, etc.)

Z-List: Villains that have only appeared once in a very insignificant role in the history of the Wonder Woman series. There's too many to name, but basically anyone like Tigra Tropica, Cyonide, Badra, Perfection, Drax, Barremargox, Salvo, etc.

[jump]

Medusa is tricky one, I'd say she's A but I could agree she's B or even C. She has been in multiple cartoons (in minor roles), is familiar to people (albeit not strickly from the comics) and her fight from the Rucka run is my favourite Wondy fight (but I struggle to to remember other stories).

[Dr. Poison]

Great lists Nysanne! The only changes I'd make is moving the one run villains down to the D-List as I think we're far likely to see Angle Man, Egg Fu, Gundra, the Queen of Fables, and Osira again before we see Devastation, First Born, Genocide, or the Morrigan again.

[Vordan]

I’d bump Giganta down to B-List, I think your average casual wouldn’t know what her deal is at all. Otherwise great list.

[SiegePerilous02]

I agree with the list for the most part, but I'd say maybe Cheetah, Ares and Circe are the only true A-listers. I think Psycho and Giganta would fall somewhere between A and B. Psycho is the most prominent recurring rogue after the big three but doesn't measure up to them, and Giganta is iconic and appears a LOT but mostly in small cameo roles and not even a lot in the WW franchise proper, unfortunately. But other than that, and that's debatable, the list is dead on and close to what I perceive the rogue gallery to be as it is.

For me, I'd like Diana to firmly have a core set of recurring rogues that were accepted as set in stone. For Batman, it's pretty obvious that it is the major ones featured in B:TAS, while Superman has Lex, Brainiac, Bizarro, Doomsday (ugh), the Phantom Zone Criminals, Mxy, Toyman, Parasite, Metallo, etc. For my headcanon idealized version of the WW mythos, my core group would be:

Cheetah
Ares and his kids
Circe
Dr. Psycho
Giganta
Veronica Cale
Dr. Cyber
Dr. Poison
Queen Clea
The remainder of the classic Villainy Inc lineup: Zara, Saturna, Blue Snowman, Hypnota
Angle Man
Silver Swan

[My Two Cents]

Great list.
Should'nt Darkseid be considered?
He has made things personal with the Amazon's
And especially Diana many times going back
To George Perez.

[marhawkman]

There's a few ways to categorize based on disparate aspects of a character.

Power:
This can either be a character that is individually capable of a head-to-head fight(such as Devastation) or a character who is a mastermind and dangerous because they coordinate the efforts of others(Veronica Cale)... sometimes both(Circe, Ares).

How often are the used:
This has two aspects, that while connected, are very different. First is how often a character has been seen in the comics. Second is how often seen outside comics.

It'd take quite a while to go over all of them, so I'll do a few I like as examples: (numbers are a scale of 0 to 10)

Devastation
Might: 7, approximately WW's equal in physical strength and fighting skill
Leadership: 4, doesn't usually work with others, and if she does it's usually as a helper to another, having a legit mind control power is a large part of her score
usage in comics: 3, part of a few big stories, but only a few
usage outside comics: 1, has only one, as a super-mook in Young Justice, notably she fought Cassie in YJ.
so yeah, not good scores in general, averages to 3.75

Circe
Might: 8, powerful enough that WW usually is at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation.
Leadership: 5, often acts alone, usually not a member of a team, but often has minions(sometimes other super-villains) working for her.
Usage in comics: 7, not the most popular, but one that has been used off and on for a long time.
usage outside comics: 4, not a lot, but sometimes
average: 6

Ares
Might: 8, powerful enough that WW usually is at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation.
Leadership: 6, Ares always has minions, the question is if WW has to fight them
Usage in comics: 6, reasonably common
usage outside comics: 4, again, not the one used most often, but often enough
average: 6

[Nyssane]

I’d bump Giganta down to B-List, I think your average casual wouldn’t know what her deal is at all. Otherwise great list.

I think that while Giganta doesn't really have much success as a solo Wonder Woman villain, she's used far more than Ares and Circe outside of the comics. Heck, after the Gotham City Sirens and Cheetah, I'd say Giganta is the fifth most-seen/used female villain.

Cheetah
Ares and his kids
Circe
Dr. Psycho
Giganta
Veronica Cale
Dr. Cyber
Dr. Poison
Queen Clea
The remainder of the classic Villainy Inc lineup: Zara, Saturna, Blue Snowman, Hypnota
Angle Man
Silver Swan

This list is absolutely who I consider to be Diana's core rogues gallery.

There's a few ways to categorize based on disparate aspects of a character.

Power:
This can either be a character that is individually capable of a head-to-head fight(such as Devastation) or a character who is a mastermind and dangerous because they coordinate the efforts of others(Veronica Cale)... sometimes both(Circe, Ares).

How often are the used:
This has two aspects, that while connected, are very different. First is how often a character has been seen in the comics. Second is how often seen outside comics.

Interesting method! I'll give a few a shot:

CHEETAH
Might: 6; certainly jumping up the ranks post-Rebirth though
Leadership: 5; she's led her own Secret Society of Supervillains, plus that god-awful Menagerie
Usage in Comics: 10; no other WW villain is used more than her
Usage out of Comics: 10; see above
Total Average: 7.75

GIGANTA
Might: 4; not a big threat
Leadership: 1; I don't believe she's ever led a team
Usage in Comics: 5; she's used a lot but not in significant ways
Usage out of Comics: 7; she often gets better credibility in cartoons
Total Average: 4.25

QUEEN CLEA
Might: 7; can easily hold her own against Diana
Leadership: 10; leader of Venturia as well as WW's primary villain team, Villainy Inc.
Usage in Comics: 4; doesn't appear as much as she should
Usage out of Comics: 1; appeared as "Ocina" in an old Superfriends cartoon
Total Average: 5.5

DOCTOR POISON
Might: 3; doesn't pose a big physical threat but is at least trained in warfare
Leadership: 5; commands Team Poison
Usage in Comics: 5; one of her most consistent villains
Usage out of Comics: 4; the WW film gave her a big boost
Total Average: 4.25

BLUE SNOWMAN
Might: 3; uses a big snowman exosuit
Leadership: 2; commands a bunch of Blue Snowbots
Usage in Comics: 2; never appeared between the 40's and the 2000's
Usage out of Comics: 1; no appearances
Total Average: 2

[Dr. Poison]

I think that while Giganta doesn't really have much success as a solo Wonder Woman villain, she's used far more than Ares and Circe outside of the comics. Heck, after the Gotham City Sirens and Cheetah, I'd say Giganta is the fifth most-seen/used female villain.



This list is absolutely who I consider to be Diana's core rogues gallery.



Interesting method! I'll give a few a shot:

CHEETAH
Might: 6; certainly jumping up the ranks post-Rebirth though
Leadership: 5; she's led her own Secret Society of Supervillains, plus that god-awful Menagerie
Usage in Comics: 10; no other WW villain is used more than her
Usage out of Comics: 10; see above
Total Average: 7.75

GIGANTA
Might: 4; not a big threat
Leadership: 1; I don't believe she's ever led a team
Usage in Comics: 5; she's used a lot but not in significant ways
Usage out of Comics: 7; she often gets better credibility in cartoons
Total Average: 4.25

QUEEN CLEA
Might: 7; can easily hold her own against Diana
Leadership: 10; leader of Venturia as well as WW's primary villain team, Villainy Inc.
Usage in Comics: 4; doesn't appear as much as she should
Usage out of Comics: 1; appeared as "Ocina" in an old Superfriends cartoon
Total Average: 5.5

DOCTOR POISON
Might: 3; doesn't pose a big physical threat but is at least trained in warfare
Leadership: 5; commands Team Poison
Usage in Comics: 5; one of her most consistent villains
Usage out of Comics: 4; the WW film gave her a big boost
Total Average: 4.25

BLUE SNOWMAN
Might: 3; uses a big snowman exosuit
Leadership: 2; commands a bunch of Blue Snowbots
Usage in Comics: 2; never appeared between the 40's and the 2000's
Usage out of Comics: 1; no appearances
Total Average: 2

Just curious on your thinking on Cheetah and Queen Clea. Cheetah has the power of a god. Clea is an Atlantean. What made you rank Clea higher in might than Cheetah?

[Vordan]

Great list.
Should'nt Darkseid be considered?
He has made things personal with the Amazon's
And especially Diana many times going back
To George Perez.

Nah. He’s a JL villain now, although he’s a personal foe of New Genesis, Supes, and Wondy I guess although I wouldn’t mind brushing the Robinson run under the rug.

[My Two Cents]

How does Cheetah rank a 6 in might?
from 1-10
her speed would have to be 10
her strength would have to be 8
her skills would have to be 10
her healing would have to be 8 (or better)

If it was not for the humanity that lives under
the ferocity Cheetah would probably be the most
lethal female foe in D C and most all comics
and certainly would give any top male a
run for there lives.

[marhawkman]

Atlanteans in DC are basically a race of demi-gods. So yeah, the more powerful Atlanteans are serious threats even to people with divine powers.

[Fuzzy Mittens]

Hmm...Honestly this is a bit of a difficult list for me since who would be considered A, B, C and such is awfully subjective especially given how powerful/important a character is during one era and how useless they are in another.
Like, back in the golden age Ares ruled multiple planets, had a blooming empire, huge armies, and a number of gods under his sway. New 52 and Rebirth in terms of power and importance as a villain made him at best B tier.

So on that note accounting for characters based on how high they were on the list at their best based on importance and powerset across the eras regardless of how unused or useless they would be in later periods and keeping in mind that this is personal opinion......

A list
Ares/Mars
Baroness
Priscilla Rich Cheetah
Clea
Duke of Deception
Circe
Doctor Cyber
Doctor Psycho
Barbara Minerva Cheetah
Queen Atomia
Gundra
Tezcatlipoca
Adjudicator
Time Master

B list
Giganta
Angle man
Blue Snowman
Minister Blizzard
Hypnota
Doctor Poison
Helen Alexandros Silver Swan
Valerie Beaudry Silver Swan
Morgana
Astarte
White Magician
Queen of Fables

C list
Phobos
Deimos
Lord of Conquest
Earl of Greed
Crow Children
Genocide
Devestation
First Born
Deborah Domaine Cheetah
Sebestian Belbatos Cheetah
Vulture King
Vanessa Kapatelis Silver Swan
Eris
Veronica Cale
Zara
Eviless
Red Panzer
Osira
Armageddon
Captain Wonder
White Magician
Mayfly
Strogo
Grail
Queen Sharkeeta
Lu Shan
Greg Trevor
Baron Boar De Boar
Termite Queen
Image Maker
Crime Master of Time

D list
Gadget Maker
Thought master
Mirage Maker
Elektro
Machino
El Gauncho
Bushmaster
Moot Point

Z list
Nuclear
Mouse man
Egg-Fu
Paperman
Professor Toxino
The Mask
Inversion
Trixter
King Midas
Human Tank
Glop
THEM!
Doctor Domino
Lumber Jack

[mathew101281]

A list
Ares
Circe Cheetah
Giganta
Her most commonly used villains. These are the ones that show up in team ups, and crossovers.

B list
Not as well known as the A listers but used enough that comic book fans might know who they are.

Dr. Cyber
Dr. Psycho

C list
minor villains or villains that are rarely used
Osira
Zara
Blue Snowman
etc.

[My Two Cents]

Looks like Grail will be packing her bags and moving out of the C-list and into a higher listing soon