Scariest DC Super Villain

[phantom1592]

My first thought would be Doomsday. Unstoppable, ugly beast that just wants to maim and destroy... Nothing on earth can stop him... even killed superman... That's a scary monster.

Joker? he's crazy... he's a killer... but he's still just a dude that looks like a clown. There is just no legitimate reason why any random person can't bash his head in with a crowbar. Despite his craziness... he's just WAY too mortal for the hype he has.

Grodd would be pretty scary too... especially if he's in 'rip you apart and then actually EAT you' mode...

[nx01a]

Dr Psycho. A telepath who gets off on making you do depravity and making you like it, too? Terrifying.
And the below example is tame compared to what he was on trial for in Manhunter a few years ago.

[Adekis]

My vote goes to another Sandman featured baddie, Doctor Destiny:



The diner sequence is the most disturbing thing I've ever come across in fiction.

I was going to say him too, along with his appearance in the Justice League animated series. I haven't read a whole lot of comics with him, but anyone who can both mess with your head that badly, and make you doubt reality as thoroughly as him, is absolutely terrifying.

[Jim Kelly]

The OP said "imagine you're up against a DC villain" and I don't think most villains would go after me. I'm a nobody. About the only thing that would make me a target of Darkseid is if I happened to unwittingly hold part of the Anti-Life Equation. But Reverse Flash isn't going to go after me--I'm not related to Barry Allen. Joker isn't going to kill me--I don't live in Gotham City. I think the most dangerous villains are more likely to go after Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman first. It will be a long time before they get around to me. But I can imagine myself ending up with a starfish on my face.

[DrNewGod]

My first thought would be Doomsday. Unstoppable, ugly beast that just wants to maim and destroy... Nothing on earth can stop him... even killed superman... That's a scary monster.

Joker? he's crazy... he's a killer... but he's still just a dude that looks like a clown. There is just no legitimate reason why any random person can't bash his head in with a crowbar. Despite his craziness... he's just WAY too mortal for the hype he has.

Grodd would be pretty scary too... especially if he's in 'rip you apart and then actually EAT you' mode...

Get your point about the Joker. In a straight up knuckle-duster. Thing is, that's not the way he works.

He's more like a Biblical Plague. He's not going to fist-fight you. He's going to poison your coffee maker. Or put an explosive whoopie cushion in your office chair. Or put a super-corrosive chemical in the undersurface of your umbrella.

I still stick with Solomon Grundy for my answer, but the Joker is a legit choice.

[K7P5V]

Get your point about the Joker. In a straight up knuckle-duster. Thing is, that's not the way he works.

He's more like a Biblical Plague. He's not going to fist-fight you. He's going to poison your coffee maker. Or put an explosive whoopie cushion in your office chair. Or put a super-corrosive chemical in the undersurface of your umbrella.

I still stick with Solomon Grundy for my answer, but the Joker is a legit choice.

Agreed. Capullo & Scott S. succeeded in making Joker frighteningly scary in Death of the Family.

[Fromper]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Abra Kadabra. He used to be the one truly scary member of Flash's rogues gallery.

[WillieMorgan]

I still stick with Solomon Grundy for my answer, but the Joker is a legit choice.

To be fair, we should be thankful that we're only ever gonna interact with any of these characters in fiction. They'd pretty much all be terrifying in reality.

It's funny that no-one's mentioned Lex Luthor. Obviously Luthor himself isn't real but there are plenty of scaled down versions of him living in the real world. Peevish rich men only interested in their own well being and personal advancement, hiding behind a crafted public image of 'philanthropy'.

[DrNewGod]

A runner-up for me is The Ultra-Humanite. He's only really ever been used to his best effect by Robinson in The Golden Age and Byrne in Generations.

The idea of a brilliant, ruthless criminal that takes out your brain, inhabits your body, and assumes your identity is more than just gruesome. You never know who he might be. If you haven't had your eyes on someone for a few hours, they're a suspect.

[Robotman]

This guy is pretty damn creepy

[caj]

I always thought Scarecrow should've been one of the scariest and most deadly villains but most writers just don't know what to do with him. He should be terrifying IMO.

[lemonpeace]

This guy is pretty damn creepy

yeah, the upside-down man is one existentially terrifying looking guy. he'd definitely be the most psychosis inducingly scary ************ to see coming at you. something about him just doesn't sit right with me and I love it. imagine a Scott Snyder Upside-down Man horror limited series

[Gav]

Lobo. A lot of villains would just kill you, but not him. He'd torture you for days (or even weeks) and then kill you.

[Ulysses]

The evil that I fear the most these days is a mix of righteousness, bitterness, resentment and a complete immunity to self-questioning. These types fall in either of two camps: misanthrope or utopian. I don't know who is like that now in DC comics but Jeremiah Hatch was that type (misanthrope type). It's disturbing how common it is to find this mix in the world. Sometimes I catch myself having that tendency. I think everyone has the tendency to believe they are right above all others and that their version of reality is worth the greatest sacrifice to achieve.

[LifeIsILL]

A lot of the Sinestro Corps members but especially this one.