Not-So-Wonderful Men

[WonderScott]

Mel’s post about choosing ten Wonder foes to save from annihilation got me thinking... Diana, by design, has many foes that are women, but what about all the bad boys in her rogues gallery?

We’re getting Maxwell Lord in the upcoming movie, but he’s never been a staple foe in the title.

Which malevolent males would you like to see more of, or more directly explored, alongside the villainous villainesses in Wonder Woman?

My short list includes:
- Doctor Psycho
- Sebastian Ballesteros
- Angle Man
- Minister Blizzard
- Kung
- Prime Planner
- Eros
- Gault

Doctor Psycho, because he’s woefully understood and underused.

Sebastian Ballesteros, because he’s not only a good foil for Diana, but also Cheetah and Veronica Cale, for some storylines I have planned.

Angle Man, because I miss Jimenez’s debonair gentleman thief in the pages of Wonder Woman.

Minister Blizzard, because every hero needs a hot and a cold villain.

Kung, the shapeshifter.

Prime Planner trying to stay two steps ahead of Wonder Woman and Diana Prince.

Eros, because love can make you do some crazy things.

Gault, because I love a brain-in-a-jar villain. I’d make Gault and Chang Tzu have a little rivalry between mad scientists.

[Nyssane]

For me, Dr. Psycho is probably the only worthwhile major male villain Diana has. I like Deimos and the Duke of Deception, and Jimenez's Angle Man, but Dr. Psycho perfectly embodies the toxic masculinity theme which works as a male villain for a female hero. And really, the fact that Wonder Woman's rogues are predominantly female is a strength of hers; no other comic book features female villains as varied and diverse and plentiful as hers.

[Agent Z]

Heracles, Zeus and White Magician.

[DisneyBoy]

She can always punch a whole bunch of male Nazis!

I for one don't see much point in Sebastian. He got about all of the development he really needed, but then again, I think I'm eager to move beyond the Vanessa as Silver Swan period.

Angle Man definitely needs more development. He's fun and has a cool costume.

[Gaius]

I'd like to see Duke of Deception (a one like the version from Legend of Wonder Woman) brought into the main continuity, maybe combine him with one of Ares' kids.

[Celgress]

For me, Dr. Psycho is probably the only worthwhile major male villain Diana has. I like Deimos and the Duke of Deception, and Jimenez's Angle Man, but Dr. Psycho perfectly embodies the toxic masculinity theme which works as a male villain for a female hero. And really, the fact that Wonder Woman's rogues are predominantly female is a strength of hers; no other comic book features female villains as varied and diverse and plentiful as hers.

Co-signed for truth. I too hope we see more of the dastardly doctor in the future.

[Mel Dyer]

Gault's Brain is definitely one of the weirdest male villains, she's ever encountered. There's also...

First Born
Adjudicator
Redbeard the Pirate
Bushmaster
General Electric
Nuclear (the Magnetic Marauder)
Inversion
White Magician
Doctor Psycho

Aegeus, Duke of Deception, Baron Blitzkrieg and Kung are worthy of mentioning, also.

[Koriand'r]

Were it up to me I'd make Maxwell Lord the Duke of Deception. His mind control powers and manipulative nature already make him that in all but name and it would strengthen his ties to the Wonder Woman mythos.

[SiegePerilous02]

For me, Dr. Psycho is probably the only worthwhile major male villain Diana has. I like Deimos and the Duke of Deception, and Jimenez's Angle Man, but Dr. Psycho perfectly embodies the toxic masculinity theme which works as a male villain for a female hero. And really, the fact that Wonder Woman's rogues are predominantly female is a strength of hers; no other comic book features female villains as varied and diverse and plentiful as hers.

Yeah, for me it's just Psycho and Angle Man, with the former being the outright evil one. The Earth One version is the most relevant he's most ever been. Give him an ectoplasm manipulation/occult upgrade, and I'd be fine with him being the main version. With his name changed to "Leon" and with the lion-headed cane, he's positioned to be the modern equivalent to Heracles and represents the same evil.

Otherwise, focus mostly on the varied female villains

Were it up to me I'd make Maxwell Lord the Duke of Deception. His mind control powers and manipulative nature already make him that in all but name and it would strengthen his ties to the Wonder Woman mythos.

I honestly would not be surprised if Morrison makes Lord the Duke of Deception in Earth One volume 3. He serves Ares and Psycho is already his minion...

[WonderScott]

For me, Dr. Psycho is probably the only worthwhile major male villain Diana has. I like Deimos and the Duke of Deception, and Jimenez's Angle Man, but Dr. Psycho perfectly embodies the toxic masculinity theme which works as a male villain for a female hero. And really, the fact that Wonder Woman's rogues are predominantly female is a strength of hers; no other comic book features female villains as varied and diverse and plentiful as hers.

Agreed about Doctor Psycho being criminally underused. When I think of who Diana’s main adversaries should be, it’s always Ares, Cheetah, Circe, and Doctor Psycho. Each provide some interesting themes to explore in the Wonder mythos.

[WonderScott]

Heracles, Zeus and White Magician.

I’m on the fence about making Heracles heroic or villainous. I can see arguments for either direction for him.

I never warmed up to the White Magician, but maybe someone can do something interesting with him someday.

[WonderScott]

I'd like to see Duke of Deception (a one like the version from Legend of Wonder Woman) brought into the main continuity, maybe combine him with one of Ares' kids.

I’ve been wanting to bring back the Duke of Deception, Lord Conquest, and the Earl of Greed for a while now. My take on them is that they have an abrasive, somewhat toxic relationship with Ares’ children.

[WonderScott]

Gault's Brain is definitely one of the weirdest male villains, she's ever encountered. There's also...

First Born
Adjudicator
Redbeard the Pirate
Bushmaster
General Electric
Nuclear (the Magnetic Marauder)
Inversion Man
White Magician
Doctor Psycho

Aegeus, Duke of Deception, Baron Blitzkrieg and Kung are worthy of mentioning, also.

I really like Inversion - what a horrifying concept.

[SiegePerilous02]

I’ve been wanting to bring back the Duke of Deception, Lord Conquest, and the Earl of Greed for a while now. My take on them is that they have an abrasive, somewhat toxic relationship with Ares’ children.

I actually think that the evils Deception, Greed and Conquest represent may be more relevant today than the evils of Ares's mythological kids.

[Gaius]

I’ve been wanting to bring back the Duke of Deception, Lord Conquest, and the Earl of Greed for a while now. My take on them is that they have an abrasive, somewhat toxic relationship with Ares’ children.

An idea I had was to combine them with Ares' kids since gods (even minor ones) tend to have multiple names and titles associated with them.