Darkseid Is Dead! Long Live ____?

[Korath]

Maybe because I don't read Superman or currently the JLA, I'm not being overexposed to him, in fact I can't remember the last time DC had a major spin off crisis involving Darkseid.

For me, I'm more sick of the Joker if anything.

He's been the big bad of JLO and he was awesome in it.

[Ascended]

I'm not so sure if The Big Bad needs be an Omega threat. He doesn't have to be able to punch out Superman if he can manipulate Bizzaro into doing it for him. He needn't end all life, if his scheme will render all but his lackeys sterile. There's no need to exterminate the Guardians if he can con Task Force X's masters into viewing all GLs as an invading horde requiring a blanket Sanction On Sight order.

Something different from an evil deity might be refreshing.

Well, you don't need to be a omega level threat to be *a* Big Bad. Hell, people like Lex, the Joker, Max Lord, and other relatively normal humans have all been "big bads." And in truth, I often enjoy the "smaller" villains more than the ones that are so big they're just concepts with names who's existential threat to all things is so vast it's beyond human comprehension. A single death is a tragedy, while a million is a statistic, and all that.

But to replace Darkseid? That's a role which is by definition a omega level problem. To replace Darkseid means not just being able to screw up earth, or even Sector 2814, but the entirety of creation.

[Option38]

He would need some re-tooling, but the late 90's JLA villain Prometheus could be my pick.

He's had some mainstream recognition, as (I think) he was on "Arrow" for a bit.

In addition to mimicking heroes' powers, he also had some sort of other-dimensional "Ghost Space". To make him a top-level baddie, in terms of power, he'd need to utilize that aspect, a bit more.

[Agent Z]

The Dominators, The Reach and the Lords of Order and Chaos.

Mythological Gods
I've always love being gods from mythology used in contemporary fiction as characters, so it would be cool seeing gods off-world as cosmic threats. I'm partial to Anansi or Ududo Okankwa, spider gods, as a narrative vehicle for Vixen so she can have a foot in the cosmic landscape.

Not familiar with the other guy but I think Anansi being used as a villain would be too much like making Hades a villain. As in, it doesn't make sense when you take into account what they're like in the myths.

[Citizen Kane]

Starro the Conquerer baby! Gimme more aliens that aren’t just “humans with blue skin” and are major threats.

Imperiex definitely should come back.

Both suggestions are quite exceptional, though I'm more partial to Starro. However, I still have no issue with Darkseid remaining as the big bad of the DC universe.

[Stanlos]

I am so surprised by the number of requests for the return of Imperiex. I thought OWAW could have been amazing (well, Phil Jimenez chapters were very much amazing) but it was mostly just okay with only a few tie-ins really making impactful emotional use of the galactic war theme. But Imperiex was a fairly impressive if inconsistent villain.

I just don't want to ruin him by bringing him back. We have only to look at Doomsday to see what folly lies at the end of that road.

[Robotman]

I don't think it should be a god or deity from a known pantheon. While I like Mongul as a character, I don't see him as a multiversal threat. He's more of a world conquer. I would like to see the version of Brainiac from Convergence make a return.

[DrNewGod]

I don't think it should be a god or deity from a known pantheon. While I like Mongul as a character, I don't see him as a multiversal threat. He's more of a world conquer. I would like to see the version of Brainiac from Convergence make a return.

Got to say that almost any version of Brainiac is also on my list. Except Milton Fine; that's a Hard No.

[Stanlos]

I don't think it should be a god or deity from a known pantheon. While I like Mongul as a character, I don't see him as a multiversal threat. He's more of a world conquer. I would like to see the version of Brainiac from Convergence make a return.

Brainiac is one that needs a rest (in the books) as I fear they will give him yet another origin (this time as the reanimated unholy fusion of Joe Els lab computer and the ore from Krypton's core muhuhahahaaa). They keep further inserting him into Krypton's backstory.

[Godlike13]

Brightside. Darkseid's good twin brother.

[PCN24454]

Brightside. Darkseid's good twin brother.

You mean Highfather?

[K7P5V]

Got to say that almost any version of Brainiac is also on my list. Except Milton Fine; that's a Hard No.

Agreed. The skeletal version will always be my favorite...

[Lightning Rider]

If you want someone to fill the same void, I think it should be someone within the New Gods universe. Ending Darkseid would justify a grandiose and Shakespearian epic. You have a couple of options as to how that goes:

Orion could fulfill the prophecy and turn into a tyrant who still can't let go of his lust for war.

You could have Orion win and stay good, but have an exile from Apokalips conquer other worlds and turn them into similar planets (and for real impact, have them permanently subjugate known planets like Rann, Thanagar, (New) Tamaran, even Mogo).

Or you can have someone other than Orion, maybe one of Darkseid's offspring or one of his generals or someone new, overthrow him and articulate an even greater ambition and access to cosmic forces.

Maybe the anti-life equation becomes sentient, or latches onto a sentient host, who wishes to control even Darkseid himself.

[PCN24454]

Got to say that almost any version of Brainiac is also on my list. Except Milton Fine; that's a Hard No.

What's wrong with Milton Fine?

[DrNewGod]

What's wrong with Milton Fine?

I'm thinking of the telepathic Carny-worker-possessed-by-alien version cooked up shortly after the post-Crisis Superman relaunch. He's fine as an antagonist, but to me, that's not Brainiac.

Oddly enough, that's the version in one of my favorite arcs, "Panic In The Sky." However, the way he was treated you could ignore almost everything about Milton Fine in that story.