Which Batman villains deserve to get a push or a chance as the Big Bad?

[MajorHoy]

Clock King or Scarecrow.

Scarecrow is another one we've seen waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of in the New 52. (Or didn't you read his overly-long arc in Batman: The Dark Knight, or his lame use in Forever Evil: Arkham War?)

[JBatmanFan05]

Scarecrow is another one we've seen waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of in the New 52. (Or didn't you read his overly-long arc in Batman: The Dark Knight, or his lame use in Forever Evil: Arkham War?)

That is true. If I proffered Scarecrow, I would mean I want Snyder to do a Scarecrow story (as Snyder is apparently the only one who can tell a good story). Without further adieu: Scarecrow.

[M L A]

I really wish we could get a good arc with Hugo Strange. The Gotham knights arc he had was pretty nice.

[ispacehead]

I really wish we could get a good arc with Hugo Strange. The Gotham knights arc he had was pretty nice.

Strange is on my list as well. He did have a prominent role in Arkham City, but it has been a while in the comics.

Gotham Knights was pretty fun.

It would be nice to see him as something other than a lackey. (Wasn't he part of a crew in TD's Tec?)

Honestly, I'd rather see new villains rise from the muck than have the same old crew do their thing.

Dr. Hurt is a fantastic example.

A good writer with original ideas could go a long way.

I love Harvey Dent though. I'd love to see him make a spectacular return.

Lets get his face fixed up and make *him* mayor. Make him a good solid Mayor, with that perfect face. That perfect smile. For a while. And then leave room for wonder. Doubt. Speculation. And eventually expose Two Face. Still lurking in the recesses. Waiting. Plotting.

[Mutant God]

A villain from the 60s, Johnny Witts "the crime-boss who is always one step ahead of Batman".

Kite Man

Mime, a girl who kills people dressed as a mime, although might be more of a Batgirl/woman villain.

Ma Mayhem

[scary harpy]

A villain from the 60s, Johnny Witts "the crime-boss who is always one step ahead of Batman".

Johnny seemed to me to be a stand in for the Riddler. Out-witting the Batman is Edward's shtick.

[ngroove]

Black Spider, classic costume.

[MentalManipulator]

This thread needs a Poll.

also agree that Freeze, Ivy and Scarecrow need to be the big bad in a story soon. The scope of their powers alone would make for very large scale threats.

[Nero]

It's definitely long overdue for Dr Hugo Strange to make a comeback and take center stage. I always thought Dr. Tzin Tzin had potential and I certainly would not object to seeing him being used in grandiose fashion.

[TheNewFiftyForum]

DC vaguely mentioned in 2011 in talking about the changes to Batman's world how if it ain't broke, don't fix it (an idea they have obviously gotten away from some). There was nothing broke about Harvey's post-COIE origin in various issues and most prominently retold in the very classic Long Halloween, a Killing Joke-level respected story. I do think the new changes (McKillen, unsympathetic, dead Gilda, etc, etc) render it all a disaster and horrible and terrible, and it should be ignored/retconned. I have similar feelings on other Batrogues New 52 origins (Freeze, Ivy, etc, etc). A lot of non-broken origins ruined because hey, it's the New 52 and, apparently, that's just reason enough....now we can connect every little origin to Wayne Ent, look at us, and everyone is abused and everyone was is cool edgy unsympathetic lifelong psychos.

Fair enough. Still, TLH completely erased the fan favorite Eye of the Beholder origin for Two-Face, which in turn had added tons of information to the original golden age origin. I'm sure I'm missing a few steps here, but you get the point: If DC always stuck to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", we would never have had several hugely popular and/or classic stories, including The Long Halloween and The Killing Joke.

To be clear, I'm not deriding you personal opinion, and I wholly agree about the idea that the villains should have personal ties to Bruce Wayne or Batman stemming from their origin is completely inane. I just don't think that there are any stories "holy" enough to never be replaced or tinkered with, or that the changes in The Big Burn are that controversial to begin with.

[EdwardNigma]

I just looked this up...and wow, so horrible. Yes, Harvey is owed quite a bit after that disaster. That origin should be retconned out immediately.

COMPLETELY agree!

[EdwardNigma]

What don't you like about it? The only two controversial points that I can see to it are Harvey being a bit more unsympathetic before becoming D.A and the killing of a fairly obscure supporting character. Hardly material for "terrible", "horrible", or "disaster", right?

They took the core of Harvey's character and destroyed it. Originally it was a white knight battling his demons and ultimately losing. Instead we get an already crooked DA who gets acid put on his face by characters I don't even care about. It was awful.

[WonderScott]

I think with some revamping and creative effort, the following can make interesting, credible Big Bads for the Batfamily and be a threat to Gotham (or other villains). There's some interesting sociology or psychology to mine with them, based on the human condition. The trick is making them a richer character than just their gimmick, so the gimmick has a lot of weight behind it.

Phantasm
Magpie
Film Freak
False Face Society
Nocturna
Maxie Zeus
King Tut
Spellbinder
Facade
Clock King
Doctor & Madame Zodiac
Doctor Moon
Calendar Girl
Roland Daggett
Clayface

Something I've always wanted to do/see is more villains in conflict with one another as well as the Batfamily in stories. Just as it's interesting to see Bruce, Barbara, Dick, Tim, Alfred, Kate, etc. interact with one another and the main villains, it'd be as interesting to see explored more of friendships and rivalries between the villains of Gotham and their actions against the vigilantes.

Harley and Ivy and Harley and Mercy Graves from the animated series are good examples. Developing the relationships between the villains and their henchpeople adds a lot of flavor to the story and can broaden the scope of the Big Bad.

[Immortal Weapon]

I think Roxy Rocket could use more love.

[Hilden B. Lade]

I keep tweeting Scott Snyder to make a big arc with Condiment King, but he's ignoring my calls for some reason...