Wonder Woman: Encyclopedia of Villains

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: (Cylvia Cyber) Wonder Woman 180 (1968)
Creators: Dennis O’Neil and Mike Sekowsky
Abilities: Genius inventor. Leader of a global criminal empire. Seemingly endless amount of wealth, resources, henchmen, weapons, robots vehicles, and secret bases. Unwavering loyalty in her minions. The powers of sorcery. The psychic ability to control machinery with her mind. Can change her appearance at will. Power suit capable of rivaling Wonder Woman in power with numerous features included.

Backstory: Dr Cylvia Cyber, the first of 2 to bear the name, was one of the most brilliant minds in the world. A genius in a plethora of fields who looked on at the world and thought she could make it a much better place…By placing it under her rule!

Using her intellect, Doctor Cyber would amass power and construct a global criminal organization. Arming them with advanced technology of her own creation which outpaced anything the unknowing governments would be capable of developing in centuries time. From armored hovercraft to killer toy armies to earthquake machines to underwater bases.

With Doctor Cybers genius leading things, her people quickly entrenched themselves in all of the major nations and quickly began consolidating more wealth and power. Working to turn politicians to Doctor Cybers influence. Bending the world to her will!

However a disastrous encounter with Wonder Woman would lead to Doctor Cylvia Cyber becoming painfully scarred, leading to her turning her undivided attention towards world domination to taking up a side hobby in her free time of trying to get her revenge on Wonder Woman. Wanting Diana for her body.

Doctor Cyber wished to perform a full body transplant, having her revenge while also obtaining an invulnerable new form which would never suffer injuries again. Eventually Doctor Cyber would begin making improvements upon her own form with cybernetics and a technologically advanced power suit of her own design in order to better defend herself should her efforts to operate in secrecy from the shadows while the help does all the work come to naught.

Talented in technology. Lauded for her leadership. Skilled in sorcery. Sly in her physics. Any who crossed Doctor Cylvia Cyber would know their DOOM!

Additional Images

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 13 (1945)
Creators: Joye Hummel and H.G Peter
Abilities: Ruler of the subartic seamen. Leader of the cult of the electric fire walrus. Capable of living in subzero temperatures. Can swim in artic waters.

Backstory: Deep under the ice of Antartica there was a mysterious land which mankind has been seeking out for millennia. The fabled Garden of Eden. In this divine land despite being buried under miles of ice, it was ever warm, sunny, and the rich garden thrived with tropical fruits all year round.

Surrounding the Garden of Eden was a moat of black ice water and an intricate natural cavern system in the ice where dwelled ‘the seal men’ a race of blue skinned humanoids who evolved from seals. Having evolved in the darkened caverns and waters beneath the ice, they could not stand the light of the garden of Eden least they go blind. But whenever the fruits from that garden fell into the waters surrounding it, the Seal men would feast.

In the present day the Seal men had formed a modern monarchy and named their domain ‘Bitterland’ Ruled by King Rigor, these Seal men sought any possible means of getting their hands on the fruit of the Gardens of Eden. Even making an effort to grow and harvest it themselves, though the light necessary to maintain the plants would render them blind.

However in the time between the Seal men coming into existence and the present day, the Garden of Eden had been found by the goddess Aphrodite who using that ancient of laws ‘Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers’ claimed it for herself. Thus traveling to the planet Venus where she was worshipped by the immortal fairies who ruled that world, she appeared before their ruler Queen Desira and declared her wish to grant a new land to her daughter.

Thus Princess Eve of the fairy folk of Venus would be brought to the Garden of Eden as its queen, renaming it Eveland which would eventually come to be inhabited by her children and her childrens children as fairies are born from the dreams and desires to have offspring.

King Rigor and seeing them as a potential slave labor, would have his men and his son use nets and hooks to try and pull the Evegirls out of Eveland and into Bitterland, forcing them to work the fields the Seal men had created. All the while also trying to appease their deity, the electric fire walrus who would consume the Seal men if not appeased.

additional images

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 125 (1961)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru
Abilities: Shapeshifting, skilled fighter, leader of an alien invasion fleet, native to a world with a chloroform atmosphere

Backstory: Fleet commander of an alien invasion force bent on conquering the Earth, Amoeba-man knew that the only thing standing in the way of his efforts for world domination was Wonder Woman.

Thus taking advantage of Wonder Woman in the silver age having a terribly messed up love life, Amoeba-man would shapeshift into a human knight on a winged horse which Wonder Woman would immediately recognize as the knight Galahad.

Defeating both Steve Trevor and Mer-man who were engaged in one of their regular duels to the death as they fought over Wonder Woman like a pair of feral dogs over a chunk of beef, Amoeba-man in his guise as a knight would romance and woo Diana, attempting to get her when her guard was down so that his invasion force which encircled the planet could begin their invasion once she did.

Additional images

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 48 (1951)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and H.G Peter
Abilities: Genius inventor, can create and pilot a robotic duplicate of Wonder Woman which can rival her in strength and speed. Gun haver. Leads a criminal gang of criminals.

Backstory: Leader and scientific genius of an ill defined criminal gang based out of an underground bunker laboratory, Elektro turned his criminal mind towards the villainous efforts of creating a rival for Wonder Woman herself!

Elektro would succeed in the form of ‘Robot Woman’ a remote controlled robotic duplicate that looked like Wonder Woman and could replicate her physical feats.

Using Robot Woman, Elektro intended to commit crimes such as bank robberies and heists from the comfort of his hideout. Gloating over how any crimes commited by the robot duplicate would instead be blamed on the Amazon Princess. Thus not only would it allow Elektros crimes to go unnoticed, but it would do great harm to Dianas own reputation.

In terms of just physical ability, the robotic Wonder Woman was quite capable. Able to deflect bullets with bracelets, outrun conventional vehicles with ease, and smash through buildings without effort.

With Elektro operating the robot from a computer which somehow projects Robot Womans actions from a third person perspective, he was seemingly safe from the results of his own wrongdoing.

Additional images:

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 149 (1999)
Creators: Eric Luke and Rick Burchett
Abilities: Brilliant mind for strategy and trickery. Whip haver.

Backstory: One of the children created wholly of Chronus in the modern day in order to have his revenge upon the Olympian gods and aid him in his efforts to conquer the universe.

Arch is above all the cleverest of Chronus’ new children. The very embodiment of strategy and trickery, he claimed to have a mind which flowed like quicksilver and was the wisest of the wise.

The very nature of his existence being that of a great thinker, he was physically the weakest and smallest of these creatures created for Chronus’s vengeance. Instead serving the role of actually plotting and planning. A feat beyond most of his brethren.

Additional images:

arch 5

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 26 (1947)
Creators: Joye Hummel and H.G Peter
Abilities: Strength proportionate to a fifteen foot tall giant. Mastery of ‘Expanding Mercury’. Flight through the use of winged sandals and winged helm. Leads the armies of Mercury

Backstory: Ruler of the planet Mercury, Queen Celerita like all of her kind was a fifteen foot tall giant who possessing winged sandals and winged helm, was capable of flight at incredible speeds, and strength beyond the common Earthling.

Having subjugated her political opponents to claim rule of her planet, Queen Celerita was a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist. Barring the treasured gift of flight to all but her own personal military and chaining those who stood in her way.

Eager to build temples dedicated to herself and slay the builders as sacrifice, Queen Celerita was quite mad with power.

Additional images:

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 124 (1961)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru
Abilities: Continuous adaption to any environment or circumstance. Will rise again no matter how he is felled. Shapeshifting into any animal, element, or creation. Kaiju.

Backstory: A shapeshifting menace born of mankinds experiments with nuclear weaponry. Multiple Man is a seemingly mindless entity which exists only to consume and destroy. Taking things to consume them. Destroying anything that gets in its way. A menace of pure devastation.

So powerful is Multiple Man that should it die, it will simply evolve and reform into something suitable to escape its present environment. Impossible to permanently contain or slay, Multiple Man will simply reform and try again and again.

Ever evolving and ever changing, Multiple Man would be an ever unpredictable force of destruction which would always find new and creative ways to menace people.

Additional images:

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 75 (1955)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and H.G Peter
Abilities: Magic. Size changing gun

Backstory: Leader of the evil leprechauns, Nilremo was a powerful wizard who turned his magical knowledge towards evil purpose. Unlike the other leprechauns which sought to bring joy and laughter to mankind and enjoy the occasional prank at their expense, Nilremo and his evil leprechauns wished to spread dismay and despair. Robbing mankind of what it treasured to keep for themselves.

In order to accomplish this dire task and well aware that the other leprechauns were well versed in magic, Nilremo got his hands on a science powered shrink ray. Cutting through their magical defenses with something they never could have thought to develop a defense against.

Once he successfully captures his more good natured kin, Nilremo would have nothing to stop his criminal efforts.

Additional images:

Angel212 · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 255 (1979)
Creators: Paul Levitz and Jose Delbo
Abilities: Machine induced mind control from great distances. Flying hover scooter. Dozens of different trick guns, knives, and explosives of various types and forms. Flying boat. Flying saucer. Skilled in nets, knotberrys, and spears. Eye laser. Skyscraper sized ‘contracting net’ which can crush whole buildings on command. Talented in unarmed combat.

Backstory: One of the greatest assassins of all of Africa. Bushmaster was an agent for ‘the Cartel’ an international assassination organization which boasted a perfect assassination record and active operations all around the world.

Bushmaster in particular was a technological master. Possessing a seemingly endless amount of weapons, tools, and tricks. He could deal with seemingly any situation with ruthless efficiency.

When carrying out his assassinations, Bushmaster preferred to operate subtly. Using mind control to make others kill the target for him and take the blame. Or when that fails, using traps to put an end to the target without getting directly involved.

However when confounded by someone who poses a challenge to his efforts, Bushmaster has no hesitation in entering the field himself and making a public display as he uses his mass array of tools and weapons to bring down his targets and prove his superiority.

However cautious to a fault, Bushmaster will not hesitate to flee if things are not in his favor, using an array of escape methods planned in advance for any situation. Swearing to one day return once he developed a means of countering his foes strengths.

Additional images:

Razzzcat · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 137 (1963)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru
Abilities: Strength proportionate to Wonder Woman. Flight. Ability to project a florescent paint. Built in radar. Sword haver. Ability to be instantly reassembled regardless of what damage she sustains.

Backstory: Across the vast reaches space and possibility lies many mysterious worlds and planets. One of which being an Earth identical to the one we know save for the fact that everyone is mysteriously a robot!

Every single individual on this world is a robot fashioned from plastic with physical abilities beyond the common man. Somehow aware of the world of flesh and blood, they would seek to replicate it.

The Robot Wonder Woman of this world noticing that they did not possess a Steve Trevor on their planet, would attempt to kidnap the real one. Driven by the need to make their world exactly the same.

However as Diana is busily rescuing Steve from this world, she would discover that Robot Wonder Woman and her Earth differed quite heavily from the Earth she was familiar with.

The most blatant was that for a world where any injury one may suffer no matter how grievous could be instantly repaired, life held little value. Thus little hesitation existed for something as final as murder for a people for whom such an act was only temporary.

Secondly, these robots never held any worship of the gods. Thus any of the restrictions which dictated the Amazons actions did not apply to them. So the world knew of Robot Wonder Woman and her people. The Amazons freely came and went from their island. Men would come and even stay on the island. And all of their contests and events were heavily commercialized with people from across the world coming to attend.

Most importantly from Dianas perspective, this Robot Wonder Woman lacked any sense of compassion or empathy. Garnering glee at the chance to slaughter those who opposed her and take whatever she wanted consequences be darned.

Additional images:

Razzzcat · May 20, 2022, 10:00pm

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 5 (2016)
Creators: Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp
Abilities: Scientific genius with no physical body to slow her down, she has the powers of metamorphosis and technokinesis allowing her to connect and manifest anywhere in the world.

Backstory: Dr. Adrianna Anderson is the second character to use the monicker Doctor Cyber, the first having been affected by the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, but she has emerged as the most powerful version of the villain yet. Once a human woman, Dr. Anderson is a renowned expert in the field of cybernetics, and a colleague and close friend to Dr. Veronica Cale, CEO of Empire Enterprises.

The focus of her work in Empire’s Research and Development department enabled her to create the Cyberwalker System, which she often used to assist Dr. Cale through a computerized holograph of herself.

Adrianna was eventually convinced by Cale, a sworn enemy of Wonder Woman, to use an experimental “cyber walker suit” to fight the Amazon. The suit, however, was damaged, and Adrianna’s mind was trapped within its systems as her organic body died. Her mind was later transferred to an A.I. system, where she was reborn as a digital construct, going by the name Dr. Cyber, considering herself no less than a “digital goddess”. This new version of Cyber continue to aid Dr. Cale in her plans against Wonder Woman, and became a member of the secret criminal organization know as Godwatch.

Godwatch

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · May 21, 2022, 11:53am

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #22 (1947)
Creators: William Marston and H.G Peter
Abilities: Holliday College level education. An over inflated opinion of oneself.

Backstory: The most jealous of the Holliday Girls. Gell was a woman who saw the achievements made by others and looked on with rage. Convinced that she was more capable than anyone else despite never applying herself to do so.

Whenever she sees someone accomplish something that was beyond her such as building a space ship for traveling to Venus or ruling over an entire planet, Gell would react with jealousy. Convinced that she could accomplish anything better than her counterparts and suspecting them of somehow cheating in one way or another to get where they are.

What would otherwise be a simple character flaw would blow up, for when discovering that Venus has a monarchy, she would begin plotting to overthrow the government and conquer the planet. Wishing to rule because she believes herself better than anyone else.

Additional images:

AntLeon · May 21, 2022, 1:26pm

What an interesting hashtag

I was hoping something like this would happen.

There’s a lot of royalty in this list.

Vroom · May 21, 2022, 7:07pm

This is me (truly):

tugs on his “Me am smart cookie.” t-shirt

nuuninuunani · May 21, 2022, 7:36pm

Yuup~ This isn’t even all of em. Wonder Womans rogues gallery is pretty heavily monarchist in nature.

nuuninuunani · May 22, 2022, 11:29am

Name: Cyborgirl
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #179 (2002)
Creators: Phil Jiminez and Roy Allan Martinez
Abilities: Capable of interfacing and taking control of any machine regardless of nature. Can reform parts of her body to form weapons such as blades or sonic weaponry. Mechanical strength.

Backstory: Letonya Charles was a young woman with a promising future ahead of her until poor life choices led to her making the poor decision of when introduced to drugs while losing herself in the party scene, she became addicted to ‘Tar’ a narcotic thats side effects would render someone dead within a few years of continuous use.

Fortunately for Letonya, her aunt Sarah was a brilliant scientist working at Star Labs who not wanting to lose her neice, undertook a surgery to surgically removed the affected areas, replace them with mechanical systems, and turn Letonya into Cyborgirl.

With this, Letonya was no longer at risk of dying from the effects of her drug abuse. She had a body that looked perfectly human but could reform into mechanical systems using her built in nano technology.

However what may have been a new lease on life and a chance for Cyborgirl to turn her life around and make something more of herself would instead lead to the creation of a new villain. For while Cyborgirl would no longer die from ‘Tar’ which no longer drove her to her death, Cyborgirl was still heavily addicted.

This being a dangerous narcotic that was highly illegal, Cyborgirl would have to get her fix from criminals. And when it became realized that she was capable of incredible feats of strength and power, Tar became a leash used to control Cyborgirl. Making her into the perfect supervillain lackey. Willing to commit murder and destroy civilizations all for the sake of getting her fix.

Additional images:

Angel212 · May 23, 2022, 2:06am

As part of the team assembling the table of contents/link list for this, I was honestly shocked that there are more WW villains starting with “King” than “Doctor.” And just as many starting with “Queen” as “Doctor”! (So far anyway. The project continues.) I’ve definitely learned a lot so far.

nuuninuunani · May 23, 2022, 2:34am

The number of doctors WOULD increase if the two Doctor Poisons had separate articles. And there are a number I have not covered yet such as Doctor Domino, Doctor Echo, Doctor Crawford, and half a dozen professors.

That said, Im not even halfway through the number of villainous kings, queens, and other members of monarchy in Wonder Womans rogue gallery.

I confess when I started my first list years prior I was likewise expecting far more doctors than anything else. In no small part because Marston tended to work from a scientific basis with alot of his stuff.

But in reality, the truth of the matter is people assume Wonder Woman has alot of doctors in her rogues gallery because a good chunk of her A list better known rogues either call themselves doctors (even the likes of Psycho who was kicked out of medical school) Or have formal scientific education. (Baroness, Zeul Giganta, Blue Snowman, Minerva Cheetah…)

The kings and queens of secret kingdoms didn’t have as much staying power sadly

Razzzcat · May 23, 2022, 9:41am

That one’s for you! And yes, there’s a lot of evil royals, it seems, but I think that’s just a recurring theme of the earlier eras.

There’s still plenty that haven’t come up yet. I did all 4 Dr. Poisons in one because they all use the same moniker (as well as the name Maru) and all have military ties. 4 separate profiles doesn’t seem worth it, especially when their characterizations stay pretty true to the source…same reason I added Doris into Giganta’s profile. Easier to discover and less confusing (and less work for us )!

I’ve been pretty careful (tried to be anyway ) with the long-standing villains who survived Crisis, to both cover their origins and bring them current, and then adding links for reference. I think it works.

Razzzcat · May 23, 2022, 9:45am

First Appearance: Wonder Woman 196 (2003)
Creators: Greg Rucka and Drew Johnson
Abilities: Genius engineer, business tycoon, criminal mastermind and founder of Godwatch.

Backstory: One of Diana’s more complex adversaries, the deeply self-reliant Veronica Cale wears many hats: bio-engineer, CEO, dedicated mother, god hunter and of course, contemptuous villain who won’t stop until she evens the score. Despite being rescued by Wonder Woman several times, Cale uses here wealth, intellect and expertise in chemical & technological engineering to conspire against Diana, which has brought her in league (and conflict) with prominent members of the Amazon’s rogues gallery. Her motives have changed over time, however, the core reason for her resentment becoming deeper and more personal.

Talented and industrious, Dr. Cale worked hard to earn everything she has, but as a woman working in the fields of both medicine and business, she spent her life fighting an uphill battle—a familiar story: working ten times harder to make half the progress as people with a fraction of her insight or creativity; But Cale was up to the challenge, and became the founder of a hugely successful company, accumulating vast wealth.

She had grown cynical though, and developed a ruthlessness which allowed her to survive in a cutthroat world, so when Wonder Woman arrived with her graceful god-given gifts, preaching of peace and equality, she took personal offense. Cale would attempt to smear Diana’s reputation, and later played a role in the creation of the 3rd Silver Swan, Vanessa Kapatelis, by buying her from Sebastian Ballesteros, and turning her into a cyborg.

During Rebirth Cale would gain another layer of scorn for not only Diana, but the Gods of Olympus. As the CEO of Empire Industries she would launch Godwatch, which was founded for the sole purpose of locating Themyscira—not to enhance Cale’s own power or influence, but out of desperation.

The sons of Ares, Phobos and Deimos, seeking to free their father from prison on Themyscira, had exploited Veronica by placing a curse on her daughter, Isadore, which removed her face and soul from her body. Only upon the liberation of Ares from his prison on Themyscira could Isadore be restored. To add to her grief, she would also lose her best friend, Adrianna Anderson, who died and transformed into Dr. Cyber while on a mission to find the island.

Cale exacted revenge upon her blackmailers by partnering with the sorceress Circe, and even arranged to re-curse a newly cured Barbara Minerva in order to aide her in her efforts. When she located the island Veronica learned that Isadore could only remain whole if she stayed, forcing her to leave her only daughter and heir behind. Veronica blames Wonder Woman’s personal feud with Ares for their separation to this day.

Godwatch

Additional images: