Wonder Woman: Encyclopedia of Villains

nuuninuunani · September 8, 2022, 11:51am

Name: Red Panzer
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #228 (1976)
Creators: Martin Pasko and Jose Delbo
Abilities: Machine gun fingers. Mechanical genius. The capabilities and ability to make a time machine which allows him to peer into the future, and send him temporarily to another point in time. Laser fingers. Possesses a jet aircraft. Suit of armor which grants invulnerability, and super strength. Magnesis based flight. Fire 75mm canon shells from his wrist. Commands remote guided missiles.

Backstory: Based out of a secret underground laboratory in Alexandria, Virginia within sight of the Washington monument, Red Panzer was a nazi scientist who had been sent to the Americas in order to destabilize the United States using advanced espionage tools of his own devising for use by the spies of nazi germany.

Helmut Streicher discovered that in the future the nazis are doomed to lose the war and desperate to change it, he swore to the fifty foot tall portrait of hitler in his secret base which he venerates, that he would use his science to change the future.

Thus he would don the identity of Red Panzer and keeping the future to himself, he would seek to alter events, ensuring that Germany would conquer the world.

A villain so respected amongst the nazi community that there would be at least three others to take up his mantle over time.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 9, 2022, 11:29am

Name: Purple Priestess
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #25 (1947)
Creators: Joye Hummel and H.G Peter
Abilities: Commands a number of gangsters and cultists which do her bidding. Possesses tea which can render one unconscious.

Backstory: Leader of the Yellow Mask gang and spy for the nazis during World War 2. The Purple Priestess whose name was on reality Sinestra, was an opportunist who was driven to do anything regardless of the consequences so long as she could get ahead. Regardless of how many were crushed underfoot to make it happen.

Using auburn teas to render her victims unconscious and a black room which uses electrical current to paralyze those bound within it, Sinestra would have her Yellow Mask gang kidnap her victims families and beat them a bloody red until she could get the top secret information to sell to her superiors.

After World War 2 ended, the Purple Priestess would create a religion heavily inspired by the Crimson Cult, convincing people to grant her their fortunes for the promise of miracles.

Fleeing to the windmill laden country of Zarikan when the consequences of her own actions begun to catch up to her, the Purple Priestess would discover the local religion to Vultura, goddess of underground waterways which were the key to the nations existence. Subtly getting rid of the leaders of the cleregy through means most nefarious, Vultura would claim herself to be the voice of Vultura and use that religious authority to kidnap princess Alura, daughter of the nations king Yuka and proclaimed her to now be in service to the goddess.

The Purple Priestess would then demand regular tribute of gold and wealth, threatening the wrath of the goddess Vultura, bringing about an end to the nations water supply should they fail, dooming the people of the nation.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 10, 2022, 10:20am

Name: Baron Blitzkrieg
First Appearance: Worlds Finest #246 (1977)
Creators: Gerry Conway and Don Heck
Abilities: Super strength. Super speed. Invulnerability. Laser vision.

Backstory: Prussian noble who who was a close friend and croney to hitler. Baron Blitzkrieg was a vocal supporter of the inane eugenics philosophy that was the nazi staple.

Gifted command of a nazi death camp so he could gleefully torture and murder people for his own amusement, the Baron lorded over his victims until one of them mannaged to strike back, permanently scarring the Barons face so greatly that no amount of surgery could alter his appearance.

He would undergo radical experiments during this which would allow him to convert mental energy into physical power, granting him incredible strength and speed.

With his power and abilities, Baron Blitzkrieg sought to further the reach of the nazi regime and sought to conquer the world.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 11, 2022, 10:23am

Name: Sumo the Samurai
First Appearance: Superman vs Wonder Woman (1978)
Creators: Gerry Conway and Jose Lopez
Abilities: Ability to draw forth answers from a targets mind with his piercing gaze. Indestructible sword haver. Super strength. Super speed. Super senses. Mastery of martial arts. Skilled in Archery. Ability to cause sudden radiation degradation in anything he touches. Radiation resistance

Backstory: Spending decades training in a school for samurai under the ‘Enlightened one’. Sumo would graduate and be granted a potion of power which enhanced his already considerable skills.

Swearing fealty to his emperor to do anything commanded, Sumo would undertake any mission and face any foe for the name of his nation. Motivated and driven entirely by his sense of honor and duty.

Events later on would cause Sumo to become radioactive, requiring him to wear a suit of solid led least he kill everything around him. His touch bringing death to anything he came in contact with.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 12, 2022, 11:47am

Name: Fahai
First Appearance: New Super-man #11 (2017)
Creators: Gene Luen Yang and Billy Tan
Abilities: Super strength and invulnerability. Can assume the form of a kaiju sized monster. Mastery of sorcery.

Backstory: Ancient sorcerer monk from hundreds of years ago, Fahai had been a turtle which finding enlightenment, had transcended to assume a human form.

Having transcended his turtley form to become human in order to pursue the White Snake, Fahai sought to make the White Snake his no matter how many he had to slay to make that happen. Stopped by the Green Snake who would become known as Peng Deilan, the Wonder-Woman, Fahai’s spell to petrify the the snakes would backfire, petrifying himself as he fell from a cliff into the ocean.

Frozen and aware for hundreds of years, Fahai would spend alot of time thinking, until concluding that none of the events which had occured would have ended in tragedy had the natural order not been disrupted. Thus he swore to enforce the natural order of things. Slaying any who strayed beyond the realm from which they were born.

In the present day, Fahais petrified self would be discovered and then reanimated by the China White gang using the Doomsday virus, filling him with incredible power which he could channel towards his qi, granting him incredible strength.

Thus seeing superheroes as mortals trying to leave the realm from which they were born, Fahai sought to slay any who would disrupt the natural order of the world.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 13, 2022, 10:33am

Name: Dalkriig-Hath
First Appearance: Artemis Requiem (1996)
Creators: William Messner Loebs and Ed Benes
Abilities: Super strength, commands an unending legion of demonic forces. Has the ability to bestow sorcerous powers and abilities upon others. Can raise the dead and command them to do his bidding. Can create a portal from hell to the Earthly plane. Has the power to turn any living being into a mindless hellhound, forced to do his bidding. Can project fire and cast powerful magic without effort.

Backstory: One of the thirteen princes of hell who rules over the dark abyss. Dalkriig-Hath was a powerful demon with a horde of lesser demons and cursed souls at his beck and call.

Once the husband of the unwilling Artemis until she was able to escape the clutches of death, Dalkriig-Hath was a demon whose sights were set on attempting to conquer the Earth and make it his kingdom.

To accomplish this, he would send demons out into the world to spread discord and then in the guise of an angel, offer incredible powers to those who would seek to slay those demons. Unaware that their use of his power was weakening the barriers between worlds. Sowing the seeds for him to eventually open a permanent portal between the two realms from which he could advance his armies.

With his ability to turn those living into his minions. Turn the dead into mindless thralls to do his bidding. And commanding an endless army of demonic monsters whose powers were many and numerous, Dalkriig-Hath had everything he needed for his evil crusade against the living.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 14, 2022, 9:42am

Name: Bouncer
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #241 (1977)
Creators: Gerry Conway and Joe Staton
Abilities: Abnormally strong arms and legs, allowing him to put great strain on them without harm. Ballet training. Can leap thirty feet into the air. Ability to bounce off of walls and people, platforming him high into the air, or slow his decent to nothing.

Backstory: Born to a wealthy and well off family of means who were a pillar of society which organized charities to help the unfortunate, The Bouncer had a natural mutation which made his arms and legs super strong and resilient, allowing him to perform incredible physical feats and put incredible strain on them without the slightest issue.

His mother deciding to put him into ballet school on the basis that it would suit him well with his physical abilities, and many wealthy donors would give money to a good cause if a dance recital was involved, would scold the youth whenever he came home with dirty and muddy clothing from kids throwing mud at him and calling him names for doing ballet.

This would lead to the Bouncer spending the next thirty years of his life plotting and training until he was ready to become a supervillain whose entire schtick was built around robbing charities, declaring it as vengeance against his mother for putting him in ballet school all those years ago~

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 15, 2022, 11:43am

Name: Lu Shan
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #187 (1970)
Creators: Dennis O’Neil and Mike Sekowsky
Abilities: Well learned in espionage. Skilled with firearms. Commands the resources of Doctor Cybers vast empire.

Backstory: Daughter of super spy and sorcerer I-Ching, Lu Shan was but a young girl when the Chinese government disocvering I-Chings career of espionage against them, conspired to have his family killed.

Her mother dying before her eyes, Lu Shan would be rescued by Doctor Cyber who slaying those who killed Lu Shans mother, would adopt the child and for twenty years, would raise the youth, training her in the ways of spycraft and criminal masterminding.

Lu Shan would become Doctor Cybers most loyal follower, her second in command who believed in Doctor Cybers dream of conquering the world to make it a better place.

But she would also hold a terrible grudge against her father, unaware of who he was or where he had gone. Having spent decades of her life blaming the death of her mother on him and desiring nothing less than to see him pay for the death of her mother.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 16, 2022, 11:44am

Name: Machino
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #80 (1955)
Creators: Robert Kanigher and H.G Peter
Abilities: Can run a printing press. Knows and can print in braile. Ability to craft unbreakable explosive masks.

Backstory: A former small time bank robber who was captured by Wonder Woman and spent ten years in prison. Machino declared that he would be the one to kill Wonder Woman and spent years plotting to do just that.

When he got out of prison, Machino was able to use skills he learned in prison to found a printing press. Making books and metal plates, with his familiarity in braille ensuring his success.

This however was but a cover for his true villainous goal, for Machino had devised the creation of special explosive masks which were made of a vague seemingly indestructible metal which would after a set period of time, explode. With the technique to remove them being known only to him and impossible otherwise.

Motivated by revenge and seeking only to bring about Wonder Womans demise, wealth meant nothing to Machino.

machino 1

Additional images:

machino 3

nuuninuunani · September 17, 2022, 11:58am

Name: Ares Buchanan
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #77 (1993)
Creators: Lee Modder and William Messner Loebs
Abilities: Super strength, endurance, and stamina. The knowledge and weapon mastery of Ares.

Backstory: Born Aristotle Buchanan, a loser in life who defined himself as someone who regularly got beaten down by life and just going along with it whenever someone told him what to do.

Becoming a pawn broker and forced into a life as a fence for the local criminal element who demanded a cut of his profits in exchange, Buchanan would be forced to be a police informant who would also demand a cut of his profits, threatening to out him as one of their informants otherwise.

At his lowest moment, Buchanan would be visited by Ares, god of war who had a proposal for the small time crook. Become a champion, an avatar of Ares and never again would he know loss and failure. He would have power and never again would anyone ever look down upon him.

Accepting immediently, Aristotle accepted and was filled with the essence of the war god and became Ares Buchanan. Blessed with the mind of the god of war which granted him a mastery of all aspects of war. His personality changed by the merging as he was now both Aristotle and Ares, he would be driven by the desire to consume the world in war.

Quickly gaining a backdoor into Star Labs and working to mass produce the devastating weapons they manufactured, Ares put the city prosecutor and Boston police force in his back pocket, and made the White Magician one of his agents of war.

Soon raking in a pretty profit as he was selling guns capable of leveling buildings for the same price one would spend on a used car to as many people as he could. All in a desire to further escalate violence war until first Boston and then the world was consumed by it.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 18, 2022, 11:01am

Name: Formicida
First Appearance: Wonder Woman: the tv series S03:EP:06 (1978)
Portrayed by: Lorene Yarnell
Abilities: The proportionate speed and strength of an ant. The ability to control ants. Mastery of chemistry.

Backstory: Doctor Irene Janus was a quiet mousey individual who hated confrontation, was uncomfortable with socialization, and would be entirely ignored were it not for the fact that she was one of the worlds foremost minds in the fields of chemistry.

Dedicating herself to trying to better the world and helping others, Irene put her focus into the field of pesticides. Wishing to create a pesticide which would safely exterminate insects which fed on the crops, without any harmful effects on anything else.

However instead, her creation of EF-11 was a deadly chemical cocktail which was not only deadly to everything save for plant life which came into contact with it, but it was such an intense poison that a gallon of it was enough to render 5,000 gallons of water into a deadly poison for all other life. A poison which would not dilute in water and could not be rendered inert from anything save for an intense pressure of 200,000 PSI.

Her partner in all things Doctor Douglas Radcliff saw this as a huge financial opportunity and ignoring Irenes protests, contacted Gideon D Hardcourt, selling him the formula.

Irene horrified, would then contact Gideon Hardcourt, thinking he did not understand the dangerous nature of the chemicals, only to discover that he knew, but simply did not care. Seeing this as an incredible money making opportunity and was safe in the knowledge that any wrongful death lawsuits could be batted away with a stick of wealth and clout.

Refusing to let a creation of hers cause millions of deaths, Irene Janus would attempt to go public with the issues within EF-11, only for Gideon Hardcourt to use a handful of well placed bribes to spread misinformation, discrediting Irene Janus and removing her academic accreditation. Giving her a false criminal record and a reputation for falsehoods. Her creation of EF-11 given to Douglas Radcliff who went along with the cover.

In desperation, Irene Janus would create a chemical formula which would ‘grant her incredible powers but warp her appearance to make her unrecognizable and horrifying compared to her timid meek self’ with the intention of saving the world no matter the cost.

Taking on the name of Formicida, she would develop a radically different personality as a result of her transformation. One that was more bold and threatening. A confident and boastful personality.

Along with this change in personalities, Formicida gained the proportionate strength of an ant, and the ability to command ants by clenching her jaw and clicking her tongue in ‘ant language’

Using her newfound powers, Formicida would set out to destroy buildings and hunt down any hint of the evil formula of her own destroy any trace of her creation which otherwise would doom the world! Regardless of the vast swath of hired hitmen Gideon Hardcourt had hired to put her down.

Additional images:

Jurisdiction · September 18, 2022, 4:31pm

She’s a villain? She sounds like a hero trying to stop a deadly toxin. Maybe I’m misunderstanding?

a2.ton.51072 · September 18, 2022, 7:37pm

Sounds like she’s more of an antihero than a villain.

nuuninuunani · September 19, 2022, 1:05am

No, no, you have it pretty spot on for a certain level of anti to ones antihero.

She made the list because the show framed her (literally) in a more antagonist light. The CEO responsible had buried her connection to the formula and established a criminal record and tarnished her reputation.

So to the general public, she was a terrorist driving people out of manufacturing buildings with an army of ants, and then leveling the buildings in their entirety. This put her in opposition of Wonder Woman who was unaware of the situation in proper.

Jurisdiction · September 19, 2022, 1:24am

Ohhhhh ok! Thanks for clearing that up @nuuninuunani!

nuuninuunani · September 19, 2022, 3:44pm

Name: Urzkuraga
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #28 (1989)
Creators: George Perez and Chris Marinan
Abilities: The ability to absorb carbon monoxide and release oxygen. Photosynthesis. The ability to choose a champion whose life is bonded to their own, who would transform into an all powerful Cheetah god. Can turn his worshippers into hyena men.

Backstory: Deep within the jungles of Africa and worshipped by a tribe which had gone on unchanged for thousands of years even into the modern day, there was a divine plant god known as Urzkurtaga.

Though incapable of influencing the world of his own will, Urzkurtaga could empower others to act in his name. A chosen wife whose soul would be bound to his. Whose life was intertwined with his own, ensuring they would survive so long as the plant which was Urzkurtagas anchor to the material plane was also intact.

A very sexist and picky god, Urzkurtaga demanded that his chosen wife and Avatar the Cheetah must be a virgin, and must have before and after, never have a relationship with any other than he. Preferring to die himself than be married to a wife who wasn’t ‘pure’ at the start of their matrimony.

Urzkurtaga was a god which feasted on blood to live. Requiring a sacrifice of blood to be offered unto him. In exchange he would create a fruit which could be worked into a potion to bring about the transformation of the Cheetah. A rite commonly used on the night of a full moon in which Urzkurtaga would guide the Cheetah to slay those whose hearts were evil, for those were the most delicious.

Protecting his followers, Urzkurtaga was a capacious deity whose will was difficult to understand for he never communicated with words. Leaving his priests grasping at straws, struggling to understand the deeper meaning.

In the Rebirth continuity it would be revealed that the Cheetah and Urzkurtaga were separate entities and worshippers. With Urzkurtaga himself having been bound ages past by the great Cheetah of the Urzari Jungle of the Okarango region of Bwunda. The Cheetahs followers working to keep Urzkurtaga sealed away in his form of a potted plant, for otherwise he would seek the doom of all.

The worshippers of Urzkurtaga known as the Bouda, would seek to free Urzkurtaga. Worshipping the Cheetah as a goddess even as they despised her and sought to bring about her death in the hopes of freeing Urzkurtaga.

They would following the will of Urzkurtaga, alter the story and narrative of the Cheetah. Attempting to manipulate those holding the mantle to think they were not Urzkurtagas jailers, but rather his wives who exist only to do his bidding. Aiding him in being freed from his prison to roam the world once more.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 20, 2022, 3:27pm

Name: Queen Atomia
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #21 (1946)
Creators: Joye Hummel and H.G Peter
Abilities: Highly radioactive by nature. Can fire blasts of radioactive energy. Commands an army of Proton Girls and Neutron Robots. Can perform radiotherapy. Able to consume matter and convert it into mass for a universe of her own creation. Can grow her universe to the size and intensity of the sun itself, and command it by will alone. Capable of changing herself and others in size.

Backstory: Atomic atom with a life of her own. Queen Atomia was ruler of U-235, a universe of atomic energy which was fueled by Queen Atomia’s own power.

Driven by an instinctual need for destruction which was part of her base nature, Queen Atomia would strive to grow her atom sized universe, developing it until it was the size of a ball. Then a car. Then a city. Consuming all other matter so that her universe would thrive and grow.

Desiring to rule and command an expansive universe of her own making, Queen Atomia had vast and incredible power which few could compare.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 21, 2022, 11:02am

Name: Drax
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Special (1992)
Creators: William Messner Loebs and Jill Thompson
Abilities: Super strength. Ability to shapeshift. Fire breathing. The ability to sense strength and power in another. The ability to force his will upon the mind of another ‘like hands of hot ice’ making their minds as ‘transparent as glass’.

Backstory: Servant and husband to the dread demon Barremargox, Drax was her agent in other realms, working to carry out her will and fullfill her every desire.

With the great Barremargox limited in what she could do beyond her sphere of influence, Drax was entrusted to condcuct dealings with those foolish enough to desire her patronage. Working to find a means of giving Barremargox a foothold into yet another plane of existence so her influence may spread.

Devout to carrying out her will, Drax had the ability to sense those with great power. An ability he used to try and find a worthy vessel to bear the great Barremargox.

Additional images:

Name: Barremargox
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #63 (1992)
Creators: William Messner Loebs and Jill Thompson
Abilities: The ability to possess mortal forms. The power to create gateways to other dimensions. Posesses the ability to alter the fabric of reality to her whim to change the universe to suit her desires.

Backstory: All powerful pervasive entity whose power spreads across multiple realities. Barremargox was an all powerful demon who ruled over a network of unspeakable hell dimensions. Realms of reality which each had their own peoples and cultures until Barremargox made a foothold in their plane of existence, turning them into hellish reflections of her abominable home.

Limited only in the need to possess a vessel belonging to that home reality which is powerful enough to contain her vast power and influence, Barremargox was a horrifying hellish entity which would never be sated.

barremargox 1

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 22, 2022, 11:20am

Name: Merlin
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #54 (1952)
Creators: H.G Peter and Robert Kanigher
Abilities: Possession of the powerful sword Excalibur. Capable of altering reality to his will with powerful magics. Time travel. Can teleport to other realities and dimensions. Commands an army of beasts and monsters which obey his will. Can transform anyone into anything he wishes.

Backstory: The evil wizard of Castle Sinister who plagued the knights of the Round Table for decades. Merlin was a seeker of ultimate magics who would commit any tabboo for the sake of more power. Wishing to possess Excalibur for himself, he would be a constant thorn in the side of King Arthur and his knights of the round table, attempting to destroy them so he may claim its power for his own. Going so far as to send the knights through a portal in time where he expected his evil to be law.

With a willingness to destroy anyone who got in his way and a menagerie of minions both mortal and otherwise, there were few who could possibly oppose him.

In the post crisis continuity, it would be an elderly Merlin towards the end of his years who would decide to join the dark side of the magic force. Turning and focusing his efforts towards the destruction of the Amazons and Wonder Woman, all for the bidding of his dark master Neron and compatriot in evil magics, Morgan Le Fay.

In the Rebirth continuity, Merlin having given up his soul, would decide that free will would doom reality, and it could only continue to exist under his iron fist. Thus he sought to slay all who would oppose him and conquer reality to serve as his kingdom.

Additional images:

nuuninuunani · September 23, 2022, 11:48am

Name: Bedwin Footh
First Appearance: Sensation Comics #36 (1944)
Creators: William Marston and H.G Peter
Abilities: Immensely talented actor. Master of disguise and professional quick change artist. Possesses detailed files on every celebrity in the world. Skilled acting coach. Villainy coach related skills. Possesses an excessively booby trapped manor.

Backstory: Self proclaimed greatest actor of all time. Bedwin Footh in his hayday was well garnered as a talented pressence of the stage, who could play any part. However over time his fame would fade, and he unable to cope with this, began to blame Wonder Woman because of her immense popularity. Convinced that Wonder Woman had somehow stolen his fame, he swore to have his revenge.

Deciding to turn his talents towards villainy, Bedwin would use his celebrity files which contained the detailed life history and secret lives of all the worlds celebrities, and devised a plan to take on promising actors and train them to take on the identities of famous supervillains, using his files information to allow them to take on their roles perfectly.

Thus having formed his villainous stock company, Bedwin Footh would acquire a reporatory theatre, and have it loaded with various booby traps, trick doors, and hallways where someone could run into one room and come out in a room on the opposite side of the hall a few doors down.

Declaring that he would become a celebrity for villainy, Bedwin Footh proclaimed himself the greatest villainy coach in the world, dedicating himself to training aspiring villains to become rising stars.

Additional images: