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DC Comics' de facto flagship superhero, Batman, has dominated the company's sales for decades, especially when he clashes with his arch-nemesis, the Joker. For many readers, there's some debate about whether the villain is even the best choice for the Caped Crusader's true match, with characters like Bane and Ra's al Ghul challenging him more directly. All the hero's best adversaries have their own gimmicks, and these only serve to enrich the comic book history of Bruce Wayne.

With the Joker stealing the limelight from other villains so often, even in their own stories, it's worth highlighting some tales where the Clown Prince of Crime doesn't appear at all. Ranging from the epic introductions of new villains to character-defining stories of established rogues, some of Batman's greatest adventures simply don't feature his arch-nemesis. For all the classic Dark Knight stories that showcase the killer clown, other villains deserve some attention...

DC Comics has explored its best heroes through a combination of formats and degrees of continuity, from legendary ongoing series to non-canon prestige graphic novels. Under the Elseworlds imprint, a long line of all-star creative teams have been able to go even further than regular stories, casting heroes into past and future settings, as well as blending them with classical literature. From Superman Frankenstein tales to twisted Batman Jekyll & Hyde mysteries, the imprint has no shortage of underrated stories.

The Elseworlds imprint delivered readers some of the company's best stories, with the likes of Kingdom Come still being iconic today. However, where everyone knows about these seminal stories, their success overshadowed some of the other great tales, from graphic novels to miniseries from the line. For readers who want to get deeper into the best worlds of DC's Elseworlds sagas, these comics are worth a look, even if they haven't...

The Avengers are pivotal in Marvel content, major storylines revolve around them showcasing their importance. Avengers team crossovers are crucial; each major event includes them earning their spot as Marvel's top team. Must-read arcs like Infinity Gauntlet and Civil War define Marvel's captivating storytelling and unforgettable characters.

The Avengers are at the pinnacle of the Marvel Universe, as the benchmark for superheroism. Earth's Mightiest Heroes isn't just a tagline to sell comics. It's representative of the importance these heroes hold over the Marvel Universe, and as such, most major storylines revolve around them.

All of Marvel's biggest, best crossover events have the Avengers in an active role, or at least are so big that the Avengers can't be left out of the festivities. Even if it's not a company-wide event, crossovers specific to the Avengers team are important enough to warrant all eyes of the Marvel Universe on them...

"The Captain" storyline sees Steve Rogers step down as Captain America due to government obligations, showcasing his independence and principled spirit. "Castaway in Dimension Z" takes Cap on a sci-fi adventure in an alternate dimension, highlighting his struggle as a new father and survivor. "Winter Soldier" by Ed Brubaker changes Cap's lore forever by bringing back Bucky as a brainwashed assassin, grounding the character in modern espionage.

Captain America is one of Marvels oldest and best superheroes. From his debut punching Hitler in the face in 1941 Captain America Comics #1, Marvels patriotic hero has made his impact on the comic book world thanks to the tireless efforts of hundreds of writers and artists over the decades.

With over eighty years of comics to draw from, stretching all the way back to when Joe Simon and Jack Kirby first introduced him to the world, Cap is certainly not hurting for great stories.

Quick Links Why Frank Grillo Disliked How Marvel Handled Crossbones Why The MCU Hasn't Successfully Built Its Franchise Villains How Captain America 4 May Continue Marvel's Villain Troubles The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a recurring issue of underutilizing individual characters for crossovers. The majority of MCU villains lack staying power, with only a few becoming iconic, like Loki and Thanos. The shared universe model may be detrimental to fully developing individual heroes and their supporting casts.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has ruled the superhero movie genre for over a decade, but it might finally get some worthy competition. James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe films are starting fresh for the cinematic adaptations of DC Comics characters. One of the planned projects even features an MCU talent, and some of his feelings concerning the Marvel Cinematic Universe speak to the shared universe's biggest storytelling issues.

Frank Grillo is lending his voice to the animated series Creature Commandos,...

Kang the Conqueror defeated the Avengers in the major "Kang Dynasty" storyline by spreading them too thin and forcing major powers to surrender. Kang humiliated the Avengers by making the Wasp sign the articles of surrender, breaking their spirits in a way Thanos never did. While Thanos has defeated the Avengers in more obvious ways, Kang's victory is significant because of the human element involved.

Kang the Conqueror and Thanos are two of the Avengers' most powerful villains – and while both have gotten the best of Earth's Mightiest Heroes before, Kang's defeat of the team stands as the most significant, with one thing in particular setting him and his actions apart from the Mad Titan – Kang is human.

“Kang Dynasty” was a massive Avengers storyline running from 2001-2002, encompassing over a dozen issues. It was authored by Kurt Busiek, with art by Kieron Dwyer, Rick Remender, Tom Smith, and many more.

When Terminator’s Skynet took control of nuclear weapons around the world, it gave humanity a swift and catastrophic lesson in global superiority by firmly placing itself at the top. Unfortunately, it seems to be the Terminators themselves that are effectively undermining that established superiority–specifically, the Terminators’ huge weakness in its programming.

The human resistance of the future has used reprogrammed Terminators in a number of its time-sliding missions to protect its leader, John Connor. The first T-800 reprogrammed by the resistance was introduced in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and that android’s success led to another being sent back in time to protect John Connor and his future wife Katherine Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The movies brush off exactly how the Terminators get reprogrammed, leaving audiences to assume it’s some complex feat of computerized mechanics. But, as it turns out, reprogramming a Terminator...

While Captain America is one of Marvel’s greatest heroes, a comic book character is only as good as the writers and artists who craft their stories. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941, Cap has more than 80 years of comics history to draw from, so ranking the greatest creative runs in the character’s history is no small feat.

There’s no question that Captain America has had some of the best creators in the industry telling his story, and these runs represent the very best of them all. From Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introducing the Cosmic Cube in the 1960s, to Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema having Cap swear off the Stars and Stripes during the Nixon administration, to Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting bringing Bucky back as the Winter Soldier, these runs have defined Cap both in their time and for all time. Together they...

Kang the Conqueror, the master of time who is the new big villain of the MCU, has actually been around for a very long time in Marvel Comics. He is one of the first foes of the Avengers, and over the course of the decades he has challenged the Earth's Mightiest Heroes time and time again, sometimes for mere amusement, others to clear the way for his conquest of their age. Every time, the Avengers have beaten or repelled Kang, but it's not easy to defeat a man who sees the entirety of time as his playground.

Kang's mastery of time travel means that he has had several incarnations throughout history, each with their own, expanding history, the most famous being Pharaoh Rama-Tut and Immortus. However, they are considered completely different characters. The "main" Kang is Nathaniel Richards (possibly a descendant of the Fantastic Four's Reed Richards), born in...

Marvel Comics have always been innovative in their character creation. The sky really is the limit and the combination of Inhuman origins, Mutant DNA, cosmic connections, mystical, mythical and monstrous transformations, have all led to the invention of some truly bizarre individuals. Of course, the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have adapted some oddities, from Rocket and Groot to Leapfrog, but the source material is home to countless more truly weird ideas that have somehow managed to stand the test of time.

Many of these figures have made multiple appearances throughout comic book history. Most of them aren’t exactly leading figures and it’s unlikely that a titular run will be awarded to them anytime soon. But whether they are comedy characters or messed-up menaces, these heroes and villains continue to be entertaining every time they show up. Many have carried over from a bygone age of a team-up/antagonist...

Contains spoilers for Detective Comics Annual 2022 #1!Batman is no stranger to time travel, or mystic destiny, and a new comic has revealed that Bruce Wayne’s meddling in the distant past in fact led to his very creation in the present. Destiny is a funny thing, and Bruce’s time paradox is proof apparent of that fact.

In recent issues of Detective Comics, the new villains the Orghams arrive in Gotham, revealing their secret past with the city. In 1776 the Orghams brought a "reality engine" to the nascent Gotham, then known as Gathome, intent on controlling the city’s very future. This device ensures that Gotham’s future follows a repeating pattern, based on an Orgham-planned attack on the city. By creating a pattern where the city will always be in constant fear, it will mean that people will always have need of the industries and institutions controlled by the Orghams.

Gotham City has always had a dark past, especially for Batman, and the most recent Detective Comics run is refocusing on the city’s oft-forgotten demonic secrets. Gotham’s a city literally built on blood, and with that spilt blood came something else.

In this latest run, Batman is haunted by the familiar specter of the demon Barbatos, who goads Bruce when he’s near unconsciousness. This Bat-God has been a fixture of modern Batman comics, both as traditional demon and multiversal entity. Most notably, Barbatos was the central antagonist of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Dark Knights: Metal, where they threatened the Dark and Light Multiverses. Now, in Detective Comics, Barbatos has seemingly returned in a more traditional demonic form, likely tying into the Orghams, a demon-controlling family intent on reclaiming Gotham, which they see as their city.

Related: Damian Wayne's Rejection of Batman's Biggest Rules Makes Him...

The Thing is not only the Fantastic Four's most popular member, but the most important in terms of Jewish representation - but the writers still have a ways to go when it comes to accurately portraying Jews. Ben Grimm is one of the very few Jewish superheroes in Marvel Comics (and comics in general) and after decades of hinting at his Jewish identity, Ben finally accepted his role as a Jewish superhero (and a husband and a father in 2018 when he married Alicia Masters). But as a Jewish superhero, writers must take better care when it comes to exploring his Jewish identity.

Jewish writers in the Silver Age of Comics often hid or downplayed their Jewish identities, and both Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were perfect examples. Either to avoid antisemitism or a stigma associated with Jewish writers, Lee and Kirby changed their names - but the Jewish themes...

DC's Batman has some of the most dangerous enemies in comic book history. While they may not be as obviously destructive as the likes of Doomsday or Ares, they are still formidable, which Superman found out the hard way, when Joker set his eyes on the Man of Steel.

Superman has fought some incredibly dangerous enemies such as Doomsday and Darkseid. Whenever there is a serious threat that risks the planet or all reality, Superman is there to fight it. Batman's rogues' gallery, on the other hand, is usually lower key. Mr. Freeze, Riddler, Penguin are all dangerous in their own ways and while Joker is certainly an extremely dangerous enemy, rarely has the Joker become a villain that's been a universal threat. This may lead some people to believe that Batman's villains aren't that big of a deal in comparison to other heroes, after all what can Joker do...

No matter how popular Iron Man and Black Panther were, the MCU really came together for most casual viewers when the primary villain took center stage. After years of cameos and hints, Thanos the Mad Titan fully emerged in Avengers: Infinity War, giving the previous decade of movies renewed focus and purpose.

Although we know that Jonathan Majors’s Kang the Conqueror will be the overall bad guy in Marvel’s Phases 4 through 6, aka The Multiverse Saga, he’s very much in the nascent stages. We met a variant of Kang in the finale to Loki, the chatty He Who Remains, who warned about an evil counterpart on his way. And we know that Kang will arrive in full in next year’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But it doesn’t look like he’ll take his place as a major MCU villain until Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton releases Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,...

Amazon has emerged victorious as the winner of a bidding war for the rights to Fear Agent, a sci-fi comic book series written by Rick Remender, with art by contributing artists Tony Moore, Jerome Opena, Francesco Francavilla, Eric Nguyen, and Kieron Dwyer. First published by Image Comics before moving over to the Dark Horse Comics banner, Fear Agent invites readers to experience the whiskey-soaked,…...

Jim Dandy Sep 11, 2019

Does Year of the Villain mean a big change for Batman’s puzzling nemesis?

Event comics usually come with a passel of one-off tie ins. Sometimes they’re very good. Sometimes they’re a way of giving someone a try out. Sometimes they’re a way of getting somebody work. These are all good things! But very rarely are they ever impactful on a character or the direction of a line. That may change this week, as Mark Russell and Scott Godlewski bring the Riddler into Year of the Villain with one of the most introspective superhero comics in a while, one that potentially foreshadows a big status quo change for one of Batman’s oldest villains.

The premise of the entire Year of the Villain arc has Apex Lex, a powered-up Lex Luthor, gone full evil again after years spent straddling the line of “dick” and...

Stephen Harber Sep 13, 2019

Low on nightmare fuel? Fill your tank and relive the scariest moments from The Real Ghostbusters cartoon!

The Real Ghostbusters was a pretty fucked up cartoon sometimes. I think that’s one of life’s universal truths. I’ve been thinking about the show a lot lately, and I’m not quite sure why the world needed an unholy amalgam of anime, cheesy ‘80s synth music, and mind-bending eldritch horror with a chiseled version of Bill Murray on top.

But it did, and it still feels so right to this day. And the best part? It's on Netflix!

Forget Ecto Force. Phh. Who needs that? (Besides me?) I propose a new, rebooted Real Ghostbusters animated series that features the new female cast. Though I’m sure Melissa McCarthy’s character Abby Yates would have inconsistent hair coloring for no apparent reason.

But until that day comes, let's just appreciate what we have,...

First Appearance Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Kieron Dwyer in Captain America #359-360 (1989). Crossbones usually appears as a henchman of the Red Skull. Origin Young Brock Rumlow led the Savage Crims gang on New York's lower east side. After he brutalized fifteen year old Rachel Leighton, two of her brothers assaulted Brock, and the elder brother was killed. Rumlow fled, entering Taskmaster's school for criminals. Within three years, he became an instructor there under the name Bingo Brock. Rumlow impressed the Red Skull, Johann Schmidt; who gave him the codename: “Crossbones.” Notable event: During Marvel's Civil War event, Captain America and his Anti-Registration heroes surrendered to Iron Man and his Pro-Registration heroes. While being led from Federal Courthouse, Captain America was shot in the shoulder by Crossbones, who was taking orders from...

by Ryan Rigley

Now that Frank Grillo has reportedly tested for a "secret" role in the upcoming "Captain America: The Winter Solider," the competition to play Marvel's mystery character is now even more intense than it was to begin with.

Joining Josh Holloway and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in the running for the "Captain America" sequel, Grillo tweeted about his screen test using this hashtag: #bones. Although it has yet to be confirmed, we here at Splash Page have a pretty good feeling that #bones is, in fact, a reference to the deadly assassin known as Crossbones who actually plays an important role in the original "Winter Soldier" story arc.

But who is Crossbones and why should you care? Click past the jump to find out! Be warned that spoilers are ahead for the "Winter Soldier" comics and, potentially, the "Winter Soldier" movie.

Created in 1989 by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Kieron Dwyer,...

Frank Grillo is in the running for the role of Crossbones in Marvel Studios upcoming Phase II sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He recently visited Marvel Studios in Los Angeles, and confirmed that he was testing for this role via his twitter account.

Although the character's appearance in the film has not been confirmed, Crossbones, also known as Brock Rumlow, usually appears as a henchman of the Red Skull in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a highly trained mercenary, who carried out the assassination of Captain America. He was created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Kieron Dwyer in 1989.

Frank Grillo will next be seen in Ruben Fleischer's Gangster Squad and Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty.

Production is scheduled to begin early next year in Cleveland.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier comes to theaters April 4th, 2014 and stars Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie. The...

On TV this Friday: A Romijn event on Chuck, a Remains event on Chiller, more comical life and times for HBO’s Tim, Grimm lets down its hair and more. We’ve singled out nine programs to keep on your radar.

8 pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) | Now that the end of its nine-season weekly run has been announced, it may be time to load up on the feel-good fuzzies. This week the team travels to Columbus, Ohio to help Grandpa James and Grandma Jackie Rhodes, who live with their adult daughter — diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain tumor...

The big casting announcement of the week thus far has been Diane Lane as Martha Kent in Zack Snyder's "Superman" reboot. Unsurprisingly, DC's big tweeters, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee came out in support of her. Mark Waid expressed a bit of anxiety, though.

Paul Dini, meanwhile, was torn over how to feel about a "Justice League Unlimited" Batman figure he discovered. His thoughts on Wonder Pig, as well as an epic tale of Craigslist quest, Mark Millar's anti-Christian Bale criticism and Bryan Lee O'Malley on creating new characters await you after the jump.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is your Twitter Report for March 3, 2011.

Diane Lane pt. 1: @MarkWaid Apparently, as of today's casting news, I am three years older than Ma Kent. #Killme

-Mark Waid, Writer ("Kingdom Come," "The Flash")

Diane Lane pt. 2: @GeoffJohns0 Diane Lane is Martha Kent Awesome news to end a great day on.