Top 5 Villains in Graphic Novels

When we make a list of the most addictive things in the world, we seldom remember putting graphic novels on that list. However, graphic novels certainly deserve to be there. Once a person starts reading graphic novels, he/she gets totally addicted to it. The reason for the success of graphic novels lies as much in the creativity of the villain as is does in the bravery of the hero. Here's bringing you the 5 best graphic novel villains...

5. Loki

Although his brother Thor is a good character, Loki is a villain in Marvel comics. He first made an appearance in Venus No.6 in 1949. He gained more popularity in 2012 as the main villain of the super hit movie Avengers, thanks to the very superb Tom Hiddleton. Loki's character is that of an extremely determined and even overconfident man. Physically weaker and smaller than his brother, Loki's rage is partly driven by the envy and rage he feels towards Thor, who was treated like a hero by the citizens of Asgard. Along with his fitness and athletic ability, Loki possesses an intellect and an ability to manipulate others that is hard to match.

4. Magneto

Created in 1963 by Stan Lee, Magneto is the most famous adversary of the X-Men. As the name suggests, Magneto is a mutant who has the ability to control magnetic substances. Magneto is overconfident and believes that mutants are superior to the human race. He therefore locks horns against Dr. Charles Xavier, who believes that humans and mutants should coexist. The plot thickens when the spectators find out that Dr. Xavier and Magneto were actually former friends who went their separate ways due to the difference in their ideology.

While Magneto is portrayed as a man having a heart of stone, he does have a tad soft spot for his friend Charles. Nevertheless, this Jewish Holocaust survivor is never afraid to launch any sort of offensive for the benefit of the mutant-kind.

3. Green Goblin

The Green Goblin is an alias of many different villains in Marvel comics. The most famous of those incarnations is Norman Osborne, a rich but cruel man, who designed the equipment needed to build the Green Goblin. This was followed by his son, Harry Osborne, becoming Green Goblin in an attempt to avenge his father's death. Green Goblin first made an appearance in The Amazing Spiderman #14 in 1964 and was also a part of the movie 'Spiderman', which was released in 2002. The Green Goblin, because of his superhuman strength and amazing gadgets, is fearsome, yet popular.

2. Darkseid

Although Superman comics are considered inferior to others like X-Men, Spiderman, etc. by many men, one cannot deny the fact that its villains are awesome. Darkseid is one such villain, arguably the best of the lot! As his name suggests, Darkseid oozes evilness. He is a sadist who has the ability to destroy and/or resurrect organisms. Darkseid first made an appearance in the comic book 'Forever People#1' and has been a success and 'fan favorite' ever since.

1. Joker

Calling Joker a demented, crazy, sadistic sociopath would be the understatement of the century. Joker, by far the most popular villain in graphic novels, is a genius who uses his intellect for all the wrong purposes. He was first introduced in 1940 in Batman#1. Possessing a clown-like appearance, Joker doesn't really have any special abilities. However, he is driven by his willingness to see others suffer, which makes him a fearsome adversary for Batman. Joker was also the main villain in the 2008 blockbuster movie The Dark Night, in which he was played by Heath Ledger.

Whether one loves graphic novels or hates them, he/she has to agree that they are extremely successful. And a large part of their success is attributed to their mysterious and evil villains, who have entertained graphic novel fans for years.
By Neil Verma