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Researching this space can get very, very weird. Search the Internet and you get all sorts of "Best Villains of All Time" things coming up. Most of them are like this, personal postings, and most are exercises in geekness. They are trying to pull up obscure villains just to show how much they really know about comics. Well, who amd I to be different, but I will do this a bit differently.

For this list, I refuse to call it "Best" - its "Favorites." Secondly, at least for the moment, I am limiting my self to Marvel comics, Maybe I'll do DC later. Third, I am going to date myself. Most of my favs are really old school. I really miss the days when comics were good v evil and not so angsty.

5. Dormammu

Look, I realize Doc Strange is a bit esoteric. But the guy's head is on fire! I also have to admire his ambition. Not satisfied with taking over the universe, this guy wants to rule all of the multiple universes of reality itself. Now THAT is ambition. Besides, who else would have the grapefruits to tackle Eternity himself. When it comes to sheer audacity, you cannot beat Dormammu. You just can't. It is a crying shame he never really crossed over to tackle other heroes. The epic battle of science v magic that would erupt in a confrontation of the Reed Richards and the FF and Dormammu would be extraordinary, and reality shattering. But alas, Kirby is dead - only he could draw something like that.

4. Super Adaptoid

He can take on the powers of his opponent. That is just cool. I have always thought; however, that his appearance should shift as he changes who he is fighting and what particular power he is utilizing at the moment. Huge creative burden, I understand, but he's green, so you'll always know who he is. And why did he fight only the Avengers? Super Adaptoid v the Defenders - What would he look like.? How could he adapt to the Silver Surfer and stay green? And what would happen when he hulked up? Oh, and how would Nighthawk's little eye hole wings look on Doc Strange's face? Come on, the possibilities here are endless, let's play with it!




3. A.I.M

These guys were the friggin ant colony of evil. The just kept coming. Biggest disappointment in Iron Man 3 was how poorly these guys were portrayed. The Beehive head may be the most iconic image in all of Silver Age Marveldom. I am serious. I had more fun as a kid wondering how these guys went unnoticed until the plot was hatched that I could hardly stand it. And there were thousands of them - all technically adept. I couldn't believe that many people went to college. I want the real yellow swarm. Dozen of these guys crawling all over the Hulk - come on - THAT is comic imagery. And MODOK as their head - pun intended. I still will pick up any comic with MODOK on the cover.







2. Absorbing Man

Another one the movies got oh so wrong. The tragedy in this baddie is immense. So powerful, so incredibly powerful - his Achilles heel? Dumb as a box of rocks. Hyper dumb - short bus dumb. Oh but so proud. Rather than hook up with one of the smart villains and rule the world, he puts together his own gang of massively powerful guys, all of them so dumb, he's the leader. The second deepest character lesson in comics.

1. Thanos

Thanos is either awful or wonderful. Most times he is done wrong, but in the hands of masters like Jim Starlin he is the greatest villain ever. Why? The ultimate character lesson. On more than one occasion he has become, essentially, God. And he put it down. The power did not bring the reward he sought. Someday, I hope, he will put it together and find where his reward lies. But until then, it's still an important lesson.

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