Magneto Dressed to Impressed
The most iconic supervillains are often the best dressed. Their costumes are scary, weird, functional, and always reflect their twisted personalities. From Doctor Doom's hooded cloak to Lex Luthor's business suits, here are the 20 iconic supervillain costumes we can't forget.
1. The Joker
The Joker's eccentric purple suit with green vest and bow tie accentuates his trademark grin. The Joker's costume is scary because it's flamboyant, fun, and contrasts with Batman's dark and sleek suit. His suit is the perfect reflection of his chaos-loving personality.
2. Magneto
With a purple cape, red bodysuit, and one of the coolest masks in the Marvel universe, Magneto's look is easily one of the most iconic among supervillains. He's far more intimidating and dashing than his nemesis, Professor X.
3. Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom's mask is one of the most iconic pieces of armored supervillain apparel. It goes perfectly with his tunic and hooded cloak. It's a scarily perfect blend of medieval costuming with a futuristic aesthetic. This costume is bad news for the Fantastic Four as it's durable, protective, and provides some superhuman strength.
4. Green Goblin
The Green Goblin terrorizes Spider-Man with his scaly armor, satchel of pumpkin bombs, and one of the most perfectly designed masks in the Marvel universe. The lightweight design of his costume makes him agile and able to shoot around New York City on his glider.
5. Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn's costume is one of the most recognizable among DC characters. It's a jester-style bodysuit with a domino mask and white ruffled collar. It's a great complement to the Joker's suit, and doesn't hinder her acrobatic fighting style.
Christopher Brown from Houston, United States on Wikimedia
6. Lex Luthor
You might be thinking that Lex Luthor's business suits are a boring way for a supervillain to go about their day. We say, it's the perfect way to intimidate a superhero like Superman. Don't forget, Luthor also has a "Warsuit" that is armored, powerful, and enhances his strength and speed.
7. Catwoman
Catwoman's sleek and skin-tight costume helps her slink around Gotham and square off against Batman. Her costume, equipped with retractable claws and designed for ultimate stealth, is still one of the most popular looks for Halloween.
Garrett Albright from Tokyo, Japan on Wikimedia
8. Red Skull
Captain America's greatest nemesis dons a costume that is extra scary since it is inspired by Nazi military uniforms. It's typically dark green or black and adorned with Hydra insignia. While his red skull is not part of his costume, it makes him recognizable and all the more frightening.
Kyle Nishioka from Kaneohe, USA on Wikimedia
9. Scarecrow
If you've never read a Batman comic before, you might be surprised to learn that the Scarecrow looks exactly like a scarecrow. This might be the scariest costume among DC villains thanks to its terrifying simplicity. His burlap sack face is pure nightmare fuel.
10. Bane
Super strength makes Bane one of Batman's most feared villains. His black wrestling-style mask and tubes pumping a steroid into his body make him instantly recognizable. His costume might be a touch simplistic, but it still strikes fear in Gotham citizens and comic book readers.
11. Kingpin
Wilson Fisk, known as the Kingpin, wears an iconic and expertly tailored white suit with a purple ascot. This costume subverts expectations about how a villain should dress, making it incredibly effective. His costume screams authority and power.
Richie S from Brooklyn, NY, United States on Wikimedia
12. Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy's green bodysuit with bits of foliage is enticing, and when paired with her long red hair, creates an iconic look. Her thoughtful costume emphasizes beauty, reflects her connection to nature, and releases toxins to subdue and harm her enemies.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
13. Two-Face
Two-Face's suit is half normal and half grotesque, much like his dual nature and signature face. His costume speaks to his obsession with chance and aligns with his commitment to making decisions by flipping a coin. It also reflects the trauma he has experienced.
14. Riddler
If you find question marks to be scary, then don't catch a glimpse at the Riddle. His bright green spandex is covered in question marks because, well, the Riddler loves to ask riddles.
Greenway Productions on Wikimedia
15. Venom
One of the more feared villains in Spider-Man's rogues' gallery, Venom's costume is a living alien. It's black with a white spider emblem that elicits fear from whoever sees it. Venom's symbiote costume gives him web-slinging abilities and regenerative powers.
16. Doctor Octopus
Otto Octavius, or Doctor Octopus, dons a green jumpsuit and is supported by four mechanical tentacles. His tentacle harness makes him one of Spider-Man's most popular villains, both for his look and abilities.
17. Deathstroke
Deathstroke is a Batman villain who traditionally wears an orange and blue tactical suit. His costume features a military design, combining flexibility with armor for combat.
18. Thanos
The Marvel universe's most prominent supervillain has a costume that is hard to ignore. Thanos' costume is made of green armor, a helmet, and a blue and gold bodysuit.
Original statue by Marvel Studios; photograph by Chris on Wikimedia
19. Loki
The Norse God of Mischief could also work as the God of Fashion, because he looks awesome in his green and gold costume, horned helmet, long cape, and ornate armor that practically glistens in comic book panels. The horned helmet is this costume's crowning achievement.
20. Black Manta
The Black Manta does not get enough credit for his unbelievable costume. His bug-eyed helmet is one of the coolest looks for any DC or Marvel supervillain. His black armor diving suit is also a sleek look.
