Reviews by Kyle Ellis

Wilson Fisk has no powers. He has no immense global influence when compared to some of his rivals on this list. He barely ranks as a blip on the radar of some of the most powerful heroes. But the Kingpin of Crime is in many ways indicative of what makes Marvel characters so appealing. He's grounded. He's realistic. Most of all, in some ways, you can understand what made this man and what drives him to this day.

Fisk grew up poor and picked on. He never seemed the type to rise through the ranks of any organization let along the criminal underworld. Yet rise he did, eventually lording over New York City with an iron fist, using assassins like Elektra and Bullseye with ruthless efficiency. Over the years Fisk has attempted to back out of his dark role in the world, but is continuously dragged back. He's lost multiple families due to his connections and poor dealings over the years, and these tragic events only seek to remind readers that underneath his muscular exterior is the heart of a man who might have been good were it not for the brutal events in his life.

And now, despite first appearing in a Spider-Man comic book, Fisk is the darkness to Daredevil's light. In fact if he's not somehow involved in Matt Murdock's life or superhero antics, we feel like something is missing from his series. You'll see us say it again later on, but that's the truest sign of a brilliant villain, one that has benefited from years and years of excellent storytelling.

In many ways The Dark Knightarticulated and demonstrated the importance of Harvey Dent better than we ever could. Dent is, in so many ways, the biggest failure of Batman's career, and is a constant reminder of the price that can be paid in the battle against evil. Two-Face is a character that has been best served by time, evolving throughout the years from a relatively simple gimmick (similar to many of Batman's foes) to one of the most layered, tragic figures in superhero fiction.

Despite having a dark past, Dent rose through the ranks of Gotham to be a respected District Attorney, working with Jim Gordon and the Caped Crusader to wage a war on crime. Dent falls to a plot organized by the criminals he had been breaking down, and thus was born a new crime figure, one who can't distinguish between right and wrong without the help of his lucky coin.

Like many on this list, Two-Face isn't always a criminal. Several storylines have healed Dent's madness, and scarring, only to have him pulled back into the darkness. These struggles between "Dent" and "Two-Face" only serve to demonstrate the loss Gotham has suffered. The first major victory of organized crime may have been the only one it ever needed. Without Dent consistently on the side of light, Gotham might not stand a chance - Batman or not.

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #14
Best Writer: Gerry Conway
Best Artist: John Romita, Sr.

There are two big components to what makes the Red Skull such a classic villain as far as we're concerned - and one of them just happened a couple years ago. First thing is first - the Skull is a Nazi and, just like in gaming, it's tough to find a better villainous group outside of zombies and perhaps vampires. It's a simple way to categorize and create a villain, but it's effective, particularly set in opposition to Captain America. Toss in an incredible visual and you have a character that is arguably the greatest fictional Nazi ever.

The second point is absolutely the most important. When you think about it, arch nemeses rarely succeed. The Joker never killed Batman. Lex Luthor has yet to beat Superman. But the Skull managed to outwit and outplay Cap, and in the end, he watched from afar as his master plan came to fruition. Steve Rogers was assassinated and the Marvel Universe lost its only true beacon of hope.

The Skull might seem a cliché figure now, but he was one of the original uses of villainous Nazis in comic books. Combine that with his successful track record and great design and you have one legendary character.

This is one villain whose clout has really risen in the past couple years. Originally one of the greatest Green Lanterns, Sinestro has always had a dark side and a overwhelming lust for power and control. After his actions were discovered by his masters, he was exiled for punishment. Unfortunately the Guardians only managed to embolden their former student, and he became their greatest nemesis.

Despite being sentenced to death on several occasions and even suffering a broken neck at the hands of Hal Jordan's Parallax entity, Sinestro has always found a way to crawl back to the surface. With the creation of his own Corps, Sinestro now has power to rival the Guardians, and is a constant threat to the order of the universe. What was once a rather simplistic character has evolved into a true force of evil and in some ways might be compared to an intergalactic Adolf Hitler.

Sinestro's interference in the affairs of DC's heroes is about to reach critical mass. Though he is currently on his home planet of Korugar, the Black Lanterns are coming. Sinestro is unlikely to care about the plight of innocents, making his role in the Blackest Night event unpredictable and, in all likelihood, bad for the Guardians and remaining members of the Green Lantern Corps.

Teth-Adam is yet another major DC villain that has skyrocketed in popularity, power and complexity in recent years. Though the character has been around for over 60 years, it's only been through the efforts of Geoff Johns, David Goyer and other modern writers that he's deserved a place on our list.

In modern storylines, Adam is a magically powered citizen of Kahndaq, one who brutally removes a dictator from power and seizes control of his country. Adam's dedication to his home and family is what has helped redefine the character, making him someone who does reprehensible things but within strict moral boundaries. Over time Adam's family grew, and his wife, Isis, began to reform a man many consider to be an anti-hero. Sadly rivaling interests sought to crush Kahndaq's influence in the world. These actions led to the death of Isis and her brother, Osiris. Adam, in his rage, managed to single-handedly instigate a third World War, clashing with many of the world's heroes.

Despite these actions, Adam will stand up for the greater good when it serves his interests. During the Final Crisis, Teth stood up to Darkseid's forces, nearly dying in the process. Despite his vicious instincts, Adam's people still worship him, as he is one of the few who have stood up for them. Even some of the greatest villains have benevolent interests and causes at heart, and few exemplify this better than Black Adam.

To be quite honest, the Man of Steel doesn't have the best gallery of rogues. Superman might be a legendary hero but his villains… not so much. But through its repeated appearances over the decades culminating in one incredible, history-altering storyline last year, one particular city-collecting cyborg has become one of our all-time favorites.

Brainiac has had multiple incarnations over the years, some consistent and some diverging radically from previous stories. Geoff Johns streamlined all of that last year, putting forth the idea that every iteration in fact originated from one master that had never been seen by fans. This original Brainiac's purpose was to capture cities and assimilate knowledge in order to gain power. Part of its operating procedure was to destroy planets and galaxies in its wake to prevent that knowledge from spreading.

As part of this reimagining, Johns also revealed that General Zod was a fierce defender of Krypton when Brainiac arrived to acquire the city of Kandor, adding layers to a character that prior to Johns' involvement was a stereotypical megalomaniac. Beyond his implications for other villains and his legacy within Superman's rogues, Brainiac's most important traits are these - it has a very personal connection to Kal-El and can directly challenge him both physically and mentally. There are very few that have that distinction, allowing Brainiac to rank up there with the best of them.

Not every great villain has to be a world-conquering, war-mongering, super-powered bad ass. Some of them are simply great at manipulating events to their liking, bending the world to their desire and getting away with it. Mystique is one of those villains, and is absolutely one of the greatest female villains ever created.

Raven Darkholme's history is a bit convoluted, particularly as she relates to the complex X-Men history, but that's not necessarily what makes her important. The key points would be these - she is the mother of Sabretooth's son, the mother of Nightcrawler and a foster mom for Rogue. Her history with these various characters has given her a prominent seat in the future of the mutant race, and she even played a critical role (despite being revealed as a traitor) in the 2006 storyline Messiah Complex, which kicked off a major new era in the history of the X-Men franchise.

Due to her age (which is estimated at over a century), Raven has played a role on many teams, involving herself in many causes including the X-Men, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, X-Factor, Marauders and more. Most recently she was involved in clashes with Wolverine (who sought revenge for her betrayal in Messiah Complex) and Iceman, where she apparently died. Given the number of times she's allegedly been killed, it's hard to imagine this espionage master will remain missing in action for long.

In essence, over the years X-fans have been treated to a kick ass femme fatale who has found herself at several key turning points in the history of the mutant race. Oh, and you have to love her design, both in film and print. 'Nuff Said.

Cain Marko is a relatively straight-forward villain, but an iconic and important one nonetheless. Though his recent history has been filled with a failed attempt to be heroic, most IGN readers - and the editors at IGN for that matter - see him as a classic X-Men foe.

Marko served in the Korean War alongside his step-brother, Charles Xavier. When the two ran across an enchanted cave, Marko managed to acquire the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak and became the Juggernaut. Years later, Marko would arrive at the doors of Xavier's mansion, seeking revenge. Over the years the Juggernaut's history was developed to portray the villain in a more sympathetic light. He wasn't simply evil - he had a dark childhood and hated his step-brother for the advantages he perceived Xavier had.

Throughout his career, Juggernaut has clashed with the X-Men, Hulk, Thor and, in some ways most notably, Spider-Man in a classic two-part arc. His motivations might be a bit simple, but it's hard to argue against the character's popularity, design and impact on the X-Men and their founder.

Bullseye has never been about subtlety, nuance or emotion. He's a killer, through and through, with a disputed history that may or may not be true given some stories being narrated by Bullseye himself. The only clear information fans have at this point is that the man's first name is Lester. The rest… it's hard to say. Did he have an abusive father and a mother who was a prostitute - and did he kill them? Did he have a brother? Was he a baseball player and involved in ops where he ran across Frank Castle? Nothing is entirely clear.

Enigmatic characters are often hits with readers, and Bullseye is no exception. Through his involvement with the Kingpin, Bullseye gained notoriety, killing Elektra in an infamous and brutal scene. The assassin quickly became one of Daredevil's archenemies, and has even returned in recent years to kill another one of Matt Murdock's lovers, Karen Page. Bullseye has moved away from Daredevil's corner of the world in recent years, most notably becoming part of Norman Osborn's grand plans, first as a part of the Thunderbolts and later as a member of the Dark Avengers.

Even more remarkable is that Bullseye has no superpowers. That's noteworthy as the hit man confronts his powerful opponents physically and often in close quarters. Though his marksmanship borders on being power-based, Marvel has never provided an explanation for his abilities. Regardless, his ties to the Kingpin, major moments in Daredevil history and current high profile storyline make this one successful assassin. The sky is the limit for this relentless psychopath.