Magneto – Erik Lensherr doesn’t dwell on his past as a Holocaust victim or the fact that his entire family has been wiped out numerous times. While anyone else would live a hard life because of the repeated loss and devastation, Magneto finds a way to make it his mission to move his life forward. You’ve got to give the man his due when you stop and realize that, ultimately, he’s probably right about homo sapien superior not being able to co-exist with regular humans. At least he’s got his eyes open to the inevitable. While his methods may be brutal (much like his archetype Malcolm X), he works hard at achieving what he’s set out to do.
Why we love him: Magneto will do anything to further his mission, even if it means sacrificing his children and his life. He’s got nothing if not determination.
Lex Luthor – Superman once had nothing to do in Metropolis solely because Lex Luthor was behind bars. When you provide the majority of the work for a crime fighter you are somebody. Lex is no exception. You really know you’re something special when you can commit as many crimes as Lex, get out of jail and still win the U.S. presidential election. Lex represents what many other aspiring kingpins wish they could become.
Why we love him: Trying to kill the Man of Steel is no easy feat. Nearly succeeding in almost every instance makes you a cut above the rest.
Dr. Doom – Victor Von Doom has been the thorn in every self-righteous group of superheroes since the villain’s dawn in the 1960s. If he isn’t terrorizing the Fantastic Four to demonstrate his superiority over Mr. Fantastic, he’s stealing the Infinity Gems to make himself a god. For all of Doom’s intelligence (he’s genius level), he still has charisma. Without it he couldn’t run his own nation, Latveria.
Why we love him: He’s megalomaniacal and charming. What’s not to like to take home and meet your mama?
The Joker – In his many incarnations, the Joker is multifaceted. It doesn’t matter if he’s the malevolent killer clown or the bumbling chemical genius; he still manages to find a way to get under the skin of Batman. Every actor who’s portrayed him — Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger, Mark Hamill — has found inspiration in his dark and funny sides. That is the stroke of a man who really needs no explanation or introduction for his work as a criminal.
Why we love him: He’s the Joker. Eternal thorn in the side of the Caped Crusader. Need we say more?
Venom – OK, let’s just get this out there from the beginning: Venom is crazy. No, not just regular insane, but WAY out there extra special spicy insane. The symbiote didn’t know whom it was dealing with when it picked Eddie Brock to bond with after Peter Parker rejected it. Venom’s brand of logic includes killing as a means to an end. If you get in the way, you die, but he doesn’t go out of his way to harm you. That’s what we like about Venom. He’s a got a method to his madness. It’s just figuring out the method that makes no sense.
Why we love him: Did we mention he’s crazy? And anyone who says “We want to eat your brains!” as a taunt in a video game is awesome. Period.