Comic book fans all over the world are gearing up to celebrate Batman Day, which is a day dedicated to celebrating the DC Comics character, who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Every year, the third Saturday of September is marked as Batman Day. The tradition began in 2014 in order to celebrate the Dark Knight’s 75th year. In the inaugural year, Batman Day was celebrated on July 23, 2014, in order to clash with the San Diego Comic Con.

The Caper Crusader has faced numerous foes in the crime-ridden streets of Gotham City. Here we bring to you five of the most vicious Batman villains till date:

Penguin

Oswald Cobblepot, also known as Penguin, is a Gotham City crime boss. Although he lacks superpowers, Penguin always wears a tuxedo and carries an umbrella with him that often acts as a weapon. The character was portrayed by Colin Farrell in the 2022 movie, The Batman.

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Scarecrow

Johnathan Crane AKA Scarecrow is a professor-turned criminal who uses a hallucinogenic drug to exploit the fears of his victims. In Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film Batman Begins, the character was essayed by Cillian Murphy.

Riddler

The villian who tests Batman’s intellectual abilities to the limit, the Riddler is a skilled escape artist who often uses lethal contraptions in order to defeat the Dark Knight. Paul Dano, who portrayed the character in the movie The Batman, will himself be penning a comic book story to reveal the origins of the character.

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Ra’s al Ghul

The leader of the League of Assassins, Ra’s al Ghul is an immortal being who uses water from the Lazarus Pit in order to extend his lifespan. He wants to guide the moral compass of the world and can use whatever means necessary to reach his goal.

Joker

The numero uno spot on any list of Batman villains is always reserved for the Clown Prince of Crime. The Joker is a deranged agent of chaos who never kills Batman in order to continue their rivalry. The character even had his own spinoff film, Joker (2019), where Joaquin Phoenix starred in the titular role.