Best Female Villains In DC Comics

Key Takeaways

• Female villains in DC Comics are iconic, with characters like Scandal Savage and Silver Swan showcasing unique powers.
• Characters like Emerald Empress and Superwoman from Earth-3 bring diversity to the usual male villains in the DC Universe.
• Established female villains like Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have complex backgrounds and powers, making them formidable foes in the DC Universe.

“The hammer of justice is unisex.” This great quote is from none other than Batman, and something that couldn’t be more true when it comes to the DC Universe. No matter the gender, villainy is around every corner, in every multiverse. There are some great female villains in DC Comics, and the most iconic deserve the utmost recognition, not that it undermines the plethora of female characters in DC Comics.

These female villains are noted for their dedicated time on the comic pages and the turmoil that they put famous DC heroes in. It takes experience and guts to be an iconic female villain, and these characters are the best of the best for their feats and the legacy that expands with every year in the comics.

Updated on October 15, 2024 by Ben Painter: DC Comics villains like the Joker, Lex Luthor and Darkseid are very iconic, but it is not just the male baddies who are held in high regard among fans. Several female evildoers are just as iconic. None more so than the Joker’s former partner in crime, Harley Quinn, who has been shot into the mainstream with appearances in the live-action Suicide Squad and her very own animated series, Harley Quinn. There are so many more female villains in DC who have tangled with the likes of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. This update adds five more of the most iconic female villains in DC Comics.

30 Scandal Savage

First Appearance:Villains United #1 (July, 2005)

• Powers & Abilities: Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced), Peak Human Condition

Scandal Savage is the daughter of the immortal supervillain, Vandal Savage and has followed in her father’s footsteps in the path of evil. Born in Brazil to an unknown mother, Savage is best known as a member of the villain group, the Secret Six and is in a relationship with fellow member Knockout.

She operates as a mercenary, and she and the rest of the Secret Six are hired for missions, usually involving assassination. Her primary weapons are her wrist-mounted lamentation blades that can change size depending on what she aims to do with them. Savage claims they have been in her family for a long time, considering Vandal Savage has been alive for over 50,000 years, this claim is probably true. ​​​​​​

29 Silver Swan

First Appearance:Wonder Woman Vol 2 #3 (April, 1987)

• Powers & Abilities: Nanite Manipulation: Claws, Mechanical Wings, Flight, Superhuman Speed, Superhuman Durability, Superhuman Strength, Sonic Scream, Technokinesis

Vanessa Kapatelis, or as she is otherwise known as the Silver Swan, was originally a friend of Wonder Woman. Her mother, Julia, was Wonder Woman’s mentor in the mortal world, and they grew close as a result of this.

This was until the work of Diana’s enemy, Doctor Psycho, who used his mind-control powers to influence Kapatelis into hating Wonder Woman. In the Prime Earth timeline, Silver Swan idolizes Wonder Woman and receives Nanite implants to fix her broken legs. Upon realizing Diana was never special to her, she snapped and became the supervillain known as Silver Swan and has tangled with the Amazon on many occasions.

28 Emerald Empress

First Appearance:Adventure Comics #352 (January, 1967)

• Powers & Abilities: Emerald Eye of Ekron: Energy Projection, Flight, Force Field, Illusion Casting, Self-Sustenance, Superhuman Durability, Superhuman Strength

Emerald Empress is a supervillain from the 30th Century and is a member of the Fatal Five, the sworn enemies of the Legion of Superheroes. With no real superpowers of her own, she employs the mystical Emerald Eye of Ekron, who gains her various energy and magical abilities.

She is also known to work with the powerful multiversal threat, Superboy-Prime, as a member of the Legion of Super-Villains. Her relationship with the Emerald Eye of Ekron is not all that it seems, and she appears to be controlled by it, acting with relief to be free after Legionaire Princess Projectra used her powers to break their bond.

27 Superwoman

First Appearance:Justice League Vol 2 #23 (October, 2013)

• Powers & Abilities: Flight, Heat Vision, Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Stamina, Superhuman Durability, Immortality

In Earth-3 of the DC Comics Multiverse, the Justice League is evil and is known as the Crime Syndicate. One of these members is Superwoman, who is their Wonder Woman representative. Although her powers are much more akin to Superman, hence her name as Superwoman.

Her true name is actually Lois Lane, and she is in a dysfunctional relationship with Ultraman, although she engages in affairs with fellow Crime Syndicate member Owlman and the team’s archnemesis Alexander Luthor (Lex Luthor, who is on the side of good in this reality). She and her teammates are hellbent on world domination and will kill whoever it takes to get there. They have clashed with the regular Justice Leage on many multiversal escapades.

26 Plastique

First Appearance:Firestorm Vol 2 #7 (December, 1982)

• Powers & Abilities: Unique Physiology, Bio-Chemical Projection

A political activist and eco-terrorist, Plastique gained the ability to project explosive force from her body, which she uses to aid in her terrorist activities. Originally, she was an enemy of Firestorm but has tangled with the likes of Captain Atom, who she eventually would go on to marry. Upon this betrothal, she hung up her gloves of evil but returned to a life of crime following their divorce.

Bette Sans Souci may be better known as a member of the Suicide Squad. She is a regular member of the roster, using her abilities for the side of good, albeit with the threat of death looming over her.

25 Perpetua

First Appearance: Justice League Vol 4 #8 (November, 2018)

• Powers & Abilities: Nigh-Omnipotence: Energy Projection, Energy Construct Creation, Reality Alteration, Molecular Reconstruction, Disintegration, Geokinesis, Resurrection, Bio-Fusion, Bio-Fission, Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Durability, Mechanokinesis, Size Alteration, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Immortality, Power Distribution, Teleportation, Dimensional Travel, Chronokinesis, Cosmic Awareness

She is a fairly new villain in DC Comics, only making her debut in 2018, but she has staked a claim as perhaps the most powerful female villain and villain altogether. With a powerset of just about everything, she is the original creator of the Multiverse and the Monitor, Anti-Moniter and World Forger. She is a force not to be messed with.

Her influence over Mobius resulted in the famous DC arc, The Crisis on Infinite Earths, as well as all other Crises in history. She has been behind the scenes of the DC Universe, pulling the strings, and has formed alliances with both Lex Luthor and the Batman Who Laughs to defeat the Justice League.

24 Lady Clayface

First Appearance:Outsiders #21 (July, 1987)

• Powers & Abilities: Metamorphosis, Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Durability, Superhuman Stamina, Power Replication.

Casual fans of DC may know the name of the Batman villain Clayface, but hardcore fans will know who Basil Karlo’s female counterpart, Lady Clayface is.

Also known as Sondra Fuller or Lady Clay, she was transformed into a clay-like being by the Kobra Cult as a willing participant as she hated her own face and has become a valued foe to the vigilante group, the Outsiders. Along with the original Clayface and Preston Payne (Clayface III) to form the Mud Pack. She has earned her spot as an iconic DC villain in her own right due to her recent comic appearances.

23 Jinx

First Appearance:Tales of the Teen Titans #56 (August, 1985)

• Powers & Abilities: Magic, Energy Projection, Flight, Geokinesis, Pyrokinesis, Aerokinesis, Telekinesis

The Teen Titans are one of the most famous superhero teams in the DC Universe and Jinx is a regular combatant, so it makes sense that she is one of the more recognizable female DC Villains.

As a powerful sorcerer, Jinx is a member of the Fearsome FIVE along with Mammoth, Psimon, Doctor Light, and Gizmo, and she has battled many heroes throughout her run in the comics. The character has been featured in the popular animated series Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go! and made her live-action bout in season 4 of Titans.

22 Foara

First Appearance:Action Comics #471 (May 1977)

• Powers & Abilities: Heat Vision, Super-Hearing, Enhanced Vision, Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision, Telescopic Vision, X-Ray Vision, Flight, Invulnerability, Enhanced Immunity, Superhuman Stamina, Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Speed, Superhuman Agility, Superhuman Reflexes, Super-Breath, Longevity

A Kryptonian supervillain, Foara possesses all the powers of Superman, so, therefore, she is insanely dangerous. She was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, thus surviving Krypton’s destruction. A regular ally of General Zod, Faora shares his ideals of creating the perfect world for “pure Kryptonians” and will destroy anything or anyone that gets in her way.

In the mainstream, she was played by Antje Traue in the DCEU’s Man of Steel and again in The Flash. The character also served as an inspiration for Ursa in 1978’s Superman.

21 Cheshire

First Appearance:New Teen Titans Annual #2 (September, 1983)

• Abilities: Hand-to-hand Combat, Martial Arts, Acrobatics, Poison Specialist, Seduction.

Once stated by Black Canary as the second-deadliest female assassin (behind Lady Shiva), Cheshire is just that. And, she is also a master of poison, coating her nails with toxins to deliver deadly blows.

A regular enemy of the Titans, Jade Nguyen has routinely been romantically involved with Arsenal, Roy Harper. With an iconic mask and twin sai weaponry, Cheshire has become an iconic DC villain over the years. She was a big player in the Young Justice animated series as the sister of the main character Artemis. Cheshire cannot be trusted. Using the art of seduction, men fall to their knees, and she gets them right where she wants them.

20 Knockout

First Appearance:Superboy (vol. 4) #1 (February 1994)

• Powers & Abilities: Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Durability, Immortality, Accelerated Healing

Originally from the planet of Apokolips, she was one of Granny Goodness’ Female Furies but was first encountered as an enemy of Superboy not long after he moved to Hawaii in the ‘90s.

She has used her powers of seduction and super strength to aid her in her quest for evil. She has been a member of the Suicide Squad but was killed in 2007 by Infinity-Man as he tracked down and killed New Gods. A short but iconic appearance in DC Comics, in other media she made an appearance in 2018’s animated movie, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay.

19 Rose Wilson

First Appearance:Deathstroke #15 (October 1992)

• Powers & abilities: Unique Physiology, Enhanced Mental Capabilities, Perfect Recall, Eidetic Kinesthesia, Accelerated Healing, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Stamina, Enhanced Reflexes, Intuitive Precognition.

As the daughter of Deathstroke, Rose Wilson has big boots to fill, but this character draws the line between good and evil and has even joined the Teen Titans, the team that her father has sought to destroy.

Sometimes known as Ravager, Rose has had some play in the spotlight featuring in the TV show Titans, showcasing her set of skills. This includes the ability to replicate anything once she has seen it once, combining this with her enhanced speed, strength, and agility, she is a worthy foe of those who oppose her, whether that be the heroes or the villains.

18 Queen Bee

First Appearance: Justice League of America #23 (November 1963)

• Powers & abilities: Alien Physiology, Bee Control, Flight, Hypno Pollen, Superhuman Strength, Superhuman Speed

Zazzala of the hive-world of Korll, is a villain that has tangled with the Justice League on multiple occasions over the years, and plots for the interstellar expansion of her species.

With a powerset that includes the control of bees, flight, and hypno pollen (which allows her to take command anyone to do as she pleases), she is a dominant foe and deserves to be the star villain of a movie. Queen Bee has featured in Young Justice, Justice League Unlimited, and Smallville but these have only been minor roles.

17 Blackfire

First Appearance: The New Teen Titans #22 (August 1982)

• Powers & abilities: Tamaranean Physiology, Linguistic Assimilation, Energy Absorption, Flight, Interstellar Travel, Superhuman Durability, Superhuman Strength, Prehensile Tongue, Cold and Heat Immunity, Blackbolts.

It appears that most comic characters have some form of evil sibling and Starfire is no exception as her big sister Blackfire is her polar opposite.

Just like Starfire of the Teen Titans, Komand’r or Blackfire hails from Tamaran, and on the day of her birth the Citadel Empire attacked the Tamaranean city of Kyssar and took the lives of over 3,000 citizens despite her just being born she was blamed for this attack and stripped of her birthright as the ruler of Tamaran. This drove her to detest her people and her sister who was given the title instead of her.

16 Talia Al Ghul

First Appearance: Detective Comics #411 (May 1971)

• Powers & abilities: Longevity, Genius Level Intellect, Business Management, Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced), Marksmanship, Swordsmanship.

A true challenge for Batman is Talia al Ghul. Not only is she the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, head of the Demon and user of the Lazarus Pit, but she has all of his finances, skills, battle knowledge, deranged sense of morality, and more. Talia makes herself a great adversary of her fighting abilities and her love for Batman.

What makes Talia al Ghul a compelling villain is her loyalty and hatred to her father and the fact that she is the mother of Bruce Wayne’s child, Damian Wayne. Talia has cemented herself into the Wayne bloodline with Damian as the heir to Batman and the Demon.

15 Martha Wayne

First Appearance: Flashpoint Vol 2 #1 (July 2011)

The Joker is one of the most famous villains of all time. So what happens when The Flash creates an alternate timeline in Flashpoint that turns Martha Wayne into The Joker? What happens, is an iconic villain is born. There’s an immense tragedy in Martha Wayne’s villainy, as she became the Joker after watching Joe Chill murder her son, Bruce Wayne.

Martha Wayne took the Joker look a step further, by carving a permanent smile into her face by slicing at her cheeks. As the Joker, Martha Wayne became the arch-rival of her husband, Thomas Wayne, who became Batman. It’s an interesting look into the Flashpoint timeline and a fresh take on the Joker/Batman mythos.

14 Circe

First Appearance:Wonder Woman #37 (September/October 1949)

• Powers & abilities: Magic, Projective Animal Metamorphosis, Matter Transmogrification, Reality Alteration, Immortality, Alter Minds, Magic Blasts, Magical Shields, Clairvoyance, Illusion Castin, Teleportation.

Wonder Woman and the Amazons have their work cut out for them thanks to the sheer hatred and villainy of Circe. Circe is immortal and has been honing her skills in magical powers for centuries. With Circe unleashed, she wastes no time in transforming innocent people into animal hybrids called the Ani-Men, creating an army of humanoid animals.

Wonder Woman’s love and compassion mean that she one day believes that Circe can redeem herself, which makes her villainy a difficult task to manage without killing her. Perhaps one day, Diana will see Circe turn a new leaf, but that day has not yet come, despite cracks in the villainous appearance.

13 Enchantress

First Appearance:Strange Adventures #187 (April 1966)

• Powers & abilities: Magic, Bio-Fission, Energy Projection, Eldritch Blast, Energy Construct Creation, Force Field, Flight, Molecular Reconstruction, Necromancy, Possession, Psychokinesis, Atmokinesis, Elemental Control, Cryokinesis, Electrokinesis, Chronokinesis, Mechanokinesis, Telekinesis, Reality Alteration, Resurrection, Telepathy, Empathy, Illusion Casting, Teleportation.

Magic users are often underappreciated in DC Comics, but Enchantress will make people remember just how fearful they should be of magic. Enchantress is a magic-wielding super-villain, and what makes her most interesting is the fact that she is nigh immortal, and uses the innocent woman, June Moone, as a vessel for her great power.

As the host, June Moone is a lovely woman, but when Enchantress breaks out, Earth will pay with its blood for confining her. Enchantress has battled many and has recently seen a lot of fame alongside the Suicide Squad.

12 Amanda Waller

First Appearance:Legends #1 (November 1986)

As far as DC villains females go, Amanda Waller is perhaps the one with the most power and grit. Although her power is not physical, that does not stop some iterations of the character from having great combat abilities. Amanda Waller has ultimate government power.

Although Waller may not be strictly a villain, her morality certainly is gray enough to class her as such. Waller does not care which of her agents dies, as they are all assets to her. She even works with and gives plea deals to villains, showing how methodical she is.

11 Livewire

First Appearance: Superman: The Animated Series “Livewire”

• Powers & abilities: Electrokinesis, Electron Reconstruction, Energy Absorption, Electro-Blast, Intangibility, Phasing, Electromagnetism.

Electricity powers have always been iconic when it comes to the superhero format. However, Livewire is one of the few characters that puts that into villainy. Livewire is a powerful enemy that takes the fight to none other than Superman, a metahuman known as Leslie Willis with shocking potential.

With growing powers in Electrokinesis, there’s a lot of potential for Livewire as a villain. Her villain costume is great, and has the essence of an electric rebel. The fact that she can absorb energy also makes her a dangerous opponent, especially in a world completely dependent on electricity.