10 Wonder Woman Villains James Gunn’s DCU Can Make Instant Hits

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Wonder Woman is the third pillar of DC Comics’ Trinity, with the Amazing Amazon also being the most prolific female superhero of them all. Sadly, she isn’t always given her deserved reverence, and this treatment is shared with her villains. Thankfully, the new cinematic DC Universe can finally change this fate for the brand overall.

Wonder Woman’s biggest villains are perfect for the DCU, with upcoming movies and TV shows being able to cement them as major foes in the same light as what’s done with Superman and especially Batman’s villains. This also means improving on villains who were previously seen in the DC Extended Universe.

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #17 by George Pérez

Circe was already introduced to the DC Universe by way of the animated series Creature Commandos, but the treatment of her was fairly pathetic. She should have demolished this team of obscure characters and been a much bigger threat, all while referencing that they were nothing compared to Wonder Woman. This leaves the opportunity for later projects to completely rewrite the character, even if it means going against James Gunn’s horrible handling of her beforehand.

Circe needs to be cemented as one of Diana’s greatest enemies and more of a master of magic than anyone else in the DCU. Besides Wonder Woman, heroes such as Doctor Fate and Zatanna should know about and fear Circe due to how resourceful her mystical abilities are. This will make her threat well-known in the new universe while still connecting her mainly to the DCU’s Wonder Woman.

9

Ares Can Vex Both Gods and Mortals

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #1 by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter

Ares showed up as the main enemy in the 2017 DCEU Wonder Woman movie, with his design being similar to the one given to him by George Pérez in the 1980s. Making him the first major villain that Wonder Woman fights might be too much of a retread, but he should still be a prominent threat. He can initially work behind the scenes and influence the darker elements of the overall DC Universe.

Ares can manipulate various governments and militaries, much like he did in the George Pérez comic books. The ensuing violence would serve to make him stronger, with the character taking on different forms in front of different people. Thus, his armored post-Crisis on Infinite Earths design could be his “ultimate” form, while variant designs such as his New 52 appearance (where he was drawn to resemble series writer Brian Azzarello) could be used as he presents himself to mortals.

8

Doctor Psycho Is the Perfect Role for One Actor

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #5 by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter

Doctor Psycho is one of Wonder Woman’s first foes, and though his appearance might suggest otherwise, he’s one of the deadliest. Portrayed as a vile misogynist, Doctor Psycho has vast psychic powers that are sometimes fueled by ectoplasm. Even when Wonder Woman herself is immune to his control and manipulation, mortals are not, allowing him to strike at those she cares for most.

Many fans have suggested that Peter Dinklage portray Doctor Psycho, and the role would definitely be a good fit. Not only does the well-known Game of Thrones actor resemble the character, but he would bring gravitas to the role and cement Psycho as one of DC’s most disturbing villains. The key is to do so and not portray him in a cartoonish manner, the latter of which was shown in the Harley Quinn animated series.

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #9 by William Moulton Marston, H.G. Peter and Sheldon Mayer

Giganta has been around since Wonder Woman’s Golden Age comic books, but she didn’t gain her size-changing powers until the iconic Superfriends cartoon. Despite her notoriety, she’s never had a lot of prominence, and even in Diana’s comic books, she’s usually more of a “casual” villain who exists to be punched. The DCU can change that and finally give her some depth, allowing her to truly rise in importance.

Giganta might be connected to Wonder Woman’s mythological world in a different manner than usual, with the villain perhaps tied to Celtic giants. Likewise, she might be made comparable to Marvel’s savage hero Hulk, losing her intellect the larger and stronger she becomes. This would make her a true threat to even Wonder Woman when she reaches her full size.

6

The White Magician Can Face Diana and Zatanna

First Appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #3 by William Messner-Loebs

Mostly known in the modern day as the White Magician, Thomas Asquith Randolph is far older than he appears, with his incredible magical abilities allowing him to retain a version of his youth throughout the centuries. Seeking even more mystical power, he turns to truly arcane means to bolster his already magnificent magic. This puts him in the crosshairs of Wonder Woman, who struggles with him in the same way as she does Circe.

White Magician can be portrayed much differently from Circe, having less of a hand in the world of ancient mythology and being more “modern,” in a way. Likewise, he could face Wonder Woman while also being known by the likes of Zatanna, with the character acting as a villain to both heroes. A Wonder Woman/Zatanna crossover movie would be the perfect place for him to show up.

5

Silver Swan Is Wonder Woman’s Most Tragic Foe

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #288 by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan

The first version of Silver Swan was fairly different from her successors due to her magical connection to Mars (the Roman name for Ares). Silver Swan’s second and especially third incarnations were driven by tragedy, with the latter actually being a corrupted version of Vanessa Kapatelis, Diana’s friend and veritable “little sister” from Man’s World. This development was especially saddening, meaning that it’s perfect for the DCU.

James Gunn’s DC Universe needs to actually use Wonder Woman’s sidekicks and supporting cast, and that includes Vanessa Kapatelis. This way, a future movie where she’s seemingly abandoned by Diana can also see her turned into Silver Swan. Not only would she provide a physical threat to the Amazon, but she would also be her most emotionally draining challenger.

4

The DCEU Didn’t Feature the Best Version of Cheetah

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #6 by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter

The Cheetah is largely seen as Wonder Woman’s main rival, though she’s had several different incarnations with vastly different characterizations. The most prominent of these is Barbara Minerva, who’s usually portrayed as an archaeologist who, through different means, is mystically cursed to turn into a superhuman feline. Far more than just a woman in a suit like Catwoman, The Cheetah has the speed, power and ferocity to threaten Wonder Woman and several other DC heroes.

Cheetah didn’t have the best portrayal in the DCEU, with this version of the villainess part of the overall disappointing Wonder Woman 1984. A new version needs to make her a lot less tragic and showcase her bloodthirsty nature, giving her several victims as her body count piles up. Her nature as the cursed “bride” of Urtzkartaga would also make for a great contrast with the relationship that Diana has with her gods.

3

Veronica Cale Is Diana’s Lex Luthor

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #196 by Greg Rucka and Drew Johnson

Veronica Cale is one of the newer Wonder Woman foes, having debuted just over two decades ago. A corrupt entrepreneur, Veronica Cale’s rivalry with Wonder Woman is mainly due to jealousy over her status as a feminist icon. In this way, she’s very much like the version of Lex Luthor introduced by John Byrne, with that incarnation hating Superman more out of jealousy than true xenophobia.

Veronica Cale can exist in the DCU as the mouthpiece for various critiques of Wonder Woman, be it her status as a feminist or her ties to pagan gods. Likewise, she can also be portrayed as having business partnerships with other villains, namely Lex Luthor, Doctor Sivana and perhaps even heroes such as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. This way, she’d have a ubiquitous presence in the shared universe, and if her DC Rebirth incarnation is adapted, she can also have a somewhat tragic nature.

2

The First Born Can Show the Gods’ Dark Legacy

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #13 by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang

The New 52 rewrote Wonder Woman’s history, making her the daughter of Zeus instead of being made from clay. Likewise, there was another similar Olympian spawn in the form of the First Born. The First Born was the true first son of Zeus and Hera, with the character having been blotted out of history for fear that he would kill his father.

In the DCU, the First Born can be used to modernize Greek myths and differentiate this take on mythology from more watered-down examples such as Disney’s Hercules. This can be seen in his own harsh treatment as a baby and the grotesque hyena-men who work for him. If anything, his presence can make the DCU Wonder Woman series into more of a supernatural horror story than a traditional superhero movie series.

First Appearance: Wonder Woman #143 by Eric Luke

In most incarnations, Wonder Woman gains her powers after being blessed at birth by various Greek gods. This method was mirrored in one of her darkest and most powerful enemies. Instead of the Greek pantheon, Devastation was a violent child created to be the emissary of the mythological Titans.

Devastation is the champion of Cronus, Zeus’ father, a parallel to Diana. Despite her youthful appearance, she’s incredibly powerful and callous, with the character being full of hatred, anger and dark desires. A young actress could easily be cast as a teen Devastation, giving the DCU Wonder Woman a fight like she’s never had before.

“}]] The DC Universe has a great chance to use Wonder Woman’s villains, with these foes being cemented through movies and TV shows as major threats.  Read More