Perfect villains for Batman in The Brave & The Bold

with Batmanthe first appearance in the DCU showing the silhouette of Art Creature Commandos vs. Doctor Phosphorus, DC Studios has made it clear that it is Batman who must finally discover the fantastical elements of the Batman mythos that make the character and his world so incredible, leading to an incredible collection and selection of Rogues Gallery members for Brave and bold.

James Gunn has already announced the Batman DCU project as Brave and boldand given the huge demand for fantasy elements in the DCU's version of Batman, there are some great villains who deserve to see the light of day in Gotham, which might otherwise seem too big for the realistic approach of other directors like Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves.

7

Owl

Bruce Wayne's would-be younger brother is a deadly assassin

• First Appearance: Batman #1 (November 2011)

• Created by: Scott Snyder, Greg Coppola

Not to be confused with Earth-3's Owlman, the DCU's Batman could easily face off against Lincoln March, aka Thomas Wayne Jr. Brave and bold intends to create a Bat-family, especially with Batman and his son Damian Wayne, so why not further confuse and family ideals with Bruce Wayne's would-be younger brother who wants to kill him and take over Gotham City?

Owlman is an important figure in the Court of Owls, a group of villains who have ruled Gotham from the city's secret underbelly for centuries. The Owl brings an interesting element to the Batman mythos, as he is not only Batman's physical equal, but also conflicted, proving that Batman's family isn't just his butler and his dead parents.

6

A heretic

A violent and hateful clone of Damian Wayne

• First Appearance: Batman & Robin #12 (July 2010)

• Created by: Grant Morrison, David Finch

When Batman and Talia al Ghul had a son, she didn't expect her little assassin to betray her and become Gotham City's new Robin. As a result, she cloned Damian Wayne so she could give birth to the Batman killer child she had always dreamed of. Heretic had a horrible upbringing, raised by assassins and forced into adulthood through experiments.

Due to Heretic's upbringing and the full knowledge that he was a clone of Damian Wayne, he hated the original, whom he considered a brother, and did everything he could to kill that Robin. Having Heretic as the villain Brave and bold features the sinister nature of Talia al Ghul and the fantasy elements of the clones and their murderous desires that can make for an interesting night in Gotham City.

5

Poison ivy

An eco-terrorist who can control plant life himself

• First Appearance: Batman #181 (June 1966)

• Created by: Robert Kaniger, Sheldon Moldoff

While Poison Ivy appeared in the previous Batman film Batman and Robin (1997) played by Uma Thurman, it's safe to say that audiences would be happy to reprise the character in a more respected film. So it could reveal some of the horror and sinister aspects of her character that a director like Andy Muschietti could benefit from exploring.

Poison Ivy's status as a dedicated and twisted eco-terrorist who uses plants to kill people on demand to return Gotham City to mother nature could create an interesting twist to the story of a villain taking over the city. Seeing a young Damian Wayne Robin try to understand why his father, Batman, doesn't just kill these villains despite the damage it causes will show an interesting dynamic that Poison Ivy could be a catalyst for.

4

Killer step

A terrible monster hiding in the sewers

• First Appearance: Detective Comics #523 (February 1983)

• Created by: Jerry Conway, Don Newton, Gene Colan

Brave and boldCurrent director Andy Muschietti is no stranger to the creepy sewer thanks to his IT films, which is one of the reasons why a monster like Killer Croc can add a great aspect of fantasy horror to the mix. Having Batman in the sewers as he battles the human-crocodile hybrid shows that Gotham is more than just skyscrapers and streets.

While Killer Croc may not have the definitive presence to be the solo antagonist of a Batman movie, he can still cause some damage as he lurks in the sewers looking for Batman's body and scent. Adding Damian Wayne to the mix could also increase the danger of the child becoming prey to the cannibals, which would help him prove his worth to Batman and show Batman's reluctance to work with others because of the danger it poses.

3

Mr. Freeze

A villain with a cold, cold heart to everyone but his wife

• First Appearance: Batman #121 (February 1959)

• Created by: Bob Kane, David Wood, Sheldon Moldoff

Another villain in a Joel Schumacher movie Batman and Robin (1997) was Mr. Freeze, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is another fantastic villain that could be remade for the DCU, as Mr. Freeze has incredibly powerful imagery, a shadowy tragedy, and understandable, if somewhat insane, motives for plunging Gotham into an ice age so he can reunite with his incurable wife Nora.

Aspects of the sinister and highly intelligent Mr. Freeze haven't really been explored in live-action, so having Gotham City plunged into a snowy winter in the middle of summer due to Mr. Freeze's meddling would make for a great visual story that only further helps provide further insight into the tragedy of this villain, with Batman and Robin's fists ready to poetic confrontation once again.

2

Clay face

Former actor, accidental serial killer, and now shape-shifting clay monster

• First Appearance: Detective Comics #40 (June 1940)

• Created by: Bill Finger, Bob Kane

An amalgam of clay and psychopathic tendencies, Clayface has already been introduced in the DCU's Creature Commandos and has its own film in the DCU, created by horror writer/director Mike Flanagan. With Clayface set to become a prominent villain in the DCU, it would make sense for him to appear in some capacity for Brave and boldespecially when it looks like his horror/tragedy origins will be seen before the DCU's Batman.

The concept of a shape-shifter who must constantly maintain the shape of his clay form as he stalks Gotham City as an impostor among its people could already be steeped in tragedy, and it would serve as an interesting evolution for Batman's battle against the monster that could eventually become allies.

1

Ras al Ghul

Demon Head, Master of the League of Assassins and Damian Wayne's grandfather

• First Appearance: Batman #232 (June 1971)

• Created by: Dennis O'Neill, Neal Adams

Ra's al Ghul is a mastermind who has led the League of Assassins for centuries thanks to the power of his Lazarus Pits, which allow him to animate his flesh at the cost of his mind. Ra's al Ghul can cheat death and seeks a world under his control freed from crime by cleaning it up and starting over – so it's no wonder he and Batman don't exactly get along.

Ra's al Ghul would make a perfect antagonist Brave and bold due to its relation to the fantastic. He's Demon Head, a centuries-old villain with his own army of loyal assassins, and he just happens to be the grandfather of Batman's son, Damian Wayne, leading to potential conflicts of heroism and villainy.