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For decades now, comic book fans have long pondered the question of who would win in a fight if their favorite characters from different publishers managed to break free of their copyright constraints and battle each other. Luckily, Marvel and DC have let this happen a few times, even if the results of Superman vs The Hulk or Batman vs Captain America didn’t go down as many predicted. Even now, the two publishers are collaborating on crossover events that scratch major itches for curious fans who have always wondered what would happen when certain characters meet.
What about an exchange, though? Rather than just having Marvel characters meet DC characters, which ones from the publisher would actually thrive even better in the creative environment developed by the other? It’s not that Marvel has neglected these villains, though some they arguably have, but rather they might be able to thrive even better in the narratives that can be found at the Distinguished Competition, even if they’re a central antagonist in a giant crossover event currently happening.
7) The Maker
One of the greatest villains of the 21st Century at Marvel Comics, The Maker is so strong as an antagonist that even though he’s the linchpin of the entire Ultimate universe, he might still be even better at DC. It would even be beneficial for the entirety of The Maker’s history at Marvel to remain his backstory, a former hero who lost his way and became the ultimate villain but who also is well aware of his multiversal counterparts, different universes, and how choice can change everything.
Multiversal threats are handled much better at DC in terms of grand storytelling, with the publisher never shying away from heroes of alternate Earths meeting (DC KO just did this). That said, The Maker would be a great antagonist for the likes of Reed Richards’ counterparts in the DCU, like Mister Terrific, who would immediately be a great rival for him.
6) Kraven the Hunter
Even though the Spider-Man villain has been at the center of some great stories with the wallcrawler, Kraven the Hunter has somewhat lost his place in the hierarchy of villains for the hero. Though he’s tussled with plenty of other Marvel heroes, he might do even better going up against the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash. Kraven also could arrive in the DCU in a unique place where he not only eager to prove himself against the heroes, but against some of its villains too. Just imagine Kraven going toe-to-toe with Cheetah, Killer Croc, Man-Bat, or even what his reaction would be to finding out about Gorilla City.
5) Purple Man
Sometimes a villain’s curse is that his powers are too good right away, and there’s no way to develop them further without completely breaking the narrative. Zebediah Killgrave, aka The Purple Man, is an example of this, with his mind-control abilities in his first appearance making him one of the most powerful Marvel antagonists of all time (as a result, he has as many appearances in the past 5 years as he did in his first 36 years). Given no one in Marvel seems to want to touch him (arguably, the greatest Purple Man story has been told with his use in Alias), maybe DC could figure out how to make him work. One character that might be the perfect hero to face off against him is Green Lantern, not only for the colorful naming conventions, but because heroes with strong wills tend to be able to resist The Purple Man’s influence.
4) Bolivar Trask
Since his debut in X-Men #14 back in 1965, the world of the X-Men has largely evolved beyond the simplicity of a villain like Bolivar Trask. Though the creator of the Sentinels is obviously a major influence on the entire line, as a character in the story, he’s clearly run his course. Within the DCU, Trask would face the reality of a world that not only has a slew of meta-humans but also welcomes them with open arms. As a result, it would force him to take his extreme beliefs and scientific prowess to similarly minded antagonists, likely working with villains like Lex Luthor or Maxwell Lord.
3) Hit-Monkey
Though straddling the anti-hero line moreso than villain, we can all agree that Hit-Monkey is not appearing in enough comics at Marvel (his last fully canon appearance was in Domino #1 back in 2018). If the gun-toting Japanese Macaque can’t a place in the Marvel narrative, maybe DC, which has a better track record of working with their animal characters, can find a place for him. Marvel’s mercenary game is largely defined by Deadpool and Bullseye, with any others that might fall into this camp largely being ignored. DC, on the other hand, has a slew of mercenaries who all have regular appearances across titles, like Deathstroke or Deadshot; better than that though, Hit-Monkey would be a perfect addition to the Suicide Squad. Plus, were he to join DC, he already has a rival in Detective Chimp.
2) Stilt-Man
This classic Daredevil villain has become a fan-favorite over the year because of his commitment to only making his legs even longer. Though the Chip Zdarsky run of the series was able to reinvent him in a way that proved a modern, gritty Stilt-Man could actually work, the charm of the character’s original appearances is still what the people crave. Stilt-Man’s aesthetic and old-school criminal stylings may not fit into the Marvel playbook anymore, but DC has managed to maintain villains of a similar nature for decades. If Kite-Man can literally be resurrected from obscurity to the point that he carries his own animated series, then Stilt-Man can, too.
1) The Void
The opposite side of The Sentry, The Void, is once again a concept that arrived with almost too much power and is often shunned to the side because it’s a major problem if allowed to exist fully in the narrative. If placed into the DCU, though, The Void would be just one of several characters with universe-destroying capabilities and an ambition that goes beyond simple control. Frankly, the scope of The Void’s powers, along with the meta-backstory of The Sentry as a forgotten superhero erased from continuity, makes him a much easier fit into the larger DC continuity. Naturally, he’d be a rival to the Justice League, but could just as easily go head-to-head with Darkseid; but there’s also the potential for him to befriend other heroes with a meta-awareness, like Animal Man, Ambush Bug, and Lobo.