Warning: SPOILERS for Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1
It’s been a great year for villains. Some of the biggest baddies in the DC Universe have emerged at the top of the food chain, others have forged new paths of villainy, and some have shifted from villain to hero and vice versa. But who’s the year’s top villain, according to readers? Fans have decided, and the winner is… The Batman Who Laughs.
The Batman Who Laughs was created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo and first appeared in 2017’s Dark Days: The Casting #1, playing a prominent role in the Dark Knights: Metal storyline. Originally an alternate version of Batman from Earth-22, he becomes the Batman Who Laughs after getting exposed to chemicals that make him a mix of the Joker and Batman. Think Batman’s skills and intelligence mixed with the Joker’s craziness, unpredictability, and lack of morals. Combining the characters made for an immediately popular creation who’s starred in multiple titles including his own miniseries.
In Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1 by Mark Russell, Mike Norton, and Hi-Fi, the most notable DC villains have put on their fanciest clothes and head to the Annual Villain Awards hosted by Harley Quinn. Harley hands out a few awards, including The Lifetime Achievement Award to Gentlemen Ghost, the Obsession Award to Bane and the Best Moral Justification to Flashpoint Batman. After falsely giving top honors to Flamingo to stop a potential threat, Harley reveals the real Villain of the Year is the Batman Who Laughs.
Batman Who Laughs earned Villain of the Year - and other villains got their awards - thanks to a fan vote on the DC Comics official website. There were 25 different candidates to choose from for Villain of the Year, including Deathstroke, Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Bane, Flashpoint Batman, and Lex Luthor. Ultimately, the Batman Who Laughs won out thanks to his massive rise in popularity. As Harley put it, “Wow! Big shocker! Ya voted for a mash-up of DC’s most popular characters!” A shocker, indeed.
Hopefully, Russell and the creative team behind the book get the chance to do an annual awards show title. Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1 is a hilarious book showcasing the best of what DC has to offer. Ultimately, the Batman Who Laughs walked away with the top honors as DC’s Villain of the Year - and deservedly so.
