The Best Villain Couples In DC Comics

Summary

• General Zod & Ursa’s deep love story defies the odds
• Brain & Mallah’s unique, emotional bond makes them stand out
• Joker & Harley Quinn’s dysfunctional but iconic relationship is a fan-favorite

The DC Universe features some of the most iconic villains in fiction, including The Joker, Lex Luthor, and Harley Quinn. Despite their villainous nature, these cold-hearted characters often form deep friendships and even romantic connections with one another, resulting in both thrilling and terrifying couples.

Whether they began as allies against a specific hero or coincidentally crossed paths while pursuing their next big score, these couples show that having a partner in crime can make all the difference, especially when going up against the heroes of the DC Universe. In this ranking, we will look at the best villain couples in DC Comics and what makes them so interesting.

8

General Zod & Ursa

The Kryptonian Power Couple

• First Comic Appearance – Adventure Comics #283 (General Zod) / Adventure Comics #845 (Ursa)
• Creators – Robert Bernstein, George Papp (General Zod) / Mario Puzo, David Newman (Ursa)

As leader of the Kryptonian Military, General Zod didn’t have much time for a love life while living on Krypton. However, it was in the Kryptonian military that he met his future wife Usra, a battle-hardened warrior and perfect suitor for Zod. The two even went on to have a child called Lor-Zod.

Although in some depictions, Ursa is replaced with Faora, Zod and Ursa’s relationship is much more interesting and stable. The best storyline featuring these two Kryption warriors is Action Comics #984, where we see Zod and Ursa fighting side by side against Superman.

7

The Brain & Monsieur Mallah

The Strangest Couple In DC

• First Comic Appearance – Doom Patrol #86 (The Bain and Monsieur Mallah)
• Creators – Arnold Drake, Bruno Peemiani (The Bain and Monsieur Mallah)

This couple is perhaps the most unique and weird in the DC Universe. The Brain was once a brilliant scientist who met an unfortunate end in an explosion. However, his supposed death was short-lived after Mallah rescued him, placing his brain into a containment unit.

The two went on to get revenge on the scientist who caused the explosion and formed the Brotherhood of Evil. Over the years, they have worked side by side, often causing issues for the Doom Patrol and Teen Titans. Although this isn’t a conventional relationship, the two share a deep emotional connection and have been confirmed to be in love with each other.

6

Joker & Harley Quinn

The Most Iconic Super-Villain Couple

• First Comic Appearance – Batman #1 (Joker) / The Batman Adventures #12 (Harley Quinn)
• Creators – Bill Finger, Bob Kane (Joker) / Paul Dini, Bruce Timm (Harley Quinn)

Perhaps the most iconic yet dysfunctional relationship in DC Comics is the relationship between The Joker and Harley Quinn. It’s no surprise, given the Joker’s twisted and broken mental state, that the relationship is one side, with Harley devoting her life to the Joker, while the Joker sees Harley more as a tool than anything else.

Even though this couple is a match made in hell, fans still appear to love this twisted relationship, and thankfully there are some stories where the Joker shows a genuine attachment to Harley. Despite how abusive this relationship is, it deserves a place on this list for how iconic and infamous it is within the DC Universe.

5

Killer Croc & Enchantress

Beauty And The Beast

• First Comic Appearance – Detective Comics #523 (Killer Croc) / Strange Adventures #187 (Enchantress)
• Creators – Gerry Conway (Killer Croc) / Bob Haney, Howard Purcell (Enchantress)

After originally being seen as a weird fan theory, Killer Croc and Enchantress have become a fan-favorite couple, with fans wanting to see more of them. This Beauty and the Beast-type relationship was hinted at for years with the first real appearance in Suicide Squad #20 (2016).

Although this relationship was short-lived, as it seems the writers don’t allow Killer Croc to have a happy ending, many fans have been arguing for a full comic run with this couple for many years now. The contrast between the two characters makes for a great story with Killer Croc having a monstrous exterior, while the beautiful June Moore has the monstrous Enchantress inside.

4

Joker & Punchline

The Jokers’ Most Functional Relationship

• First Comic Appearance – Batman #1 (Joker) / Batman Volume 3 #89 (Punchline)
• Creators – Bill Finger, Bob Kane (Joker) / James Tynion IV (Punchline)

The relationship between The Joker and Punchline is not dissimilar to the relationship between The Joker and Harley Quinn, but it does seem that the Joker treats Punchline with more respect than he ever treated Harley. Punchline was created as an ‘Anti-Harley’, often silent and intimidating as opposed to flamboyant and loud.

It does appear that The Joker has genuine feelings for Punchline, often seeing her as an equal partner in crime, and he even regards her as the ‘funniest gal’ he’s ever met. The couple played a key role during the Joker War, with Punchline acting as the Joker’s right hand.

3

Punch & Jewelee

Childhood Sweethearts Turned Super-Villains

• First Comic Appearance – Captain Atom #85 (Punch and Jewelee)
• Creators – David Kaler, Steve Ditko (Punch and Jewelee)

Punch and Jewelee are one of the most caring and loving couples in the DC Universe. The two jesters were childhood sweethearts who fell into a life of crime after discovering some forgotten alien equipment and couldn’t resist the temptation to use this technology to become super-villains.

Although they were originally seen as a joke and even referred to as a cheap version of the Joker and Harley Quinn by fans over the years, the pair have become much more respectable and feared as villains. They have met unfortunate deaths in some storylines, however, their most wholesome story ended with them leaving the life of crime behind to have a child.

2

Victor & Nora Fries

A Tragic Love Story

• First Comic Appearance – Batman #121 (Mr Freeze) / Batman: Mr Freeze (Nora Fries)
• Creators – David Wood, Sheldon Moldoff (Mr Freeze) / Paul Dini, Bruce Timm (Nora Fries)

The story of Victor and Nora Fries is a truly tragic tale. After meeting one another at boarding school, the young couple fell madly in love and got married shortly after. Not long after their marriage, Nora became terminally ill, and Victor placed her into cryostasis while he searched for a cure.

Victor’s search for the cure sent him down a dark path, becoming one of Batman’s most popular and compelling villains, Mr Freeze. All the dark and questionable actions of Mr Freeze come down to his love for Nora as he tirelessly works to find the cure. Although they often don’t get a happy ending, in one storyline Nora was cured of her illness and became Mrs Freeze.

1

Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy

DC’s Most Popular Super-Villain Couple

• First Comic Appearance – The Batman Adventures #12 (Harley Quinn) / Batman #181(Poison Ivy)
• Creators – Paul Dini, Bruce Timm (Harley Quinn) / Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infanito (Poison Ivy)

After Harley Quinn finally left The Joker, her relationship with Poison Ivy quickly became romantic, with them now being officially recognized as a couple in most DC media. Despite years of fan fiction and theories, the couple became official in 2016, with them even getting married in Injustice: Year Zero #8 in 2020.

Despite both originating as love interests for Batman and Joker alike, the two are now the premier villainous couple in the DC Universe. Their best stories as a couple come from the ongoing Harley Quinn comic run, the Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy Miniseries, and the Animated Harley Quinn show.