The League of the Coolest Female Villains

Here at Quirk, we recently provided you with our favorite team of Ultimate Female Super Heroes in comic books. However, while it’s true that this team kicks absolute and total ass, heroes are nothing without their other half— the villains. So, next up is a look at the greatest female villains in comic books, and we’ve put together a squad that will rival that of our ultimate super women.

Like our Ultimate Female Super Heroes, each and every female villain chosen came from a different comic book publisher. If any of you thought that our hero team was full of some bad-ass ladies, this next group could bring the world to its knees.

Cassandra Nova (Marvel):

The writing of Grant Morrison can get a bit heady at times, and that is where Cassandra Nova comes from. Initially presented as the twin sister of Charles Xavier, Nova’s body was killed in utero—but her essence persisted inside her brother. Within Xavier she persevered and eventually created a body for herself, later attacking the X-Men. And she is a force to be reckoned with— her massive telepathic abilities are almost identical to Xavier’s and she is not afraid to use them. Ultimately it was revealed that Nova was not, in fact, the twin of Charles Xavier—but an intergalactic parasite known as a mummudrai… but being a space bug didn’t prevent her from destroying the mutant safe haven of Genosha. 

Poison Ivy (DC Comics):

While not exactly as epic as Cassandra Nova in her powers, Poison Ivy brings a lot of growth to this team (pun, naturally, intended). Her plant based powers can both attack and control, making her nefarious abilities incredibly versatile. On more than one occasion, Poison Ivy has used her powers to prove herself to be one of the most terrifying villains in Batman’s nemesis line up—and, if that weren’t enough, she’s even over taken Superman in the past. This lady isn’t green around the gills (or wait, maybe she is).

Mary Beth “Tambi” Baker (Abstract Studios):

Tambi has absolutely no powers— everything that this lady has, she got through hard work. Before there was Rhonda Rousey and Holly Holm, Ms. Mary Beth Baker was taking names and cracking skulls. As an enforcer for one of the most powerful crime syndicates in Terry Moore’s seminal work, Strangers in Paradise, Tambi is essentially a boogie man haunting the lives of Paradise’s heroes. Of course, Tambi doesn’t let her family get away with anything either—and whenever her half-sister, Katina, thinks she’s safe, a powerful left hook knocks her world upside down.

Dodge (IDW):

Locke and Key is one of the most unsettling comic book stories in recent history. This is, in large part, due to The Lady in the Well, a.k.a Dodge. This master manipulator manages to arrange things perfectly, bringing her prey directly to her without ever leaving the comforts of her own home. Capable of convincing almost anyone to do her bidding, Dodge is a force to be reckoned with. After all, she almost succeeded in bringing the entire Locke family to the point of total collapse.

The White Violin (Dark Horse):

Every evil team needs someone whose powers are capable of destroying the world. For our team, that someone is Dark Horse’s Vanya Hargreeves, also known as The White Violin. Originally believed to be “normal” by her super-powered siblings, Vanya underwent a treatment which brought her latent powers to the surface. From that point forward, a single-note played upon her violin had massively destructive powers, and she was nearly unstoppable; in fact, her brothers and sisters were barely able to subdue her when she began to play a piece of music known as “The Apocalypse Suite.” Keeping that in mind, if Vanya had been a part of this team when she’d rosined up her bow, we have no doubt that she would have finished her work.     

Roxie Richter (Oni):

Scott Pilgrim had some tough fights in his long battle to win the heart of Ramona Flowers, but none gave him as much trouble as Roxie Richter. Standing as the only Evil Ex that Scott could not defeat on his own, Roxie proved her worth as a skilled fighter with multiple weapons and an attitude to match. Her inclusion in this femme fatale line up would add some much needed talents, and ‘ttude, to the rounding out of this team.

Big Alice (Image):

This gunslinger is one of the toughest women in comics. Ever. Often seen with a gun in her hand, and a sword on her hip, Big Alice is an envoy of Death itself. Wandering the old west and killing people with grace and ease, she is one of those characters who simply will not give up until the mission is done. Big Alice, if given her way, will always be the last woman standing.