5. Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage, is the man who’s been there and done that for thousands of years in the DC Comics universe. He’s a big bad that makes world domination look like a walk in the park. And he’s got the backstory to prove it.
If you don’t know, Vandal Savage was born in the Paleolithic era and stumbled upon a meteorite with some mysterious radiation that made him immortal. This technically makes him the original Meteor Man (sorry Robert Townsend).
With this newfound power, Savage did what any immortal would do — conquer the world. He’s far removed from the typical mustache-twirling villain. Nah, he’s got some complex (albeit very wrong) reasons behind his evil plans that somehow connect him to so many DC characters.
Through his many lives, Savage has crossed paths with everyone from the Justice Society to the Legion of Doom. Plus, his involvement with Hawkman and Hawkgirl adds a layer to his lore that we need to see play out on the big screen.
The blueprint is there thanks to Young Justice. The critically acclaimed series did something truly amazing. In the series, they took a deep dive into his backstory, showing how he manipulated history and played a part in major events. It’s storytelling at its finest and a must-watch for any DC fan. With that said, let’s give it up to the great Vandal Savage, the immortal mastermind we can’t help but love to hate.