Batman - Top 20 Rogue Gallery Members Part 1

Now that I've completed Batman: The Animated Series, done reviews for the Burton/Schumacher/Nolan movies and am waiting for the arrival of Gotham, I thought I would do something of a rundown of twenty of the most influential (and interesting) members of the Rogue Gallery. So without further ado, here we go ...

16: Killer Croc (Waylon Jones)

One of the more mutated of Batman's rogue collection, I have to admit that while Croc might be one of a few villains that could be a little hard to translate on the big screen (if other future movies continue down Nolan's grittier path), I do find Croc fascinating enough as a character. He's certainly an imposing presence, which is fitting considering that he's also a former professional wrestler as well.

17: Professor Hugo Strange

If there were at least one other rogue member who had a fixation for Batman besides the Joker and Catwoman, it would be Hugo Strange, The mad professor seems a little desperate to literally want Batman's crime fighting lifestyle as well as being aware of who exactly was behind the cape and cowl as well. Certainly one of the most deranged and genius of the villains out there.

18: Carmine Falcone

Not every villain in Batman's universe needs a costume in order to make a presence and one of two of them to feature on here would be the Roman himself. Falcone himself is certainly a brutal enough mob boss with his own particular reign of terror and hold on Gotham as well as his rivalries with fellow mobsters and other rogue members, along with a possible connection to a certain jewel thief if other comics are anything to go by.

19: Ventriloquist/Scarface

Initially, when I first saw this double act, it did seem a little like it was parodying a mobster act, rather than being the real deal itself but the combination of mild manner/multiple personalities Arnold Wesker and his psychotic puppet Scarface (or it is the other way) meant that these two made for an interesting team.

20: Sal Maroni

Another gangster on the list but certainly a prominent. Like Falcone, Maroni certainly has something of an influence over Gotham City, including his own moniker - the slightly less inspiring the boss. Of course, there was another reason why Maroni just about managed to make my Top 20 list - he is after all responsible for the creation of another rogue member.

Next blog will be tomorrow.