The Eraser

First appearing in Batman #188 (1966), The Eraser dresses as a number 2 pencil, naturally. The eraser on top of his head is laced with a chemical which ‘erases’ all forensic evidence at a crime scene. The character has a personal vendetta against Bruce Wayne, too, as they went to school together and Wayne dated the girl he was in love with.

Bat-Hombre

One of those characters that we can diplomatically call a product of its time, Bat-Hombre (introduced in Batman #56, 1949) is a South American variant on the Caped Crusader – which means he has a Pancho Villa mustache, wears a poncho and rides a horse. While he initially pretends to be an ally of Batman and Robin, he turns out to be a criminal.

Crazy-Quilt

A creation of legendary comics artist Jack Kirby, Crazy-Quilt first appeared in Boy Commandos #15 in 1946. Originally a painter named Paul Dekker, he loses his mind after surgery on his eyes leaves him with severe color blindness. This leads him to abandon art in favor of a life of villainy, fixated on crimes related to colors and quilts.

The KGBeast

In case the name wasn’t enough of a clue, Anatoli Knyazev aka The KGBeast was a product of late Cold War anxiety. Introduced in Batman #417 in 1988, the musclebound, cybernetically-enhanced assassin is sent to Gotham to kill ten prominent American politicians, including President Reagan. Though today the KGBeast may look like a Bane rip-off, he made his first appearance almost five years before Bane.

Condiment King

If the idea of a Batman villain armed with ketchup and mustard bottles seem literally impossible to take seriously, that’s because the character was indeed introduced as a joke. Condiment King first appeared not on paper but in a 1994 episode of Batman: The Animated Series, as a tongue-in-cheek homage to the colorful villains of the 1960s live-action TV show.

Calendar Man

Any good Bat-villain needs a attention-grabbing theme, and Calendar Man’s is to commit crimes that directly tie in to specific holidays or other notable dates. Introduced in Detective Comics #259 in 1958, his real name is Julian Gregory Day, and he wears a striking red and white calendar-themed costume and utilizes all manner of hi-tech gadgets in his date-based misdeeds.

Bat-Mite

A Batman-oriented variation on Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk, Bat-Mite first appeared in Detective Comics #267 in 1959. A seemingly omnipotent ‘fifth dimensional’ being, Bat-Mite is an obsessive fan of the Caped Crusader who enjoys re-ordering reality to impact Batman’s crime-fighting. Sometimes he’s an enemy, sometimes he’s an ally, but he’s always a very weird and wacky character.

The Birthday Boy

Simultaneously one of the goofiest and most genuinely unnerving Bat-villains, The Birthday Boy is a more recent addition to the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery, having first appeared in Batman: Earth One vol. 1 in 2012. A hulking psychotic serial killer in a burlap sack and a birthday party hat, with each kill he re-enacts his first murder: a 15-year old girl on her birthday. Eek.

Killer Moth

Bats aren’t the only winged menace that come out at night: what about moths? Introduced in Batman #63 in 1951, Killer Moth set out to become the anti-Batman, with the same dedication to protecting criminals as Batman has to protecting the innocent. Killer Moth later became a key Batgirl antagonist, and was poised to appear in the unreleased 2022 Batgirl movie.

Calculator

We’ve had a pencil-themed Batman villain; what else do kids take to school that a bad guy can be built around? Introduced in Detective Comics #463 in 1976, Noah ‘Calculator’ Kuttler utilizes personal computer technology in his suit which analyzes the tactics of his opponents so he can defeat them in battle. Unlike most calculators, this tech also generates weapons from thin air.