Batman has a truly crazy constabulary of villains. Sure, there are the A-listers, like the Penguin, the Joker, Two-Face, Killer Croc, and Bane. But that's just the start. What about the Penny Plunderer, Kangaroo Kiley, Professor Powderer, Son of Pyg, or Mister Mammoth? Chances are, you've never heard of them.
That's a gap in your education that the latest infographic from Pop Chart Lab wants to set right. The second volume of its Myriad Monikers Of Gotham's Villain Chart, Pop Chart's new infographic groups pretty much every bad guy the Dark Knight has ever pummeled into one flowchart.
A different design featuring much of the data in this infographic was released by Pop Chart two years ago. Both aim to be veritable who's whos of knaves and ne'er-do-wells who have gone head-to-head with the Caped Crusader. The main difference in the latest version is the design: this one is inspired by the look of Batman comics of the 1960s, right down to Pop Chart's pastiche of the D.C. Comics logo.
In general, Batman's villains tend to be grouped in distinct kingdoms, phyla, and genuses. Batman has numerous villains who fit under the rubric of the animal kingdom, for example (Goatboy, anyone?): There are reptiles (Kobra and King Snake), birds (Gunhawk and the Condor), and a surprising number of owl-themed villains (including Owl Man, the Court of Owls, and even the Night Owl Gang).
There's also a cultural chronology to Batman's rogues gallery. In the 1940s and 1950s, Batman tended to bust a lot of mobsters, with names like Brainy Walker, "Kid Gloves" McConnell, and "Trigger Joe" Travers. By the 1960s, though, Batman was almost exclusively kicking in the teeth of zanier enemies with names like The Clock Master, Mister Polka Dot, Batzarro, and Humpty Dumpty. You can thank the Batman TV show for that.
The Myriad Monikers Of Gotham's Villains chart will go on sale July 29. You can preorder it today starting at $20 here.