Supervillains will always be cooler than superheroes. They’re funnier, they’re weirder, they’re darker - and I think as a result, a little bit more relatable to our shadow selves. But more importantly? They dress better.

I think growing up on 90s Disney movies and the retooled Batman: The Animated Series rogues gallery really primed the pump for me to love villains. Even video games bosses were the most exciting part of any release.

But in comics - no matter how silly or serious the backstory may be, one thing is always true: supervillains love to dress in purple and green.

I’m not sure why. My best guess? On a subconscious, color theory level, hero costumes occupy more primary colors to keep them likable and familiar - and the colors you get on the opposite side of the color wheel are a bit more… outsider-y as a result? Even if Batman’s usually gray - the way he’s often colored includes blue cape n' tights and yellow on his Bat-symbol.

I’ll leave it up to a more essay-prone academic to figure out why supervillains love purple and green. I’m not a USC Adjunct Professor of Supervillain Studies! I’m just a guy who likes when other guys dress in purple and green.

So without further ado, please enjoy…

My Top 11 Purple & Green Supervillains

The Joker

Ever heard of him?? The most iconic bad boy of the bunch, the green’s even baked into his hair - no matter how cartoony or grounded an interpretation you get, the Joker is purple and green. A patron saint of the color combo.

Green Goblin

Norman Osborn’s only slightly less iconic than Mr. J to the general public, but for those in the know, he’s equally associated with purple and green. I love his flying Halloween store look, and in he 90s cartoon he’s the Angelyne of Spider-Man villains - an outfit color-coordinated with his ride.

Lex Luthor

When Luthor’s a billionaire CEO hiding his evil in plain sight? He wears a black suit. But when he’s ready to duke it out with Superman? He throws on a purple and green power suit babyyyy! Probably iconic because of the Super Powers action figure, but it’s singularly comic book beautiful - and apparently coming back for James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow sequel in 2027.

The Riddler

Maybe it’s the 1960s Batman lover in me, but I’ll always prefer a Matthew Lesko-coded Riddler with question marks smattered across a skintight jumpsuit than the suit and tie approach - though I wouldn’t be opposed to owning a purple and green suit a la Batman: The Animated Series.

Brainiac

A green-skinned alien android and Superman’s #2 baddie. Sometimes he favors magenta or pink over purple, sometimes his skin is more bluish-green, sometimes he shrinks people, sometimes he blows up planets! Either way, he’s the first instance of AI scraping data to steal other villains’ looks.

The Lizard

The Lizard comes from the Hulk school of villainy: green skin, purple pants, can’t lose. And like the Hulk, the Lizard is often at war with his monstrous side AKA the mild-mannered Dr. Curt Conners. Friend to Spider-man and nightmare to his lab coat budget.

Catwoman

Yes, Catwoman started as a purple and green queen! I’ll always prefer the Batman Returns approach for nostalgia’s sake, but I do enjoy the choice of an insanely long and cumbersome cape on this Selina Kyle.

Mysterio

Fishbowl head was always one of my favorite Spidey villains. Maybe it’s because he’s a special effects guy gone rogue, maybe it’s the fact that he wears a big dome over his head like my other childhood favorites Mr. Freeze and the Spooky Space Kook. Or maybe it’s that he’s simply insane looking?

Killer Moth

I gotta be honest. I don’t know shit about Killer Moth. He looks like a regular guy, who dresses like a moth? I think at one point they went full Man-Bat and made him a literal moth monster. But that guy wasn’t purple and green. I just truly love this 1970s wallpaper aesthetic, so… onto the list they go!

The Beetle

I know even less about Spider-Man’s Beetle! Is the original from the same era as Killer Moth? Are they the Dante’s Peak to Killer Moth’s Volcano? Who’s to say, this is my newsletter and I refuse to do the research.

Annihilus

You simply cannot go wrong with a Jack Kirby design. Annihilus is from Fantastic Four, he looks crazy, and he matches Lex Luthor’s old school power suit colors. So of course I love him.

My Top 3 Purple & Green Non-Villains

The Hulk

Technically a superhero - but Hulk fights other heroes (and his own inner demons) enough to make the honorable mentions. And he might be second most iconically purple and green after The Joker!

Audrey II

The mean green mother from outer space in Frank Oz’s adaptation of Little Shop is simply one of the greatest creature designs of all time.

Maleficent

I can count on 2 fingers how many times I’ve seen Sleeping Beauty, but I was a child of 1990s Disneyland so… you know I was obsessed with Fantasmic! And this design is genuinely gorgeous. I’ll forever love lime green fire breath.

Well, there you have it…

My newsletter has officially entered the realm of 2015 Buzzfeed listicle.

But truth is, I’ve kicked this list around in my notes app for a decade. I even mulled over a limited series podcast about it over pandemic! So I’m gonna consider this me getting a minor piece of creative output into the world.

But know this: if I ever get my hands on a superhero property, you can bet your goblin glider I’m gonna feature an episode or issue where all the purple and green villains team up. Maybe we follow their tailor, who becomes a villain. Driven to a life of crime in order to rob all the local fabric stores to satisfy their numerous purple and green-clad clients? Hire me, DC / Marvel!

Anyway, if you have any theories on why supervillains skew purple and green, or any comic book baddies I glaringly missed, lemme know!

NEXT TIME: The Pitching Trap