Earlier this month, the Joker was confirmed as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, the upcoming DC Comics fighting game from the creators of Mortal Kombat. However, while the images we’ve seen of him have certainly brought a smile to our faces, we haven’t gotten a great in-game shot of his deliriously disturbing grin. Until now, that is…

 

As a special Halloween treat for fans, and to send Super-Villains Month off in grand style, we present to you an exclusive new screenshot of Injustice’s Joker!

 

Click on the image to see it full-size.

 

Of course the Joker’s smiling, but something tells us if anyone's grinning after going a round with him, it's likely to be a fatal one. So what do you think? Can the Joker bring the pain? Or is this new fighter just fit for clowning around?

Last week, we asked for your help in putting together the Ultimate Super-Villain Team. Many of our popular super-villains were in the running in nine distinctly different categories. The one thing they all had in common was a penchant for evil schemes and a willingness to lie, cheat and steal their way to the top.

 

Well, the votes are in, and while we can’t rule out ballot tampering or other shady business with this crew of candidates, we’re going to go on ahead and announce the winners. Ladies, gentlemen and super-villain lovers the world over, we now present to you 2012’s Ultimate Super-Villain Team…as chosen by you!

 

 

 

 

World Conqueror: Ra’s al Ghul

 

Maybe it’s because of his importance to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight film trilogy, or maybe you all just have a thing for cool mustaches, but the Demon’s Head…ahem, headily rose to the top in the tough category of World Conqueror, beating out the likes of Black Adam, Vandal Savage, Gorilla Grodd and Black Manta. Perhaps it’s because years of life lead to years of experience, but something tells us he could wind up leading this team…or at least believing he does.

 

 

Evil Genius: Lex Luthor

 

Standing alongside Ra’s al Ghul is Lex Luthor, the clear winner in the Evil Genius category. Considering his popularity, there’s little shock to seeing Lex come out on top, though we wouldn’t be surprised if he manipulated his way to the win. Along with his intelligence (which is formidable), Lex also brings his sizeable bank account to the team, ensuring that any of their evil schemes will have the funding to find success. At least as long as Lex sees the team as a worthwhile investment…

 

 

Crime Boss: Penguin

 

Oswald Cobblepot received some not-so-friendly competition from Black Mask in this category, but pulled ahead for the win. Perhaps the thought of using the Iceberg Lounge as the team HQ resulted in a last minute show of support. Whatever the reason, the Penguin has the skills and the resources to oversee the group’s crime operations, even if it means they’ll also have to clean up after the occasional flightless Antarctic bird.

 

 

Mad Scientist: Scarecrow

 

Shaking off the likes of Mister Freeze and the Reverse-Flash, Dr. Jonathan Crane scared up the most votes in this category. While lacking the physical strength or super-human abilities of some of his fellow teammates, Scarecrow’s brilliant mind and warped sense of morality will help bring any seemingly impossible scheme the group concocts into the realm of the possible…and keep anyone unfortunate to cross their path running in terror.

 

 

Alien Overlord: Darkseid

 

When it comes to super-villains, there are more than a few who can be called “out of this world.” And yet, Darkseid clearly claimed the win in this category, destroying competitors such as Sinestro and Atrocitus (those power rings can construct plenty of things…but votes aren’t one of them). Let there be no disagreement, destroy is the right word to use here, since destruction is often all that’s left in his wake. Darkseid’s never been a team player and it’s unlikely he ever will be. So one has to suspect that if he’d ever consent to joining a team of super-villains, it’s part of a much bigger plan…one that would end not just with him taking control of the team, but pretty much all of existence.

 

 

Femme Fatale: Catwoman

 

Tempting as it is to say this team could really use a feminine touch, you really don’t want to touch Catwoman, unless you’re in the mood for one painful trip to the ER. While her ability to steal even the most tightly secure items is legendary, so is Selina Kyle’s relationship with a certain Dark Knight. Catwoman was the clear winner in this category (beating out a list of competitors that also including Talia al Ghul—Batman sure does like his Femme Fatales, doesn’t he?), but one has to wonder whether she’d work harder in support of the team or against it. As for her loyalty, well, it will almost certainly remain where it always has—to herself.

 

 

Monster: Doomsday

 

Perhaps it’s fear over what a Superman-killing super-villain would do if he lost. In what has to be seen as an upset in this election, Doomsday stole the win in this category, beating out a monstrous number of competitors that included Solomon Grundy, Clayface, The Demon, Bizarro and Killer Croc. While it’s highly unlikely that Doomsday would contribute much to the team’s strategy, the villain’s strength and destructive power is well documented, and it’s all-too-clear what Doomsday could become if he were to join this or any other super-villain team: their most dangerous weapon.

 

 

Mercenary: Deathstroke

 

Lethal, merciless and without equal, Deathstroke absolutely slayed the competition in the Mercenary category, which is fitting considering his occupation. Reputation and money are what seem to drive Slade Wilson, and being a part of a team of super-villains such as this one would bring both in spades. A team like this needs its muscle, and it’s hard to argue that Deathstroke wouldn’t bring that and more. Plus, anyone who’s read Team 7 knows that he can be a team player. For how long, though, remains to be seen.

 

 

Wild-Card: The Joker

 

Hands down (and face off) the Joker smashed his competitors in this category. That’s not hyperbole—this category wasn’t even close. With 79% of the vote, even his fan-favorite companion Harley Quinn couldn’t make much of a dent (and speaking of Dents, Two-Face didn’t fare much better). It’s hardly surprising. About the only thing you can predict when it comes to the Joker is his popularity. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess. But if anyone expects to be able to control the Clown Prince of Crime, the joke’s definitely on them, which makes one wonder how long he’d last on a team like this.

 

 

There you have it. The best of the DC bad guys, as chosen by all of you. So are you satisfied with the list? How long do you think this team would last, and what would ultimately prove to be their undoing? Feel free to post your thoughts and comments below!

All month long we’ve been celebrating Super-Villains on DCComics.com, and for good reason—DC has some of the best bad guys in the biz!

 

But who are the baddest of the bad? The most super of the super-villains? Who should be a part of the most terrifying team in the entire DC Universe? We’re about to find out. Over the next few days, we’re asking you to help us put together the Ultimate DC Comics Super-Villain Team. We’ve placed some of our most formidable foes into categories to ensure that the team is diverse and well-rounded, but beyond that it’s up to you. Vote for your favorite super-villains below between now and 5 p.m. PST on Monday, October 29th. Then on October, 30th, visit DCComics.com for 2012’s Ultimate Super-Villain Team.

 

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So you want to launch a criminal empire.

 

Maybe you really, really like money, but don't want to spend years toiling away at a job and earning it through "hard work" and "dedication." Maybe you really like the idea of being in charge and having minions to do your bidding—and the idea of monologues gets you as giddy as Cookie Monster locked in an Oreo factory. Maybe you seriously love the movie Scarface but totally missed the point of that film. Or maybe Super-Villains Month on DCComics.com has brought out a bit of your evil side—which we totally get (we recently saw a sign that said "No Loitering" and stood there for, like, 20 seconds!).

 

Whatever the reason, being bad just seems oh so good all of a sudden, and you’ve decided it's time you started your own villainous organization. Considering the amount of heroes that generally populate the DC Universe, we don't necessarily encourage this course of action, but to each their own. We won't judge. But we will offer this little piece of advice: DO NOT GO TO GOTHAM CITY. Seriously. Start your organization somewhere else.

 

 

Gotham may seem appealing—it’s already a breeding ground for crime and seems to have a revolving door policy on criminals—but don't be fooled. In fact, we’re here with 5.2 Reasons to Stay Away from Gotham (When Starting a Criminal Empire).

 

1. Batman

Honestly, this should be obvious. If you didn't know, there's a nocturnal enthusiast in Gotham that enjoys dressing like a bat, hopping around rooftops, and—most importantly to you—beating the ever-living tar out of criminals. This guy has a zero tolerance policy on crime and will use not only his fists to prove it but a whole array of gadgets and gizmos designed to disable even the toughest of foes—and believe us, there are some tough ones. He got his back broken and got better. He was jettisoned back in time as a quantum-leaping bomb and still figured a way out of it. Unless you have superpowers—and even then it probably wouldn't do you much good—he is not someone you want to tangle with.

 

 

2. Criminal Overpopulation

You never want to saturate the market. Stock goes down or whatever. We're not too sure how it works. We hide our money in squirrel nests—because if they can hide their acorns in our yard, we can hide our money in theirs. The point is that too many people competing for the same steal is bad for business, and Gotham gangs are incredibly territorial. It's not uncommon for wars to break out and one gang to eliminate another. In fact, there was an instance after an earthquake where that exact thing happened. But really the biggest gangs already belong to the biggest bads, and they would not hesitate to torture or kill anyone who tries to encroach on their territory—especially some upstart newcomer.

 

 

3. Costumed Villainy

Another trademark of the Gotham City criminals is their tendency toward the spectacle—namely dressing up in costumes and running amok throughout the city committing acts of themed villainy. The most powerful villains all have their own shtick, and if you really want to become someone in Gotham, you'll have to follow suit. However, all the really good ones are already taken: ice, birds, enigmas, Alice in Wonderland-based psychotic delusions. But hey, you could always be the next Balloon Master, committing crimes and leaving behind balloon animals as your calling card.

 

4. It's Full of Crazy People

Look, Gotham City is protected by a potentially unstable human being that dresses like a bat. So needless to say, its villainous population isn't exactly the sanest group of individuals. One guy commits crimes on holidays dressed in a costumed based on said holiday. (Google Calendar Man if you don't believe us.) But make no mistake: crazy as they may be, they are all incredibly dangerous. Going into Gotham, you're practically walking into a madhouse...

 

 

5. Arkham Asylum

...and then you get sent to an actual madhouse. Just about all of Gotham's worst villains get sent to Arkham eventually. And of course, they respond by eventually and often violently breaking out—leaving behind a path of death and chaos with a regularity that would make the sun rising every day seem like a freak occurrence. Arkham Asylum is not a place you want to be. Ever. Unless you enjoy living each day of your life in constant fear of a guy who thinks his ventriloquist dummy is real or a girl who not only spends every day talking to plants, but somehow gets them to do what she says. In which case, maybe you belong in there after all.

 

 

5.1 There's a 10-Year-Old That Can Beat You Up... And Will Gladly Do So

 

 

5.2 You Never, Ever, Ever Want to Run Into This Guy:

 

 

So as you can see, Gotham City might not be the best place to kickstart your criminal empire. Maybe you should try Metropolis... oh wait, they have Superman. Well, there’s Star Ci... Central or Keystone... no... You know what, maybe you just shouldn't start a criminal empire. We really don't think it's going to work out. Instead, keep visiting DCComics.com and live the bad life vicariously as Super-Villains Month continues!