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Sometimes, Marvel and DCintroduce characters that were never meant to be hated, yet readers grow so tired of them they might as well be irredeemable villains. Marvel's Green Goblin was designed as a personal nightmare for Spider-Man, both because Norman Osborn is obsessed with tormenting Peter Parker and his loved ones, and because his physical appearance feels ripped straight out of a horror movie. Similarly, Carnage embraces murder as a form of self-expression and Bullseye approaches sadism as an art form. Over at DC, the Joker thrives on meaningless suffering, and both Reverse-Flash and Black Manta dedicate their whole existence to ruining their respective heroes' lives.
Marvel and DC have also produced moments that are still controversial years or even decades after publication. For instance, Ultimate Captain America's dismissive remark about the French in The Ultimates became infamous for presenting Steve Rogers as far more abrasive than his main-universe counterpart, and One More Day erased Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane through a deal with Mephisto. Likewise, Sins Past sparked widespread criticism for its treatment of Gwen Stacy's legacy. In the DC Universe, Heroes in Crisis drew criticism for its revelation that Wally West caused Sanctuary's tragedy, and Injustice transformed Superman into an authoritarian ruler with no chance at redemption.
Multiple factors need to come together in order to make a comic book character hated by readers. When it happens, undoing the damage becomes a matter of decades, at best.
Jason Todd
Jason Todd Is The Original Hated Hero
During his original tenure as Batman's second Robin, Jason Todd struggled to gain acceptance from readers who compared him unfavorably to Dick Grayson and criticized his impulsive personality and confrontational attitude. These frustrations culminated in the famous telephone poll that allowed readers to decide whether Jason would survive the events of Batman: A Death in the Family. The vote resulted in Jason's death at the Joker's hands, which created one of Batman's greatest personal tragedies and cemented Jason as one of the few DC heroes killed directly by a villain, as well as one of the few major character deaths that seemed to be completely permanent.
Everything changed with Batman: Under the Hood, which reintroduced Jason as the Red Hood and completely transformed the discussion surrounding him. Judd Winick reframed Jason as a morally conflicted antihero whose willingness to kill exposed uncomfortable questions about Batman's crime-fighting methods. Besides the pain of his own death, Jason Todd's return as the ruthless Red Hood reflected a sincere belief that Gotham's endless cycle of violence persisted because Batman refused to eliminate irredeemable criminals like the Joker. This ideological conflict gave Jason a unique place within the Bat-Family, and his popularity steadily grew as later writers expanded his relationships with other vigilantes.
Hank Pym
Hank Pym's Mistakes Crossed A Line
Hank Pym is one of Marvel's earliest legends, having co-founded the Avengers and built a long superhero career as the original Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, and Yellowjacket. Pym's failures started with his creation of Ultron, who threatened to destroy the Avengers and became the most dangerous AI villain on the planet. However, public perception has long centered on the infamous moment in which Hank struck Janet van Dyne during a severe emotional breakdown in The Avengers #213. Although the incident originated from a combination of editorial miscommunication and visual storytelling that unintentionally exaggerated the scripted action, this moment forever tarnished Hank Pym's reputation.
Later writers explored Hank Pym's attempts to atone for his mistakes. Stories like Avengers Academy, The Mighty Avengers, and Al Ewing's work on Pym emphasized accountability and made it clear that he understands his genuine redemption requires continuous effort, whereas Avengers: Rage of Ultron doubled down on the concept of Hank Pym as a villain. It may be difficult to stop associating Hank Pym with his most infamous storyline in the rare instances he's featured in a major role, but the intensity of the original Ant-Man's mistakes certainly make him one of the most complex heroes in Marvel lore.
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime Hated Fans Just As Much As Fans Hated Him
Much of the criticism directed at Superboy-Prime was woven directly into his characterization. Introduced as the Superman of Earth-Prime, this Clark Kent originally embodied the optimism and idealism associated with Silver Age superhero stories. Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superboy-Prime spent years trapped outside reality while watching the DC Universe grow darker and increasingly unlike the world he remembered. Superboy-Prime's eventual return transformed his frustration into full-fledged obsession, leading him to reject modern heroes and lash out against a universe he believed had lost its sense of hope. Writers soon embraced Superboy-Prime's meta-fictional nature and portrayed him as a fan furious with continuity changes and editorial decisions.
Early criticism often centered on Superboy-Prime's overwhelming power and his exaggerated personality, but later appearances have revealed a surprisingly tragic figure whose desperate search for purpose had curdled into destructive entitlement. Sinestro Corps War, Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds, and Dark Nights: Death Metal expanded Superboy-Prime's emotional range beyond resentment and acknowledged his capacity for personal growth. More recently, Superboy-Prime received the chance to replace Superman in the Man of Steel's absence as a final sign of genuine redemption.
Paul Rubin
Paul Rubin Is A Little Too Perfect
Paul Rabin gained more hatred than the Green Goblin himself despite never being intended to be a villain. Introduced during Zeb Wells' The Amazing Spider-Man run, Paul entered Peter Parker's life through circumstances that immediately placed him at the center of Spider-Man's most contentious romantic storyline. Paul Rabin was never rude against Peter, and he was nothing short of the ideal boyfriend to Mary Jane Watson. However, it was precisely this apparent perfection that came across as a personal insult to Peter, who had already built a happy life with MJ prior to the events of the controversial One More Day.
Over time, the conversation surrounding Paul has become only a little bit more nuanced. Later issues presented him as a compassionate and decent individual rather than an intentionally disruptive figure seeking to replace Peter Parker. Still, Paul could never shake off the perception of being an artificial obstacle in Spider-Man's life. Paul Rabin's death at the hands of Torment put an end to Mary Jane's controversial romance, but instead of portraying Paul's demise as a late redemption for his divisive existence, Death Spiral's main casualty was received with positive reactions. After Death Spiral, Paul's return seems unlikely.
Doctor Light
Doctor Light's Reputation Dropped Irreversible With A Single Change
Doctor Light's place among DC's most controversial characters has very little to do with his powers or his effectiveness as a villain and almost everything to do with a single editorial decision that permanently reshaped his legacy. During the Silver and Bronze Ages, Arthur Light filled the role of a recurring Justice League adversary whose gimmick revolved around manipulating light through advanced technology. He never reached the stature of Lex Luthor or the Joker, but he remained a recognizable member of DC's extensive catalog of supervillains. This changed dramatically in Identity Crisis, which revealed that Doctor Light had assaulted Sue Dibny years earlier.
This revelation transformed Doctor Light from a relatively minor criminal into one of the most reviled figures in the DC Universe. The controversy extended beyond Arthur himself, as the story affected multiple beloved Justice League members. While Identity Crisis created one of DC's few truly irredeemable DC villains, it also reduced Doctor Light into a narrative device whose entire identity became inseparable from a single shocking revelation, effectively making him impossible to bring back without a delicate association to his heinous acts. Subsequent comics have rarely attempted to restore Doctor Light's earlier characterization as a result.
Who's your least favorite Marvel or DC character?
