Batman possesses the most layered and vast rogues’ gallery of any comic book hero, with a variety of truly awful and wicked villains. He has enough enemies to punch on a daily basis for decades without getting bored, as Gotham City breeds villains faster than weeds. Yet the films always seem to circle back to the same old names: Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Joker. It’s understandable, though, since they are recognizable names and the average moviegoer might not want to see Batsy duke it out with Condiment King or Kite Man as the main attraction.
In “Batman and Robin,” Grant Morrison finds a way to blend the tried-and-trusted foes with left-field choices like Mr. Toad, Professor Pyg, and Flamingo. In the first arc titled “Batman: Reborn,” Toad and Pyg play a crucial role in the overall plot — especially Pyg, an insane killer who wears a pig mask and fits his victims with Dollotron masks. Morrison and collaborators embrace the zany nature of comics in shaping the appearance of these characters, but they also discover a way to convey how sinister and maniacal someone like Pyg is in the storyline.
“The Brave and the Bold” has the ability to do something similar. While a major Batman villain will likely be the big boss of the film, there is an opportunity to bring in lesser-known and wilder rogues to the proceedings as supporting characters.
