The Riddler™

What can you say about Superman that hasn’t already been said by every newspaper, TV news show, podcast and blog around? He’s the world’s greatest Super Hero, with powers that include super-strength, flight, invulnerability, heat vision, X-ray vision, freezing breath, super-ventriloquism, and a whole lot more. He may have originally come from Krypton, but no hero has saved the Earth more times. He’s friendly, kind, generous and humble…not to mention Batman’s main rival and possible arch-enemy! Bat-Fact: His biggest power is somehow making that red cape not look goofy. No, I take it back. It does look goofy.

Alfred Pennyworth has been the butler to the Wayne family for pretty much forever. Hard-working, long-suffering and utterly loyal, he sees it as his responsibility not just to keep Wayne Manor and the Batcave clean and tidy, but also to look after his employer’s well-being…even when Batman doesn’t necessarily agree. He has in many ways been a father figure to Batman and he cooks an amazing lobster thermidor. Bat-Fact: In fact, worth a lot more than a penny.

Meet Arkham Asylum’s newest psychiatrist! An intelligent and insightful doctor, Harleen Quinzel takes a keen interest in the asylum’s criminal inmates, paying especially close attention to her star patient, The Joker. With her devotion to her job and her surprisingly good understanding of the super-villainous psyche, she’s sure to accomplish a great breakout – er, breakthrough. Bat-Fact: Looks kind of familiar for some reason.

The Laughing Lunatic. The Clown Prince of Crime. Batman’s greatest enemy. That’s how The Joker sees himself. With his white skin, green hair and constant grin, this villain has made it his life’s goal to cure Gotham City’s all-so-serious grimness and gloom. He might break the law, but he really just wants to make people smile…and to rule the city…and to get Batman to finally admit that he is his greatest enemy. Is that too much for a super-villain to ask? Bat-Fact: Never laughs at Harley Quinn’s jokes.

Mirthful, mischievous and just a little bit malevolent, Harley Quinn is The Joker’s number one sidekick/hench-person/fan. She’s endlessly loyal to her beloved Puddin’, making her the only one in all of Gotham City that he can fully count on to help with his sinisterly silly schemes. And if Harley can cause enough of a distraction for Batman that The Joker can get away? That’s all the better! Bat-Fact: Named MVP of her one-woman roller derby team.

Kite Man calls himself the master of kites. He wears a picture of a kite on his costume, uses kites for all of his super-villain tools and weapons, and even flies with the help of a giant kite when committing minor robberies and being a general nuisance. Although he’s surprisingly nimble in the air, it’s usually pretty easy to defeat him by just poking a hole in his kite. Bat-Fact: Once beat Batman. Batman doesn’t like to talk about it.

Back in the faraway land of Oz, the Wicked Witch had a legion of winged monkeys to carry out her wicked will. Now that she’s free in Gotham City, her simian minions have been unleashed once more to wreak havoc and cause mischief wherever they fly. Completely loyal, they obey the commands of their mistress without question, and also without much brainpower. When the weather forecast calls for flying monkeys, remember to pack an umbrella! Bat-Fact: More dangerous than flying hamsters, less dangerous than flying snake-clowns.

Once an actor on the edge of obscurity, Basil Karlo was exposed to an experimental chemical compound that transformed him into the shape-changing Clayface. While his body may resemble a monstrous mass of mud-like clay, he can twist and reshape it to form weapons and other objects, and even imitate the appearances of other people. You never know when the ordinary minifigure next to you might be Clayface in disguise! Bat-Fact: Once played every role in a production of Shakespeare’s “Macbrick”…badly.

Every good super-team should have an animal sidekick, and Wonder Dog is the Justice League’s. This crime-sniffing canine may not have any significant super-powers (beyond the ones a regular dog has, anyway), but when it’s time for the League to party down, he puts his paws up on the turntables and mixes up a mean beat as the world’s most doggedly good DJ! Bat-Fact: I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. I’ll bet he’d be a real ace at helping me catch Catwoman.

Jim Gordon has devoted his entire life to serving and protecting the people of Gotham City. Starting as a simple beat cop, he worked his way up to detective, and finally to Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department. After a long and celebrated career of cooperation with the city’s top Super Hero, Jim is finally ready to retire and go on a South African jungle safari but he feels confident in leaving the job in his daughter’s capable hands. Bat-Fact: Has had the same mustache since childhood.

Billionaire businessman Oliver Queen has seen his fortunes rise and fall, but he has always been devoted to helping those who can’t help themselves. An expert marksman, he joins the Justice League on their missions and also protects the citizens of Star City using his famous bow and quiver full of trick arrows equipped with special crime-fighting gimmicks like punching gloves, nets, sticky glue, and much more. As a fellow super-rich Super Hero vigilante without actual super powers, he has a mostly-friendly rivalry with Batman. Mostly. Bat-Fact: Heh, I just got it. He’s dressed up like Robin Hood. That’s clever.

Dr. Pamela Isley used to be a botanist, but her obsession with plants led her to become the super-villain Poison Ivy, using her powers over all things green and growing to try to transform Gotham City into a vegetable paradise free of humans and other pesky animals. Her toxin-infused body is immune to all poisons, and the effects of her kiss can range from mesmerizing to worse. Bat-Fact: Her middle name is Daisy.