10 Marvel Villains We Want to See on TV

After the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe really started to unfold, there was one thing you could count on for certain: attemps to replicate that success on TV. Currently there are four Marvel shows on the air in Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones, with Luke Cage set to premiere in September, and Iron Fist, Defenders, Most Wanted, and Damage Control set to follow. To some there is no comparison between the films and the shows, but for others it’s an opportunity for even more story in a world that we already love which is ripe for further expansion. One of the advantages that the shows do have over the films is that they can do multiple unique Marvel villains from the comic book over the stretch of a year-long season, whereas a film (that takes two years to make) might only have two villains total. That said, here are 10 Marvel villains we want to see on TV.

Marvel Villains: Tombstone

Lonnie Lincoln is an albino gangster who worked his way up from a street thug to a genuine crime boss. Not only that, but Lincoln has enhanced strength and durability compared to others, making him an even match for the strongest of the Marvel U. Throughout his history, the character has worked for a number of high-profile gangsters including the Kingpin himself, been privy to a number of villainous groups like the Sinister Twelve, and faced off against the likes of Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage and The Punisher. The character also crossed paths with Moon Knight, offering a good opportunity for his debut should that character ever appear on television.

Marvel Villains: Beetle

If you’re going to use Tombstone, you might as well keep it in the family and bring in his daughter Janice, who takes on the villain role of Beetle. Janice grew up with a pretty normal life despite her father being the indestructible mob enforcer that he was, but that was just a further push into the life of crime. The character doesn’t exactly play well with others, as seen in the hilarious villain-centric Superior Foes of Spider-Man series, where she eventually became the leader of the new Sinister Six.

Marvel Villains: Radioactive Man

Not the hero from The Simpsons, which is perhaps why he’s never been used, but the Chinese villain who was created as a primer against Thor. When Thor prevented the Chinese military from invading India, the government called on some scientists to create a way to best the god of Thunder. Chen Lu had already been experimenting with radiation himself and became Radioactive Man. Constantly emmitting radiation from his body, the villain has enhanced strength and can even repel heavy attacks like a swing from Thor’s hammer. With the Thor films focusing more on fantasty elements, it’s unlikely the two will fight on the big screen, which makes him a great character to bring into either Agents of SHIELD or Agent Carter.

Marvel Villains: Typhoid Mary

Nothing every goes right for Daredevil, so perhaps one of the best ways to pull the rug out from under him is by making one of his love interests one of his villains. The name Typhoid Mary might conjure up an image of disease in your mind, but the character is more complicated than that. Suffering from dissociative identity disorder, she has two personas, the sweet and kind Mary and the sadistic and evil Typhoid. Proficient in martial arts and fighting, the character is also capable of pyro- and telekenisis. She’s a good foil for Matt Murdock the man and Daredevil the hero.

Marvel Villains: Mother

One of the best things to come out of the mind-bending Young Avengers run by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie was the introduction of the villain, Mother. Described as an “interdimensional parasite,” the villain travels the multiverse, something not yet explored in the live-action Marvel canon, and feeds on the different realities it finds. The character gets its name from posing as the parental figures of the title heroes, something that is easily translatable to other characters.

Marvel Villains: Mister Negative

Like Tombstone above, Mister Negative is another career criminal who mostly dabbles in the mafia-style crime bossing. What makes him different from other street level thugs is that he is powered by the “darkforce,” which allows him to brain wash individuals and toughen up blades with just a touch. He can switch between his regular and “Negative” personas at will too. To make things even more interesting, his origin is tied directly to heroes Cloak and Dagger, who have long been in the running for their own TV series.

Marvel Villains: Mr. Fear

Though perhaps a generic villain upon his first appearance in the ’60s, Mr. Fear is responsible for ruining Matt Murdock’s life in ways that some of his villains could only dream of. The original Mr. Fear created a serum that could be administered via needle or gas that would make the victim be haunted by their worst fears. He was later killed and the mantle picked up by another ne’er-do-well, which is when he tormented Matt’s wife Milla Donovan, causing her to accidentally kill a friend and enter a permanent state of psychosis.

Marvel Villains: Tracksuit Draculas

What’s not to like about a group of Russian mobsters all identifiable by their trademark track suits and killer accents? Seriously, bro. Created by Matt Fraction and David Aja in their stellar run on Hawkeye, the villains are as crafty as they are silly. For every ten times they say “bro,” they’ve come up with a twisted scheme to get their way. They even briefly appeared in the final Marvel One Shot “All Hail the King” and are overdue to be seen by the world at large.

Marvel Villains: Taskmaster

Taskmaster is a goofy, albeit unique character who possesses the power of “photographic reflexes,” meaning he can mimic moves he witnesses another person perform. Watch Spider-Man flip around and land on a street lamp? No problem. See Captain America throw his shield across a room, hitting every person and available surface? Piece of cake. The character has transitioned from a traditional villain to a mercenary to an anti-hero in recent years, and many fans have a soft spot for him. Perhaps the best fit for Taskmaster isn’t a world where he’s going to get punched, though. Maybe the upcoming comedy series Damage Control could use him as a super-powered member of their staff.

Marvel Villains: Bullseye

Though Daredevil has a number of noteworthy foes, there is only one that is responsible for killing the two women he loved most in life – Bullseye. An assassin, Bullseye has the capability of using literally anything as a weapon with pinpoint accuracy. Tooth picks, playing cards, knifes, the guy can and will kill you with a sandwich if he wanted. Challenging Daredevil as a character is an important facet in telling his stories, and a physical challenge for him can be just as interesting as an intellectual one and there is no better candidate for that than Bullseye. Someone get Walton Goggins on the phone.