10 Best Supervillains Who Only Appear Once
These one-hit wonders really knew how to leave an impression on readers.
Even though there are about 83 bajillion supervillains in the comic world, only a handful have managed to rise to the top. Now, even the most iconic criminals didn't become famous overnight. It can take time for a costumed scoundrel to hit the big time. Scarecrow and Deadshot were around for decades before they became fan-favourites. Because of this, some devious vigilantes will pop up at least a couple of times before they are permanently canned, even if they aren't popular at first.
But there are some villains who have the misfortune to disappear forever after their initial debut. Of course, this is completely understandable if the character was unpopular, appeared in a lame storyline, or had a bad introduction.
But some evildoers got the boot after one appearance despite having a lot of potential. Certain supervillains were created as a joke and were never intended to reappear but they became so popular, fans want to see them again. (Look at how popular Kite Man or Calendar Man became because the writers gave the character a second chance.)
Even though their appearances were brief, these supervillains certainly knew how to leave a lasting impression on comic fans.
10. Skin-Bender - Ghost Rider #35 (2009)
While Johnny Blaze was chilling out in a Japanese town, all the inhabitants around him began to mutate into grotesque aberrations. Upon investigation, Blaze discovered these transformations were caused by Skin-Bender - a demon that can alter the flesh of any mortal being with a thought.
Skin-Bender stands out for two reasons. Firstly, the way she transmogrifies her victims is so grotesquely creative, it's amazing Marvel printed it! During her attack, we see a brain burst out of a man's skull, a monk's tongue turn into a snake, and a woman sprouting half a dozen deformed cats on her face.
The other thing that stands out is Skin-Bender's appearance. Of all the forms she could've taken on she chose the appearance of Sailor Venus from the manga, Sailor Moon! It's pretty crazy to see the iconic anime character battling the likes of Ghost Rider.
Even though the fiery-skulled superhero has faced all sorts of creepy creatures, Skin-Bender is one of the most disturbing since she takes so much joy in killing. Even when Ghost Rider incinerates her, she loves the feeling of her flesh being charred to cinders so much, she begs him to do it again.