10 Best Batman Villains You Totally Forgot Existed
9. Professor Radium
Batman #8, which was published all the way back in 1942, introduced Henry Ross, a professor who used a radium serum to reanimate the dead. That may sound like the behaviour of a typical mad scientist and Batman foe but Ross had nothing but noble intentions. He didn't care about fame or fortune. All he cared about was bettering mankind.
Believing he needed a human test subject to prove his research worked, the professor took his own life and had a colleague resurrect him with the serum. Despite the fact his revival was a success, Ross' skin turned green and left him highly radioactive.
Terrified he would kill anyone in his proximity, Ross, now dubbed Professor Radium, stole technology and experimental chemicals, hoping to undo the effects on his body. Over time, the radium made his mind unstable, turning him into a full-blown supervillain.
After his debut issue, the green-skinned scientist didn't return for over 60 years and has only made six appearances in total. This is a shame since Professor Radium is a tragic, complex figure who deserves a lot more credit.