1. Ed Gein (Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series, Psycho, Silence Of The Lambs, Various Others)
It's so interesting that out of all of the serial killers that have come through pop-culture in the past century, that Ed Gein would be the most popular. Most of you probably haven't even heard of Ed Gein before, but if you know who Leatherface or Norman Bates is, then you know at least a little something about Ed Gein. Gein was a pathetic figure, and having done a whole research paper on him in the past, it honestly is hard not to feel sorry for him. He was pushed around his whole life by everyone around him. He had an overbearing mother that is basically an extreme version of the mom from "The Waterboy" as she always made sure that the focus was on her and that he had no time for anyone else. This, along with his appearance and social awkwardness, made him a person that not many people in the town liked, and would really just ignore if given the chance to interact with him. His mother's overbearing nature led him to have a crazy sort of love/hate relationship toward her. He loved her and was obsessed with her because he honestly knew nothing else, but he hated her because of that feeling she gave him. After his mother's death, he had no idea what to do with himself, and eventually went to grave digging. He would dig up freshly buried bodies and take them to his house, and this is where Leatherface's famous skin suit makes its first appearance. Gein wanted to be a woman. He thought if he was a woman that his mother would accept him, so he started to create these skin suits, and when the dead bodies weren't fresh enough for him, he went for murder. He often chose victims that looked very similar to his mother. Although he only killed two or three women at the most, he is regarded as one of the worst serial killers in United States history. The sad part is that Gein really didn't deserve any of the abuse he was given, and all of those acts could've been prevented if his mother had acted like a normal mother. Unfortunately, she didn't and lives were destroyed in the process, including Gein's. That being said, Leatherface is one of my favorite slasher killers, even though Gein never used a chainsaw, the character behind Leatherface is one that isn't really seen in many other killers, and that's why he stands out and is number one on this list. Is there anyone you believe should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!