#69 - Blockbuster (Mark Desmond)
First Appearance: Detective Comics #345 (Nov 1965)
"GRAAAAAAH!" ~Blockbuster
It's amazing how important a character's first appearance can be. Mark Desmond was transformed into a monstrous bulk of creature after trying an experimental serum of his own creation. Now with diminished intelligence and no capability of spech, Mark relied on his brother to help him find a way to return to normal, committing crimes together in order to fund this goal. In Detective Comics #345, however, the inspiration for several major comic books in the years to come would be born, as Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino weaved the story that is considered by many to be the best Batman story of the early 60s, prior to the O'Neill and Adams era.
Blockbuster's loose resemblance on the Hulk is not accidental; while the Hulk sought solitude, so too would Blockbuster, and in fact writers like Peter David pointed to Blockbuster's monstrous figure wishing for serenity as part of the reason the Hulk has become so obsessed with being left alone. As both characters were developed in the early 60s, it's not hard to see why the concept would bleed between the two. In fact, Batman facing Blockbuster eventually became the basis for the more well-remembered storyline of Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk, a huge seller from years later. The original Blockbuster tale even led to the classic Spider-Man story "Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut," where Spider-Man must, like Batman, rely on brains rather than brawn to stop the unstoppable.
In the years since, Blockbuster was used quite often, most notably in major villain ensembles such as the Secret Society of Super-Villains and the Injustice League. However, in the first gathering of the Suicide Squad, Blockbuster met a fiery fate at the hand of an agent of Darkseid.
The Second Greatest Blockbuster Story Ever Told: Secret Society of Super-Villains #12-13 - The SSoSV is easily one of the greatest hidden gems in the DC library; despite only running 17 issues, it was chock full of amazing stories like this one, where a group of villains (including Blockbuster) take on the Crime Syndicate of America, the Justice League's reverse counterparts from Earth-3.... and win. That's seriously a huge testament for how awesome DC's villains are.
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RandomName basically describes it. It's a list of the top 100 Batman villains. (Note: This isn't MY list. So, if you don't agree with it, don't freak out and rant in the comments)
