Top 100 Batman VILLAINS

40 - Doctor Phosphorus

#40 - Doctor Phosphorus
First Appearance: Detective Comics #469 (May 1977)

"I wonder if I should kill you now... or just give you cancer." ~Dr. Phosphorus

Debuting in a story I talked about earlier (Strange Apparitions, which I mentioned in Rupert Thorne's bio as one considered one of the greatest Batman stories ever), Doctor Phosphorus has always been a tragic sort of character that fits in well with the other freaks in the Batman arsenal. After he was disfigured, Phosphorus found himself at odds with the Bat AND with Thorne, but things would really get interesting years later when the new Satan, Neron, offered him an upgrade to his powers. I really loved the new effects the juiced-up powers had on Phosphorus; now not only was his appearance a source of derision, but his very touch destroyed everything around him without pause.

I've always enjoyed seeing Phosphorus in action; he's had run-ins with every Bat-character, and each time our heroes must find brand new ways to defeat a guy whose very touch poisons them with radiation. It's all about utilizing their environments, demonstrating unique tactics, and taking down what I consider a higher-end threat in Gotham. Outside of the fighting situation, I think his design and personality is extremely unique; the glowing skeleton is extremely memorable, and his dark resignation over his fate makes him a sort of curmudgeonly aloof villain that is always entertaining with other villains.

Also, I want to make note of his fantastic portrayal in Batman Beyond - I know this is going to sound odd, but of all the older villains brought into Beyond, Phosphorus is the most interesting to watch.

Greatest Doctor Phosphorus Story Ever Told: Starman: A Day in the Life and Starman: Grand Guignol - Directly after Phossy gets his new abilities from Neron, Robinson dropped him into Starman where he developed a rivalry with the original (now senior citizen) Ted Knight Starman. Of course, after getting your ass handed to you by an octogenarian, a villain's first priority is going to be taking him down and proving himself to not be a joke. What results is a great plotline spanning all of Starman - that's how great of a villain Phosphorus can be: he's worthy of a series-long B-plot in perhaps the single greatest series ever written.