Know Your Villains

A hero is nothing without a villain to define themselves against.  Simply saying "he's crazy, so he wants to do bad things" is simply not enough anymore.  Yes, there are a number of psychotic characters in comics books, but readers have become increasingly curious about their unique viewpoints. The industry has been wonderful in exploring this slippery slope of criminal genius and these are a few of the gyms Marvel and DC have produced.

Books of Doom -
From the black steppes of Eastern Europe, to the college campuses of New York City, and finally to the throne of Latveria - this is the life of Von Doom! From his earliest disasters to his scientific triumphs to the tragedy of the fractured man he would become, this is the story you know, and the one you don't. The story of the missing years and the journey that shaped the man who would be king. An epic Russian tragedy in comic form, this is unlike any Doom story you've ever seen.

Batman: The Killing Joke -
The is the definitive Joker story.  Not only does it give you insight into Joker's origin, but it also defines his relationship with Batman.  If by some strange accident, you have not read this story, you should change that now.  There are other good Joker stories out there, but nothing as stark or poignant as this.  Pick it up now!

Loki -
There are two sides to every story. You've heard Thor's - now it's time to hear Loki's. Odin's least favorite son rewrites Asgardian lore from his perspective in this groundbreaking collection. In this story, Loki's insatiable lust for power, his conflicted sentiments toward Sif, his antipathy toward Balder and his deep-seated feelings of longing and resentment toward his older brother, Thor, and uncaring father, Odin, will take on new meaning.
 

Luthor -
Superman has been called many things since going public, from the defender of Truth, Justice and the American Way to the World's Greatest Boy Scout.  He's made himself appear so human that he has almost everyone forgetting he's not one of us. Almost.

Only Lex Luthor stands against Superman to make him account for what he truly is: a dangerous threat to all humanity.  The end to Luthor's lifelong mission to bring Superman to his knees has never been closer...

Osborn -
The world's most dangerous felon is in the world's top supermax-security prison--an institution so secret that even the vice president doesn't know it exists. But can any cell contain Norman Osborn? After the events of SIEGE, the former Green Goblin, Iron Patriot and power-mad director of worldwide security isn't allowed to have a toothbrush...and he's surrounded by the deadliest criminals in the world. Lucky for Osborn, they're fans.