From Kryptonians to Amazonians, the DC Universe is filled with characters who can defeat monstrous aliens and blow up planets. And in case they don’t have a superpower, it is compensated with a genius intellect or lethal hand-to-hand combat skills.
Despite their insane skills, most heroes/vigilantes prefer to keep their identities hidden. From masks to cowls, everyone stays hidden from the public’s eye to either protect themselves or their loved ones. From the mild-mannered journalist Clark Kent to the billionaire Bruce Wayne, learning the art of disguise is as important as amassing fighting skills. Here, we have compiled a list of 10 top masters of disguise who truly take the art to the next level. Interested? Let’s hop in!
10. Make-Up Man
A minor villain of Batman in the 1960s, Make-Up Man was a criminal in Gotham City. Born into the world of theatre, his experience in the backstage of the theatres was enough to gain the necessary skills to be a master of disguise.
An ambitious man, the Make-Up Man had his eyes set on riches. As he went down the path of crime for some quick bucks, he gained the attention of Batman and Robin. His disguise went to such an extent that he never showed his real face to his own henchmen.
9. Nemesis
One of the few non-criminal members of the Suicide Squad, Nemesis has helped Amanda Waller as well as the Justice League on numerous occasions. His art of disguise makes him an important ally when it comes to spying and espionage.
Under the alias ‘Nemesis’, Thomas Tresser has worked alongside Batman and Wonder Woman on several occasions. He wears disposable masks which can be dissolved within seconds. He was once courted by Wonder Woman in the island of Theymiscira to start a family.
8. False Face
Created by Bill Finger, False Face can impersonate different people with remarkable ease and efficiency. Apart from appearance, he can mimic their accent and voice to an uncanny resemblance.
False Face regularly targets rich people for obvious reasons. As a result, he often faces Batman trying to stop him from committing such crimes. False Face was a villain in the 1960 Batman TV Series.
7. Hush
Despite having very limited exposure in the comic books, Hush is one of the most dangerous enemies of the Dark Knight. A brilliant surgeon possessing genius intellect, his personal vendetta against Bruce Wayne made him truly menacing in Batman: Hush.
He surgically altered his face to impersonate Bruce Wayne. His act was so meticulous and convincing that even Batman was left scratching his head. Having known most weaknesses of Batman, Hush ranks among the greatest foes of the Caped Crusader.
6. The Question
Vic Sage aka The Question is one of the greatest detectives in the DC Universe. His investigating skills along with hardcore interrogating techniques puts him on par with Batman.
Vic Sage uses a pseudoderm mask which cannot be taken off from his face using conventional methods. The faceless mask makes him look menacing. It also enables him to mould his appearance into different personas. Alan Moore’s Rorschach was based on the appearance of the Question.
5. Batman
The Dark Knight is truly a master of many traits. But if you thought that they were only limited to learning 127 kinds of martial arts, speaking over eight languages, a genius inventor, the world’s second-best hacker, and the greatest detective, you might be wrong.
Batman is a master of disguise too which aids him when he is working as a detective. Relying more on his brains than brawns, his disguises come handy when he needs to infiltrate criminal bases. One of his aliases is Matches Malone which has helped him numerous times to get the necessary information. His acting skills are quite formidable too as he has fooled the Penguin and the Joker under the garb of different aliases. The sky is the limit when you are Batman.
4. Madame Rouge
A regular antagonist of Teen Titans, Madame Rouge has a split personality disorder. Rouge is a former stage actress which also makes her impersonations look impeccable.
She is a member of the Brotherhood of Evil, constantly battling and deceiving the Doom Patrol. Her art of disguise is quite flawless as she has deceived the Doom Patrol on several occasions by impersonating Negative Man, Elastigirl, and Robotman.
3. Martian Manhunter
J’onn J’onnz aka Martian Manhunter is the last remaining kind of the Green Martian race. Blessed with a myriad of abilities, J’onn J’onnz is a shapeshifter.
On Earth, he takes the persona of Detective John Jones. As targeted by a lot of different races, the Martian Manhunter has to stay hidden to protect himself. His ability to impersonate different people with extreme ease puts him at third place in this post. J’onn J’onnz’s capabilities of shapeshifting are not just limited to humans. In the past Martian Manhunter has turned into a cat to save the day. The only thing which can alert his enemies into knowing that he/she is a Martian is his acting skills. Also, his phobia of fire makes him an easy target to find.
2. Plastic Man
True to his name, the Plastic Man is the answer to Marvel’s Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic. A hero with some pervert tendencies, Plastic Man adds the much needed comedic break from the dark and intense universe.
Plastic Man’s ability to change into literally anything makes him a wizard of disguise. He can transform into non-animated objects. His abilities also include superhuman strength, density control, immunity towards telepathy, and lot more. Yet, his acting skills need to improve which is why we have…
1. Clayface
The true master of disguise, Clayface is a shapeshifter who can turn into anyone he wishes to. Having the physiology of melting clay, the mantle of Clayface has been passed onto different characters over time.
Clayface’s shapeshifting ability and his extremely convincing acting chops has fooled the likes of Batman which is no small feat. In the Hush storyline, Clayface impersonated the presumably deceased Jason Todd which disturbed Batman to his core. His clay-like features also give him superhuman strength and durability, making him a strong adversary of Batman.
