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Replacing Deathstroke: 7 Villains Who’d Be Perfect For The Batman

Ever since Ben Affleck squeezed his 6'2" frame into Batman's spandex, the series has hit choppy waters. Sure, there's been lots of fanfare and lots of talk, but not a tremendous amount of quality output. Outside of a fun but short stint in Suicide Squad, Affleck snarled and grimaced his way through 150 minutes of dour CGI in Batman V Superman, a film that might have sounded good scribbled on the back of a kid's comic book, but looked rather silly on the silver screen.

Black Mask

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I’ve always had a soft spot for Black Mask and I think of all the characters on this list, the wealthy industrialist deserves his bow most. The son of wealthy parents and notorious narcissists, Roman Sionis is born with a silver spoon rammed halfway down his throat. And despite this, he wants out. He kills his wealthy parents in a fire and pursues a career in crime, slamming those that wear fake masks in public.

In a modern society obsessed with money, there’s an opportunity to skewer consumer culture through the prism of this decidedly frightening mob boss, who turns to a life of crime despite the fortunes showered on him; who seeks to break free of the false masks worn in well-to-do circles.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be excited to see Black Mask take ownership of the Sionis crypt and begin working towards a life of crime. On another level, his relationship with Deathstroke in Batman: Arkham Origins is proof that these rogues could work together. Mask is the orchestrator, the instigator with money to burn, and Deathstroke is the elite assassin tracking Bats down.