Meet the Masters of Evil, Earth's Mightiest Villains

While Earth's Mightiest Heroes band together as the Avengers to defend the Marvel Universe, the world's most formidable super villains also joined forces over the years as the Masters of Evil. From Baron Zemo to the Wrecking Crew, the Masters of Evil feature a rotating roster of some of the most vicious super villains around, all working together to take down the Avengers.

As a new roster comes together in AVENGERS (2023) #25 by Jed MacKay and Valerio Schiti, let’s take a closer look at the history of the Masters of Evil and their long-running feud with the Avengers.

THE FIRST MASTERS OF EVIL

When Baron Zemo learned that Captain America survived World War II, he formed the very first iteration of the Masters of Evil in AVENGERS (1963) #6. He realized he needed a team of his own to counter Captain America's new friends and reached out to mutual enemies of the heroes. Together, they became the Masters of Evil.

This initial roster included Iron Man villains such as Radioactive Man, Black Knight, and Melter. However, the Avengers outsmarted them and made quick work of the Masters of Evil.

To replace his missing members, Zemo then enlisted Thor's enemies, Enchantress and Executioner, to continue his vendetta. When Thor joined the battle in full, he banished the villains to parts unknown using his Asgardian magic. 

CRIMSON COWL'S MASTERS OF EVIL

As the Avengers became a permanent fixture of the Marvel Universe, Dane Whitman took the mantle of Black Knight from his predecessor and used it to do good. His first order of business? Infiltrating the new Masters of Evil and warning the Avengers of their existence in AVENGERS (1963) #54.

A mysterious figure known as the Crimson Cowl led this version of the villainous team, which comprised of Klaw and Whirlwind, as well as former members Melter and Radioactive Man.

However, it was none other than Edwin Jarvis beneath the Crimson Cowl's mask, complete with access to the Avengers Mansion's schematics and security systems. In actuality, Ultron-5 brainwashed Jarvis and occasionally used him as a stand-in. The Avengers thankfully brought Jarvis back to his senses.

With the Black Knight in tow, the Avengers defeated Ultron and the Masters of Evil once again in AVENGERS (1963) #55. However, this wouldn’t be the last time the fight came close to home.

EGGHEAD'S MASTERS OF EVIL

Not every Masters of Evil lineup is created equal. While some versions of the team pose planetary threats, others are significantly less foreboding and competent. The criminal genius Egghead arguably created one of the weaker iterations of the team in AVENGERS (1963) #222, with the purpose of conducting raids for valuable equipment.

Egghead initially recruited Whirlwind, Moonstone, Tiger Shark, and Scorpion to his team, but the Avengers defeated them when Whirlwind approached Wasp. Undeterred, Egghead then reassembled the Masters of Evil in AVENGERS (1963) #228, replacing Whirlwind and Scorpion with Radioactive Man, Beetle, and Shocker.

Intent on revenge, the Masters of Evil kidnapped Hank Pym and forced him to develop technology with Egghead, only for the villain to be defeated for good in AVENGERS (1963) #229.

AVENGERS MANSION UNDER SIEGE

Heinrich Zemo's son, Helmut Zemo, turned the Masters of Evil into a family tradition by forming the most ambitious version of the team yet in AVENGERS (1963) #273. After conducting months of covert surveillance on Avengers Mansion, the new Baron Zemo calculated that the odds for an all-out attack leaned in his favor.

To enact his plan, Zemo enlisted the largest Masters of Evil roster yet, with a lineup that included Moonstone, Blackout, Mister Hyde, Goliath, Yellowjacket, Absorbing Man, Titania, Fixer, Tiger Shark, and the Wrecking Crew.

When the perfect moment to strike presented itself, the Masters of Evil overcame Avengers Mansion's security protocols and took Jarvis hostage. The Masters of Evil initially targeted the Avengers separately, but they quickly regrouped to take on the villains who now operated out of their headquarters.

The battle culminated in a confrontation between Captain America and Zemo, with the Avengers winning the fight in AVENGERS (1963) #277. However, the mansion was left in ruins from the crossfire. 

DOCTOR OCTOPUS' MASTERS OF EVIL

Doctor Octopus formed one of the strangest versions of the Masters of Evil in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (1990) #28.  
 
While Earth’s heroes battled for the fate of the universe in INFINITY WAR (1992), they left Avengers Mansion undefended. Otto Octavius seized the opportunity, gathering Shocker, Absorbing Man, Yellowjacket, Titania, Oddball, Gargantua, Powderkeg, Jackhammer, and Puff Adder to raid the unguarded headquarters.

However, the sudden arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy from an alternate future at Avengers Mansion foiled Octavius' plan. The Masters of Evil and Guardians of the Galaxy erupted into a fierce battle, only to be interrupted by cosmic doppelgangers. The conflicting factions subsequently joined forces against their new common enemy.

Though Doctor Octopus immediately wanted to resume hostilities against the Guardians, his own team turned against him, choosing to preserve their newly formed truce.

THE THUNDERBOLTS

In INCREDIBLE HULK (1962) #449, a new super hero team called the Thunderbolts presented themselves to the world. At the time, their secret identities remained unknown. Nevertheless, the Thunderbolts helped fill the heroic void left by the Avengers and Fantastic Four after they were presumed dead following a battle against Onslaught in ONSLAUGHT: MARVEL UNIVERSE (1996) #1. 

However, the shocking truth behind this new team was revealed in THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #1. The Thunderbolts were in fact secretly the Masters of Evil, led by Helmut Zemo and joined by Moonstone, Fixer, Goliath, Beetle, and Screaming Mimi.

Hoping to seize control of the entire world, Zemo constructed this elaborate plan to win public trust as everyone mourned Earth’s heroes. However, Zemo did not count on his teammates actually desiring redemption; they ditched his original scheme for a chance at atonement. 

JUSTINE HAMMER'S MASTERS OF EVIL

While the Thunderbolts' paraded around as heroes, Justin Hammer's equally evil daughter Justine Hammer tried to take over New York with the help of Hydra. Assuming the mantle of the new Crimson Cowl, Justine created her own Masters of Evil ensemble in THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #3, making it the biggest version of the team yet. Upset that an outsider usurped his father's legacy, Zemo led the Thunderbolts in several skirmishes against the new Masters of Evil. 

Crimson Cowl launched her master plan against the Thunderbolts, outnumbering them and armed with weather-controlling technology, in THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #25. With assistance from Hawkeye and other heroes, the Thunderbolts successfully turned the tides back in their favor. While Justine continued to be a thorn in the Thunderbolts’ side moving forward, she no longer commanded the same number of villains. 

THE SHADOW COUNCIL MASTERS OF EVIL

On an undercover mission in SECRET AVENGERS (2010) #21.1, Captain America and Hawkeye discovered a version of the Masters of Evil working on behalf of the Shadow Council.

Led by Max Fury, an advanced Life Model Decoy reprogrammed as a cunning villain, the roster included Vengeance, Whiplash, and Princess Python. Fury significantly expanded his team’s membership after an introductory battle against the Secret Avengers and took over the country of Baglia as part of his growing plans for global domination.

Helmut Zemo seized control of this Masters of Evil lineup in AVENGERS UNDERCOVER (2014) #1, with Madame Masque, Constrictor, and Daimon Hellstrom as his most trusted associates. He also offered a place on the team to the young heroes who survived Arcade's latest twisted Murderworld gauntlet. Though some heroes refused Zemo's offer and foiled his plans, he escaped with several new recruits.

LIGHTMASTER'S MASTERS OF EVIL

While the Shadow Council and Zemo led their version of the Masters of Evil on its most ambitious schemes, a smaller iteration of the team also used the Masters of Evil moniker.

Introduced in SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP (2013) #5, Lightmaster created a new Masters of Evil in response to the more heavy-handed tactics used by Spider-Man at a time when Otto Octavius secretly possessed Peter Parker's body. The Wrecking Crew, Absorbing Man, Mister Hyde, Titania, Whirlwind, and Blackout all joined Lightmaster to take on Otto's mind-controlled team, the Superior Six.

Lightmaster's team proved to be a short-lived endeavor, launching a rematch against the Superior Six in SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP (2013) #6. A raid on Parker Industries during the battle freed the Superior Six from Octavius' control, leading them to violently turn on anyone in their way, including Spider-Man and the Masters of Evil. While Spider-Man defeated the rogue Superior Six and Lightmaster’s team, Manhattan was left severely damaged in the wake of the super-powered brawl. 

SECRET EMPIRE MASTERS OF EVIL

Helmut Zemo decided to double down on his villainous legacy in THUNDERBOLTS (2016) #10, forming an even more ambitious version of the Masters of Evil. When Zemo learned that Bucky Barnes now led the Thunderbolts, he ambushed his old associates and demanded they rejoin the Masters of Evil. Zemo's new team thus consisted of the Wrecking Crew, Tiger Shark, Klaw, Whiplash, and Man-Killer.

Around this time, a Hydra variant of Captain America created by the sentient Cosmic Cube Kobik seized control of the United States in SECRET EMPIRE (2017). Zemo and the Masters of Evil agreed to join the Army of Evil to quell any resistance to Hydra's nationwide rise to power in CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS (2016) #13. After the true Captain America overthrew his evil doppelganger and toppled Hydra, the heroes defeated Zemo and his allies.

WEST COAST MASTERS OF EVIL

Clint Barton and Kate Bishop started a new chapter of the West Coast Avengers in Southern California, drawing the ire of Madame Masque, who countered it with a West Coast version of the Masters of Evil.

Making their full debut WEST COAST AVENGERS (2018) #6, the West Coast Masters of Evil recruited Lady Bullseye, M.O.D.O.K., Graviton, the Eel, Satana Hellstrom, and Kate’s parents. Together, these villains sought to drive the heroes out of Los Angeles, with Masque's squad keeping the newly formed Avengers off-balance by involving those closest to Kate.

The West Coast Avengers soon learned that Satana facilitated the Masters of Evil’s activities with dark magic, recruiting vampires and murderous cults into their ranks. This prompted the heroes, alongside the newly introduced Jeff the Land Shark, to get involved. While the West Coast Avengers prevailed, the incident proved no coast lied outside of the villains' reach.

DOOM SUPREME'S MULTIVERSAL MASTERS OF EVIL

As Mephisto's plans for hellish conquest spread across the Multiverse, he encountered an alternate version of Doctor Doom who reigned as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-22215 in AVENGERS (2018) #50. Empowered by Mephisto and his Council of Red, the villain known as Doom Supreme traveled the Multiverse to build his own team, using them to reshape history in all realities. With Doom Supreme at the helm, the Multiversal Masters of Evil comprised of Dark Phoenix, Kid Thanos, King Killmonger, Ghost Goblin, and the Black Skull.

As this ensemble conquered reality after reality, the mysterious hero known as Avenger Prime sent his army of time-traveling Deathloks to gather forces of his own. Doom Supreme soon arrived on Earth-616 to obtain the First Firmament, a cosmic force capable of rewriting reality in his image free of Mephisto, bringing his team into conflict with the Avengers.

The harrowing showdown in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE OMEGA (2023) #1 required the combined might of multiple Avengers teams to defeat their Multiversal opponents.

THE MASTERS OF EVIL REBEL AGAINST DOCTOR DOOM

Echoing the destiny of his Earth-22215 counterpart, the Doctor Doom of Earth-616 also ascended to the station of Sorcerer Supreme during the chaos of BLOOD HUNT (2024). Using all of his magical might, Doom united the entire world under his banner in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM (2025).

As the Avengers tried to unravel how Doom came to rule the world, a frustrated Mad Thinker formed a new iteration of the Masters of Evil with Mister Hyde, Madcap, Dreadknight, and the Exterminatrix to overthrow the ironclad despot in AVENGERS (2023) #25.

This development coincided with M.O.D.O.K., Doctor Octopus, Madelyne Pyror, Baron Mordo, Arcade, and Mysterio forming their own Masters of Evil team, one working directly alongside the Avengers to topple Doom in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM (2025) #2.

As the Avengers and M.O.D.O.K.'s team launched an all-out attack on the magically protected Latveria, they incurred Doom's wrath. Meanwhile, Mad Thinker's ensemble teleported into the Impossible City, the Avengers' orbital headquarters, with ill intentions. However, these Masters of Evil found that the base wasn’t completely devoid of heroes… 

Find out what schemes the new Masters of Evil are cooking up in the Impossible City in AVENGERS (2023) #25 by Jed MacKay and Valerio Schiti, available now.

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