Blockbuster

Roland Desmond gained superhuman strength and durability through a serum-induced transformation, then struck a deal with the demon Neron during the Underworld Unleashed event — retaining full human intelligence within his monstrous body, unlike his brother Mark. He rose to become the ruthless crime lord of Blüdhaven and Nightwing's most dangerous enemy.

Bursting onto the scene in 1995's Underworld Unleashed: Patterns of Fear #1 — courtesy of Roger Stern and Anthony Williams — this DC villain arrived at a moment when the Modern Age was pushing its darker, more complex antagonists to the fore. With nearly three decades of appearances to their name, Blockbuster has proven a persistent presence in the shadows of the DC Universe, most at home in the pages of Nightwing where they share the stage with Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, and Batgirl. That consistent company tells you everything: this is a character forged in the crucible of Gotham's extended world, a heavyweight threat worthy of DC's finest street-level heroes. If you're diving into the grimier corners of the Bat-family's history, Blockbuster is a name you'll keep running into — and for good reason.