Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Vandal Savage

Some 25,000 years ago, a prehistoric tribe of early humans witnessed an asteroid fall to earth. While his fellow tribesmen ran away from it in fear, the intrepid Vandar Adg walked up to it and slept by it, as the night was cold and the comet provided warmth. Where the rock came from was never known, but its radiation and heat transformed Savage for life. It bestowed him agelessness and invulnerability.  He could regenerate from any injury and would live forever.  

Watching everyone he ever care for age and die drove Savage mad and he became obsessed with the notion that he was chosen to live forever so that he might conquer and tame the planet.  His many years had bestowed him great knowledge and wisdom as well as a vast understanding of tactical and military planning.  He became involved in countless wars, acting as a general under many assumed names. 

Many years into the future, Savage created a time machine. He determined that the Second World War presented the best opportunity to conquer the world. As such, he used his time machine to provide his younger self with advanced technology. This enabled Savage to easily assume leadership over the Axis Forces and and he led the armies to a swift and decisive victory that ultimately seated him as master of the entire planet.

The Justice League were off planet when Savage's alteration to the time-stream took place. They returned to an entirely changed world, a single totalitarian state ruled by Savage. The League ended up using Savage's time machine to travel back to World War II so to defeat the villain and restore the time-line.

With the aid of Steve Trevor, Sergeant Rock and the Blackhawk Squadron, The League triumphed and Savage was taken down. The time-line was restored and the League returned to an un-altered present.

Savage reemerged some years later, now posing as his own great grandson.  His new gambit entailed taking control of the nation of Kaznia by marrying its crown princess, Audrey.  As the leader of Kaznia, Savage would have unfettered access to the international space station which he planned to use as part of scheme to conquer the world.  Wonder Woman and Batman were able to ferret Savage’s true identity and thwarted his schemes.  

When Superman was struck by a tachyon ray, it sent the Man of Steel thousand of years into the future.  There he found the earth as a barren wasteland.  The only survivor on the planet was Vandal Savage who explained to Superman that it was his own doing that had brought about this ruin.  Remorseful over his actions, Savage helped Superman create a new time travel device that would send Superman back in time so that he could stop Savage from destroying civilization.  The plan succeeded, Superman was returned to his rightful time and Savage was once again defeated.  

Actor Phil Morris provided the voice for Vandal Savage, with the immortal villain first appearing in the twenty-fourth episode of the first season of Justice League, ‘The Savage Time.’  

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Asajj Ventress (Genndy Tartakovsky style) paper cut-out

I headcanon Matt being better at cooking than Gus

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Brainiac

Originally the planetary-wide supercomputer of Krypton, Brainiac gained sentience and determined that its overarching goal was to collect and safeguard all information.  When Jor-El discovered that Krypton was doomed to explode, Brainiac refuted the findings thus dissuading the Science Council from acting on Jor-El’s warning.  

In truth Brainiac did not have the time to oversee a planet-wide evacuation.  Instead it transferred its consciousness and the entirety of Krypton’s history, science and knowledge into satellite that could escape.   For Brainiac, knowledge and information was the only thing in the galaxy that had meaning and value.  With Krypton’s destruction and the eradication of the entire populace, Brainiac would be the sole possessor of this knowledge, making it all the more valuable.  

Brainiac fled and began a survey of the cosmos.  Any technology or lifeforms it encountered, were scanned, stored, annexed and destroyed.  Accrued technologies amplified Brainiac’s power.  It took on a humanoid form and wielded incredible abilities.  Soon Brainiac had the capacity to conquer entire worlds, catalog its information and then destroy the planet.  It did this with many worlds, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.  

Eventually, Brainiac happened upon Earth and discovered that a Kryptonian refugee had come to this world.  It correctly surmised that this refugee (Superman) would possess mighty powers due to Earth’s yellow sun.  As such it proceeded with caution.  Brainiac presented itself to Superman as a fellow survivor of Krypton, tempting the hero with all of the lost history and knowledge of his home planet.  

Superman and Lex Luthor were able to determine the truth about Brainiac; how it always destroyed the source of information once it had been collected.  Clearly this was Brainac’s intentions for earth. Assisted by Luthor, Superman was able to defeat and destroy Brainiac and the threat of its malevolence appeared to be gone for good.  And yet this would prove to be merely the first of many encounters between Superman and the foe. 

Every ounce of Brainiac contained a self-replicating blueprint that could reconstitute its original whole.  Luther foolishly studied the wreckage of Brainiac’s spacecraft hoping to utilize the advanced technology; and this allowed the villain to return.  

Actor Corey Burton provided the voice for Brainiac, with the insidious artificial intelligence first appearing in the debut episode of Superman: The Animated Series, ‘The Last Son of Krypton Part I.’  

I have been told that this image wasn’t a photoshop meme like I thought and was made by an 3D artist. So I’m putting in the link to the original post instead instead of just reposting the image.

Artist name is Broono of twitter, here's the OG post https://twitter.com/BROONOart/status/1710519083676979449 please support that tweet and not this post

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Static

Virgil Hawkins was a high school student who was experiencing troubles with bullies and gangs.  Against his better judgement, Virgil joined a rival gang so to protect himself.  This resulted in his being present at the 'Big Bang,' a large-scale brawl between various street gangs that took part at the Dakota Dockyards.  In the midst of this brawl, the ‘Quantum Vapor’ was released into the air.  All those who breathed the mutagenic vapor were changed in some way, with many being bestowed metahuman powers.  

Virgil gained the power of electrokinesis, the ability to generated and mentally control electromagnetic energies.  He decided to use these newfound powers to become a superhero, crafting a colorful costume and dubbing himself ‘Static’ the protector of Dakota.  A good deal of Static’s crimefighting centered on contending with other young men and women who were also empowered by way of the Quantum Vapor yet had chosen to use their powers for evil.  

At one point, The Joker traveled to Dakota as part of an effort to recruit a gang of young, super-powered hoodlums who would do his bidding.  Static ended up joining forces with Batman and Robin so to defeat the Joker.  He would also have an adventure alongside the Justice League wherein Virgil got to met and fight alongside his childhood hero, Green Lantern/John Stewart.  

Some time thereafter, Static came to Gotham and assisted Batman in defeating the super villain known as Timecode.  This resulted in Static being temporarily sent many years into the future where he shared an adventure with the new Batman, Terry McGinnis.  Yet another incident involving time travel saw an older Static aiding the Justice League in bringing down the time-altering menace of Chronos. 

Static would go on to become a member of The Justice League and would come to be known as well as one of earth’s greatest superheroes.

The fantastic Phil LaMarr provided the voice for Static with the young hero first appearing in the debut episode of the animated series, Static Shock.

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Aquaman

Arthur was the ruler of Atlantis, an undersea kingdom composed of an off-breed of humanity who had gained the ability to live under the sea through magic.  This society lived in happy seclusion for centuries, wanting nothing to do with their air breathing cousins of the surface world.  Arthur was not only their king but the mightiest of the Atlanteans. He possessed greatly enhanced strength, speed and durability, the capacity to swim at incredible speeds and a telepathic power that enabled him to speak to and, if necessary, control fish, crustaceans and sea-faring mammals.  Furthermore, as king he wielded the 'Trident of Poseidon,' a powerful weapon handed down by the gods.  All this power not withstanding, Arthur was a benevolent king who cared only for the wellbeing of his people and the sea.  

Following a brief skirmish with Lex Luthor, Arthur became even more dedicated to guarding Atlantis’ seclusion from the surface world.  Yet this became increasingly difficult as mankind's advancing technology and polluting ways continued to descend into his realm.  Arthur disabled a nuclear submarine that had traversed into the depths of Atlantis.  When the Justice League came to investigate, Arthur allowed the heroes to rescue the crew but demanded the sub and its weapons remain behind.  Arthur agreed to appear at the United Nations to stipulate the need to respect Atlantis’ sovereign borders. 

Arthur’s ambitious and conniving brother, Orm, had eyes to steal his brother’s throne and utilized this opportunity to usurp him.  First he hired the assassin Deadshot to kill Arthur at his appearance at the United Nations.  When this plot was thwarted by the Justice League, Orm devised a new, much more dangerous plot.  He planned on using the nuclear weapons procured from the downed submarine to orchestrate an attack that would destroy his brother and cause Atlantis to rally behind him as their new king in a war against the surface world.  

This scheme was also foiled thanks to the Justice League.  Arthur battled his brother and Orm perished in the conflict.  Feeling a debt of gratitude toward the League, Arthur agreed to act as a provisional member of the team who would aid them when needed.  

Actors Miguel Ferrer and Scott Rummell each provided the voice for Aquaman, with the undersea hero first appearing in the ninth episode of the third season of Superman: The Animated Series, ‘A Fish Story.’  

Everyone else in the Fourboot had Mommy & Daddy issues so there was none to spare for the guy that had those issues.

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Swamp Thing

Doctor Alec Holland was a brilliant botanist and biochemist who worked on a bio-restorative formula he believed could solve the world hunger. He toiled away on this project in a remote laboratory hidden in the Louisiana swamplands.  

The agents of a competitor broke into his lab and set a bomb.  Holland was caught in the explosion, which both drenched him in the bio-restorative formula as well as set his body ablaze.  He ran into the swamp before he died and the bio-restorative chemicals interacted with the plant life of the swamp.  The flora had been somehow imbued with an imprinting of Holland’s consciousness.  Having gained a sentience, the flora formed into a humanoid form and rose up from the bog as the Swamp Thing, the latest in a long line of Earth elementals charged with protecting the planet’s fragile environment.  

Years later, Poison Ivy and The Floronic Man stole the information the government had accrued on how Alec Holland had been changed into the Swamp Thing.  The pair planned on releasing a giant cloud of bio-restorative spores that would cause all organic life on earth to become floral based hybrids; the world would be repopulated with swamp things whom Poison Ivy and The Floronic Man could control and lord over.  

Fortunately, the villains’ scheme was thwarted by Batman and Nigtwing with the invaluable help of Harley Quinn.  The Swamp Thing itself rose up in the climax of the altercation, but chose to do nothing to affect the outcome.  Instead it was Harley’s pleading to her friend Ivy that turned the tied and enabled the heroes to win out.

Actor John DiMaggio provided the voice for The Swamp Thing.  The character initially appeared in the Justice League episode ‘Comfort and Joy’ but featured more prominently in the animated movie, Batman and Harley Quinn.   

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Curaré

As Mysterious as she is deadly, Curaré had been the top operative of a secret organization known as the Society of Assassins.  This organization was composed of the world’s deadliest killers and hired its services out for exorbitant fees.  Curaré was the most lethal of them all and was reserved for the Society’s most pressing assignments.  Her signature weapon was a scimitar sharpened to a near-subatomic degree.

Gotham City’s District Attorney, Sam Young had been building a case against the international arms dealer, Fyodor Davic, and Davic had hired the Society of Assassins to take him out.  Curaré was dispatched and did not expect the matter to be a difficult task.  She was unaware, however, that Young was married to Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon, the heroine who in the past operated as Batgirl.  

With the aide of Batman (Terry McGinnis), Barbara was able to save Sam's life and avoid Curaré’s attacks.  Young successfully prosecuted Davic and the arms dealer was sentenced to prison.

It was a rare instance in which the Society of Assassins had failed.  The price for failure within the Society was death and Curaré soon found herself hunted by her own colleagues.  And yet Curaré turned the tables on her pursuers, stalking each of them until she had eliminated the entirety of her former organization.  Once she accomplished this, Curaré returned to Gotham to get revenge on Batman.  Although once again Batman prevailed and Curaré was captured and incarcerated.

A woman of very few word, what little dialogue Curaré spoke was voiced by actress Melissa Disney.  The assassin first appeared in the twelfth episode of the first season of Batman Beyond, ‘A Touch of Curaré.’  

some more Supergirl DCAU paper cut-outs

Heroes & Villains The DC Animated Universe - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Emil Hamilton

Professor Emil Hamilton had been the director and head scientist at STAR Labs of Metropolis.  On the forefront of scientific discovery and experimentation, Hamilton became found himself as a close alley to Superman in the hero’s early years as the protector of Metropolis.  The pair worked together on numerous occasions.  Hamilton surmised the origins of Kryptonite and why the substance so weakened the Man of Steel.  He additionally built a lead-lined suit that would protect Superman from Kryptonite.

Superman  brought Hamilton the remains of the spacecraft that had originally brought him to earth and Hamilton and his team were able to repair it so that it was space-worthy again.  The scientist additionally helped to fix the Phantom Zone projector.    

Having come to know Superman so well, Hamilton was aware of what a dire threat to the world the hero could be if he ever were to go rogue.  As such Hamilton was quite shaken when Superman was temporarily mind controlled by Darkseid.  On another occasion, a desperate Superman snapped at Hamilton, demanding he provide emergency medical care for his cousin Supergirl.  

These experiences left an indelible mark on Hamilton.  When Amanda Waller approached him with a request that he join Project Cadmus, the professor quickly agreed.  Cadmus was oriented toward creating contingency plans to neutralize those with superhuman powers were they ever to become a threat to national interests.  

As a part of Cadmus, Hamilton worked on the creation of Doomsday, The Ulti-Men and the close of Supergirl known as Galatea.  Hamilton came to regret his decision to work for Cadmus and his lack of trust in his old friend Superman.  Whatever become of the professor following the dissolution of Project Cadmus remains unknown.  

Actors Victor Brandt and Robert Foxworth each provided the voice for Professor Hamilton, with the misguided scientist first appearing in the fifth episode of the first season of Superman: The Animated Series, ‘A Little Piece of Home.’  

The Habsburg of Space