What do you all think of humorous and amusing villains? Have you written any into your books, or remember any from books you've read or movies you've watched? Do you think these types of villains are effective? Does it make a difference if the normally-dark-and-creepy overlord just has a comedic slip-up, versus a repeatedly goofy character?

The best example I can think of off the top of my head is Jatt & Jutt from the Legend of the Guardians film. These two minor bad guys are constantly teasing each other. You get the impression that they get along well as brothers, and a lot of their one-liners make the audience laugh.

My problem with this is that, when a villain is repeatedly funny, they aren't scary any more. I have a hard time taking them seriously, and they don't feel like much of a threat. This weakens their power as bad guys, I think. An occasional comedic slip-up would be different - everyone has their embarrassing moments.

What do you all think?

Well, I remember a villain in an "Adventures in Odyssey" radio episode. He was called "The Whisperer". He was pretty scary, with an electrocuting cane, and a raspy, whispery voice. But whenever he pulled out his soft, menacing evil laugh, he broke into coughing. Which made me break into giggles, right at the tense moments. Built-in comic relief!
A failed evil laugh is pretty hilarious.

I agree - comic relief can help keep a story from becoming too dark. When used properly. Used improperly, does it weaken the story? I'm sure it depends on what your goals for your story are, who your target audience is, and so forth. Do you want to break up tense moments, or are you trying to be very serious?

Humorous villains...humorous villains...humorous villains...

I can think of a few - for example, the Bowler Hat Guy from "Meet the Robinsons," or various villains from the Percy Jackson series. I think, generally, that an overly funny villain does spoil the audience's fear, making it seem like the villain doesn't take himself seriously, so why should we? However, a bit of verbal sparring and comic relief can be used to good effect, particularly with a younger audience. I think the Percy Jackson series does an excellent job balancing seriousness, humor, and villainousness.

Just my two bits.

EDIT: Another series with humorous villains is the Artemis Fowl series. Just look at Opal Koboi - poster girl of a laughable yet dead serious villain.

I haven't read Atremis Fowl (yet), but I've seen "Meet the Robinsons." Now that you mention it, Bowler Hat Guy was a funny villain that I did like. While that movie wasn't very serious overall, I think it still managed to present a threat through its antagonists. Part of it was Bowler Hat Guy's real identity, and part of it was his hat, whose name I forget. She ended up being the true villain, and she wasn't stupidly laughable, so that helped.

One of my objections with humorous villains is that it might make evil look attractive, but that would only be in certain and rare situations with certain and rare villains.

@ Philadelphia - are you talking about only the villain - like an embodiment of evil - or antagonists in general?

I do agree that a villain who's always funny becomes less frightening. I think that can work for a minor villain, but your biggest villain should probably only have the comedic slip-ups unless having a funny Big Bad fits the tone of your story.

Although, perhaps whether or not a villain is still frightening or not depends on just how the villain is funny. If it's slapstick humor, it's hard to take him seriously. Not necessarily so much if he's cracking jokes. I can think of one antagonist who can be funny, but he's a lot more serious and deadly when actually fighting. (I don't actually find him frightening, but that's due to other things, I think.) *shrug*

I quite like funny villains. Yes, it does make them a lot less scary, but I would much prefer to be laughing then scared. I think it is possible to make a scary and yet funny villain. I think the trick would be to use random one-liners. Two villains come to my mind...

Capricorn from the movie "Inkheart". (in the book, he wasn't funny at all) He truly did have a fear inducing aura about him, and every time they shot him looking at Meggie, my skin would prickle. Yet some of his hilarious comments make me laugh every time:

"I love this world... you have guns, telephones and-- what's that sticky stuff called?"
"Duct tape."
"Ahh, yes. Duct tape. I love Duct tape!"

Another funny villain is Galaxar from "Monsters vs Aliens". The first quarter of the movie he is quite scary, but after a while his antics and flustered comments get the better of his fearsomeness and he becomes funny.

"Greetings, earthlings! I come in peace. You need not fear me, I mean you no harm. However, it is important to note that most of you will not survive the next 24 hours. The few of you that do survive will be enslaved and experimented upon. You should, in no way, take any of this personally. It's just business. So to recap, I come in peace, I mean you no harm, and you all will die. Gallaxhar out."

However these are only in movies; I can't recall any funny villains in any books I've read. But I guess random one-liners work in books too. That's my two bob input, anyway.

Would that count as a "funny villain?" I love inserting humor, but it is rarely the villains who pull it off in my book.

I like the idea of a funny villain, although I think it would fit in more with a kids/teen book than for adults. It adds a light hearted side to it, especially if you're trying to make it less scary.

Very good thoughts, y'all! Yes, Phylis, I'm speaking of bad guys in general, whether they are the main antagonist or otherwise.

I agree, now that y'all spell it out that way. There is a difference between cracking one-liners and being dorky. I think snark and sarcasm are more fitting for bad guys than goofiness and idiocy, in general. I don't think snark and sarcasm, if used aptly, decreases an antagonist's fear - in fact, it might increase his mystique by showing that he's intelligent and cool-witted.

Reiyen's excerpt is a good example. That's snark and sarcasm, and it doesn't make the bad guy any less fearsome. The audience might chuckle at the wit, but it also serves to prove that he's serious about his threats. (I've also heard it's very realistic for guys to egg each other on like that when under pressure, or when facing off.)

And, yes, you can certainly use this principle to your advantage - if you want to lighten your book, tone it down for a younger audience, or keep people from taking your villain too seriously, some humor might serve your purpose.

I have a minor villain who is just a bumbling fool. I suppose he's the closest thing to comic relief my book would have

eru

I like to make other characters funny for comic relief, not the villian though. It all goes into the roles of the characters and how you want the feel of the book to be. I'll put something really evil and then switch to another scene where something less dark and slightly humorous is happening!

I hate the stupid bad guy villains... And while I think funny bad guys are… well, funny, I'm not sure they are the best option, for the very reason you stated, Philli. But I'll have to think on it...

I like sarcastic villains, so long as they are still ruthless, scary villains. If they are too funny, you don't respect them as villains.

Aye. If they are sarcastic or can't get sarcasm or stuff like that it's ok, as long as they aren't too funny... You have to have a balance between them being completely evil and dark... and slightly humorous.

-God bless

Like said before, it depends. Most of my stories have either insane Nazis as villains or Teleporters posing as villains to propel the heroes into the hero role, or Nature or an organization as a villain. One of my stories though, The Dying Words of Dick Eldin, Galactic Gumshoe, has a surreal, almost Cubist feel similar Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland where the villain, nay, everyone is bizarre, illogical, and somewhat funny.

In the last case, he has to be funny, or somewhat funny (He's a Mafia Don named Don) to add to the feel of the story.

Indeed. It depends on the feel of the book you are going for. Lord of the rings could not have had Sauron be the queen of hearts from alice and wonderland... and AIW and LOTR are both fantasy. They just have different feels.