Sympathy For The Devil(s)...

[Ziggy Stardust]

Based on Secret Six, we know that a well-written book can have you feel for the villain, even like or support them.

ASIDE from Secret Six, what are some others?

Magneto under Claremont's writing comes to mind.

[Infra-Man]

Probably The Devil in Clive Barker's play The History of the Devil

[Grazzt]

Johan becomes increasingly well fleshed out in Monster.

Hannibal Lecter also comes to mind.

[DavidAllred]

Well, I never in a million years would have believed I was capable of feeling sympathy for Captain Nazi. But Gail pulled off something beautiful and amazing in that Wonder Woman story. I don't remember the exact issue, I think was #15 maybe.

ETA -- I wouldn't say the feeling was support... just sympathy.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

Doctor Doom in Triumph and Torment and Books of Doom.

[JamesRitcheyIII]

Milton's Paradise Lost.

Lucifer = 'Dr. Horrible' level of protagonist.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Probably The Devil in Clive Barker's play The History of the Devil

I certainly sympathized with Satan in Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

There are two recent stories in Amazing Spider-man that were very sad- Keemia's Castle by Fred Van Lente and Javier Pulido and Joe Kelly/ Max Fiumura/Javier Pulido's Rhino story. They were really tragic stories, especially the Rhino story.

[jhota]

Milton's Paradise Lost.

Lucifer = 'Dr. Horrible' level of protagonist.

beat me to it. Steven Brust's To Reign In Hell is another interesting take on the character.

i think Kraven in the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline qualifies.

sometimes Frank Castle.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

Frank Castle in Punisher MAX.

[Ziggy Stardust]

i think Kraven in the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline qualifies.

I agree with you.

[Venom Melendez]

Samuel Sterns, The leader.

[Venom Melendez]

Frank Castle in Punisher MAX.

He's an Anti-Hero, not a villain.


But speaking of Punisher Max, there is Baracuda( at least in his mini).

I never really felt sympathy for Magneto. Red Skull said it best when he pointed out the whole Mutant supremacy wasn't all that different from what he did back in the day.

[Darrell D.]

Thunderbolts, written by Warren Ellis.
And I would argue that The Punisher is indeed a villain. He is basically a serial killer.

[Charles RB]

Agree on Punisher MAX and Thunderbolts - also, Hellboy: The Wild Hunt managed to make me feel sorry for Gruagach.

The king of this time of thing, however, remains John Wagner and a select few others on Judge Dredd. As one blogger pointed out:

And so Dredd remains my favourite Nazi. But he's still a Nazi.

(Technically he's only a Fascist, not a Nazi, but you get his point)