DC has created some dynamic, diabolical villains over the years. Some are highly intelligent, some are physically imposing. And a few are both.

Based on a first look, Gorilla Grodd doesn’t seem that imposing, but that is definitely not true. As an enemy of the Flash, Grodd made his debut in The Flash #106 (May 1959), created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. He is extremely intelligent and telepathic, with the ability to control minds.

Grodd was born like just another average ape until an alien craft crashed near his home. The pilot of the spacecraft imbued him with intelligence, but Grodd and another gorilla also developed telepathic and telekinetic powers. Adopting the alien as their leader, they created an advanced Gorilla City. Unfortunately their home was discovered by explorers. Grodd forced an explorer to kill the alien to take over Gorilla City and eventually the world, which put him on the Flash’s radar.

His telepathic abilities allow him to mentally control other people. Grodd can project telekinetic force beams, transmute matter telekinetically, and transfer his consciousness to other bodies. He can absorb intelligence by consuming human brains. His physical strength also far exceeds ordinary gorillas.

As a scientific genius, he has mastered the advanced technology in Gorilla City. He created his own inventions, including a large laser gun. He thinks at a rate of speed similar to humans, which was proven during battles with the Flash who can be somewhat immune to his telepathic powers by moving so fast that their brains process Grodd’s deceptive illusions as slow motion.

In one story Grodd increased his telekinetic powers by developing a pill after he’d evolved himself into a human. This gave him the power to control forces of nature, such as lifting thousands of tons with his mind. But once he reverted back to being a gorilla he lost the exceptional telekinetic power.