Hello, I'm an expert in comic book lore and history. Let's dive into the origins of Batman's rogues' gallery.

The first villain that Batman ever faced was not a single character, but a group known as the Garda. The Garda was a group of costumed criminals introduced in "Detective Comics #27" (May 1939), which is the same issue that introduced Batman. The leader of the Garda was Doctor Daedalus, but he was not the primary antagonist of the story. Instead, the Garda served as the collective antagonist for Batman's debut.

However, if we're looking for a more traditional, singular villain, then the first character that fits that description is Bill Jard Jr., also known as the Cat. The Cat appeared in "Batman #1" (Spring 1940), which is the first comic book to feature Batman as the sole protagonist. Bill Jard Jr. was a thief who used a cat-like costume and gadgets to commit his crimes.

So, to summarize, the first villain Batman faced was a group called the Garda, but the first singular villain was Bill Jard Jr., the Cat.

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Classic rogues galleryVillainCreator(s)First appearanceHugo StrangeBob Kane Bill FingerDetective Comics #36 (February 1940)HushJeph Loeb Jim LeeBatman #609 (January 2003)JokerBob Kane Bill Finger Jerry RobinsonBatman #1 (April 1940)Killer CrocGerry Conway Don Newton Gene ColanBatman #357 (March 1983)33 more rowsread more >>