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The Key is the name of two fictional supervillains in the DC Comics universe.

The Golden Age Key's sole appearance is in 1951's All Star Comics #57, which features the last Golden Age appearance of the Justice Society of America. In this story, the Key is the head of a major crime syndicate, and uses various agents around the world in his misdeeds. While escaping from the Justice Society in a cable car moving over a gorge, the Key leaps out to avoid capture by the JSA, presumably falling to his death (as this version of the Key hasn't been seen since).

The second Key debuted in Justice League of America #41 (December 1965). Originally a chemist with Intergang, the man who would be known as the Key develops mind-expanding "psycho-chemicals" that activate his ten senses and help him plan crimes mere humans can never hope to understand. Armed with these plans, a series of henchmen known as the "Key-Men", and a "key blaster", the Key has several failed run-ins with the JLA.

The Key returns in JLA #8 (August 1997), after spending years in hibernation. The psycho-chemicals he has been ingesting have altered his appearance into a pale, cadaverous form, and heightened his mental abilities. He manages to infiltrate the JLA headquarters, and traps the team in a fantasy realm of their own creation, intending to siphon off the energies of their inevitable victory in order to increase his power. He almost succeeds if not for the intervention of Connor Hawke, who beams up to the JLA headquarters while the Key is present due to a pre-arranged meeting to discuss him becoming a member of the League. He eventually returns to fight the Batman, attempting to provoke the Dark Knight into murdering him so he could escape life itself, but the plan proves unsuccessful.

In the aftermath of the "World without a Justice League" storyline (JLA, #120-#125) when the Justice League is disassembled, the Key, now with telepathic powers thanks to a cybernetic implant, trys to destroy the League. After a long battle with Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Manitou Dawn, he is beaten and sent to "the dream realm", a place for telepaths, where he can think in peace. He somehow escapes, as he is later seen fighting in the Battle of Metropolis.

Most recently, he as seen among the new Injustice League.

In Justice League Unlimited, Key is seen as a member of the Legion of Doom. His skills seem more oriented to penetrating secure areas with a key shaped gun that can easily open doors as well as mundane ballistic means. In a commentary, it was said that he was originally going to be possessed by Braniac and play an important role in the season finale. However, he was dropped in favor of a resurrected Darkseid. He is voiced by Corey Burton.

The Key is a villain featured in the video game Justice League Heroes, and is voiced by Carlos Alazraqui.