Killer Croc

Origin

blood-thirsty

Waylon Jones was born with a condition that gave him a thick scaly hide and razor-sharp claws and teeth. As a child he was relentlessly bullied because of his monstrous appearance. When he was only eight years old he snapped and almost killed one of his schoolyard tormentors. For that little incident he spent the next eight years of his life in reform school. He didn't like it much. Over this time his contempt for humanity grew; and so did his body, mutating to grotesque proportions and becoming increasingly reptilian in appearance. The now sociopathic Waylon Jones celebrated his eighteenth birthday by becoming a cold-blooded murderer.

He served twenty years for that crime and emerged from jail to join a traveling carnival. He quickly became the main attraction as the alligator-wrestler "Killer Croc". After a while Croc's ambitions and travels led him to Gotham, where he began to forge a criminal empire. His attempts to "set up shop" were repeatedly thwarted by Batman. While Croc's physical size and power increased, his intellectual abilities diminished. This left him a virtual slave to primal desires and homicidal psychosis. He took refuge in Gotham's sewers.

Creation

Killer Croc was created back in 1983 by artist Gene Colan and writer Gerry Conway.

Major Story Arcs

Killer Croc attacked a shopping mall where Batman and Robin arrived later. After delivering several blows to Croc, Batman was distracted by a glimpse of Bane; Croc then grabbed Batman and tried to break his back. He failed, and Bane pitted himself against Croc, breaking his arms. He was then put back into Arkham Asylum. Shortly after this era, a mysterious force beckons Croc to the Louisiana Swamplands. When he arrives there, it is revealed to be Swamp Thing, offering Croc a place among the bestial crocodiles in the swamps.

Hush

Mutated by Hush

It is during the Hush story line that Killer Croc takes on his more bestial appearance, rather than just a scaly human. this is from a mutagenic virus he is infected with by Thomas Elliot. Batman runs afoul of the mutating Croc when he kidnaps a young boy for money. Catwoman steals the ransom money, and Batman promptly chases after her. Batman wishes to help Croc revert to his more human appearance, he does so temporarily but later reverts back to his reptilian look

Since the upheavals of the Gotham gang wars, Croc found himself under the complete control of Black Mask. Black Mask had the Mad Hatter insert a mind-controlling micro-chip into Croc's skull. While working on a bank robbery for Black Mask, Croc's constant head scratching dislodged the chip. Croc realized what had been done to him and vowed revenge on Black Mask.

Inside Arkham Asylum, Croc has earned the enmity of guard Aaron Cash. Croc once ate Cash's right hand. The enmity runs so deep, Cash had an alligator hide wallet made from a hunk of Croc's hide. The two characters reference Peter Pan. Croc yelled "tic, toc, feed the Croc!" when he ate Cash's hand, and Cash had his hand replaced with a hook.

Killer Croc joined Alexander Luthor's Secret Society of Super Villains. He participated in the Arkham prison break, but was recaptured. Killer Croc was one of the villains sent to planet Salvation. He later returned to Earth. During Final Crisis he was turned into a Justifier.

Regardless of his grudge against Black Mask, Killer Croc is one of the villains forced into his gang in during the Battle for the Cowl. He flees to the swamps to get the explosive device Black Mask planted out of his body. The Outsiders are sent to capture him. Meanwhile Killer Croc has been chewing off his own limbs in the hope to remove the device. (His reptilian metabolism means that they will regrow). After a battle with the Creeper and several Black Lanterns, Killer Croc is captured and the explosive chip is removed.

Batman: Dark Knight

After hearing of Dawn Golden's disappearance, Batman heads toward the alley where Dawn was reported to have disappeared from. Batman notices a large figure emerge from the shadows of the alley. The figure was shrouded in a trench coat and Batman shadows the figure's movements. Batman soon realizes that it is Killer Croc but he also notices that Croc's physique has changed since their last encounter in the Weir Chambers underneath Gotham. Batman figures that Croc has been injecting Venom, Bane's designer steroid, into his body. This would imply that Batman has already defeated Bane but now Bane or someone else, has become a drug peddler that deals Venom to potential buyers likeCroc.

Bruce remembers that Scarecrow had experimented on Croc at Arkham Asylum and had forced him to ingest his fear toxin. Croc became Scarecrow's reluctant servant and was forced to kidnap public servants as well as clergymen from crime infested areas of Gotham because Scarecrow didn't want these people to save the citizens of Gotham that suffered from desperation which was brought on after Ra's al Ghul's attack on Gotham. Batman stopped Croc by having him ingest an incendiary device which caused Croc to runaway from the fight. Now, Croc is much bigger than before but Batman still swoops down and hits him with everything he's got. Croc is eventually knocked down to his feet when Batman ties a cord around Croc's foot and then Batman slams a marquee on Croc's head which knocks him out momentarily.

When Croc regains consciousness, Batman starts his interrogation. Croc refuses to give up anything until Batman threatens him that he will inject a detox serum into Croc's body which will painfully immunize his body from the effects of Venom.Croc gives in and tells Batman to look up Lars Beck because he was responsible for Dawn's disappearance. After getting the information, Batman forces the serum down Croc's throat and calls in Gordon for a pickup. Gotham PD prepare Crocfor his transfer back to the new Arkham Asylum in the Narrows while Commissioner Gordon informs Batman that Lars Beck, was fished out of Gotham River this morning.

Whoever Croc was working for (Penguin), made sure that Croc disposed of Beck after his usefulness ran out in order to avoid any implications to Dawn's kidnapping. Later on, Bruce overhears a news report which states that Killer Croc has escaped police custody. Killer Croc makes his way to Penguin's second base of operations, the Boom Room. When Batman finds out that Penguin had a hand in Dawn's kidnapping, he defeats Penguin's goons and goes after Penguin who ran out of the Boom Room. Batman catches up with Penguin in an alley nearby the Boom Room.

As Batman interrogates Penguin, Killer Croc appears out of nowhere and attacks Batman. Killer Croc grabs Batman and smashes him into a wall thus knocking him out. Later on, Batman awakens tied up to a support beam in a vacant room with a TV in front of him and bombs strapped to him. As Batman tries to escape, he is slapped in the face by Killer Crocand the TV automatically turns on.

The television displays a sick-bed where Penguin taunts Batman with the unsettling fact that Dawn Golden may not have much time since the heat in her room will begin to pick up. It looks like Dawn Golden's "goose is cooked." Penguin explains that Dawn Golden made fun of Oswald’s demeanor which is not the wisest thing to do. It looks like Dawn Golden's "goose is cooked."

Before the television turns off, Penguin tells Batman that he has 8 seconds before the room explodes. Killer Croc can’t believe Penguin would have the guts to betray him so he makes a hasty exit while Batman breaks free of his bonds. Batman manages to get out of the room before it explodes and looks for Dawn because he could recognize from the television that the room Dawn was in was somewhere inside the building. Batman discovers her in the basement where he frees her and makes his way back to the streets.

Black Mirror

Shortly after Bruce Wayne appointed Dick Grayson to be the Batman of Gotham City, a string of mysterious crimes occur with a series of weapons and abilities that are utilized by Batman's rogue gallery. First, Edward Lamont IV, a young rich boy who was kidnapped by Killer Croc ingests the same serum that enhanced Killer Croc's advanced skin condition. Edward mutated himself so he could get revenge on those who bully him. It seems Edward’s uncle is a dirty cop and he was the one who gave his nephew the Croc serum. Batman (Dick Grayson) subdues Edward after he devoured his tormenters. Gordon and Dick use the laboratory at Wayne Enterprises to remove the serum from the Edward’s body.

Afterwards, Dick went to Edward's house in Palisades to talk to his mother. By this time, the dirty cop is already aware of Edward’s apprehension so he takes the initiative by wiping out all loose ends. He places a Mad Hatter microchip on his sister and tells her to kill her butler and then murder the Batman when he arrives. The uncle then situates himself outside of the house to make sure everything goes according to plan. Batman arrives and finds the butler bleeding on the tile floor.

The butler proclaims Edward’s innocence but before he could tell Batman about who gave Edward the Croc serum, Edward’s mother comes out from the shadows and shoots the butler with a shotgun. The mother runs out of shells for the shotgun and the uncle realizes that his plan is going awry. The uncle then tells his sister to run upstairs and jump out of the nearest window. Unfortunately, Batman is unable to save the woman but he does manage to pick up the Mad Hatter device from off the floor then he notices a police car speeding away from the house. Dick memorizes the number on the police car and tells Gordon to be ready at the precinct when the uncle returns.

Gordon arrests the uncle and brings Batman to the interrogation room. It turns out the uncle is the officer who is in charge of the evidence locker at Gordon’s precinct and he has been selling various items from Batman’s rogues to someone named the Dealer. Dick and Gordon leave the room to compare notes while the uncle waits to be processed. Unfortunately, someone placed airborne spores in the ventilation system that leads to the interrogation room. When Gordon and Dick return to the room, they find the uncle covered in vines with plants growing out of his body.

Batman Beyond

vs Dick Grayson the first time he took the cowl

In the future, the Cadmus Labs located in Gotham has a specimen dubbed Killer Croc that the future Hush (Dick Grayson clone) tired to kill but met with no success. It has yet to be concluded if this is actually Waylon Jones or an entirely new Killer Croc but Amanda Waller has verified that this specimen is as dangerous as his namesake and must not be allowed to escape.

Batman: Knight of Vengeance

Killer Croc appears in the Flashpoint universe feasting upon homeless people in the sewers of Gotham. Batman, in this universe a more violent Thomas Wayne, investigates.Croc gets the drop on him in the sewers and is about to drown him when Batman stabs him in the eye with his finger. He then takes Croc's machete and splits his head open.

New 52

In The New 52, Killer Croc makes an appearance in the flash back in Roy Harper's memories, having the head of a crocodile. He is seen fighting Roy in Hell's Kitchen but quickly notices Roy isn't fighting back. He figures out that Roy's trying to have him commit assisted suicide, and comforts the ex-sidekick knowing Oliver Queen screwed him over publicly by taking his shares of Ollie's Company and tells him that this is not the way to go out. Roy says he was not that bad of a guy before blacking out, but Killer Croc reminds him next time he will not be so nice.He is then passingly referenced by Roy, as he is Roy's current sponsor for his alcoholism, as Roy is in a bar with Jason Todd; Roy is only drinking water, but knows Waylon would disapprove.

Alternate Versions

In Catwoman: Guardian of Gotham, Killer Croc appeared for a brief moment. He put up quite a fight against Catwoman, only to have Batman toss a batarang into his back killing him instantly.

In the Red Rain universe, Earth-43, Killer Croc worked with Two-Face to take down vampire Batman. However, Killer Crocis killed later on.

In the out-of-continuity graphic novel " Joker", Killer Croc appears as a large black man. The Joker consults him as a body disposal expert- it is hinted Croc eats the corpses. He is also a gang leader in this world, and is also a high ranking member of the Joker's gang.

Powers And Abilities

Waylon Jones was born with a rare skin condition similar to epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, granting him his scaly,

Battling Batman

reptilian appearance. As well as this, he also has super strength in that he can rip bank vault doors straight off the wall, near super speed and agility like that of an animal, and given to him by a highly animalistic disease. Killer Croc also maintains a powerful healing factor, he has healed broken limbs and spinal injures from Bane. He also possesses razor sharp claws and teeth. Croc is also is an expert swimmer, his reptilian genes giving more underwater aptitude.

As his mutation has progressed, Jones has grown even further to resemble an actual reptile.

Jones is also a experienced alligator wrestler and street fighter.

Appearances in Other Media

Killer Croc appears in every Batman cartoon made after his creation in the comics.

DCAU

Batman: TAS

In Batman: The Animated Series, Croc was once a pro-wrestler after his sideshow days before turning to crime. His reptilian appearance was less extreme. In this cartoon, Croc is legally sane, and is sent to Blackgate instead of Arkham. He's voiced by Aron Kincaid.

In the New Adventures, he was redesigned with green skin. He teams up with Baby Doll to kill Batman. This time he's voiced by Brooks Gardner. Baby Doll saw a kindred spirit in Crocand tried to help him. They plan and execute a series of successful crimes. Baby Doll falls in love with him, until she overhears Croc bragging about manipulating her. Enraged, she betrays him to Batman, in the ensuing fight, he is defeated after being drenched in boiling water. Croc later appears as a victim of Two-Face's vigilante persona: The Judge.

In Batman Beyond a robot takes Killer Croc's form.

The Batman

Croc as he appears in The Batman

In The Batman, he was voiced by Ron Perlman. This version of Croc has a Cajun accent. His origin is mostly unknown, one of henchmen says that Croc may be a project of the government gone wrong, a product of Voodoo magic or even a circus freak. This version is much more reptilian, having a tail. Croc is much stronger and faster than in previous versions, he is also much smarter and can stay underwater for extended periods of time.

He is first seen completing a series of successful robberies. He attempts to flood Gotham City only to be stopped by Batman, who knocks him out after depriving him of his oxygen supply. Croc makes his second appearance as a member of Team Penguin, together with Penguin, Ragdoll, Killer Moth and Firefly. He attempts to leave the team together with his teammates until Penguin threatens them using a mutated Killer Moth. His last appearance in the show is as a prisoner of another Gotham vigilante: Rumor.

Batman: Gotham Knight

From Gotham Knight

Killer Croc appears as one of the villains in Batman: Gotham Knight in the segment In Darkness Dwells. In this version, Waylon Jones is a cannibalistic serial killer. The urban legend in the segment goes that he was an infant born with a disfiguring skin disorder, and that his mother abandoned him in the sewers of Gotham. As an adult, he files his front teeth into points to compliment the reptilian appearance of his skin and becomes a circus performer. Later, Jones - now called Killer Croc - goes on a killing spree that eventually lands him in Arkham Asylum. There, his homicidal impulses intensify during treatment by Dr Jonathan Crane a.k.a. The Scarecrow, who infects him with his fear toxin. Croc escapes from Arkham and flees to the sewers along with Crane and a handful of escaped Arkham inmates. Batman comes to investigate the kidnapping of a cardinal, when Croc attacks him, biting him and infecting him with the fear toxin that is coursing through Croc's own body. After a lengthy battle, Batman fends off Croc by shoving a smoke bomb into his mouth. This version of Croc is noticeably less intelligent than other animated versions, as he never speaks and seems to just follow Scarecrow's orders.Batman: The Brave and The Bold

He seems to be leading an operation in "Night of the Batmen" where he works with Bane, Solomon Grundy, and Blockbuster. They are all apprehended by Captain Marvel.

Video Games

Lego Batman

LEGO Croc

A Humanoid Killer Croc appears in Lego Batman. He works for the Penguin alongsideBane, Catwoman, and Man-Bat. Killer Croc is a boss, and a playable character. His powers are Super Strength, and he is immune to acid, also Killer Croc has a watercraft that is immune to acid (Only other person with this kind of watercraft is Mister Freeze, who drives a iceberg) This can be used to beat certain levels and access certain areas.

Arkham Asylum

Croc in Arkham Asylum

In Arkham Asylum, Croc appears. Heavily drugged, he swims around in the caverns beneath Arkham Asylum. When Batman goes to the tunnels to retrieve spores, Croc attacks him, but Batman is able to continuously subdue him by striking his shock collar with a Batarang. Batman is forced to sneak around on floating wood, lest he draw the Croc's attention. When Croc gives chase, Batman is able to blow up part of the cave's floor, sending him crashing into the ocean. Later he returns when Scarecrow threatens to release his fear gas into the Gotham's water supply and attacks him before he can do it, dragging him into the water when Batman hits his shock collar again to save Scarecrow from being eaten .

In one possible ending, Croc appears to grab a large crate of Titan, a derivative of Venom.

Arkham City

Killer Croc makes a cameo in Batman: Arkham City inside in the sewers near Wonder City. There is a switch behind a gate that can be hit with a remote control batarang. If the switch is hit, Killer Croc will smash through the wall behind it. This triggers exclusive dialogue between the two and he lets Batman leave, confident he will die soon anyhow.

DC Universe Online If you are a villain and Joker is your mentor you team up with him a few times but mainly to defeat Bane.