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Killer Croc was a deformed criminal with crocodilian attributes, who ran afoul of Batman.
History
Early Career and Revenge
Killer Croc was born with reptilian skin and when he grew up he became a carnival sideshow attraction in Miami. Eventually he joined the Wrestling Federation under the name "Killer Croc Morgan" and worked his way up to champion, earning quite a fierce reputation.[1]
Croc, once a champion pro wrestler.
Two years later, Croc moved to Gotham City and became a strong-armed criminal, mostly dealing in "penny-ante" crimes. He participated in the Union Hit Case and was arrested by Detective Harvey Bullock soon afterward. With testimony from Spider Conway and Joey the Snail, Croc was sent to prison.
Croc eventually escaped by using the sewer system. He set up a lair in an underground cave, and began plotting his revenge. Attempting to frame Bullock, Croc placed a toothpick at the scene, after abducting Spider Conway, making it look like a bomb planted by Bullock.
Croc fights Batman underwater.
He impersonated Bullock and abducted Joey the Snail at a later point. With the guard's testimony, Bullock was arrested, and Croc's plan of seeing Bullock "sweat it out in prison" was nearly successful. However, Batman investigated and discovered Croc's lair where after a short fight, Batman escaped the lair with Joey and Conway. The pair's testimony was enough to release Bullock. Subsequently, Croc desperately tried to kill Bullock, but Batman was able to foil that plan. Croc then retreated into the sewer where Batman was able to best him and hand him back to Bullock.[1]
Other Criminal Activity
At one point, Batman impersonated Killer Croc in order to gain access to a poker game featuring many of his rogues, suggesting a pre-existing relationship. As Croc, Batman claimed that he thought "Batman" was a robot, and that at one point in the past, he threw a rock at him. This story did not go over well with the other rogues. Batman ultimately used the ruse to arrest them all with the help of the GPD.[2]
When the Penguin was released from Stonegate Penitentiary, he expected Croc to be among the guests welcoming him, but Croc did not appear.[3]
Escape into the Woods
After a long trial, Croc was proven sane and found guilty of his crimes, and sentenced to serve time at Levitz Prison. An entire cell block was prepared for his arrival and he was transported by train and chained in a polycarbon alloy. Several reporters were allowed on this train, as well as an assortment of armed guards.
Croc tries to kill Batman with his favorite gimmick.
Using his powerful jaws, Croc broke out of his chains, but was shot with a sedative on his attempt to escape. While slightly sedated, he fought Batman enough to fall into the woods.
While Batman was knocked out by the fall, Croc was still awake, if drowsy. He mistakenly believed he crushed Batman with a rock, and accidentally fell off a cliff. Once he regained his composure, Croc began his run for freedom, taking off his prison shirt. While Croc was resting on a mountain, he spotted Batman, unbelievably, tracking him. He nearly killed Batman once again, by pushing a boulder onto the tree Batman was using to get to the mountain. This sent Batman down a canyon, and Croc again ran for his freedom.
Croc among newfound friends.
Still weary, Croc fell down a waterfall and was saved by a boy with flippers for limbs. Croc found himself in the care of a group of former sideshow attractions from the Circus Bros. circus. They were operating a mill farm. While at the mill, Croc used his strength to help Goliath push a tractor out of the mud, and promised to go swimming with Billy. He stated he had come from a similar "freak show" and his chains were placed on him after attempting to escape. His stories of his time in a freak show were taken to heart by the group, and they allowed Croc to live with them. He was given Goliath's cot, and his interest peaked when told by Richard and Goliath of a $50,000 nest egg.
Searching for the nest egg, Croc found it, but was interrupted by Billy, who thought he was looking for a blanket. Croc placed the money back, perhaps having a change of heart, and headed back to his cot. It was at this point that Batman showed up and Goliath had him placed in one of the old cages. While they first believed Croc's assertions that Batman was from his evil "freak show", they later saw Croc's true colors when he attempted to kill Batman. Asking Croc to leave, the group was stunned by a smoke bomb and placed in another cage.
As Croc gathered a rifle and the $50,000, Batman escaped and with the escaped Billy's help, broke into the mill to stop Croc, ultimately emerging the victor when Croc was nearly killed by the mill. Killer Croc is taken by helicopter in a straight jacket to Levitz Prison. When asked by Billy why he turned on them, he stated that he was just being himself.[4]
Arkham Asylum and Escape
At some point, Killer Croc was declared insane and placed in Arkham Asylum. When the Mad Hatter helped the inmates take over Arkham, Croc was assigned to guard Batman, who was kidnapped and prepared for a mock "trial" by the inmates. As the "bailiff", Croc took Batman to the trial, and served on the jury. He hoped they would hit Batman with a rock as his just punishment, and agreed with Two-Face that Batman made them all the monsters they became. After the trial was over, Croc helped strap Batman to a table for his "final confession". When the lights went out, Croc helped block the door to stop Batman from escaping. He was immediately knocked out of the way by Batman, and beaten senseless. The Joker opened fire, not caring if he hit Croc or not, and Croc was electrocuted by wires that had been shot at.[5]
He was referred to as "lizard man" by Harley Quinn when she was mad that the Joker wouldn't save her friends from a nuclear bomb.[6]
Croc had escaped from Arkham and went on a crime spree, forming his own gang. While running from Batman and Robin, Croc was ambushed by Bane and beaten unconscious as a warning to Batman. He was placed in Stonegate to recuperate and while still injured, Croc was interrogated by Batman for information on Bane. He warned Batman of Bane's use of Venom and was hoping to see him broken in two.[7]
Later career
In a televised court case, Killer Croc was declared sane by a Judge, and escaped his straightjacket at the end of the competency hearing. He violently escaped the courthouse, only to be taken down by Batman. Baby-Doll, who had witnessed this scenes, sympathized with Croc, and helped break him out of a prison truck heading to the state prison.
Together, Baby-Doll and Croc set up a home in the sewers and went on a crime spree, becoming known as "Gotham's Bonnie and Clyde". They robbed water locales, such as Jewelry Mart, and their popularity spread all the way to Metropolis, where Superman allegedly claimed to be "too busy" to stop them. Croc relished in the fact that all of Gotham was panic-stricken, and began secretly spending time with women at the local 'bait' shops.
Baby-Doll and Croc next attempted to rob a riverboat casino, where they were stopped by Batman and Batgirl. They escaped with a fraction of the loot, and Croc angrily left their lair for the night. Unknowingly followed by Baby-Doll, Croc made known his plan to leave her and city behind after a few more robberies. The next day, Baby-Doll "apologized" to "Crocky" and claimed to have a new plan, the so-called "big one".
They broke into the Gotham Power plant on Mid River Island, and Croc thought the plan was to hold the city ransom. He tried to stop Baby-Doll when he learned that she planned to destroy them and the city. Croc is drawn into a fight with Batman after attempting to warn him of Baby's crime. He attempted to kill Baby-Doll and Batman, and was severely burned with pressurized hot water when he dislodged a pipe in an attempt to make an improvised weapon.[8]
As a lone criminal, Croc used the Penguin's services to sell stolen merchandise. He was dismayed but reluctantly agreed when the Penguin offered $50,000 for a supposedly $500,000 diamond. He relished in the thought that the Penguin was assaulted afterward by the mysterious "Judge". However, he himself was later assaulted by the Judge, who accused him of "murder, mayhem, manslaughter". Croc was pushed off a bridge, only to be saved by Batman.[9]
Powers and abilities
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Originally, Killer Croc was born with a birth defect which left him with reptilian DNA. He trained himself to become a great wrestler and could sustain himself underwater for lengthy periods of time. He was strong enough to trade punches with Batman, and considered his strength to be equal to a "croc's", most notably his jaw strength.[1][4] He could also casually lift and hurl a manhole cover akin to a frisbee with sufficient accuracy.[1] Eventually, Killer Croc mutated more and gained more green, scaly skin and began developing, seemingly, more reptilian attributes. He lived in the sewers and had the ability to eat whole chickens in one or two bites.[8]
Background information
Killer Croc was referred to as "Killer Croc Morgan" in his debut episode Vendetta. "Waylon Jones", which is the name traditionally associated with the character, was never used in the animated series, and only once in the comics, in issue 23 of the Batman & Robin Adventures.
According with Stan Berkowitz, Killer Croc would have appeared in Batman Beyond, because, as Berkowitz said "the reptilians can live more than 50 years", but the idea was scrapped, and Croc doesn't appear in the show.
Revamp
Killer Croc was redesigned as part of the revamp. His new appearance was much more reptilian, as he now had green skin, yellow eyes and four-fingered hands.
Appearances and references
Batman: The Animated Series
- "Vendetta"
- "Almost Got 'Im" (Batman in disguise)
- "Birds of a Feather" (Mentioned Only)
- "Sideshow"
- "Trial"
- "Harlequinade" (Mentioned Only)
- "Bane"
The New Batman Adventures
Gotham Girls
- "Gotham in Pink" (Mentioned Only)
Batman Beyond
- "Terry's Friend Dates a Robot" (robot duplicate)
Feature film
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (mannequin)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Reaves, Michael (writer) & Paur, Frank (director) (October 5, 1992). "Vendetta". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 1. Episode 21 (airdate). Episode 23 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ Dini, Paul (writer) & Radomski, Eric (director) (November 10, 1992). "Almost Got 'Im". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 1. Episode 35 (airdate). Episode 46 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ Menville, Chuck (story) & Stephens, Brynne (teleplay) & Paur, Frank (director) (February 8, 1993). "Birds of a Feather". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 1. Episode 52 (airdate). Episode 47 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Reaves, Michael (story) & Reaves, Michael, Stephens, Brynne (teleplay) & Kirkland, Boyd (director) & May 3, 1994). "Sideshow". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 2. Episode 7 (airdate). Episode 66 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ Dini, Paul, Timm, Bruce W. (story) & Dini, Paul (teleplay) & Riba, Dan (director) (May 16, 1994). "Trial". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 2. Episode 9 (airdate). Episode 68 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ Dini, Paul (writer) & Altieri, Kevin (director) (May 23, 1994). "Harlequinade". Batman: The Animated Series. Season 2. Episode 10 (airdate). Episode 72 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ Brian, Mitch (writer) & Altieri, Kevin (director) (September 10, 1994). "Bane". The Adventures of Batman & Robin. Season 3. Episode 1 (airdate). Episode 75 (production). FOX Kids.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Gerber, Steve (writer) & Lukic, Butch (director) (July 11, 1998). "Love is a Croc". The New Batman Adventures. Episode 13 (airdate). Episode 9 (production). Season 1. Kids WB!.
- ↑ Fogel, Rich, Burnett, Alan (writers) & Geda, Curt (director) (October 31, 1998). "Judgment Day". The New Batman Adventures. Episode 9 (airdate). Episode 24 (production). Season 2. Kids WB!.