Killer Croc (Waylon Jones) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gerry Conway, Don Newton, and Gene Colan, the character was introduced in Detective Comics #523 (February 1983). He has become one of the most enduring enemies of the superhero Batman and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.
Killer Croc is a former sideshow wrestler who has a rare genetic condition that gives him a reptilian appearance and superhuman strength. Driven insane by this, he turned to a life of crime, over time developing animalistic tendencies. The character has also been a member of the Suicide Squad, debuting in the fifth volume of the comic series revolving around the team, and a romantic interest of Enchantress.Suicide Squad vol. 5, #20 While typically portrayed as a supervillain, he has also been occasionally depicted as an antihero.
The character has been adapted into various media, most revolving around Batman. Killer Croc made his live-action debut in the 2016 DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad, portrayed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. A version of the character appeared in the third season of the Arrowverse series Batwoman, performed by Heidi Ben.
Publication history Killer Croc was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan. The character made cameo appearances in Detective Comics #523 (February 1983) and Batman #357 (March 1983), with his full first appearance in Detective Comics #524 (March 1983).
Fictional character biography Pre-Crisis Waylon Jones was born with a rare form of atavism that imparted him with reptilian traits with his birth causing the death of his mother. He was raised by his aunt, an abusive alcoholic who called him names like "lizardboy" and "reptilian freak". Croc eventually killed his aunt and became a criminal in Gotham City. After committing several murders, he faced off against Batman and the new Robin, Jason Todd, who defeated him.
In these original, Pre-Crisis appearances, Killer Croc resembled a powerfully built man covered entirely in green scales, but was still basically human in his facial proportions and build. He was also originally depicted as killing Jason Todd's parents. This was later retconned to make Two-Face their murderer.
Post-Crisis Killer Croc escapes custody, seeking revenge on Harvey Bullock and two others he blames for his prior imprisonment. His thirst for revenge driving him into madness. Evading authorities Croc finds refuge with an unhoused community within the old sewer systems. Batman finds the community and is nearly killed by Croc in a primal rage. Batman warns the group to leave, as the new water tunnels the city has set up will destroy their home when the lines open. Croc seemingly sacrificed himself holding the walls up from the rush of water, saving his friends in the process.Batman #489
Croc miraculously survived, having been swept away into a storm drain. Living on rats and being isolated for months, drove him further into madness. Suffering from hallucinations of his past torment by bullies and his aunt, seeing their faces on a vagrant who wandered in his territory and attacks him, going into a further rampage that ends up in a shopping mall, where he attracts the attention of the police and the dynamic duo. After delivering several blows to Croc, Batman (Jean-Paul Valley) is distracted by a glimpse of Bane. Croc grabs onto Valley and nearly kills him. Bane tests his might against that of Croc and breaks both his arms. He is then put back into Arkham Asylum.Batman #471
In the Knightfall saga, Bane orchestrates a jail break of Arkham and Croc is among the inmates that escape, taking refuge in the sewers, coming across Bane again, and attacks him on one of the ledges until it breaks and the two fall into the waters below ending the fight in a stalemate. Croc later returns, fully healed and thirsting for revenge finds himself not against Bane but Dick Grayson acting as Batman who dispatches the Killer Croc leaving him trussed up in a fishing trawl for the police. where he is returned to Arkham.
Killer Croc is summoned by a paranormal force to break out of Arkham and make his way to the Louisiana swamps. Batman follows him there, only to find that the mysterious force is actually Swamp Thing, who offers Croc a place in the swampland where he can finally give in to his animal side and live peacefully away from human persecution.Batman #521-522
Killer Croc has appeared in both the "Hush" storyline and its chronological follow-up, Broken City. In the former, he is infected with a virus that greatly increases the rate of his devolution, 'overseeing' a kidnapping for Hush before Batman defeats him; this provides Batman's first clue that someone else is orchestrating events, as he knows that Croc is not smart enough to attempt a complex scheme like a kidnapping on his own due to the many variables. Though Killer Croc was briefly restored to his original form, the Mad Hatter, under Black Mask's orders, implanted Killer Croc with a device that made him loyal to Black Mask and caused the virus to return. Batman freed Croc from Black Mask's control. Croc attempted to take revenge on the Mad Hatter, but was stopped by Batman. Croc then escaped.
When an attempt at a cure fails, Killer Croc devours the involved doctor and retreats to the sewers, vowing vengeance on Batman and Black Mask.Detective Comics #810 (2005)
In Infinite Crisis, Croc becomes a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains.
One Year Later during the "Face the Face" storyline, Killer Croc is shown to have been feeding on the corpse of Orca.Detective Comics #819 He next shows up in Countdown where he breaks free from his shackles in Arkham Asylum and attempts to kill Jimmy Olsen, who uses elastic powers to escape. Killer Croc is then subdued.Countdown #50
He is later seen among the exiled supervillains in "Salvation Run." After the Martian Manhunter is defeated and imprisoned in a fiery cage, Croc suggests that he will eat the Martian. Lex Luthor forbids it.
During the "Final Crisis" storyline, Killer Croc appears as a member of Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains.DC Universe #0 Killer Croc is later turned into a Justifier.Final Crisis #4
During the events of Brightest Day, Killer Croc is intentionally released from his cell by a guard whom Osiris kills when Deathstroke and his band of Titans infiltrate Arkham. While attempting to flee from the facility, he is attacked by Osiris who mistakes Killer Croc for his old enemy Sobek.Titans vol. 2 #28
The New 52 In the continuity of DC's 2011 reboot The New 52, Killer Croc is established to have fought Roy Harper in Hell's Kitchen in a flashback seen in Red Hood and the Outlaws.Red Hood and the Outlaws #3 He is then passingly referenced by Roy, as he is Roy's current sponsor for his alcoholism at the time when Roy was in a bar with Jason Todd. Roy is only drinking water, but knows that Waylon would disapprove.Red Hood and the Outlaws #4
During the 2013–2014 Forever Evil storyline, Croc began ruling over Gotham's lower class. He murders a corrupt S.W.A.T. team that murdered one of the few people who were nice to him. When the Crime Syndicate invades Earth, Croc takes over Wayne Tower. He is confronted by the villain Bane, who injects Croc with Venom, turning Croc into a hulking giant, whom Bane then defeats.
While institutionalized in Arkham, Killer Croc meets Sybil Silverlock, a woman with dissociative identity disorder. He bonds with her softer personality, and she shows him a picture of her daughter, Olive. Sybil has him promise to look after Olive if he ever gets out.Gotham Academy #6 After the destruction of Arkham Asylum,Batman Eternal #29 Killer Croc escapes and travels to Gotham Academy, where he watches over Olive, and tells her about her mother, who was rendered comatose by the asylum's destruction. After Batman confronts them, Olive and Killer Croc escape to a swamp. Before parting, he tells her that, if she is like her mother, to come and find him one day.
He helped Harley Quinn and her friends fight a gang of other Batman villains in Coney Island.
DC Rebirth In DC Rebirth, Killer Croc and the Squad go on a mission to retrieve a "cosmic item" from a Russian undersea prison, revealed to be a portal to the Phantom Zone, and come face-to-face with General Zod. He attacks the Squad and, when spotting Zod about to kill June Moone/Enchantress, Croc saves her just in time. After the mission, back in their cells, June Moone and Croc have a heartfelt conversation and embrace each other. Killer Croc and June Moone enjoy New York City and decide to explore their romance in the future. Croc encourages her to try, but later expresses fear and sheds tears that he will lose her if she is able to achieve her dream. Enchantress's rampage in New York City lasts until it is revealed that it is an editor from a magazine company who rejected June. After being convinced by Croc to reevaluate her, he decided to give her some freelance work. Moved by Waylon's actions, June reigns in the Enchantress and thanks her love for helping her. Amanda Waller escapes the battle after downloading the file. Two days later in the cell, Croc mourns, and breaks down in tears over June Moone's "death", as Rick told him that June Moone is the only one who did not see him as monstrous. He eventually leaves the Squad.
In Harley Quinn's series, Killer Croc joined the Penguin's plans to take over New York, but went off on his own to take Coney Island, revealing that he was on display there in a freak show as a kid driving out the other villains. After it was all torn down, Harley convinced him to join her side and help take it all back from the Penguin.
Killer Croc, deciding to go by his first name Waylon, later took over Tusk's hotel in Monster Town, granting second chances to any monster in need.
In the Joker War event, the Joker and his goons assaulted Monstertown. He decided to create a new one in the sewers of Gotham, hoping that he and the others would be left alone and wanting no involvement in the war. Batman attempts to warn Croc of the dangers of the chemicals in the water, but does not believe him. He makes a deal with Batman to fight him, only to lose. Although Croc and his gang are later taken to jail, he promises them the best of care, including a reversal of their conditions, if a cure can be found.
Infinite Frontier In Infinite Frontier, Killer Croc, Firefly, Knockout, and Cheshire are brought together by Clayface as potential allies hoping to seek a second chance by defending Allytown.
Red Hood is on a mission to track down Bane until Croc goes after him for ruining his operation and costing him millions of dollars. However, after Red Hood proves unable to hurt him, Croc decides to settle the matter another time. Jason gives a French book to him while they chat.
Dawn of DC Croc, along with Man-Bat, Orca, and the Terrible Trio kidnap a doctor at Gotham Zoo, and encounter Batman and Robin. He decides to quit and check on Poison Ivy, whom Croc helps escape from a collapsing abandoned building. Later, helping Ivy look for a cure, she works with Croc since he is immune to the Lamia mushroom. Although he wants to help with his blood, he starts to freak out at the sight of the needle because he has been scared of needles since he was a child; doctors could not penetrate his armored skin, and the experience was traumatic for him. When a zombie-like creature is found attacking Ivy, Croc goes to her defense. Solomon Grundy arrives and grabs Ivy by the neck, but Croc rescues her. They end up fighting until Ivy stops them, realizing they have an even bigger problem to deal with. While sharing a meal with Ivy's friend Janet, Ivy starts to bleed. Floronic Man then arrives, and Croc defends Janet and Ivy.
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