Batman Proves Killer Croc Shouldn’t Be A Villain

Warning! Spoilers for Batman: Earth One Volume 2

When Batman met Killer Croc for the first time in Batman: Earth One Volume 2, it was proven that Waylon Jones shouldn’t be characterized purely as a villain. Instead, Killer Croc works best as an underground inhabitant of Gotham City’s sewers, who occasionally allies with the Dark Knight.

Batman: Earth One has allowed writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank to reimagine the titular vigilante in a grounded setting, removed from the mainstream canon of the DC Universe. Each character has an opportunity to differentiate from the most popular iteration that fans tend to recognize. The Earth One line of graphic novels featuring Superman, Wonder Woman, and more have experimented with their origin stories and rogues galleries. In Batman: Earth One Volume 2, the Riddler and Killer Croc are among the reinterpreted villains who the Caped Crusader encounters.

Throughout the first act of the graphic novel, Killer Croc is teased as a mysterious and terrifying presence living beneath Gotham City. When Batman finally meets the urban legend, readers’ expectations are subverted as it’s revealed that Waylon Jones is a fairly sympathetic character. Initially assuming that Batman had intended to hurt him, as others who have roamed the sewers have, Killer Croc is quick to attack. The fight quickly deescalates as Waylon begins to realize that’s not why Batman came to the sewers. As he explains his scaly and irreversible skin condition, he also recounts the man who filed down his teeth, making him appear more like a reptile.

Although often characterized as a brute villain similar to Bane, this version of Killer Croc is a victim. Mirroring the Batman’s feared reputation among Gotham citizens, Waylon doesn’t mean harm, as he goes onto help the Dark Knight with his investigation into the Riddler. After having seen the green coated terrorist in the sewers, Killer Croc has some insight to offer. He proceeds to poke fun at Batman’s costume, without the animosity that the mainstream version of Killer Croc would have.

The experimental characterization of Waylon Jones doesn’t just subvert fans’ expectations— it proves to be a better version of the villain. Batman hasn’t have many allies in the outside world of Gotham, apart from a handful including Commissioner Gordon. However, Killer Croc’s partnership with Batman throughout Batman: Earth One Volume 2 and Volume 3 showcases the potential of their relationship. In the series’ third installment, he’s practically a member of the bat family, joining Bruce and Alfred in the Batcave. Since he’s familiar with Gotham City’s underground passages, he’s able to help Batman find the abandoned subway station that becomes their headquarters. Bruce might not have scaly skin, but there are many ways in which he can relate to Waylon’s condition, as the media paints him in a terrifying image. Killer Croc shouldn’t only be relegated to his rogue status, as Johns revealed the possibility of Waylon as a friend to Batman.

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