Killer Croc

**Killer Croc**is a major antagonist in *Batman: Shadow War* and *Batman: Red War.*He is a former skilled crocodile wrestler turned violent and cannibalistic criminal who embraced his animal instincts.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born with an extreme form of the medical condition Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, which caused his skin to develop progressively into that of a reptile, Waylon Jones' mother died in childbirth and his father abandoned him. Waylon was raised by his incredibly abusive and alcoholic aunt and as a teenager, he had no friends and was the object of ridicule of those who knew him. Waylon eventually accepted his place in society as always being seen as a monster and was a regular visitor of the juvenile detention center as his condition made him more and more into a monster. This ultimately eradicated any traces of humanity that he might have left as he became a monster in both body and spirit.

Waylon eventually murdered his aunt and fled from society, eventually joining a traveling circus where he was made part of the freak show, and became an crocodile wrestler known as Killer Croc. Bonding with his fellow performers in the show, Waylon finally felt as if he had a family, until a horrendous attack occured at Gotham City by vicious audience members, who destroyed the circus and killed all whom Waylon had felt attachment for.

Regardless, Waylon eventually had various warrants, including 7 counts of assault, 8 counts of aggravated assault, 4 counts of murder of the first degree, 16 counts of murder of the second degree, 12 counts of manslaughter, 4 counts of drug dealing and 5 counts of racketeering. During this time, Waylon also tracked down and murdered the individuals who set the fire at the circus. Seeing humanity as a disgusting waste of flesh, Waylon became a cannibalistic murderer and often employed himself to the mob for money.

### Blood in the Water

Killer Croc is in the sewers when Detectives Boone, Greer and Sanchez of the GCPD SWAT team are trudging through the sewers following up on an investigation regarding a series of kidnappings that have led them down to the sewers. Croc feels like that, like him, Gotham City is going through a period of atavism and that chaos means murdering the cops is fair game. Croc kills Sanchez and continues to hunt the other two, whom struggle to escape the maze of tunnels beneath Gotham. They are surprised when they encounter a group of street-people living down there, and beg for help. Unfortunately, it is revealed the people are loyal to Croc, because he took them in and showed them how to live down there, and they break Greer's leg. Hurrying away, Boone is forced to leave Greer behind while he gets help. Unfortunately, the first door he opens contains the body of Hoolihan (a clean cop he had just killed weeks before for threatening to rat he and his partners out to the brass, and dumped in the bay).

Bonne finds a key on Hoolihan's corpse and gleefully announces his successful to Greer, only to see her torn to piececs by Croc. Rather than attack Boone, Croc plays on Boone's fear, and simply follows him through the tunnels as he runs for his life. Before long, Boone falls from a sudden ledge and is impaled on some junk-metal below. As he lays dying, Croc crushes his skull. It was revealed that Hoolihan was the only childhood friend of Croc and had avenged his friend's death. Afterwards, Croc then begins establishing his underground empire in the sewers.

### Requiem for a Killer

Batman and the police investigated the murder of the three cops and Croc sought revenge on two criminals who were the two remaining killers behind the destruction of the freak-show Croc was a member of. Croc murdered the criminals and targeted Bullock because he was formerly associated with the criminals, however when Croc tried to kill him, Batman saved Bullock and fought off Croc. Batman later tracked down Croc in his sewers hideout along with his friends. It is also revealed that the city is implementing a new delivery system, and the tunnels are scheduled to be flooded at midnight. Croc catches Batman's scent and attacks him. The two begin fighting and Batman, barely managing to evade Croc's crushing blows. Suddenly, he hears the sound of rushing water. Batman shouts at Croc, warning him that the tunnels are going to be flooded. Croc presses up against the weakened wall, enabling Batman the chance to get Croc's friends to higher ground. The water bursts through the crumbling mortar and Croc is washed away, seemingly sacrificing himself.

### Thirsty for Vengeance

Presumed to be dead, Croc in reality was buried under rubble and was freed from his prison by storm drains. Croc survived on rats and was isolated for months, driving him further into madness. Croc went on a rampage after a confrontation with a vagrant, whom he murdered and ate in an animalistic fashion due to being hungry and hallucinated him one of the peers who ridiculed him during his childhood, and blamed the people of Gotham for what happened to him and his home, increasing his already extreme hatred for humanity. He also seeked revenge on Batman as he partially put blame on the vigilante for his near-death experience and taking the only friends he had away from him by his intrusion.

Croc later came into contact with crime boss Black Mask, forming a partnership based around their mutual hatred of the Dark Knight. In order to lure in Batman, Croc is accompanied by Black Mask's henchmen to a bank to rob it and Croc viciously murders any human he encounters inside. Croc tears open the vault from the bank and orders the thugs to take the money, only to realize they have already been taken down by Batman which leads a vicious Croc to aggressively attack Batman. After delivering several blows to Croc, Batman is distracted by a glimpse of Bane. Croc is then grabs Batman and tries to break his back. He fails, and suddenly the police show up and fire at both Batman and Croc. Croc is injured in the fray, enraging him and forcing him to retreat, while Batman manages to evade the police and make his way out of the bank.

Croc realizes Black Mask had corrupt Commissioner Loeb send the cops to kill both Batman and Croc in an attempt to kill two birds with stone as Black Mask also saw Croc as a threat to both him and his interests. Croc desires revenge on the crime boss and confronts him at his place, however Black Mask was prepared for Croc's survival and used a hidden turret to try to kill Croc. However Croc, much to Black Mask's surprise, survives the array of bullets from the gun and tears it down. Croc then takes Black Mask and prepares to devour the man when suddenly Batman arrives and saves him from certain death. Batman starts fighting Croc and he uses some bolas to prevent Black Mask from escaping. Croc is curious as to why Batman cares if Black Mask dies and Batman replies that he is also concerned if Croc dies. Batman reveals that he discovered Croc has a brain infection that will kill him if left untreated. Croc doesn't believe a word Batman told him and he jumps to attack Batman, who in turn takes the chance to inject a massive dose of antibiotic in Croc's tongue. Croc thinks that Batman has dosed him with a tranquilizer and starts running away to prevent being captured. Batman allows Croc to get away and takes Black Mask instead. Back in the sewers, Croc vows to make both Batman and Black Mask pay.

### Knightfall

Killer Croc robs a jewelry store which is thwarted by Batman, however the Dark Knight loses Croc due to being exhausted and thinking he is losing his edge. Bane, as part of his plan to break Batman, attacks Croc and severely injures him, breaking one of his arms and leaving him broken but alive for Batman as a warning. After being incapacitated by Bane, Croc is hospitalized in Arkham Asylum.

### Hush

In a grand scheme to take Batman down, Hush implanted a virus in Croc that drastically increased the rate his body would devolve into a more primal and reptillian state. In this state, Croc was told to kidnap a rich boy so he could use the ransom to treat his condition. However, Hush was using him for other purposes and Croc was defeated by Batman. Croc was taken to Arkham Asylum, where Batman questioned him about the money. Batman allowed Croc to escape in order to follow him. Croc went after Catwoman, who had stolen the ransom money, but Batman stopped him. As Croc explained that the money was to cure him, Croc was taken into custody again when the police showed up. While in custody, Croc was treated.

## Personality

Killer Croc's psychopathic nature in his adult years, such as misanthropy and cannibalism are all attributed to his violent and tragic past. As society only saw him as a monster and social leper he embraced himself as such, rejecting any humanity he may have or retain, he renamed himself as a career criminal. His opinions of humanity became so bleak that he doesn't even consider them people; in his own words as well as in his eyes, they are just food and bags of meat. As a criminal in the beginning, Croc's main ambitions were money, fame or the highest body count imaginable. He makes it perfectly that he possesses no loyalties or superiors, and is also needlessly aggressive.

Later, Croc became a genuine animal, though not exactly possessing a sound mind before, he reverted to that of an animalistic, savage mental state. He was driven more out of basic animal blood lust than common sense which makes him highly impulsive, normally not analyzing a situation or environment which can at times result in defeat. He does seem to possess a sense of humor despite his barbaric mind but is extremely vicious and dark. Later, Croc still seemed to have a degree of humanity left in him, however eventually his animal-like instincts took over and vowed to kill everyone.

## Abilities

* **Crocodilian Physiology:**Killer Croc has a skin condition comparable to that of a reptile. His durable skin and inhumanly large musculature, combined with his reptillian genetics and traits gives him several superhuman abilities.
	+ **​Superhuman Strength:**Killer Croc has a degree of superhuman strength due to him being inhumanly muscular and bulky. Hence, he was able to become an experienced crocodile wrestler, able to easily beat many enemies to death with his bare hands, able to send someone flying several feet away from him with a mere swing of his arm and able to easily hurl heavy objects.
	+ **Superhuman Durability:**Killer Croc's rough skin is highly durable, to a much higher degree than that of a normal human, with his skin acting as natural body armor.
	+ **Super Senses:**Killer Croc's reptilian physiology grants him acute senses, especially the sense of hearing and smell.
		- **​Enhanced Vision:**Killer Croc displayed the ability to see in locations with very low levels of light.
* **Skilled Combatant:**Killer Croc is a very effective physical combatant, thus he got into fights with his peers during his youth, managed to become a crocodile wrestler and is able to defeat and beat numerous opponents.
* **Expert Swimmer:**Killer Croc is an extremely skilled swimmer and can stay underwater for vast periods of time.

### Weaknesses

* **Diminished Intellect:**Killer Croc's mind, once possessing above average intelligence, has now lessened greatly due to his advanced mutation level. He is a high school dropout, proved to be moderately capable of organizing thugs in a small-time operations. He is usually hired by other criminals as muscle or a hitman, as he is at least intelligent enough to follow instructions.

## Appearance

When he was younger, Killer Croc had green, scaly skin with a pale, white hue in his chest and was barefoot with bandages wrapped around his feet, and also had them wrapped around his hands and wrists as well. Croc wore black trousers that had faint, white pinstripes and had a black belt around his waist and had loose, red overalls. Croc was shirtless and had faint, yellow eyes with black, slitted pupils. From his chest upwards, Croc had scaly skin, yet, and his stomach had softer skin and not scaly like the rest of his body.

However, Croc's mutation became much more severe eventually and his entire body became scaly, and had two ankle cuffs with broken chains on his ankles and was still barefoot. He had brighter, yellow eyes with black, slit pupils, was much larger and had sharper teeth and claws. Croc wore dirty, orange, stained prison trousers and had a brown rope tied into a knot around his waist as a makeshift belt. Croc was still shirtless and his physique was more muscular with his entire body being green, and he had a pale, white hue to the underside of his arms, stomach and chest.

In the future, Croc's evolution expanded greatly and he was double the mass that he was with large spiky growths protruding from his left shoulder and his body much larger and bulkier than before, and he towered over many characters. He also grew a large tail; due to this, his pants were damaged and also used a metal chain to tie a Hell's Gate banner around his waist.

## Killed Victims

* Countless Victims

1. **Unnamed Auntie:**Decapitated.
2. **Over 20 Victims:**Killed in various ways.
3. **Officer Sanchez:**Head ripped off.
4. **Officer Greer:**Ripped apart.
5. **Detective Boone:**Skull crushed.
6. **Unnamed Criminal:**Ripped apart.
7. **Unnamed Criminal:**Decapitated.
8. **Rats:**Eaten.
9. **Unnamed Vagrant:**Heart ripped out.
10. **Various Bank Staff and Citizens:**Killed in various ways.
11. **Multiple Black Mask Henchmen:**Killed in various ways.

## Quotes

* "I'm Killer Croc, damn it, and I'm back for what's mine! Mine!"
* "You are my eyes, above the surface. And I am the deadly jaws beneath it!"
* "Now they'll call me the guy who iced the Batman!"
* "I'm beautiful."
* "Y'all don't mind, I got a sewer to crawl back into."
* "Name's Croc. Killer Croc. But you can call me boss."
* "Oh, look. Dinner."
* "I'm still gonna kill ya!"
* "That's how it is with all of you up there! Who needs to do the actual police work? Blame it on the cannibal croc!"
* "I'm adaptable. When you grow looking like I do, you gotta learn to go with the flow."
* "Ain't you scared?"
* "I live underground. Y'all are just tourists."
* "Killer Croc is what they called me! But some day, some day I knew they'd call me king."
* "Ain't cha' heard? Crocodiles got real tough hide! But you...you got nowhere t'hide."
* "Croc isn't going to the Arkham Asylum Zoo again."
* "They're the monsters...not me...put me back."
* "All my life people been screamin'...ever since I was a kid...just cuz I was born different...just cuz I looked different, but lemme tell ya...you people ain't no joy to look at either!"
* "I'm hungry for bat."
* "How many times do I have to tell you, white boy? Gotham's sewers belong to Killer Croc!"
* "Tick! Tock! Feed the Croc!"
* "I look around Batman, and I see food!"
* "You wanted it smashed, so I smashed it!"
* "Thought I caught your scent."
* "Only boss a'me is me."
* "Would ya look who's back for more?"
* "Time to put an end to this."
* "I've got your scent, Batman. I will hunt you down."
* "I'll rip you apart, eat your bones."
* "I'll find you, rip your flesh like paper!"
* "I can taste you already."
* "My caves will be your tomb!"
* "I will feast on your bones."
* "You are not welcome here!"
* "Your scent is...different. I smell death on you. I don't need to fight you, Batman. I just need to wait. And then...I will feast on your corpse."
* "You can't hurt me, little boy."
* "I'll line my lair with your flesh, Batman!"
* "Ahhh, the sweet scent of defeat."
* "Looks like dinner is served!"
* "I will enjoy feasting on your bones!"
* "I hope you suffer, Batman. Like I've suffered."