DC introduces a dark reinvention of one of the most lethal members of Batman‘s rogue gallery, and the villain’s new look seems ideal for his next movie appearance. DC’s Absolute Universe reimagines all heroes and villains as more brutal versions of their Prime Earth counterparts, from the secret ops Alfred Pennyworth to the weapon-clad Batman and the sword-wielding Wonder Woman.
Throughout Absolute Batman, Bruce Wayne has maintained contact with his childhood friends, Edward Nigma, Oswald Cobblepot, Harvey Dent, Selina Kyle, and Waylon Jones. Waylon Jones is Bruce’s closest friend and owns “Croc’s Gym”, where he and Bruce train together. Unfortunately for Waylon and his friend group, Bruce’s double life places a target on them.
In Absolute Batman #9, Waylon Jones is kidnapped and sent to Ark M, one of the detention centers created by Joker to perform questionable experiments like the one that gave Bane his super-strength. Now, Absolute Batman #12, written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta, reveals the physical changes Waylon went through while Batman was busy taking down the Black Mask and Bane.
Waylon Jones Has Transformed Into A Huge Killer Croc
Absolute Batman #12; Written by Scott Snyder; Art by Nick Dragotta
The first cover for Absolute Batman #12 reveals that Waylon Jones has been transformed into a huge crocodile monster. Usually, Killer Croc is depicted either as a muscular man with scaly skin or a towering anthropomorphic crocodile with bulging muscles. DC’s Absolute Killer Croc is the closest version of the villain to a real-life crocodile, but with much longer and more human-looking hands.
Waylon debuts at Croc’s Gym holding a pet crocodile and a snake, which may have played into the experiment that transformed his body
David Ayer’s Suicide Squad and the CW’s Batwoman introduced anthropomorphic portrayals of Killer Croc on the big and the small screen, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Heidi Ben, respectively. Major adaptations like Rocksteady’s Arkham games and Batman: The Animated Series featured bigger versions of the villain, but they still looked fairly human. Absolute Batman‘s Killer Croc might be the most animalistic portrayal so far.
Absolute Batman #1 introduces Waylon Jones as a regular human with a special interest in reptiles. Waylon debuts at Croc’s Gym holding a pet crocodile and a snake, which may have played into the experiment that transformed his body. From a more metaphysical standpoint, it was Waylon Jones’ fate to become a more savage version of Killer Croc, as all characters in the Absolute Universe are destined to have darker origins than their Prime Universe counterparts.
All Other Members Of Batman’s Rogue Gallery Might Receive A Brutal Transformation Soon
Bruce Wayne’s Childhood Friends Will Likely End Up In Ark M
Waylon Jones is the first of Bruce Wayne’s friends to be targeted for experimentation at Ark M, and he’s probably not the last one. Taking into account Bane, Mister Freeze, and Bane’s Absolute transformations, it’s safe to say that Oz, Harvey, and even Selina will suffer similar fates. Eddie has already created his own AI “Riddler”, which may or may not turn him into a villain.
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Bruce Wayne’s obsession with crime-fighting has affected his friend group, and Waylon’s transformation into Killer Croc might divide it further. While Batman’s rogue gallery plays a very different role in the early years of DC’s Absolute Batman, it probably faces the same destiny. At Ark M, Joker might turn Bruce’s friends into his fiercest enemies.
Absolute Batman’s Villain Redesigns Have Lots Of Live-Action Potential
The DCU Might Derive Some Inspiration From DC’s Absolute Universe
After several different live-action interpretations of villains like Bane, the Penguin, Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Joker, James Gunn’s DCU has the chance to introduce a groundbreaking reinvention of Batman’s rogue gallery. DC’s Absolute Mister Freeze, Bane, and Black Mask may be too unrealistic for a direct live-action adaptation. However, they could influence their next movie portrayals to some degree.
Alfred Pennyworth and Batman himself diverge greatly from their traditional portrayals. An active MI6 agent Alfred Pennyworth and an axe-wielding Batman are unprecedented in live-action. While it’s unlikely that The Brave and the Bold will adapt DC’s Absolute Universe, the DCU’s Batman-related characters could follow a similarly ambitious reinvention.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #12 will be available September 10, 2025, from DC Comics!
- Created by
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Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- Latest TV Show
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Batman: The Brave and the Bold
