I recently picked up Batman Arkham Asylum for 360 (completely badass and one of the best games of this generation) and had a question.
I’ve never really followed Batman but was into comics quite a bit in the early 90’s so I was in tune with the basics of even the DC heroes. In this game though, without spoiling the story (which is also badass) it seems as though Killer Kroc is portrayed as one of Bats main villains. Not Joker level, but more like Poison Ivy/Bane level.
I don’t remember him being a key villain for Batman. Is he in the comic world?
Nope. Sounds like the guys who programmed the game tried to skimp a little on the licensing, or possibly more prominent villains have already been bought up by people who anticipate film tie-ins.
Agreed. As soon as Paul Dini was announced as the brains behind Arkham Asylum, you knew Killer Croc would play a big role. Dini loves the Croc.
From one of the best Batman: The Animated Series eps, “Almost Got 'im”:
Two-Face: [finishing his “almost got him” Batman story] … And if it weren’t for this blasted coin… I would have got him. The Joker: Gee, that’s too bad, Harv, but I guess you’ll always come in second. Anybody else want to go? Killer Croc: [hits the table] ME! There I was, holed up in this quarry, when Batman came nosing around. He was getting closer… Closer… Poison Ivy: And…?
Killer Croc: I threw a rock at him!
[everyone stares in dead silence] Poison Ivy: So, Harvey, what became of the giant penny? Killer Croc: *It was a big rock… * Two-Face: They actually let him keep it!
This is doubly funny because there’s a giant penny in the background of the Batcave throughout the whole series and it took them almost 40 episodes to explain it!
Croc’s generally the guy they bring in as the “animalistic” Batman villian. Joker uses his Venom or gas, Ivy has plants, Croc will just eat you. Alligators in the sewers are not an urban legend in Gotham. Though I dunno that he’s Arkham crazy, mind you.
Well, yes, but the point is that (a) Batman is an actor who knows how his rogues behave, and (b) that was a big part of a performance so convincing it fooled the other villains. So it’s safe to say that it’s perfectly in character for the real Croc.
– and the penny came from Batman’s defeat of Joe Coyne in the comics, so it didn’t *really * require an in-show explanation. But Harvey is surely a finer class of villain than Coyne.
Killer Croc was featured in some pretty good episodes of the animated series. The one where he’s taken in by circus freaks who believe Croc is fleeing a society that persecuted him based on his appearance is pretty good. Another episode featured Croc teamed up with a former child star who was a sort of living doll. That is, she was an adult woman but still appeared to be a 5 year old little girl. She was a pretty decent villain too.
Man, Batman the Animated Series is just the best Batman interpretation in the past two decades. I’d even stack it against the latest movies though I do love those movies.
…the giant coin is from the comics, man. Dini putting it in the batcave is him just paying attention to the source material. Give him credit for Harley… but not that.