Holy Herpetophobia, Batman
Physical deformity has played a huge role in creation of villainy. The importance we put on human beauty means the alternative, ugliness, becomes vilified. The best villains from fiction have physical deformities that mirror their evil personalities. James Bond villains all have physical issues, Dick Tracy villains are all identified by their unique malformities. Witches with warts, the one armed man, Captain Hook, Freddy Krueger, Scar from the Lion King, every movie monster ever are all good examples. Killer Croc is the most obvious deformed Batman villain. Killer Croc was created in 1983 by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan for Detective Comics #523 where he appeared in a cameo. His first full appearance was in Batman #358 a few months later. The character was depicted as a man with reptilian-like skin. Because of his gruesome appearance, Jones pursues a career as a sideshow oddity, and then as organized criminal muscle. In Geoff Johns Earth One story, Killer Croc becomes a ...