Batman #357 Introduced a Key DC Hero But That’s Not The Best Part

DC is no stranger to iconic characters. After all, the publisher is the home of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, and countless more. Over the decades, the stories of those heroes—told across the pages of comics—have captured many an imagination and given readers even more characters to love and hate as the world of heroes and villains expand. It makes issues where characters make their first appearance all the more special, especially when it’s characters in Batman’s corner of the world. But even among Batman comics, there are some first appearance issues that end up being absolutely pivotal, as is the case with Batman #357.

Published in 1984, Batman #357 has become a valuable and sought-after comic for fans and collectors, not just because it’s a cool vintage comic but because of its place in Batman history. The issue, written by Gerry Conway with art by Don Newton, not only serves as the first appearance of one of the most controversial characters in Batman history with the introduction of Jason Todd, but it also marks the second aπappearance one of Batman’s best, if not under-utilized, villains—Killer Croc. It’s an issue that changed everything and continues have repercussions to this day.

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 The Road to the Most Infamous Robin Begins in Batman #357

I don’t have to tell you how significant to Batman’s story Jason Todd would eventually become. The second person to serve as Robin in DC’s continuity, Jason would rise to infamy when the 1988 storyline “A Death in the Family” saw DC ask readers to decide Jason’s fate in a controversial call-in poll that led to Jason’s death at the hands of the Joker. It’s a death that has haunted Batman ever since, despite Jason’s eventual return as the Red Hood in 2005 in “Under the Hood”. But while Jason’s story would wind its way into tragedy and controversy, it began very differently. Batman #357 saw Batman investigating a new underworld crime boss called The Squid while, simultaneously, Dick Grayson—Batman’s then-current Robin—paid a visit to a circus and, in doing so, meets young acrobat Jason Todd and his family.

If I’m being honest, not a lot actually happens in Batman #357. Dick doesn’t even directly interact with young Jason, though we do see him briefly in action as part of his family’s acrobatic act. We also don’t really get a full look at Croc. He’s just an ominous figure dressed in shades of green with his face and skin both obscured, ordering around his henchman. Realistically, the most exciting part of the issue is that The Squid manages to get the upper hand against Batman and the issue ends on a cliffhanger with the Dark Knight about to be fed to a monstrous actual squid named Gertrude. Taken on its own, it’s just a cool 1980s Batman issue. But it’s what the book ends up meaning in retrospect. Just a handful of issues later, Jason becomes Batman’s new Robin and it’s something that subtly starts here.

We get to see Dick revisiting the circus—functionally going back to his old life, if you will—where he is presented with a young man not unlike he once was. We also are reminded in the issue that Dick has been doing things beyond simply working with Batman. There’s a note in the issue that Dick’s been busy with the Teen Titans, which is why he hadn’t been back to the circus in a while. Seeds are being planted. Also being planted? The tragedy that would shape Jason well before his death at the hands of the Joker would—which is why Croc’s appearance here is so critical. He may be but a bit player in the story and would get his full first appearance in Detective Comics #524 from 1983, but he’s responsible for the death of Jason’s parents. One can even say that he’s the reason Jason ends up on the path to sidekick in the first place.

Batman #357 Is a Fascinating Reminder of How Connected Stories Can Be

For me, Batman #357 might be one of the most important modern Batman issues less because of how massive the story is, but how quiet. This is a story that really only matters in retrospect, with both Jason and Croc functionally appearing as cameos in this larger story about crime in Gotham. And yet, both Jason and Killer Croc end up having a significant footprint that one never would have imagined from this brief moment. I think that is what makes this issue so important to me. By the time that I first read Batman #357, “A Death in the Family” had already happened and the version of Jason Todd who had met his end so brutally and, perhaps more interestingly, had already had his entire origin changed thanks to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

I don’t remember precisely how elementary school me got my hands on the book; maybe it belonged to someone’s older brother. Maybe it was a kid on my school bus who had it. What I do recall is there being some discussion that Jason Todd wasn’t always an angry orphan and thus, the issue was procured. For me, it was the moment I became fascinated with how a character can shift and change from the moment of their introduction. It’s a moment that I would revisit, almost two decades later when Jason made his return, his journey fully cementing for me Jason’s place as one of my favorite characters.

Batman #357 may not be as flashy as the issue where Jason first suits up as Robin or as interesting as Killer Croc’s first full appearance, but it’s a comic that is an anchor for many Batman stories after it. It’s an issue that no true Batman fan should skip—and any collector would be lucky to have in their collection.

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