Absolute Batman Teases an Iconic Villain’s Transformation

When Absolute Batman’s first few issues dropped it made waves for the multiple awesome changes it made to the Dark Knight’s lore. Gone were Batman’s endless fortune and world-spanning training, replaced with alterations like Alfred being a secret agent who is drawn into Bruce’s world and his mother still being alive. One of the biggest changes to Batman so far is his friend group, which have all stuck by his side since they were kids. To Batman, they’re his closest allies, but the readers know that they should be some of his worst enemies. Batman is best friends with Killer Croc, Two Face, the Riddler, the Penguin, and Catwoman, and at least the first four all know who he is. 

Most of the friend group learned Batman’s secret identity at the end of the run’s first arc, with them confronting Bruce about it in the most recent two-part story which introduced Mr. Freeze. Despite the danger and the insanity of his mission, they all want to stand beside Batman and help him save their city because they care about him. However, it looks like one of those friends might just turn into a villain after all. Waylon Jones might just become his vile scaled counterpart, and the wheels began to turn in Absolute Batman #8.

It All Started With Mr. Freeze

The Absolute Mr. Freeze is effectively an ice zombie, having gained the ability to freeze whatever he touches and a gangly, horrifying visage after spending decades in cryogenically-induced stasis. Batman confronted the cold-hearted villain after the death of his friend Matches Malone, who was looking into the mysterious Ark M, a blacksite prison being built off the coast of Gotham. After he thought he dealt with the intruding Bruce, Freeze called one of his superiors and revealed that he was using manufactured snow to scan the genetic codes of nearly everyone in Gotham City. Batman was eventually forced to retreat from Freeze’s zombie-like army of cryo-experiments, and he attempted to warn Waylon of something being in the snow. 

[RELATED: Absolute Batman’s New Mr. Freeze is Chillingly Horrific (Review)]

Unfortunately, the call was never picked up. Waylon was approached by a group of men in suits while he stood outside his gym. Before he could do anything they chloroformed him and took a sample of his blood to scan. The group declared that Waylon’s genetics were as perfect as Mr. Freeze’s snow indicated, and said to take him to Ark M to begin the experiment.

Killer Croc is Coming

Given what we know already about the strange way Ark M is hoarding its illegal prisoners and that the creepiest version of the Joker ever is its head, we can assume that Waylon is going to face grotesque human experiments inside the facility. Venom-roided supervillain Bane is on the horizon for Gotham, so Joker’s organization definitely has experience in bodily enhancements in some regard. Waylon is most likely going to be subject to horrible experiments that will transform him into the reptile-like man who will be called Killer Croc, but it remains to be seen if he’ll become a villain of Batman’s. It’s most likely that he will, possibly being driven crazy by the experiments or being controlled by the Joker in some way, but there’s also the slim chance that he’ll maintain his senses and eventually be freed from the prison by Batman, and go on to help him on his crusade with his newfound strength.

Given the tone of the comic and the Absolute Universe as a whole, I find that very unlikely, but it’s not impossible. More likely is that Killer Croc is the first, but definitely not the last, of Batman’s friends to transition from being his friend to one of his worst enemies. Waylon was the emotional heart of their friend group, being the one to call out Bruce on trying to handle his crusade all alone when he has friends who want to stand beside him. If Waylon is turned completely into a villain, then it will only be a matter of time before each of Batman’s other rogues turn coat as well. No matter what, I’m sure Waylon’s capture and transformation will be absolutely heartbreaking, but I’m still very excited to see what happens in the future.

Absolute Batman #8 is on sale now!