Jonathan Crane (New Earth)



Real Name: Jonathan Crane Nicknames: No known nicknames Former Aliases: No known former aliases Other Current Aliases: No other known current aliases

Status
Occupation: Criminal Legal Status: Legal status unknown Identity: Secret Marital Status: Marital status unknown Group Affiliation: Injustice Gang, Secret Society of Supervillains, Legion of Doom Base of Operations: Base of operations unknown

Origin
The Scarecrow (a.k.a. Jonathan Crane) is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. He first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941). He would make only one more appearance during the 1940s and would not turn into one of Batman's main adversaries until his appearances in the 1970s.

Place of Birth: Place of birth unknown Known Relatives: No known relatives First Appearance:World's Finest Comics #3

History
Jonathan Crane became obsessed with fear and revenge from being bullied throughout his childhood and adolescence for his lanky frame and bookish nature. He committed his first murder at the age of 18 by brandishing a gun in his high school parking lot during the senior prom. Dressed in the ghoulish scarecrow costume that would later display his identity, Crane caused the main bully and his girlfriend, who had earlier rejected Crane, to have an automobile accident which paralyzed the bully and killed the girlfriend. Crane then discovered a savage delight in frightening people literally to death.

He became a professor of psychology at Gotham University, specializing in the psychology of fear. After his dismissal for firing a bullet at a flower pot to get his point across (a shard hit a student in the face, just missing her eye), he killed the people responsible for his dismissal and became a career criminal. He took the moniker "the Scarecrow", the favorite taunt of the hated bullies, as part of his revenge.

As one of Batman's principal modern adversaries since the Silver Age, the Scarecrow was a regular member of the Injustice Gang and briefly joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains. Post-Crisis, his modus operandi have made him unsuited to work in teams, and he is not often seen outside the Batman family of characters.

A psychopathic sadist, the Scarecrow is one of the many criminals in Gotham City to be confined to Arkham Asylum whenever Batman apprehends him. Ironically, the Scarecrow has a phobia of birds, although he has been shown occasionally as having a pet crow named Craw.

During the "As the Crow Flies" story arc (commencing with Batman #627, July 2004), the Scarecrow was transformed into a murderous creature known as the Scarebeast by the Penguin to kill off the Penguin's disloyal colleagues. In this incarnation, the Scarebeast possesses super strength and endurance and can release an even stronger hallucinogenic gas. After being defeated by Batman, the Scarebeast reverted back into Jonathan Crane. The Scarecrow has transformed into the Scarebeast in the "War Games" story arc.

Animated Series
In the 1970s animated series Super Friends, the Scarecrow appeared as a member of Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom. In this series, he was voiced by Don Messick. This version showed no powers at all and was used mainly when the plot called for an incompetent villain. The character's identity and motivation were expanded upon and the character finally became three-dimensional, using his fear inducing devices for the first time in the show's final season's episode "The Fear".

In the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, the Scarecrow was voiced by Henry Polic II and in Gotham Knights, a follow-up to that series, the Scarecrow got a more horrifying makeover and was voiced by actor Jeffrey Combs. In an episode of Gotham Knights, fans where shocked when The Scarecrow apparently killed Batgirl (Barbara Gordon). By doing this, Commissioner Gordon found out that his daughter was Batgirl and Bruce Wayne was Batman. Enraged that they kept this secret from him, he blamed Batman for Barbara's death and lead an all out assault on Batman, Robin and Nightwing. In the end, it was revealed that the events of the episode were a hallucination by Barbara induced by the Scarecrow.

As part of the original thirteen members of the Legion of Doom, the Scarecrow was originally slated to appear again on the DC Animated Universe again on the third season of Justice League Unlimited, but apparently due to a "Bat-Embargo" enforced by Warner Bros, this did not occur.

Characteristics
Height: x'xx" Weight: xxx lbs (xxx kg) Eyes: Eye colour unknown Hair: Hair colour unknown Skin: Skin type unknown Unusual Features: No unusual features

Powers
Known Powers: Using a variety of toxins that cause his victims to hallucinate that their phobias have come to life, the Scarecrow instills fear in all who see him. When forced to fight, he uses his own style called "violent dancing", which is based in part off the crane style of kung fu, and makes full use of his long arms and legs. Known Abilities: No known abilities. Strength Level: Strength level unknown

Miscellaneous
Equipment: No known equipment. Transportation: No known transportation. Weapons: No known weapons.