Crytoon (Gargoyle of Gotham)

Crytoon is a costumed villain in Gotham City who models himself on an old cartoon character of the same name. He acts out the violent slapstick antics of the cartoon with horrific real-world consequences.

History

Crytoon is a "Geisterman" of the Stadtgeist, one of many former patients in Arkham Asylum's children's wing who Charles Quinton experimented on to turn them into living weapons.^[1]

Crytoon was tasked to manufacture huge quantities of explosives for an unclear purpose.^[2] To this end he had his henchmen kidnap homeless people to use as slave labour. When Batman raided the building, he bludgeoned all the kidnapped homeless to death and then fought Batman, managing to overpower him and knock him out. He set up a time bomb and left both Batman and his men, who Batman had knocked unconscious, to die.

The next day he broke into the home of the producer who owned the rights to the original Crytoon character and series. He made the man tell him where the archives were stored, but rather than leave he simply sat and stared at the man for hours. Eventually he cracked the producer's skull open in emulation of a scene from the cartoon.

That evening he went to the Boble Studios Warehouse where the Crytoon archives were and retrieved an old reel of the cartoon. Batman, who had survived the explosion, also came to the studio and Crytoon attacked him from behind, bashing him over the head with an anvil. He then examined the reel but was interrupted by a security guard. He easily took the guard's gun and forced him into a truck. Crytoon forced the guard to be his getaway driver as Batman regained consciousness and chased after them in his car. As Batman was gaining, he pushed the guard out of the car to force Batman to stop, but the car continued after him even as Batman jumped out to save the man. The car crashed into his truck, and when a civilian got out to check on him; he took her hostage.

Batman caught up to him and Crytoon ordered him to leave or he would kill the woman who had tried to help him; but Batman took the reel, which he had left in the truck, and threatened to burn it if he didn't release her. Crytoon let the woman go and Batman demanded to know where the explosives he had manufactured were but Crytoon refused to tell him and even encouraged Batman to attack him, saying that he had embarrassed Batman by sparing his life twice.^[3]

Batman violently beat Crytoon until the police responded and Batman fled. He was taken to GCPD Headquarters and interrogated by Detective Jim Gordon, who was on the trail of a serial killer. Crytoon denied being behind the killings and even claimed to be offended that anyone would think him capable of such pedestrian murders. He refused to say anything more, but traced a symbol hinting at the location of the Stadtgeist's headquarters in his own blood on the table. He was marked for transfer to Arkham Asylum by a police psychiatrist. The police officers assigned to transport him were also agents of the Stadtgeist, who had orders to kill him for letting himself get caught; however, he slipped free of his handcuffs, stole one of their guns and killed them, causing the prison transport to crash in the desert two miles outside of Gotham.^[2]

Crytoon escaped the transport and hid out in an remote trailer where a one-eyed man and a boy named Joe lived. Joe was fascinated by Crytoon and gave the escaped criminal a picture of him. Crytoon drew clown makeup on the drawing and changed the signature on it from "Joe" to "Little Joker". Joe painted his face to match the drawing while laughing maniacally.

Later two more cops working for the Stadtgeist came to the trailer looking for Crytoon. He killed one and mortally wounded the other. Joe finished off the injured cop by slowly pushing a knife through his temple and then burst out laughing, which even Crytoon was slightly disturbed by. Crytoon went to leave and Joe asked to come with him; the man in the trailer also begged Crytoon to take Joe with him as he was terrified of the boy, promising that he would hide the bodies and never tell anyone he was there. After a moment's consideration Crytoon agreed and they drove back towards Gotham in a stolen police car. Joe asked where they were going and Crytoon responded "To the amusement park". ^[1]

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Demolitions
Escapology
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Crytoon is able to beat Batman in a straight fight.
Intimidation
Peak Human Condition: Crytoon demonstrates a high, but not explicitly superhuman, level of physical strength and speed.
Weaponry

Other Characteristics

Obsession

Paraphernalia

Weapons

Claw Hammers (Formerly)
Hand Scythe

Notes

Crytoon is in many ways a mirror image of Batman's traditional nemesis The Joker. His face and clothes are solid black, whereas the Joker has stark white skin and wears bright colours. He constantly cries while the Joker laughs. They both model themselves on forms of comedy; but the Joker emulates live performances such as clowns and standup, while Crytoon is obsessed with cartoons.

Trivia

Crytoon is the Joker's second "crying" counterpart in the Post-Flashpoint Multiverse after Jo-Cryer of Earth 29.