After 43 Years, DC Finally Turns A Major Batman Villain Into A Hero

Published Aug 26, 2026, 6:46 PM EDT Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. Without sacrificing how high-stakes or action-packed it is, one of the most compelling aspects of the mainline Batman series right now is that it’s exploring an alternative to violence and the classic methods that the Caped Crusader typically employs when apprehending supervillains. This certainly doesn’t mean that the blue-clad Dark Knight isn’t willing to slam TUCO trucks into Bat-Bollards or go toe-to-toe with the Ōjō. Instead, Matt Fraction’s Batman run has introduced a character named Dr. Annika Zeller who’s designed a device, dubbed the Crown of Storms, that can help former supervillains regulate their emotions and rehabilitate them. The fruits of this medical practice are seen in many ways, with it even supposedly working on Joker, of all people, and it’s recently aided one villain in becoming a full-blown superhero at the beginning of DC’s new crossover event. Killer Croc Is A Sad, Lovable Puppy In New Batman Run A year ago, in the first issue of this ongoing Batman run, Batman activates electro-charged Bat-Gauntlets and prepares to fight Killer Croc, who is only docile and aware that something is wrong with him. An incorporeal manifestation of Alfred Pennyworth appears and appeals to Bruce (Bruce appealing to himself, technically, as Alfred is dead), who sympathizes with the scaly antagonist whose mental illness and animalistic misfortunes outweigh his actual desire to do harm to anyone or anything. As Dr. Zeller offers to help Waylon Jones, he asks Batman who will help him. Batman replies, “My head is okay, Waylon. I don’t need help,” to which Waylon says, “If you say so.” Today, Batman: Bad Seeds - Sunset #1 has come full circle with Waylon by having him rescue Batman from hostile plant life that nearly drowns him in the sewers beneath Gotham City. It’s made abundantly clear that Waylon has had an impressive recovery, and him being the one to help Batman, who routinely refuses help, is a brilliant development for the character. This alone makes the start of this crossover event quite special, but especially so for anyone who’s been reading Batman since issue #1. Batman’s Crown Of Storms Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving Killer Croc could be a valuable ally to have during DC’s Batman: Bad Seeds event, though it’s unknown if we’ll be seeing him again any time soon. Meanwhile, there’s no telling what other supervillains could be healed and rehabilitated via Dr. Zeller’s miracle treatment. That is, unless something happens to go awry. For instance, we know that Joker is now either hearing voices in his mind or being spoken to by someone who wants their identity and presence to be kept secret. But, even if Batman’s Crown of Storms turns out to be faulty or insidious in terms of its design, Waylon was already conscious of how he was hurting others and how something wasn’t right with his head, and that demonstrates that he was already well on his way to turning a new leaf as a character in Batman’s broader DC mythology. With any luck, he’ll stay adorable and endearing for the long haul. The solicitation for Batman: Bad Seeds - Sunset #1 reads as follows: THE BATMAN: BAD SEEDS EVENT STARTS HERE! MATT FRACTION, G. WILLOW WILSON, GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, AND CLIFF RATHBURN KICK OFF AN ALL-NEW BATMAN EVENT! Gotham City’s new mayor, Pamela Isley, deserted by her allies both political and arcane, is about to make a last-ditch power play that will leave Gotham decimated by daylight. Having already declared war on the Bat-Family and flooded the streets with his private, paramilitarized police army, Police Commissioner Vandal Savage sees an opportunity to solve two problems at once. Storylines converge in Batman: Bad Seeds, a Gotham City event spanning one long, dark night in Gotham that threatens to turn the entire city into a hostile world of prehistoric plant life unlike anything on Earth for millennia, at a time when its greatest heroes are hunted and in hiding. As the sun goes down and Gotham loses power, Matt Fraction (Batman), G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy), Giuseppe Camuncoli (Absolute Evil), and Cliff Rathburn (The Walking Dead) deliver an unforgettable opening chapter that shows the only thing scarier than the night just might be the morning sun... Batman: Bad Seeds - Sunset #1 is out now. Created By Bob Kane, Bill Finger First Appearance Detective Comics Alias Bruce Wayne Alliance Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family Race Human Franchise D.C. One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City. FIRST APP Detective Comics #27 (1939)