Batman’s scariest villain, the Scarecrow is returning for Gotham Season 4.
Heart clenching crippling fear is returning to Gotham City.
Will Gotham survive the terror that always heralds Scarecrows arrival?
The Comics
So who is the Scarecrow?
He strikes a wonderfully weird figure with his spindly limbs and expressionless burlap visage.
As for his abilities, Scarecrow is the master of fear.
But from these earliest days, it was clear that there was something terrifying and special about the Scarecrow.
In the pages ofWorlds Finest#3, fans met a lanky college professor named Jonathan Crane.
Crane was fascinated by fear and tested its effects on his hapless students.
In his earliest appearances, Scarecrow simply used his cunning and some guns.
Look at that image featuring an oversized emaciated Scarecrow taking on the Caped Crusaders.
And of course, since were talking Scarecrow,Batman#189also sports an absolutely killer cover.
From 1967 forward, Scarecrow became a constant part of Batmans rogues gallery.
Youd think Hawkman would be an automatic counter to that noise.
Things did take a turn for the horrific though in 1986sSuper Powers Team: Galactic Guardiansepisode entitled The Fear.
to force Batman to relive his worst fears.
Batman, voiced by Adam West, had to relive the death of his parents thanks to Scarecrows machinations.
So lets unpack that.
Also, to hear Adam West wax poetic about Bruce Waynes fallen parents was just brilliant.
His face was a burlap horror and he wore a noose around his neck.
Its a frenetic episode and daring even by todays TV standards.
This episode fully embodies the potential of Scarecrow.
Scare Cinema
The early history of Scarecrow in film is fraught with cancelled projects and almost appearances.
That doesnt mean DC never tried to bring Scarecrow to life.
While my brain just wont accept Cage as Scarecrow, how awesome would Buscemi be as Jonathan Crane?
Thank you Mister Nolan!
Of course, Jonathan Crane would finally arrive on the silver screen inBatman Begins(2006).
So much so that director Christopher Nolan used Scarecrow in minor but memorable roles in both sequels toBatman Begins.
Virtual Horror
A very disturbing Scarecrow also appears in the Arkham series of video games.
Scarecrow recently appeared inInjustice 2as a member of Gorilla Grodds Secret Society.
That means Englunds Scarecrow talking smack against the likes of Bane, Black Adam, and Darkseid.
Gotham
And all this brings us back toGotham.
You see, the completely insane Gerald develops the iconic fear toxin and injects it into young Jonathan.
The toxin forces the younger Crane to experience his greatest terror: Scarecrows.
A bit on the nose, yes, but effective nonetheless.
