Absolute Scarecrow Is Officially So Much Worse Than In Mainstream DC

DC just explained why its new version of Batman's creepiest villain is much scarier now than he ever was throughout his eighty-five years of existence. The DC Universe is home to entities that defy the laws of life and death. For example, Solomon Grundy is a shambling, elemental force of rot and rebirth, cursed to rise from the Slaughter Swamp regardless of how many times he's killed. Even more chilling are the Black Lanterns, who embody the absolute void of death across the cosmos.

In Gotham City, pure horror is found in villains who pervert the human form and the concept of free will through their sheer clinical depravity. Professor Pyg is among the most visceral, being a deranged surgeon who seeks to "fix" his victims by transforming them into mindless, lobotomized Dollotrons with porcelain masks permanently fused to their faces. Similarly, Victor Zsasz is a nihilistic serial killer who views life as a burden he liberates people from, carving a tally mark into his own skin for every soul he claims.

As nightmarish as they are, all of Batman's foes pale in comparison to the true merchant of fear, Jonathan Crane.

Absolute Scarecrow Weaponizes Dread, Not Fear

Absolute Batman #20; Written by Scott Snyder; Art by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Framed for murder, Batman visits Joe Chill in prison in a desperate attempt to acquire more clues about the conspiracy involving Ark M and his own family. Instead, Batman gets to see Joe Chill get murdered by the Scarecrow, who leads Chill to his death with nothing but his presence, just like the late James Gordon. The Scarecrow doesn't reveal any major information, but he explains that he's not powered by fear, but dread: the crushing weight of the unknown, of "things too big to comprehend."

Absolute Scarecrow's total command over dread explains why he's incredibly more lethal than his regular counterpart. Most versions of Scarecrow rely on fear gas or liquid fear toxin that his victims need to come in direct contact with, whereas Absolute Jonathan Crane inspires his victims to hurt themselves by simply approaching them. James Gordon and Joe Chill rush to their own death, as if Scarecrow's presence immediately convinced them that death is the only antidote to the dread they suddenly feel.

As Scarecrow explains, the distinction between fear and dread lies in certainty. Fear is often an acute, immediate reaction to a present or clearly defined threat that kicks off the biological fight or flight response triggered when a predator is in the room. Dread is a heavier, more persistent weight that lives in the future. It's a cold, agonizing anticipation of an inevitable catastrophe that hasn't happened yet but feels unavoidable. Fear is the shock of the lightning strike, and dread is the oppressive silence of the air before the storm.

Scarecrow Is An Inherently Bigger Threat Than Most Of Batman's Other Rogues

Jonathan Crane Can Theoretically Defeat Most DC Heroes Easily

Other DC villains may surpass him in terms of physical strength, energy output, or superhuman skills, but Scarecrow's ability to weaponize fear and dread makes him one of the most lethal antagonists in DC lore. Jonathan Crane targets the neurological foundation of a hero's resolve, which makes him inherently more terrifying than characters like Doomsday or Darkseid. Heroes like Batman and Superman could craft strategies to stop world-ending threats, but they wouldn't be able to confront Scarecrow if fear overwhelms them.

Scarecrow gets a terrifying upgrade in Blackest Night when he gains a Yellow Lantern ring, though his potential is cut short when Lex Luthor steals his ring.

Absolute Scarecrow has managed to hurt Bruce Wayne on a much deeper level than villains like Bane and Black Mask. So far, Absolute Jonathan Crane hasn't needed to throw the first punch to ruin Batman's life, and all his known victims so far have been driven to a self-destructive paranoia before they get a chance to understand what's happening. This version of the character seems nearly impossible to catch, and the effects of his dread-inducing powers seem impossible to prevent or undo.

Even a divine being like Absolute Wonder Woman possesses deeply rooted anxieties about failure or the corruption of her ideals, and the Flash’s mind moves at speeds that would make a Scarecrow-induced thought loop feel like an eternity of mental torture. Absolute Scarecrow is a predator of the soul, meaning he could be the only character to defeat an invincible villain like Absolute Bane, and one of the only characters who may be able to survive his presence is Absolute Joker, who doesn't seem to have anything remotely resembling a soul.

How do you think Batman will defeat Absolute Scarecrow?

Absolute Batman #20 is now available from DC Comics.