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{{Short description|Supervillain in the DC Universe}}
{{Infobox comics character
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| character_name = Scarecrow
| image = Scarecrow_(DC_Comics).png
| imagesize = 260
| caption = Scarecrow in ''Nightwing'' (vol. 4) #56 (March 2019). Art by Davide Gianfelice (pencils & inks) and Nick Filardi (colors).
| alt =
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
| debut = ''[[World's Finest Comics]]'' #3 (September 1941)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=[[DK Publishing]] |___location=London, England|isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=260}}</ref><ref name="MTSDCC">{{cite web|url=http://www.dccomics.com/characters/scarecrow |title=Scarecrow |website=[[DC Comics]] |date=15 October 2012 |access-date=July 27, 2022}}</ref>
| creators = [[Bill Finger]]<br />[[Bob Kane]]
| alter_ego = Jonathan Crane
| alliances = {{plainlist|
* [[Legion of Doom]]
* [[Injustice Gang]]
* [[Secret Society of Super Villains]]
* [[Injustice League]]
* [[Sinestro Corps]]
}}
| partners = <!-- optional -->
| supports = <!-- optional -->
| aliases = {{plainlist|
* Schrocken
* Richard Major
* Scarebeast<ref>''Batman'' #627</ref>
* Ichabod Crane<ref name="Batman Annual 19">''Batman Annual'' #19</ref>
* Master of Fear<ref name="Batman Annual 19"/>
}}
| powers =
* Criminal mastermind
* Expert [[psychiatrist]] and [[biochemist]]
* High level of understanding of fears and phobias
* Utilizes fear-inducing toxins and chemicals<!--Please do not remove this. The Scarecrow's primary and most recognizable weapon is his fear toxin, so it should be listed here under his most prominently featured abilities.-->
| cat = super
| subcat = DC Comics
| villain = y
| sortkey = The Scarecrow
}}
The '''Scarecrow''' is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[supervillain]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]]. Created by writer [[
In the [[DC Universe]], the Scarecrow is the alias of '''Jonathan Crane''', a professor of [[psychology]] turned criminal mastermind. Abused and bullied in his youth, he becomes obsessed with [[fear]] and develops a [[Psychedelic drug|hallucinogenic drug]]—dubbed "fear toxin"—to terrorize [[Gotham City]] and exploit the [[phobia]]s of its protector, Batman. As the self-proclaimed "Master of Fear", the Scarecrow's crimes do not stem from a common desire for wealth or power, but from a [[Sadistic personality disorder|sadistic]] pleasure in subjecting others to his experiments on the manipulation of fear. An outfit symbolic of his [[Scarecrow|namesake]] with a stitched [[Hessian fabric|burlap]] mask serves as the Scarecrow's visual motif.
The character has been adapted in various [[Scarecrow in other media|media incarnations]], having been portrayed in film by [[Cillian Murphy]] in ''[[The Dark Knight Trilogy]]'', and in television by [[Charlie Tahan]] and [[David W. Thompson]] in ''[[Gotham (TV series)|Gotham]]'', and [[Vincent Kartheiser]] in ''[[Titans (2018 TV series)|Titans]]''. [[Henry Polic II]], [[Jeffrey Combs]], [[Dino Andrade]], [[John Noble]], and [[Robert Englund]], among others, have provided the Scarecrow's voice in animation and video games.
==Publication history==
[[File:Scarecrow (World's Finest Comics 3 (Fall 1941)).png|thumb|upright|200px|The Scarecrow's debut in ''[[World's Finest Comics]]'' #3 (September 1941). Art by [[Bob Kane]].]]
Batman creators [[Bill Finger]] and [[Bob Kane]] introduced the Scarecrow as a new villain in ''[[World's Finest Comics]]'' #3 (September 1941) during the [[Golden Age of Comic Books]], in which he made only two appearances.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman |date=1976 |publisher=Macmillan Publishing Co |___location=New York City|isbn=0-02-538700-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco01flei/page/334/mode/2up |access-date=29 March 2020 |pages=334–335}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dcindexes.com/database/character-details.php?storycharid=63&appearances Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120724071215/http://www.dcindexes.com/database/character-details.php?storycharid=63&appearances |date=2012-07-24 }}: Scarecrow of Earth-2. Retrieved July 31, 2008.</ref> [[Ichabod Crane]], the protagonist of [[Washington Irving]]'s ''[[The Legend of Sleepy Hollow]]'', was used as an inspiration for the character's lanky appearance as well as his alter ego, Jonathan Crane.<ref>Eaglemoss Magazine || The Ages of Scarecrow + First Appearance</ref>
Scarecrow was revived during the [[Silver Age of Comic Books]] by writer [[Gardner Fox]] and artist [[Sheldon Moldoff]] in ''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'' #189 (February 1967),<ref>[http://www.dcindexes.com/database/story-details.php?storyid=8241 Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120729120003/http://www.dcindexes.com/database/story-details.php?storyid=8241 |date=2012-07-29 }}: "Fright of the Scarecrow," ''Batman'' #189 (February 1967). Retrieved July 31, 2008.</ref> which featured the debut of the character's signature fear-inducing hallucinogen or "fear toxin".<ref>''Batman'' #189 (December 1966). DC Comics.</ref> The character remained relatively unchanged throughout the [[Bronze Age of Comic Books]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-scarecow-joker-knightfall-fear-gas/ |title=Batman: Scarecow and Joker Miscalculate How the Dark Knight Handles Fear |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |first=Brian |last=Cronin |date=August 15, 2020 |access-date=February 12, 2021 }}</ref>
Following the 1986 multi-title event ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]], the character's origin story is expanded on in ''Batman'' Annual #19 and the miniseries ''Batman/Scarecrow: Year One'', with this narrative also revealing that Crane has a fear of bats.<ref name="B/S:YO">{{Cite comic |date=July-August 2005 |title=Year One: Batman/Scarecrow |issue=1-2 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Bruce Jones (comics)|Jones, Bruce]] |artist=[[Sean Murphy (artist)|Murphy, Sean]]}}</ref> In 2011, as a result of [[The New 52]] reboot, Scarecrow's origin (as well as that of various other DC characters) is once again altered, incorporating several elements that differ from the original.<ref name="BTDK #4-7">''Batman: The Dark Knight'' (Vol. 2) #4-7 (February–May 2012). DC Comics.</ref>
==Fictional character biography==
===Backstory===
Born in Georgia, Jonathan Crane is abused by his great-grandmother, and is bullied at school for his resemblance to [[Ichabod Crane]] from [[Washington Irving]]'s "[[The Legend of Sleepy Hollow]]",<ref name="B/S:YO"/> sparking his lifelong obsession with fear and using it as a weapon against others, before they can use it to defeat him like his literary namesake. In his senior year, Crane is humiliated by school bully Bo Griggs and rejected by cheerleader Sherry Squires. He takes revenge during the senior prom by donning his trademark scarecrow costume and wielding a water pistol resembling a real gun in the school parking lot. In the ensuing chaos, Griggs gets into a car accident, paralyzing himself and killing Squires.<ref name="B/S:YO"/>
Crane's obsession with fear leads him to become a psychiatrist, taking a position at [[Arkham Asylum]] and performing fear-inducing experiments on his patients.<ref>{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |title =The Encyclopedia of Supervillains |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |___location =New York City|isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |pages=307–308}}</ref> He is also a professor of psychology at Gotham University, specializing in the study of phobias. He loses his job after he fires a gun inside a packed classroom, accidentally wounding a student; he takes revenge by killing the professors responsible for his termination and becomes a career criminal.<ref>{{Cite comic |date=September 1995 |title=Batman Annual |story=Scarecrow - Masters of Fear |issue=19 |volume=1 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Doug Moench|Moench, Doug]] |penciller=[[Bret Blevins|Blevins, Bret]] |inker=[[Mike Manley (artist)|Manley, Mike]]}}</ref>
As a college professor, Crane mentors a young [[Hush (character)|Thomas Elliot]].<ref name="B:HoH">''Batman: Heart of Hush''</ref> The character also has a cameo in ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' (vol. 2) #5. In stories by [[Jeph Loeb]] and [[Tim Sale (artist)|Tim Sale]], the Scarecrow is depicted as one of the more deranged criminals in Batman's [[List of Batman family enemies|rogues gallery]], with a habit of speaking in nursery rhymes.<ref>{{Cite comic |date=March 1943 |title=[[Detective Comics]] |story=The Scarecrow Returns |issue=73 |volume=1 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Donald Clough Cameron|C. Cameron, Don]] |penciller=[[Bob Kane|Kane, Bob]] |inker=[[Jerry Robinson|Robinson, Joe]], [[George Roussos|Roussos, George]]}}</ref> These stories further revise his history, explaining that he was raised by his abusive, fanatically religious great-grandfather, whom he murdered as a teenager.<ref name="B/S:YO"/>
===Criminal career===
[[File:Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane).png|thumb|170px|The Scarecrow in ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #571 (February 1987). Art by [[Alan Davis]] (pencils), [[Paul Neary]] (inks), and [[Adrienne Roy]] (colors).]]
Scarecrow plays a prominent role in [[Doug Moench]]'s "Terror" storyline, set in Batman's early years, where Professor [[Hugo Strange]] breaks him out of Arkham and gives him "[[psychotherapy|therapy]]" to train him to defeat Batman. Strange's therapy proves effective enough to turn the Scarecrow against his "benefactor", impaling him on a weather vane and throwing him in the cellar of his own mansion. The Scarecrow then uses Strange's mansion to lure Batman to [[Gotham City#East End|Crime Alley]], and decapitates one of his former classmates in the alley in front of Batman. With the help of [[Catwoman]], — whom Scarecrow had attempted to blackmail into helping him by capturing her and photographing her unmasked— Batman catches Scarecrow, but loses sight of Strange, with it being unclear whether Strange had actually survived the fall onto the weather vane, or if Scarecrow and Batman are hallucinating from exposure to Scarecrow's fear toxin.<ref>{{Cite comic |date=January-May 2001 |title=[[Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight]] |story=Terror |issue=137-141 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Doug Moench|Moench, Doug]] |penciller=[[Paul Gulacy|Gulacy, Paul]] |inker=[[Jimmy Palmiotti|Palmiotti, Jimmy]]}}</ref>
Scarecrow appears in ''[[Batman: The Long Halloween]]'', first seen escaping from Arkham on [[Mother's Day]] with help from [[Carmine Falcone]], who also helps the [[Mad Hatter (DC Comics)|Mad Hatter]] escape. The Scarecrow gases Batman with fear toxin as he escapes, causing Batman to flee to his parents' grave as Bruce Wayne, where he is arrested by [[Jim Gordon (character)|Commissioner Jim Gordon]] due to Wayne's suspected ties to Falcone. Scarecrow robs a bank with the Mad Hatter on [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] for Falcone, but is stopped by Batman and Catwoman. He later appears in Falcone's office on Halloween with [[List of Batman family enemies|Batman's future rogue's gallery]], but is defeated by Batman.<ref>''{{Cite comic |date=August-September, December 1997 |title=[[Batman: The Long Halloween]] |issue=9-10, 13 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Jeph Loeb|Loeb, Jeph]] |artist=[[Tim Sale (artist)|Sale, Tim]]}}''</ref> Scarecrow returns in ''[[Batman: Dark Victory]]'' as part of [[Two-Face]]'s gang, and is first seen putting fear gas in children's dolls on [[Christmas Eve]]. He is eventually defeated by Batman. He later appears as one of the villains present at [[Calendar Man]]'s trial. It is revealed he and Calendar Man had been manipulating Falcone's son [[Alberto Falcone|Alberto]]; Scarecrow had determined that Alberto feared his father, and poisoned his cigarettes with the fear toxin to bring out the fear; Calendar Man, meanwhile, had been talking to Alberto, with the fear toxin making Alberto hear his father's voice. Together, they manipulate Alberto into making an unsuccessful assassination attempt on his sister, [[Sofia Falcone Gigante|Sofia Gigante]]. After Two-Face's hideout is attacked, Batman captures Scarecrow, who tells him where Two-Face is heading.<ref>''Batman: Dark Victory''. DC Comics.</ref> In ''[[Catwoman: When in Rome]]'', Scarecrow supplies the [[Riddler]] with fear gas to manipulate Catwoman, and later aids Riddler when he fights Catwoman in [[Rome]]. Scarecrow accidentally attacks [[Cheetah (character)|Cheetah]] with his scythe before Catwoman knocks him out.<ref>''Catwoman: When in Rome''. DC Comics.</ref>
The Scarecrow appears in such [[story arc]]s as ''[[Batman: Knightfall|Knightfall]]'' and ''[[Batman: Shadow of the Bat|Shadow of the Bat]]'', first teaming with the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] to ransom off the mayor of [[Gotham City]]. Batman foils their plan and forces them to retreat. Scarecrow betrays Joker by spraying him with fear gas, but it has no effect; Joker then beats Scarecrow senseless with a chair. Scarecrow later tries to take over Gotham with an army of hypnotized college students, commanding them to spread his fear toxin all over the city. His lieutenant is the son of the first man he killed. He is confronted by both [[Azrael (comics)|Batman-Azrael]] and [[Anarky]] and tries to escape by forcing his lieutenant to jump off of a building. Batman-Azrael knocks him out, and Anarky manages to save the boy.<ref>''Batman: Knightfall''. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Batman: Shadow of the Bat''. DC Comics.</ref> Despite his criminal history, he is still recognized as a skilled psychiatrist. When [[Aquaman]] needs insight into a [[serial killer]] operating in his new city of [[Sub Diego]]—[[San Diego]] having been sunk and the inhabitants turned into water-breathers by a secret organization—he consults with Scarecrow for insight into the pattern of the killer's crimes. Scarecrow determined that killer chose his victims by the initials of their first and last names to spell out the message "I can't take it any more",<ref>''Aquaman'' (vol. 6) #30. DC Comics.</ref> allowing Aquaman to determine both the true identity and final target of the real killer.<ref>''Aquaman'' (vol. 6) #31. DC Comics.</ref>
In ''[[DC vs. Marvel]]'', the Scarecrow temporarily allies with the [[Scarecrow (Marvel Comics)|Marvel Universe Scarecrow]] to capture [[Lois Lane]] before they are both defeated by [[Ben Reilly]].<ref>''DC vs. Marvel'' #2. DC Comics.</ref>
[[File:Asthecrowflies.jpg|thumb|left|Cover image for the graphic novel ''As the Crow Flies''. Art by [[Matt Wagner]]]]
In the 2004 story arc ''As the Crow Flies'', Scarecrow is hired by the [[Penguin (character)|Penguin]] under false pretenses. Dr. Linda Friitawa then secretly [[mutate]]s Scarecrow into a murderous creature known as the "Scarebeast", who Penguin uses to kill off his disloyal minions.<ref>''As the Crow Flies'' - ''Batman'' #627 (July 2004). DC Comics.</ref> The character's later appearances all show him as an unmutated Crane again, except for an appearance during the ''[[Batman: War Games|War Games]]'' story arc.<ref>''Villains United'' #6. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Villains United Special''. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow appears in the third issue of ''War Games'' saving [[Black Mask (character)|Black Mask]] from Batman and acting as the crime lord's ally, until Black Mask uses him to disable a security measure in the Clock Tower by literally throwing Scarecrow at it. Scarecrow wakes up, transforms into Scarebeast, and wreaks havoc outside the building trying to find and kill Black Mask. The police are unable to take it down, and allow Catwoman, [[Tim Drake|Robin]], [[Catalina Flores|Tarantula II]], and [[Onyx (comics)|Onyx]] to fight Scarebeast, as Commissioner Michael Akins had told all officers to capture or kill any vigilantes, costumed criminals or "masks" they find. Even they cannot defeat the Scarebeast, though he appears to have been defeated after the Clock Tower explodes.<ref>''War Games'' #3. DC Comics.</ref>
The Scarecrow reappears alongside other Batman villains in ''[[Gotham Underground]]''; first among the villains meeting at the Iceberg Lounge to be captured by the [[Suicide Squad]]. Scarecrow escapes by gassing [[Bronze Tiger]] with fear toxin. He later appears warning the [[Ventriloquist (character)|Ventriloquist II]], [[Firefly (DC Comics)|Firefly]], [[Killer Moth]] and [[Lock-Up (comics)|Lock-Up]], who are planning to attack the [[Penguin (comics)|Penguin]] that Penguin is allied with the [[Suicide Squad (comics)|Suicide Squad]]. The villains wave off his warnings and mock him. He later leads the same four into a trap orchestrated by [[Tobias Whale]]. Killer Moth, Firefly and Lock-Up all survive, but are injured and unconscious to varying degrees, the Scarface puppet is "killed", and Peyton Reily, the new Ventriloquist, is unharmed, though after the attack she is taken away by Whale's men. Whale then betrays Scarecrow simply for touching his shoulder (it is revealed Whale has a pathological hatred of "masks" because his grandfather was one of the first citizens of Gotham killed by a masked criminal). The story arc ends with Whale beating Scarecrow up and leaving him bound and gagged, as a sign to all "masks" that they are not welcome in Whale's new vision of Gotham.<ref>''Gotham Underground''. DC Comics.</ref>
Scarecrow appears in ''[[Batman: Hush]]'', working for the Riddler and Hush. He composes profiles on the various villains of Gotham so Riddler and Hush can manipulate them to their own ends. He later gases [[Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)|Huntress]] with his fear gas, making her attack Catwoman. He attacks Batman in a graveyard, only to learn his fear gas is ineffective (due to Hush's bug), but before he can reveal this he is knocked out by [[Jason Todd]].<ref>''Batman: Hush''. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow also appears in ''Batman: Heart of Hush'', kidnapping a child to distract Batman so Hush can attack Catwoman. When Batman goes to rescue the child, Scarecrow activates a Venom implant, causing the boy to attack Batman. He is defeated when Batman ties the boy's teddy bear to Scarecrow, causing the child to attack Scarecrow. After capturing Scarecrow, Batman forces him to reveal Hush's ___location.<ref name="B:HoH"/> In the ''[[Batman: Battle for the Cowl|Battle for the Cowl]]'' storyline, Scarecrow is recruited by a new [[Jeremiah Arkham|Black Mask]] to be a part of a group of villains who are aiming to take over Gotham in the wake of Batman's apparent death. He later assists the crime lord in manufacturing a recreational drug called "Thrill," which draws the attention of [[Barbara Gordon|Oracle]] and [[Stephanie Brown (comics)|Batgirl]]. He is later defeated by Batgirl and once again arrested.<ref>''Batman: Battle for the Cowl''. DC Comics.</ref>
===''Blackest Night''===
Scarecrow briefly appears in the fourth issue of the ''[[Blackest Night]]'' storyline. His immunity to fear (brought about by frequent exposure to his own fear toxin) renders him practically invisible to the invading [[Black Lantern Corps|Black Lanterns]]. The drug has taken a further toll on his sanity, exacerbated by Batman's disappearance in the ''[[Batman R.I.P.]]'' storyline; he develops a literal addiction to fear, exposing himself deliberately to the [[revenant]] army, but knowing that only Batman could scare him again.<ref>''Blackest Night'' #5 (2009). DC Comics.</ref> Using a duplicate of [[Sinestro]]'s [[Power ring (DC Comics)|power ring]], he <!-- again appears in the sixth issue as he --> is temporarily deputized into the [[Sinestro Corps]] to combat the Black Lanterns. Overjoyed at finally being able to feel fear again, Scarecrow gleefully and without question follows Sinestro's commands.<ref name="GL (vol.4)">''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #50. DC Comics.</ref> His celebration is cut short when [[Lex Luthor]], overwhelmed by the [[Larfleeze|orange light of Avarice]], steals his ring.<ref name="BN#7 (2010)">''Blackest Night'' #7 (2010). DC Comics.</ref>
===''Brightest Day''===
In ''[[Brightest Day]]'', Scarecrow begins kidnapping and murdering college interns working for [[LexCorp]] as a way of getting back at Lex Luthor for stealing his ring. When [[Damian Wayne|Robin]] and [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]] attempt to stop him, Scarecrow unleashes a new fear toxin that is powerful enough to affect a [[Kryptonian]]. The toxin forces Supergirl to see visions of a Black Lantern [[Reactron]], but she is able to snap out of the illusion and help Robin defeat Scarecrow.<ref name="S/B #77">''Superman/Batman'' #77. DC Comics.</ref> He is eventually freed from Arkham when [[Deathstroke]] and the [[Teen Titans#Brightest Day: Titans – Villains for Hire|Titans]] break into the asylum to capture one of the inmates.<ref>''Titans'' (vol. 2) #28. DC Comics.</ref>
===The New 52===
[[File:Scarecrow Batman The Dark Knight Vol 2 12.png|thumb|Scarecrow on the cover of ''Batman: The Dark Knight'' (vol. 2) #12 (October 2012). Art by [[David Finch (comics)|David Finch]], Richard Friend, and [[Sonia Oback]]]]
In 2011, [[The New 52]] rebooted the DC universe. Scarecrow is a central villain in the Batman family of books and first appeared in the New 52 in ''[[Batman: The Dark Knight]]'' #4 (February 2012), written by [[David Finch (comics)|David Finch]] and [[Paul Jenkins (writer)|Paul Jenkins]]. His origin story is also altered; in this continuity, his father [[Gerald Crane]] used him as a test subject in his fear-based experiments. During one of these experiments, Crane's father locked him inside a little dark room, but suffered a fatal [[heart attack]] before he could let Jonathan out. Jonathan was trapped in the test chamber for days until being freed by some employers of the university.<ref name="BTDK #4-7"/> As a result of this event, he was irreparably traumatized and developed an obsession with fear. He became a psychologist, specializing in phobias. Eventually, Crane began using patients as test subjects for his fear toxin. His turn to criminality is also markedly different in this version; the New 52 Scarecrow is fired from his professorship for covering an [[arachnophobic]] student with spiders, and becomes a criminal after stabbing a patient to death.<ref name="BTDK (Vol.2) #10-15">''Batman: The Dark Knight'' (vol. 2) #10-15, #0 (August 2012-February 2013). DC Comics.</ref>
The Scarecrow kidnaps [[Poison Ivy (character)|Poison Ivy]], and works with [[Bane (DC Comics)|Bane]] to create and distribute to various Arkham inmates a new form of Venom infused with the Scarecrow's fear toxin. With the help of [[Superman]] and the [[Barry Allen|Flash]], Batman defeats the villains.<ref name="BTDK #4-7"/> The Scarecrow surfaces again in ''[[Batman: The Dark Knight]]'' #10, penned by [[Gregg Hurwitz]], for a six-issue arc. The Scarecrow kidnaps [[Commissioner James Gordon]] and several children, and eventually releases his fear toxin into the atmosphere.<ref name="BTDK (Vol.2) #10-15"/> Scarecrow is also used as a pawn by the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] in the "[[Death of the Family]]" arc; he is referred to as Batman's physician.<ref>''Batman'' (vol. 2) #16 (March 2013). DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow appears in ''[[Swamp Thing]]'' (vol. 5) #19 (June 2013), clipping flowers for his toxins at the [[Metropolis (comics)|Metropolis]] Botanical Garden. [[Swamp Thing]] attempts to save Scarecrow from cutting a poisonous flower, not realizing who the villain is. Scarecrow attempts to use his fear toxin on Swamp Thing.<ref>''Swamp Thing'' (vol. 5) #19 (June 2013). DC Comics.</ref> The toxin causes Swamp Thing to lose control of his powers until Superman intervenes.<ref>''Swamp Thing'' (vol. 5) #20 (July 2013). DC Comics.</ref> He is later approached by the [[Outsider (comics)|Outsider]] of the [[Secret Society of Super Villains]] to join up with the group. Scarecrow accepts the offer.<ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 3) #2. DC Comics.</ref>
As part of "[[Villains Month]]", ''Detective Comics'' (vol. 2) #23.3 (Sept. 2013) was titled ''The Scarecrow'' #1.<ref name="Detective Comics Villains">{{cite web|title=Exclusive: DC's Detective Comics Group Solicits for Villains Month|url=http://www.craveonline.com/comics/previews/511477-exclusive-dcs-villains-month-solicits-for-the-detective-comics-group|publisher=Crave Online|access-date=June 3, 2013|last=Hunsaker|first=Andy|date=June 3, 2013}}</ref> Scarecrow goes to see [[Killer Croc]], [[Mr. Freeze]], Poison Ivy, and [[Riddler]] and informs them of a war at [[Blackgate Penitentiary]] is coming and learns where each of the alliances lives. Through his conversations with each, Scarecrow learns that Bane may be the cause of the Blackgate uprising and will be their leader in the impending war. It was also stated that Talons from the [[Court of Owls]] were stored at Blackgate on ice. Later, looking over the divided city, Scarecrow claims that once the war is over and the last obstacle has fallen, Gotham City would be his.<ref>''Detective Comics'' (vol. 2) #23.3. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow approaches [[Professor Pyg]] at Gotham Memorial Hospital to see if he will give his supplies and Dollotrons to Scarecrow's followers. Scarecrow goes to Penguin next, who has already planned for the impending war, by blowing up the bridges giving access to Gotham City.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow and [[Man-Bat]] attempt to steal the frozen Talons from Blackgate while [[Penguin (character)|Penguin]] is having a meeting with Bane.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #2. DC Comics.</ref> Killer Croc rescues Scarecrow and Man-Bat from Blackgate and brings Scarecrow to Wayne Tower, where he gives Killer Croc control of Wayne Tower, as it no longer suits him.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #3. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow begins waking the Talons in his possession, having doused them with his fear gas and using [[Mad Hatter (DC Comics)|Mad Hatter]]'s mind-control technology in their helmets to control them.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #4. DC Comics.</ref> At Arkham Asylum, Scarecrow senses that he has lost the Talons after Bane freed them from Mad Hatter's mind-control technology. Scarecrow then turns to his next plan, giving the other inmates a small dose of Bane's Venom to temporarily transform them.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #5. DC Comics.</ref> Upon Bane declaring that Gotham City is finally his, he has Scarecrow hanged between two buildings.<ref>''Forever Evil: Arkham War'' #6. DC Comics.</ref>
In ''[[Batman and Robin Eternal]]'', flashbacks reveal that Scarecrow was the first villain faced by [[Dick Grayson]] as Robin in the New 52 universe when his and Batman's investigations into Scarecrow's crimes lead Batman to Mother, a woman who believes that tragedy and trauma serve as 'positive' influences to help people become stronger. To this end, Mother has Scarecrow develop a new style of fear toxin that makes the brain suffer the same experience as witnessing a massive trauma, but Scarecrow turns against Mother as the victims of this plan would become incapable of feeling anything. Recognizing that Mother will kill him once he has outlived his usefulness, Scarecrow attempts to turn himself over to Batman,<ref>''Batman & Robin Eternal'' #14. DC Comics.</ref> but Batman uses this opportunity to have him deliver a fake [[offender profiling|psychological profile]] of him to Mother, claiming that Batman is a scarred child terrified of losing the people he cares for to make Mother think she understands him.<ref>''Batman & Robin Eternal'' #15. DC Comics.</ref> In the present day, as Mother unleashes a new hypnotic signal to take control of the world's children, the [[Batman family|Bat-Family]] abduct Scarecrow to brew up a new batch of his trauma toxin after determining that it nullifies the controlling influence of Mother's signal until they can shut down her main base.<ref>''Batman & Robin Eternal'' #23. DC Comics.</ref>
===DC Rebirth===
In ''[[DC Rebirth]]'', Scarecrow works with the Haunter to release a low dose of fear toxin around Gotham on Christmas and sets up a small stand for her to pick up the toxin. Both he and Haunter are paralyzed by the toxin's effects, allowing Batman to apprehend them.<ref>''Batman'' (vol. 3) Annual #1. DC Comics.</ref> The Scarecrow later emerges using a Sinestro Corps power ring to induce fear and rage against Batman in random citizens throughout Gotham, to the point where he provokes [[Alfred Pennyworth]] into threatening to shoot [[Simon Baz]] as part of his final assault.<ref>''Green Lanterns'' #16. DC Comics.</ref> In ''[[Doomsday Clock (comics)|Doomsday Clock]]'', Scarecrow is among the villains who meet with the Riddler to discuss the Superman Theory.<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.</ref> Wanting to take on villains outside his rogues gallery, [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)|Shazam]] flies to Gotham City where he hears about a hostage situation caused by Scarecrow. Shazam starts to fight him when he begins to get affected by the fear gas. Batman shows up and regains control of the situation by defeating Scarecrow and administering the antidote. As Scarecrow is arrested, Batman states to Shazam that Scarecrow is too dangerous for him to fight.<ref>''Shazam!'' (vol. 3) #12. DC Comics.</ref>
===Infinite Frontier===
During ''[[Infinite Frontier]]'', a re-designed Crane is the main foe of the crossover ''[[Fear State]]''.<ref>''Batman: Fear State: Alpha'' #1</ref>
==Characterization==
===Skills and equipment===
A master strategist and manipulator, his genius labels him as one of the most cunning criminal masterminds. Crane is a walking textbook on [[anxiety disorder]]s and [[psychoactive drugs]]; he is able to recite the name and description of nearly every known phobia. He is even known to have a frightening ability to tamper with anyone's mind with just words, once managing to drive two men to suicide, and uses this insight to find people's mental pressure points and exploit them.<ref>''Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> Despite his scrawny build, Crane is a skilled [[martial art]]ist who uses his long arms and legs in his personal combat style known as "violent dancing", developed during his training in the [[Kung Fu]] style of the [[Fujian White Crane|White Crane]], for which Scarecrow sometimes wields a sickle or scythe.<ref>''Batman: Shadow of the Bat'' #18. DC Comics.</ref>
Scarecrow also has proficiency in both [[biochemistry]] and [[toxicology]], both important to the invention of his fear toxin, which he atomized with mixed chemicals, including powerful synthetic [[Adrenocortical hormone|adrenocortical secretions]] and other potent [[hallucinogen]]s that can be inhaled or injected into the bloodstream to amplify the victim's darkest fear into a terrifying hallucination. Its potency has upgraded to an extreme level over the years; in some stories in which it appears, fear toxin is depicted as capable of prompting almost instantaneous, terror-induced [[heart attack]]s, leaving the victim in a permanent psychosis of chronic fear. Other versions of the toxin are powerful enough that even [[Superman]] can be affected; in one story, he mixes the toxin with [[kryptonite]] to simultaneously weaken and terrify the Man of Steel.<ref name="S/B #77"/> To instill his toxin, he often uses a hand-held sprayer in the shape of a human skull and special straws which can be snapped in half to release it. In one story, Scarecrow concocts a chemical containing wildfowl pheromones from his childhood that causes nearby birds to attack his opponents.
===Powers and abilities===
In the story arc ''As the Crow Flies'', after being secretly mutated by Dr. Linda Friitawa, Scarecrow gains the ability to turn into a large, monstrous creature called the Scarebeast. As Scarebeast, he has greatly enhanced strength, endurance, and emits a powerful fear toxin from his body. However, he has to be under physical strain or duress to transform.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Brice|url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/111337405582908.htm|title=Batman: As The Crow Flies Review - Line of Fire Reviews|website=Comics Bulletin|date=April 13, 2005|access-date=May 1, 2011|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224191605/http://comicsbulletin.com/reviews/111337405582908.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the ''Blackest Night'' mini-series, Scarecrow is temporarily deputized into the [[Sinestro Corps]] by a duplicate of [[Sinestro]]'s Power ring.<ref name="GL (vol.4)"/> He proves to be very capable in manipulating the light of fear to create constructs until his ring is stolen by [[Lex Luthor]].<ref name="BN#7 (2010)"/>
===Personality===
Crane, with only a few exceptions in his incarnations, is cruel, sadistic, deranged, and manipulative above all else. Crane is obsessed with fear, and takes sadistic pleasure in frightening his victims, often literally to death, with his fear toxin.<ref name="B/S:YO"/> Crane also suffers from brain damage from prolonged exposure to his own toxin that renders him nearly incapable of being afraid of anything - except Batman. This is problematic for him, as he is addicted to fear and compulsively seeks out confrontations with Batman to feed his addiction. He is also known to have a warped sense of humor, though not to the level of [[Black Mask (character)|Black Mask]] or the [[Joker (character)|Joker]], as he has been known to frequently make taunts and quips related to his using his fear toxin or his love of terrifying others.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-scariest-things-scarecrow-done/ |title=Batman: 10 Scariest Things Scarecrow Has Ever Done |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |first=J. Richland |last=Anderson |date=August 10, 2019 |access-date=February 13, 2021 }}</ref> During [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]]'s "The God of Fear" storyline, Scarecrow develops a [[god complex]]; he creates an enormous hologram of himself that he projects against the sky, so he will be recognized and worshipped by the citizens of Gotham as a literal god of fear.<ref>''Batman: Shadow of the Bat'' #17. DC Comics.</ref>
==Other characters named Scarecrow==
===Madame Crow===
'''Abigail O'Shay''' is a Gotham University student who writes her [[doctoral thesis]] on vigilantes like the [[Bat-Family]], whom she calls the "cape and cowl crowd". She is fascinated by the kind of trauma a person would have to go through to fight criminals while in costume. She learns about such trauma first hand when Jonathan Crane, then uses her as the test subject in experiments using his fear toxin, intending to test its readiness for use on Batman. She spends more than a year in Arkham Asylum recuperating from Scarecrow's experiments. Blaming Batman for her trauma, O'Shay adopted the identity of '''Madame Crow''' with the intention of making sure no one would feel the kind of fear she did ever again as she becomes a member of the Victim Syndicate.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #944 (January 2017). DC Comics.</ref> In a reversal to Scarecrow's fear toxin, Madame Crow has a set of gauntlets that fire needles filled with "anti-fear" toxin, which removes fear in the hope of keeping people from fighting to avoid their own trauma.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #946 (March 2017). DC Comics.</ref>
==Alternative versions==
As one of Batman's most recognizable and popular opponents, the Scarecrow appears in numerous comics that are not considered part of the regular DC continuity, including:
* The Scarecrow appears in the crossover ''[[Batman/Daredevil: King of New York]]'', in which he attempts to use the [[Kingpin (character)|Kingpin]]'s criminal empire to disperse his fear gas over New York City. He is defeated when [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], the "Man Without Fear", proves immune to the gas.<ref>{{Cite comic |date=January 2000 |title=Batman/Daredevil |story=King of New York |publisher=[[DC Comics]], [[Marvel Comics]] |writer=[[Alan Grant (writer)|Grant, Alan]] |artist=[[Eduardo Barreto|Barreto, Eduardo]]}}</ref>
* The Scarecrow is featured in part two of the four-part in ''[[JSA: The Liberty Files]]''. This version of Scarecrow is portrayed as a German agent who kills a contact working for the Bat (Batman), the Clock ([[Hourman]]), and the Owl ([[Doctor Mid-Nite]]). In a struggle with Scarecrow, the fiancée of the agent [[Terry Sloane]] is killed. This causes Sloane to return to the field as [[Mister Terrific (character)|Mister Terrific]] and kill Scarecrow.<ref>''JSA: The Liberty Files''. DC Comics.</ref>
* A stand-in for Jonathan Crane named '''Jenna Clarke / Scarecrone''' appears in the ''[[Elseworlds]]'' original graphic novel ''[[Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty]]'' as a henchwoman/consort under the employ of [[Vandal Savage]]. Scarecrone also acts as a stand-in for [[Two-Face]]. She has the power to invade a person's psyche and make their deepest fears appear as illusions simply by touching them. "Scarecrone" is actually her [[Dissociative identity disorder|alternate personality]]. Vandal Savage requires Clarke to switch to her Scarecrone persona through a special formula that he has made Clarke dependent on. The two personalities are antagonistic towards each other. It is revealed that when the formula brings out Scarecrone, the right side of her face becomes heavily scarred. This scarring is healed once the formula wears off and the Jenna Clarke personality becomes dominant again.<ref>''Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty''. DC Comics.</ref>
* The Scarecrow is one of the main characters in [[Alex Ross]]' maxi-series ''[[Justice (DC Comics)|Justice]]'' as part of the [[Legion of Doom]].<ref>''Justice'' #1. DC Comics.. DC Comics.</ref> He is first seen out of costume in a hospital, injecting a girl in a wheelchair with a serum allowing her to walk.<ref>''Justice'' #2</ref> Scarecrow is later seen in costume during [[Lex Luthor]]'s speech alongside [[Clayface]] inside the home of [[Black Canary]] and [[Green Arrow]].<ref>''Justice'' #5. DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow gases Canary while Clayface attacks Green Arrow, but the attack fails when Black Canary finds her husband attacked by Clayface. Green Arrow defeats Clayface by electrocuting him with a lamp, and the duo flee soon after Canary unleashes her Canary Cry.<ref>''Justice'' #6</ref> Scarecrow is later seen with Clayface and [[Parasite (comics)|Parasite]], having captured [[Commissioner James Gordon]], [[Barbara Gordon|Batgirl]], and [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]].<ref>''Justice'' #8. DC Comics.</ref> When the [[Justice League]] storms the Hall of Doom, Scarecrow does not appear to face any particular target and duels the League as a whole. He is one of the few villains to escape the League's initial attack.<ref>''Justice'' #10. DC Comics.</ref> The Justice League follows Scarecrow to his city, whereupon he sends his city's population to attack the League, knowing that they would not hurt civilians. However, [[John Stewart (comics)|John Stewart]]'s ring frees the city from Scarecrow's control, subsequently freeing Scarecrow from [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]]'s control. Scarecrow does not seem bothered by this realization, admitting he would have done it anyway. He causes a diversion by releasing his fear gas into his entire city, driving his citizens into a homicidal frenzy,<ref>''Justice'' #11. DC Comics.</ref> and manages to escape capture, but he is ambushed and nearly killed by the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] in retaliation for not having been invited to the Legion of Doom. Scarecrow's city is again saved by the Justice League.<ref>''Justice'' #12. DC Comics.</ref>
* The Scarecrow appears in the third and final chapter of ''[[Batman & Dracula: Red Rain]]'', in which he has adorned his Scarecrow costume with laces of the severed fingers of the bullies who tormented him in school. He is about to kill a former football player when [[vampire]] Batman appears, noting that Scarecrow is worse than him; as a vampire, he is driven to kill by forces beyond his control, while Scarecrow chooses to be a murderer. Batman then grabs Scarecrow's vial of fear gas, crushing it along with the supervillain's hand, and cuts Scarecrow's head off with his own [[sickle]], declaring that Scarecrow has no idea what fear really is.<ref>''Batman: Crimson Mist''. DC Comics.</ref>
* In the [[New 52]] ''[[Batman Beyond (comics)|Batman Beyond]]'' books that takes place after ''[[The New 52: Futures End|Futures End]]'', the future [[Batman (Terry McGinnis)|Batman/Terry McGinnis]] fights a new, female version of the Scarecrow named '''Adalyn Stern'''. As a child, Adalyn was traumatized when she witnessed Batman brutally beat up her father (who was a notorious gang leader). She was placed in institutional care until she was assigned to one of Jonathan Crane's disciples who attempted to treat her with technology derived from Crane's work, which only amplified her fear of Batman. She grows up and becomes a co-anchor to [[Creeper (DC Comics)|Jack Ryder]] on the New 52. She uses A.I. cubes placed in everyone's homes to brainwash the population into believing that the new Batman is a demon that needs to be put down. She is eventually defeated by the combined efforts of the original and new Batman as well as Jack Ryder and is institutionalized in Arkham Asylum afterward when she views herself as nothing but the Scarecrow.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-beyond-villain-scarecrow-female/ |title=Batman Beyond Introduces a Very Different Scarecrow to Neo-Gotham |website=Comic Book Resources |first=Renaldo |last=Matadeen |date=July 30, 2018 |access-date=February 5, 2021 }}</ref>
* In the alternate timeline of ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'', Scarecrow is one of the many villains subsequently killed by [[Thomas Wayne]], who is [[Batman (Thomas Wayne)|that universe's Batman]].<ref>''Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance'' #1 (June 2011). DC Comics.</ref>
* In the graphic novel ''[[Batman: Earth One]]'', Dr. Jonathan Crane is mentioned as the head of the Crane Institute for the Criminally Insane, and one of its escapees is one [[List of Batman family enemies#Enemies of lesser renown|Ray Salinger]], also known as the "Birthday Boy", used by [[Penguin (character)|Mayor Cobblepot]] to his advantages.<ref>''Batman: Earth One''. DC Comics.</ref>
* In ''[[Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]], the Scarecrow appears mutated into a [[raven]] as one of the various other Arkham inmates mutated by [[Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Shredder]] and the [[Foot Clan]] to attack Batman and [[Damian Wayne|Robin]]. Batman is captured, but Robin manages to escape. The [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]] and [[Splinter (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Splinter]] then arrive, where Splinter defeats the mutated villains, while Batman uses his new Intimidator Armor to defeat Shredder and the Turtles defeat [[Ra's al Ghul]]. Later, Jim Gordon tells Batman that the police scientists have managed to turn all of the inmates at Arkham back to normal, and that they are currently in [[A.R.G.U.S.]] custody.<ref>''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' #6. DC Comics/IDW. DC Comics.</ref>
* Scarecrow makes a minor appearance in the 2017 series ''[[Batman: White Knight]]''. Crane, along with several other Batman villains, is tricked by [[Joker (Jack Napier)|Jack Napier]] (who in this reality was a [[Joker (character)|Joker]] who had been force-fed an overdose of pills by Batman which temporarily cured him of his insanity) into drinking drinks that had been laced with particles from [[Clayface]]'s body. This was done so that Napier, who was using [[Mad Hatter (DC Comics)|Mad Hatter]]'s technology to control Clayface, could control them by way of Clayface's ability to control parts of his body that had been separated from him.<ref>''Batman: White Knight'' #2 (November 2017). DC Comics.</ref> Scarecrow and the other villains are then used to attack a library which Napier himself was instrumental in building in one of [[Gotham City]]'s poorer districts.<ref>''Batman: White Knight'' #3 (December 2017). DC Comics.</ref> Later on in the story, the control hat is stolen by Neo-Joker (the second [[Harley Quinn]], who felt that Jack Napier was a pathetic abnormality while Joker was the true, beautiful personality), in an effort to get Napier into releasing the Joker persona. Scarecrow also appears in the sequel storyline ''[[Batman: Curse of the White Knight]]'', being among the villains murdered by [[Azrael (DC Comics)|Azrael]].
* The Scarecrow makes a cameo appearance in ''[[Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth]]''.<ref>{{Cite comic |date=September 5, 1989 |title=[[Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth]] |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |writer=[[Grant Morrison|Morrison, Grant]] |artist=[[Dave McKean|McKean, Dave]]}}</ref>
* Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow is one of the main antagonists in the ''[[Batman '89]]'' series ''[[Batman '89 (comic book)#Echoes|Echoes]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Matthew Aguilar |date=2023-08-17 |title=DC Reveals Sequels to Batman '89 and Superman '78 (Exclusive) |url= https://comicbook.com/comics/news/dc-reveals-sequels-to-batman-89-and-superman-78-exclusive/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=Comicbook.com |language=en}}</ref>
==In other media==
{{Main|Scarecrow in other media}}
==See also==
* [[List of Batman family enemies]]
==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==
*[https://dccontinuityproject.weebly.com/scarecrow.html Scarecrow] at DC CONTINUITY PROJECT
*[https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Scarecrow Scarecrow] at DC Database
*[https://comicvine.gamespot.com/scarecrow/4005-3726/ Scarecrow] at Comic Vine
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