If You Thought Batman Begins Was Bad, DC Is About to Make Scarecrow Even Scarier

The amount of villains that make up Batman’s rogues gallery is a disturbing number that seems to only ever climb higher, with Scarecrow being a fear-based foe who gives the Dark Knight a run for his scare factor every time they meet. Receiving a complete overhaul in DC Comics’ recently launched Absolute Universe initiative, Batman and the rest of his associated characters have been redefined for a new continuity, with DC hinting how this reality’s Scarecrow will be even more terrifying than ever before.

Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Scarecrow has been a staple Batman villain since his inception in 1941, with the Christopher Nolan-directed film Batman Begins successfully bringing him into the live-action space thanks to Cillian Murphy’s subtle insanity and a terrifying mask design that sold this version of the character well.

But over in DC’s Absolute Universe, things are a little more intense than in Batman Begins, and after sharing a sneak peek of Mr. Freeze’s terrifying redesign, Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder reveals that yes, Scarecrow is coming, and compared to his fellow bat-rogue, he’s “very very scary.”

Absolute Batman Writer Scott Snyder Teases That Scarecrow Will Be Even Scarier Than Absolute Mr. Freeze

Snyder Already Has Plans for Absolute Scarecrow

Answering a comment on X regarding DC Connect’s reveal of Absolute Mr. Freeze, Snyder is asked, “if you are putting monstrosities in absolute Batman like this, please tell me you have something planned for the god of fear,” Snyder responds with a succinct “Scarecrow will be very very scary” tease. Offering no further information, Snyder confirms that once Absolute Scarecrow debuts, he’ll at the very least be more terrifying than this version of Mr. Freeze, to say nothing about how Scarecrow will surpass his previous incarnations in movies like Batman Begins, games like Batman: Arkham Asylum, and other Batman comics.

Comic book art: the Batman villain Scarecrow in front of an old manor.

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Like every hero and villain introduced thus far in this new reality, Scarecrow will undoubtedly get a revamped character design, with his eventual look likely skewing towards something that’s pure nightmare fuel in nature, especially since Absolute Mr. Freeze’s redesign is a far cry from his usual cold-infused suit. Conversely, Snyder could also do what this differing continuity has already been successful in doing — shake things up to a point where Scarecrow’s origin and redesign are unlike anything that’s come before, setting the stage for a unique take on the villain only made possible in the world of Absolute Batman.

Absolute Mr. Freeze Is a Precursor to What the Absolute Reality’s Scarecrow Will Be Like

Mr. Freeze Will Debut in Absolute Batman #8

Batman_ The Animated Series Mr. Freeze Scarecrow custom image

Snyder hasn’t explicitly stated when Absolute Scarecrow will be joining Batman’s rogues gallery, but with Joker and Mr. Freeze already waiting in the wings to make the Dark Knight’s life in this wildly different reality a living hell, it’s only a matter of time before Jonathan Crane — or anyone else who could be taking on the role — turns up to scare Gotham silly. Regardless, when Scarecrow eventually makes his presence known in the Absolute Universe, fans can bet that Batman will have his work cut out for him worse than ever before, especially without his usual resources and high-tech gear.

Source: @Ssnyder1835