Who Is Scarecrow? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Scarecrow is a DC Comics comic book character, the alter ego of Jonathan Crane, with over 1,741 comic issue appearances. Utilizing a fear-inducing gas known as fear toxin, Jonathan Crane preys upon the people of Gotham City as the villainous Scarecrow.

Who is Scarecrow?

Origin The son of a father obsessed with understanding and controlling fear, Jonathan Crane was used as the subject for illegal experiments from a young age following the death of his mother. Repeatedly locked in a small room beneath the floor and dosed with fear-inducing toxins, he became completely unhinged after his father unexpectedly died in the middle of an experiment. Jonathan was left for days, starving and terrified in a small pit. Even after he was finally rescued, he spent years deeply traumatized by the experience, before ultimately deciding to become the master of fear. Initially working as a professor, and later as a clinical psychologist, he finds his psychopathy does not lend itself to traditional practice of his chosen trade. Taking on the name Scarecrow, he begins a life of crime in constant pursuit of perfecting his fear toxin. Creation Scarecrow was created by writer Milton Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff for his first appearance in World's Finest Comics #3 . The character was revived in the Silver Age by Gardner Fox and given his famous Fear Toxin, Scarecrow then become a regular recurring villain since then.

Key facts

Scarecrow is of human origin and first appeared in "Superman, Batman and Robin, Red, White & Blue, Zatara". The character is published by DC Comics. With 1,741 recorded issue appearances, Scarecrow ranks among the most featured characters in comics.