JLA Foes Crime Champions 1

The villains known as the Crime Champions had beginnings on two Earths, and started working together in Justice League of America #21 (August, 1963) with the "Crisis On Earth-One" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs.

First up, the foes of the Justice League of America....Felix Faust, Dr. Alchemy and Chronos, the villains from Earth-1 (where the Justice League of America lived).

Felix Faust

Felix Faust premiered in Justice League of America #10 (March, 1962) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, wielding "The Fantastic Fingers Of Felix Faust" (basically, a magic user).  The sorcerer used the Justice League to gather 3 mystic items (the Red Jar of Calythos, the Green Bell of Uthool, and the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath) to free the demons Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast.  Though Faust failed here, Felix Faust continued to vex the JLA over the years (first in Justice League of America #49 of November, 1966), as well as the Outsiders, later.

Dr. Alchemy

Dr. Alchemy first appeared in Showcase #14 (May-June, 1958 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia), facing off against the Flash using his Philosopher's Stone to magically transmute elements as "The Man Who Changed The Earth".  But, Albert Desmond had faced the Flash in Showcase #13 (March-April, 1958) as Mr. Element, who used scientific knowledge of chemicals to battle the Flash.  Albert returned a few times to fight the Flash over the years, sometimes mostly as Mr. Element (starting with Flash #147 of September, 1964), but a few times as Dr. Alchemy, at least until a new Dr. Alchemy took over for a time (Alvin Desmond, not Albert; and Albert's Dr. Alchemy faced Flash as well, and was a member of the Crime Champions during their later return, then faced Blue Beetle as well).

 

Chronos

David Clinton started his criminal career as Chronos, a foe of the Atom with a clock motif in Atom #3 (October-November, 1962 by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson) fighting with the mighty mite in his home of Ivy Town.  These battles continue on and off over the years (after the first meeting with the Crime Champions, starting in the Atom #13 of June-July, 1964), and Chronos also perfects time travel technology, fighting with many other members of the Justice League and more, as a member of the Injustice Gang of the World, the Secret Society of Super-Villains, the Suicide Squad and more.

The Crime Champions continued their battles against the combined forces of the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America in Justice League of America #22 (September, 1963), and later returned for 2 issues of the Justice League of America....with the help of JSA villains, the Wizard, the Fiddler and the Icicle...of which there will be more coming soon!

Star Trek Deep Space Nine Next Generation Crossover

In the 1990s, Star Trek had two TV series running on air, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and each of them had their own comic book series, with Star Trek: Next Generation enjoying its 80 issue run at DC Comics that started in October, 1989, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the midst of its 32 issue run at Malibu starting in August, 1993..

....but, what could bring these characters (and companies) together (even though, out of all of the Star Trek series, it would be the easiest to cross these two series over, as they existed in the same time period, and in the same galaxy, as well as sharing a few friends), but a landmark crossover event....




...you need but look for four issues of a crossover of these characters in 1994, starting with this "ashcan" book (which was a collection of work done to prepare for the series, with a cover by Gordon Purcell and Jerome Moore), and the following four issues, that contain the heart of the story, with DC covers by Sonia Hillios and Malibu covers by Scott Sava!

Part 1 DC and Malibu

DC started off the run with "Prophets and Losses" in DC's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine/The Next Generation #1 (December, 1994) by Michael Jan Friedman, Mike W. Barr, Gordon Purcell and Terry Pallot.  This had Captain Picard and the Enterprise-D crew arriving at the former Terok Nor to investigate a problem with the Bajoran Wormhole (though why couldn't DS9's own commander, Sisko, handle the investigation?).  Various crew members interact (like LaForge's enhanced vision catching Quark's fixed Dabo tables), and also recall the previous time the Enterprise-D came to Deep Space Nine, in the Next Generation episode, "Birthright", and other connections between the crews (like Miles O'Brien). 

The story continues in Malibu's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine/The Next Generation #1 (October, 1994, by Mike W. Barr, Michael Jan Friedman, Gordon Purcell and Terry Pallot), with the mystery deepening, and William Riker, Data and Deanna Troi going with Jadzia Dax, Odo and Kira Nerys to investigate the wormhole in the runabout Mississippi, while Doctors Crusher and Bashir check on blood Worf got from their enemy, who looked like Cardassians.  

Part 2 Malibu and DC

Malibu's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine/The Next Generation #2 (November, 1994, by Mike W. Barr, Michael Jan Friedman, Gordon Purcell and Terry Pallot), furthered the investigation with a mixed away team having an "Encounter with...the Othersiders!", but were the Othersiders the only villains of the story?  DC ended the mini-series both with their own second issue of the mini-series, DC's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine/The Next Generation #2 (January, 1995, by Michael Jan Friedman, Mike W. Barr, Gordon Purcell and Terry Pallot),  fighting "The Enemy Unseen" and the two crews going their separate ways.

While Deep Space Nine was not really reflected in later DC Comics, Deep Space Nine was visited by various Next Generation guests and regulars even while the comic was at Malibu, with Ensign Ro stopping by in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #28 (September, 1995), Thomas Riker (William Riker's transporter clone) for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #29 and #30 (October and November, 1995)...

...the Mirror Universe Tuvok (in a separate story in the same two issues, from many episodes based on "Mirror, Mirror"), and even Worf (who became part of the Deep Space Nine cast), with the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Worf Special #0 of December, 1995 with multiple stories by Dan Mishkin, Moose Baumann, Rob Davis, Anne Timmons, and Leonard Kirk, and art by Steve Erwin, John Montgomery, Rob Davis, Aubrey Bradford, Scott Reed, Terry Pallot and Leonard Kirk.

All this shows the ever changing and occasionally interacting world of Star Trek!

Doom Patrol Opposite: Brotherhood Of Evil

Every hero needs a villain, even the odd hero group of the Doom Patrol.  Their opposite number was the Brotherhood of Evil, and they premiered in the first issue of the Doom Patrol...Doom Patrol #86 (March, 1964), by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani (the first 85 issue of this title were originally My Greatest Adventure, with the Doom Patrol having adventures in the title since My Greatest Adventures #80 (June, 1963).

The original Brotherhood of Evil members were as follows....

The Brain

The founder of the team, the Brain was, well, not only the brains of the operation, but truly the brains behind it all....and a disembodied brain in a bottle.

A French scientist who experimented on animals, and a rival of Niles Caulder, the man who became the Brain had his body damaged in an explosion, but was saved by one of his experiments, who transplanted his still living brain into a self-contained unit to keep him alive.

The Brain gathered the Brotherhood of Evil together, using his incredible intellect, and plotted to take over the world, and to have revenge on Niles Caulder (the Chief of the Doom Patrol). 

Part of those plans involved recruiting others to help him.....and the Brain started with the one he knew best!

Monsieur Mallah

The Brain needed muscle, and that was provided by Monsieur Mallah, an ape that the Brain evolved so that he could speak and think, with an I.Q. of 178, and function for the Brain.

It was Mallah that saved the Brain, and had him transplanted into the jar that saved his life.  Mallah often worked to keep his friend alive, and to do whatever the Brain needed him to do.

Mallah took over the functions of Rog, a giant robot, in Doom Patrol #93 (February, 1965 by Drake and Premiani), whom Mr. Morden used in the Brotherhood of Evil's first appearance (Mr. Morden was trying to join the Brotherhood, but failed, and became a real nobody). 

But, the team had another member, that the Brain also helped create....

Madame Rogue

Laura De Mille was a famous actress, until an automobile accident helped her develop a split personality....that the Brain and Monsieur Mallah took advantage of.

Laura became the headmistress of a Paris girls' school (which was also a front for the Brotherhood....and what school kid didn't feel their teachers were evil?).  First, Madame Rogue used her actress talents to disguise herself, but the Brain enhanced her powers in Doom Patrol #90 (September, 1964, by Drake and Premiani).  This story also gave hints of her split personality...and, a little later, her love for the Chief. 

Her origin was revealed in Doom Patrol #112 (June, 1967 by Drake and Premiani), where the Brain "cured" her split personality developed by the car crash (by turning her evil), with the Chief resolving to restore her good side.  The Brain and Chief war over Madame Rogue, with her evil self splitting off and dying in Doom Patrol #115 (November, 1967, by Drake and Premiani)....until Videx, a new potential recruit for the Brotherhood, starts a problem with Madame Rogue in Doom Patrol #118 (March-April, 1968), which the Great Guru finishes in Doom Patrol #119 (May-June, 1968), by turning Madame Rogue back to evil.

Madame Rogue went truly evil, teaming up with Captain Zahl, an ex-Nazi U-Boat commander, and seems to destroy not only the Brotherhood of Evil but the Doom Patrol as well in Doom Patrol #121 (September-October, 1968, also the issue which introduces Zahl).  It took some time, but Robotman did return, and with the help of Beast Boy (who was using the name of Changeling, and working with the new Teen Titans), finally ends the menace of Rogue and Zahl in New Teen Titans #13 to #15 of November, 1981 to January, 1982 (though a form of Rogue returns with Gemini, in later Brotherhood incarnations, as does the Brain and Mallah, with more Brotherhood recruits).   

The Brotherhood of Evil also worked with Doom Patrol foes General Immortus (who was a foe of the Doom Patrol since My Greatest Adventure #80 of June, 1963) and Garguax (an alien invader who menace the Earth since Doom Patrol #91 of November, 1964).  The Brotherhood of Evil even got new members like Plasmus, Warp, Houngan and Phobia, but that was later, and introduced in the the pages of the New Teen Titans (and we'll get around to them later....after giving you a chance to meet some of those new Teen Titans!). 

The Brotherhood of Evil must have gotten self conscious about the name at some point as well, changing over time to the Society of Sin (adding Trinity) and the Brotherhood of Dada (founded by Mr. Nobody)....but, also, stories for another day about how evil changed and grew!

The Secret History of the Teen Titans

Well, the original Teen Titans history won't be a secret after you read this.

The Teen Titans made their first appearance as a team in Brave and the Bold #60 (June-July, 1965), fighting the Separated Man (which also featured the premiere of Wonder Girl)....but, the teens gathered together a few times before that as well!

The Secret Olympic Heroes

Teen Titans #4 (July-August, 1966 by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy) told an earlier tale of the Teen Titans, where Speedy (Roy Harper, the ward of Green Arrow) worked with Robin (Dick Grayson), Aqualad (Garth), Kid Flash (Wally West), and Wonder Girl (Donna Troy) to stop the agents of DIABLO from ruining the Olympic games.

This involved some superior archery by Speedy, and the help of one of the young athletes, Davey Bradley, who ran a special race to save the team and look good in front of his father, Ted Bradley.

Speedy was working with the team, but this was the first time readers saw that (coming back a little later for a guest appearance in Teen Titans #11 of September-October, 1967, and permanently after Teen Titans #19 of January-February, 1969).  But, no origin here, and a little extra confusion added with Speedy not being a regular member of the Teen Titans in the early days...

...so, looking forward to go back....

In The Beginning...

The last of the original Teen Titans run, Teen Titans #53 (February, 1978 by Bob Rozakis, Juan Ortiz and John Fuller) had a special flashback tale, featuring Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Speedy and the new Wonder Girl meeting for the first time as each of them had just had problems with their mentors (Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Arrow and Wonder Woman), as their mentors had turned to crime.  The sidekicks gathered in Metropolis, thinking of going to Superman for help, but then realized he, too, might have turned bad, and thus, they resolved to team-up against the heroes gone bad, and take them down.  Along the way, they also found out that the heroes were turned by an extra-dimensional being, the Antithesis, who was powered by the heroes misdeeds, and as the last of the teens defeated the last of the heroes, Antithesis disappeared back into his dimensional home, without the power to break free, and the team decided to stay together, with Wonder Girl suggesting the Titans name.  Speedy didn't feel like much of a joiner, so he didn't participate in the Teen Titans earliest adventures, but was welcome to come back when he wanted to.

Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, this event took place after Aquaman's wedding to Mera in Aquaman #18 of November-December, 1964, where Robin and Aqualad were guests...

...after the Crisis, it appears the fab four Teen Titans were guests at the wedding as well, as related in Brave and the Bold #10 of April, 2008.

Groovy!
 

The Thousand-and-One Dooms Of Mr. Twister

But, the most of the sidekicks (Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad) did meet one time before in Brave and the Bold #54 (June-July, 1964 by Bob Haney, Bruno Premiani and Sheldon Moldoff), when they faced Mr. Twister in the town of Hatton Corners.  Mr. Twister kidnapped the youths of the town, and used the power of his magical Indian medicine staff to control the weather, which was enough to even take Kid Flash and Aqualad out of the way.  Luckily, Robin was there to put an end to the trouble caused by Brom Stikk (the man who called himself Mr. Twister...

....who would later come back to menace Robin and the Teen Titans under another identity, and even later with more help as well!).

Then the Teen Titans appeared in Brave and the Bold #60 (June-July, 1965, the introduction of Wonder Girl), then in Showcase #59 (November-December, 1965), leading to Teen Titans #1 (January-February, 1966)....and from there into history, adding members like Hawk & Dove, Lilith, Mal, Gnarrk, Joker's Daughter, Golden Eagle and more!

JLA Foes The Injustice Gang Of The World

This gathering of evil is the Injustice Gang of the World.

They were formed in Justice League of America #111 (May-June, 1974 by Len Wein and Dick Dillin) by a villain called Libra (also his first appearance, and more on him later….since even though he gathered these foes, and gave them a satellite of their own, his history didn’t get revealed until much later).

This group was unique, as it was the first named gathering of villains of established Justice League of America members (well, only JLA members…more on that later) and this group came back a few times!

So, let’s start with their members….though they weren’t the greatest foes of each of the members of the Justice League, they had fought their respective JLAers a few times before appearing here…

Scarecrow

Jonathan Crane first got noticed by the Batman back in World’s Finest Comics #3 (Fall, 1943 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane), and his first cover appearance on Detective Comics #73 (in March, 1943, though both of those were technically the Earth-2 Scarecrow, the one in the IGW was first in Batman #189 of February, 1967), and was last in Detective Comics #389 (July, 1969) before joining the IGW.  

Dr. Crane was a psychologist who went a little crazy, as his fascination with fear led him to experiment on people…and brought him into conflict with Batman and Robin (and he kept coming back, even being enhanced by Neron for a time…and facing Hawkman!   

He even fought other Batman foes like Joker and Catwoman).


Scarecrow used a fear gas to fight his foes, and make them face what they feared the most (which makes him the perfect villain for Halloween).

Poison Ivy

Pamela Isley started to cause trouble for Batman and Robin with Batman #181 (June, 1966 by Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff), but she simply was a tease (based on model Bettie Page, no less!).  Poison Ivy last appeared in Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #116 (November, 1971) fighting the Rose and Thorn (another Kanigher creation....) before joining the Injustice Gang.

Later appearances added her immunity to poisons and plant-manipulation powers (and when she faced Wonder Woman in a couple of World’s Finest Comics issues, she was a botany student named Lillian Rose, who was seduced herself to become a thief by a Frenchman….who then poisoned her, and she survived to become Poison Ivy).  Later, her name was changed to Pamela Isley, and she was a student of Jason Woodrue (he who became the Atom and Swamp Thing foe, Floronic Man…).  

Poison Ivy fought against the Metropolis heroine, the Thorn in the pages of Lois Lane, was also a member of later super-villain group the Secret Society of Super-Villains, and of the government sponsored group the Suicide Squad, and worked quite a bit with Joker’s gal, Harley Quinn and then with her and the Catwoman as well.


Poison Ivy was immune to poison, knew plants, had a hatred for men, but knew how to manipulate both flora and fauna.

Chronos

David Clinton first menaced the mighty mite in Atom #3 (October-November, 1962 by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane), and used devices based on clocks and watches to fight the little man.  As time progressed, Chronos seemed to gain some mastery of time travel as well... both for his good and bad.

Chronos was also a member of the Crime Champions (a villain team composed of Flash foe Dr. Alchemy, JLA foe Felix Faust, golden age Green Lantern foe Icicle, JSA foe the Wizard and golden age Flash foe the Fiddler…who did beat the IGW into existence by 90 issues…but was a mix of JLA and JSA villains…and didn’t reoccur until after the Injustice Gang’s 3 appearances as a group).  

Chronos last faced the Atom in Action Comics #427 (September, 1973) before becoming a member of the IGW.  

Chronos also joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains, the Suicide Squad, even the “anti-Justice League” with folks like Merlyn, the Ocean Master, Sinestro and Grodd…and even the Time Foes!  

Chronos even played baseball against a team of heroes comprised of JLAers and Teen Titans, as well as facing Elongated Man, Wonder Woman, Captain Comet and Tommy Tomorrow, Superman & Batman and Blue Beetle individually!

Chronos was quite the timely villain, facing foes with watch-inspired woes, clock catastrophes and time travel troubles!

Mirror Master

Sam Scudder was a crook even before he became a foe of the Flash (starting in Flash #105, March, 1959 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino), and while in prison manipulated a mirror into holding an image, and used that to escape.  Somehow this convict came up with a few other mirror gimmicks, and faced the Flash…time and time again!  He even teamed up with other Flash foes like Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, the Top, and the Pied Piper to form the Flash Rogue’s Gallery, so Mirror Master was a natural at joining groups, and he last faced Flash in Flash #219 (December-January, 1972/1973)!  

Mirror Master was the first of JLAers individual foe to pop up in JLA stories (Brave and the Bold #30 with Amazo, as well as Justice League of America #40 with the Shark) and also joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains with a few other Flash foes like Grodd, Captain Cold and the Trickster, and faced Elongated Man a few times, and even Batman…before Sam died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths!  

Though the mantle of the Mirror Master was picked up a few times…before Flashpoint ended things, it was worn by Evan McCulloch, who faced Animal Man and Gunfire, before coming to face off against the Wally West version of the Flash, and Evan even joined the Rogues as well, and later faced Green Arrow even!



Mirror Master cast quite a negative reflection, facing the Flash with a little slight of hand, and polished up as quite the villain.

Shadow-Thief

Carl Sands was a criminal, who happened to be able to make contact with an extra-dimensional being named Thar Dan from Xarapion, and saved his life.  As a reward, Carl was given the Dimensiometer which allowed him to become a shadow (and a pair of gloves that allowed him to grip objects as a shadow), and became…a Shadow-Thief!  This brought him into conflict with Midway City’s alien heroes, Hawkman and Hawkgirl (in Brave & the Bold #36, July, 1961 by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert).  A side effect of the device would have plunged the Earth into an ice age, had the Hawks not stopped the Shadow-Thief!  He returned again to face the Thanagarian couple (appearing in Hawkman #5 of December-January, 1964/1965), before joining the IGW (and only appeared as a member of the group once, as when he came back to face the JLA again…along with Captain Cold, the Icicle and Wonder Woman’s foe, Minister Blizzard), the Phantom Stranger took his Dimensiometer away!  

Eventually, Carl got it back, and continued to menace Hawkman (and now Hawkwoman), and even got more power working with the Thanagarians and with the demon Neron (as well as getting some of his own history rewritten as the Hawks had their lives altered as well).


Beware what’s in the shadows, it could be the Shadow-Thief!

Tattooed Man

Abel Tarrant was a sailor who was starting a criminal career, until being exposed to some mysterious chemicals that allowed him to animate objects from images made with those chemicals.  Inking up, he became the Tattooed Man and faced Green Lantern in Coast City in Green Lantern #23 (September, 1963 by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane).  And then, the Tattooed Man pretty much only popped up in the Justice League book for a time (Justice League of America #28, #61 along with folks like Lex Luthor, Penguin and Dr. Light in #69), before joining up with the IGW (and getting a new costume, which he dumped to be part of the baseball team of villains…so he had his old suit for his two return appearances with the IGW in #143 and #158).  Abel even was thought to have been dead for a time…but it was only a tattoo image of him!  

This salty sea dog doesn’t even appear on that many covers!  Other people got inked up with his special ink, making other Tattooed Men to menace other heroes (or, even try to be a hero at times).


Being a man of many talents, this inked irritant called the Tattooed Man was an occasional bother to Green Lantern!

Libra

Justin Ballantine was just a poor boy who lost his mother when he was young due to a pharmacist who gave her the wrong medicine (because he was a drunk).  So, Justin threw himself into astronomy…and would have been killed by his father (after Justin spent all his money on a telescope), if not for the fact his father was drunk and fell to his death.  These events taught Justin balance, and after some tutoring (eventually even being a student of Ted Knight, the first Starman, in college) he was ready to strike out on his own.  

A mysterious benefactor gives him the Transmortifier (and, likely the satellite) to test against the JLA (the device absorbs powers), and he formed the Injustice Gang of the World to menace the heroes.  At the end of the battle, Libra tried to absorb the universe…and ended up on Apokolips, being reformed by Desaad, where it was revealed it was Darkseid’s device, given to Libra by Glorious Godfrey!  These New Gods then returned, gathering an army of villains (including Martian Manhunter foe, the Human Flame), and became a menace to the JLA and the world in the Final Crisis!

Libra kept things in balance, to try to turn the scales of justice…against the Justice League!

The Injustice Gang of the World wasn’t quite the first group of villains the JLA faced, but they were the most frequent in the Justice League of America title, coming back without Libra, with the Construct in charge in Justice League of America #143 (June, 1977) and Abra Kadabra pulling the strings in Justice League of America #158 (September, 1978)…in the Silver and Bronze Age, and they led the way to bigger groups  and more menaces!

Suicide Squad A Little Harley, Croc and Slipknot

Go to any comic book store this week and the topic is the Suicide Squad.

Skipping around a bit, and quickly covering the three characters from the comics in the movie that are members of the Suicide Squad who haven't been covered in previous Suicide Squad articles here with more coverage of Harley Quinn and Killer Croc to come later!

Slipknot....well....

Harley Quinn

Harleen Quinzel was the Joker's psychiatrist....and he drove her crazy.  Crazy in love with him, that is.  Harley would do anything for her "puddin'", but Joker never felt that way about her, really.  She was a way to escape prison, and later even an annoyance to the clown of crime.  But, that didn't stop Harley from pursuing the Joker, much to her own harm (though after 38 issues of her own series, and 26 issues of Gotham City Sirens, with Catwoman and Poison Ivy, among others, Harley finally was able to shed the Joker for a time (at least until Flashpoint brought us the New 52.....).

Harley Quinn first appeared in the Batman Animated Series, and was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.  Harley first appeared in the comics with Batman Adventures #12 (October, 1993), in comics set in the universe of the animated series.  Harley Quinn first appeared in DC Universe comics in Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (October, 1999), with a stunning Alex Ross cover that they echoed in the Suicide Squad movie. 

Harley started her move to her more Deborah Harry styled costume with her first new 52 appearance, which also heralded her entrance to the Suicide Squad, in Suicide Squad #1 (November, 2011). 

Check with your local comic store for reprints of these and many other Harley Quinn stories.

Killer Croc

Waylon Jones first appeared in Detective Comics #523 (February, 1983) by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan, but was part of a multi-issue storyline over Batman #357 to #359 in 1983, with art by Dan Jurgens, Dick Giordano, Curt Swan and Don Newton,  that led to Jason Todd becoming Robin, culminating in Detective Comics #526 (May, 1983).  At this time, Killer Croc was an unloved boy, born in the Bayou, shunned by humanity because of his appearance, who, with his toughness and raw ability, moved to being a crime boss, and nearly taking over Gotham, making him one of Batman's toughest villains that he had faced.

Time wasn't so kind to Waylon, ending up in Arkham Asylum, experimented on, being broken by the newer and deadlier Batman foe, Bane, given more strength and regenerative abilities (including by Batman foe, Hush), but at the cost of his intellect.  The boy who didn't want to be a monster, became a monster in spite of himself (but, Waylon did always want to be stronger, and didn't mind shying away from other humans....). 

Oddly, Killer Croc really wasn't a part of the Suicide Squad (that was Superboy foe, King Shark....), but they both were monsters, who occasionally ate humans....and you can find more on Killer Croc on the just released Batman: Arkham Asylum: Killer Croc tradepaperback.
 

Slipknot

Christopher Weiss was the name of the assassin that the Monitor sent to face Firestorm (though the readers didn't learn of that until much later) in Fury of Firestorm #28 (October, 1984, by Gerry Conway, Joey Cavalieri and Rafael Kayanan).  A man who manipulated ropes was a threat to Firestorm, as the ropes were organic, and Firestorm couldn't use his transmutation powers on the organic material of the ropes.  Slipknot returned to face Firestorm, along with Blue Devil, working with Blue Devil foe, Bolt, and Firestorm foes of Mindboggler, Hyena and Multiplex in Fury of Firestorm #45 to #47 and Blue Devil #23 all in 1986.

Being a team player got Slipknot recruited to a collection of Firestorm foes in the Suicide Squad, when the Squad (including Multiplex, Killer Frost, Deadshot, Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang) was sent to bring down Firestorm in Fury of Firestorm #64 (October, 1987) and Firestorm Annual #5 (1987), and, amazingly Slipknot survived this mission, only to get recruited again as the Manhunters attacked Earth in the Millennium mini-series of 1988, getting his arm blown off (thanks to encouragement by Captain Boomerang) in Suicide Squad #9 (January, 1988). 

Slipknot survived, turning to the religion of the Cult of Kobra (Kobra being a quasi-religious leader who vexed both Batman, the Outsiders and the Suicide Squad, as revealed in Identity Crisis #4 of November, 2004).  Slipknot later ran afoul of Ink (the newer version of Tattooed Man) during the Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink mini-series of 2009, leading to a final confrontation between the two in Titans #31 (March, 2011), with Ink the one coming out alive to greet his teammates of Deathstroke, Arsenal and Cheshire. 

All of Slipknot's later appearances starting with Millennium have been collected (mostly as Millennium, Suicide Squad in the Nightshade Odyssey, and the Final Crisis and Titans in collections of their books), but his Fury of Firestorm and Blue Devil appearances still need to be roped in.....