10 Things You Need To Know About Killer Croc Before You See Suicide Squad

8) His Affliction Is Based On Real Medical Conditions

It might seem like a suitably fantastical idea for a comic book villain, but Killer Croc’s reptilian features aren’t as far-fetched as you might think. Unlike, say, Spider-Man or the Hulk, Croc could theoretically exist.

The explanation for Croc’s affliction has varied over the years, but usually it’s said that he suffers from Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis. A real-life skin disorder, those with the condition are born without the natural protection provided by normal skin and so develop thick, scaly tissue over their body. Obviously, those afflicted do not appear as reptilian as Croc, but the idea of it is based on fact.

Croc’s condition is also based on the idea of regressive atavism – where someone’s DNA reverts back to a previous evolutionary form. In Croc’s case, a human/reptile hybrid.