Arkham Asylum under Gotham's red blood sky.
Arkham Asylum was a dark and gloomy facility for the criminally insane in the Somerset District of Gotham City.
History
The asylum resembled a prison more than a sanitorium. In addition to the insane, Arkham was also specially equipped to house prisoners with unique medical or environmental needs, who could not be otherwise incarcerated in Stonegate Penitentiary. For instance, Victor Fries, who could not survive outside of a sub-zero environment, was housed in a special freezer cell that allowed him to move around without his special cold suit.
Arkham was notorious as the "home" of many of Batman's greatest foes, and was reputed to have both airtight security and some of the world's best psychological experts on staff. However, over time, both of these claims have come to be highly suspect. In addition to few improvements in patients' conditions, inmates were constantly escaping, and at least two staff members - Dr. Harleen Quinzel[1] and Lyle Bolton[2] - are known to have been driven insane and later became inmates themselves.
The structure was built on top of a large underground cavern, and took its water from a river flowing beneath it.[3]
On one occasion, the inmates of Arkham staged a takeover of the asylum and used one of the operating theatres as a mock-courtroom, to hold a "trial" of a captured Batman.[4]
According to Barbara Gordon, the asylum's inmates and facilities were relocated to a newer, more modern facility elsewhere sometime before the 2030's, and the old asylum was allowed to decay. The ruins of the old asylum were the site of the last, worst confrontation between Batman and the Joker, which the latter did not survive. His remains were buried, secretly, under Arkham. Harley Quinn was also thought to have died from a fall in the ruins, but her body was never recovered and she did, in fact, survive.
Alternate Universe
In the Justice Lords' alternate universe, the asylum was run by a lobotomized version of the Joker and was protected by robotic copies of Superman. The entire inmate population was lobotomized by their world's Superman's heat vision.
Staff Members
- Dr. Bartholomew
- Dr. Joan Leland
- Dr. Harleen Quinzel (committed)
- Irving (temporary)
- Lyle Bolton - Chief of Security (committed)
Known Inmates
- The Joker
- Two-Face
- Poison Ivy
- Harley Quinn
- The Scarecrow
- The Mad Hatter
- Killer Croc
- The Riddler
- The Ventriloquist
- Maxie Zeus
- Lock-Up
- Mister Freeze
- Clayface
- Emile Dorian
- Baby-Doll