Arkham Asylum is the prison/sanitarium for the criminally insane located on the hinterland of Gotham City, in its Somerset District.[1]
History[]
Arkham is depicted as being generally dark and gloomy, with the cells being primarily closed via glass doors. Most of the asylum, however, resembles a prison more than a mental hospital.
The Asylum was notorious for being the "home" of many of Batman's greatest adversaries. In addition to the few improvements in its patients' conditions, inmates were constantly escaping, and what more, no less than two Arkham staff members (Dr. Harleen Quinzel and Lyle Bolton) are known to have become mentally insane themselves and later became inmates as well.
Events[]
During Christmas Eve, the guards of Arkham allowed the inmates to build a Christmas tree and to sing Christmas carols, Joker used the tree, which was actually a rocket, as a ride out of Arkham. However, by the end of that night, Joker was captured by Batman and returned to Arkham, where he was locked in his cell with a straight jacket.[2]
Batman was once taken inside Arkham as a patient after an overdose on Scarecrow's fear gas, but he managed to break free and proved that his sanity was intact.[3]
Batman was once captured and brought to Arkham by the inmates where they held a trial against him.[4]
A new security chief named Lyle Bolton was hired on a Wayne foundation who used harsh methods on the prisoners until a testimony was held against him which cost him his job.[5]
Staff Members[]
- Dr. Bartholomew
- Dr. Joan Leland
- Dr. Harleen Quinzel (committed)
- Irving (temporary)
- Lyle Bolton - Chief of Security (committed)
Known Inmates[]
- Emile Dorian[6]
- Harley Quinn
- The Joker
- Killer Croc
- Lock-Up
- The Mad Hatter
- Maxie Zeus
- Mr. Freeze
- Poison Ivy
- The Riddler
- The Scarecrow
- Two-Face
- The Ventriloquist
Appearances[]
- Christmas With the Joker
- Be a Clown
- Heart of Ice
- Fear of Victory
- Dreams in Darkness
- Joker's Wild
- Harley and Ivy
- Fire from Olympus
- Read My Lips
- The Worry Men
- Trial
- House & Garden
- Harlequinade
- Riddler's Reform
- Second Chance
- Harley's Holiday
- Lock-Up (episode)
- Deep Freeze
Trivia[]
- The episode Dreams In Darkness features a character who is obviously modeled in homage to Jeremiah Arkham, but toned down to have a more compassionate persona.
- The inner appearance of Arkham is not consistent throughout the series.
Gallery[]
- See also Arkham Asylum Images