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Arkham Asylum as it appeared on Batman: The Animated Series.
Arkham Asylum as it appeared on Batman: The Animated Series. Batman The Animated Series (often shortened Batman TAS or BTAS) is an American, two time Emmy Award winning

The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane is a fictional setting, a psychiatric hospital in the DC Universe. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. A psychiatric hospital (previously called insane asylum, mental hospital; or derogatorily looney bin, nut house or Funny Farm) is The DC Universe ( DCU) is the fictional Shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place

Contents

Fictional history

It is located on the outskirts of Gotham City, and is where those of Batman's foes considered to be legally insane are incarcerated (other foes are incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary). Gotham City is a Fictional City appearing in DC Comics, and is best known as the home of Batman. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Blackgate Penitentiary is a fictional Prison depicted in the DC Universe, traditionally located on a small island in the Gotham Bay Gotham City Although it has had numerous administrators, its current head is Jeremiah Arkham. Jeremiah Arkham is a Fictional character in DC Comics ' Batman comic books in which he serves as the current head of Arkham Asylum, an institution Inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, the asylum was created by Dennis O'Neil and first appeared in Batman #258 (October 1974); much of its back-story was created by Len Wein during the 1980s. Howard Phillips Lovecraft ( August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of horror, fantasy Dennis O'Neil (often credited as Denny O'Neil) is a Comic book Writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics In Narratology, a back-story (also back story or backstory) is the history behind the situation extant at the start of the main story Len Wein (born June 12, 1948) is an American Comic book Writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics In the foreword to the book The Dark Ages: Grim, Great, and Gimmicky Post-Modern Comics, Jack C. Harris claims that it was he who conceptualized the idea of Arkham Asylum, and that any other such claims are false.

Arkham Asylum does not have a good record, at least with regard to the high profile cases; escapes are frequent (on at least one occasion, an obsessive-compulsive multiple murderer was signed out of Arkham into the care of an incontinent, alcoholic vagrant (An example can be found in Garth Ennis' comic HITMAN Issue 15#, on the grounds that he "looked like a responsible citizen", and those who are 'cured' and released tend to re-offend. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD is a Chronic Anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by obsessive Distressing Intrusive thoughts Section 8 is a Fictional superhero team published by DC Comics. Furthermore, several staff members, including at least one director, have ended up as residents, notably Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Lyle Bolton and, in some incarnations, Drs. Harley Quinn ( Dr Harleen Quinzel) is a Fictional character, a Supervillainess, in the animated series Batman The Animated Series Lock-Up is a DC Comics villain and an enemy of Batman, featured in one episode Batman The Animated Series, in which he was voiced by Bruce Jonathan Crane and Hugo Strange. The Scarecrow ( Dr Jonathan Crane) is a DC Comics Supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Professor Hugo Strange is a Fictional character and Supervillain in DC Comics.

In addition, prisoners with unusual medical conditions that prevent them from staying in a regular prison are housed there. For example, Mr. Freeze is not technically insane, but he requires a strongly refrigerated environment to stay alive, which for some reason only Arkham can provide. Mr Freeze, real name Dr Victor Fries (pronounced as Victor "Frees" or "Freeze" is a DC Comics Supervillain, an enemy of

Origins

The one-shot graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth establishes that the Asylum is named after Elizabeth Arkham, founder Amadeus Arkham's mother. Arkham Asylum A Serious House on Serious Earth is a Batman Graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean The original name of the asylum is Arkham Hospital. Its dark history began in the early 1900s when Arkham's mother, having suffered from mental illness most of her life, committed suicide. Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as (It is later revealed that she was actually euthanized by her son, which his mind repressed. Euthanasia (literally "good death" in Ancient Greek) refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner ) Amadeus Arkham decided, then, as the sole heir to the Arkham estate, to remodel his family home (known as Mercey Mansion) in order to properly treat the mentally ill, so others might not go untreated and suffer as his mother had. Prior to the period of the hospital's remodeling, Arkham treated patients at the State Psychiatric Hospital in Metropolis, where he and his wife, Constance, and daughter, Harriet, had been living for quite some time. Metropolis is a Fictional city that appears in Comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman.

Upon telling his family of his plans, they moved back to his family home to oversee the remodeling. While there, Arkham received a call from the police notifying him Martin "Mad Dog" Hawkins — a serial killer referred to Arkham by Metropolis Penitentiary while at State Psychiatric Hospital — had escaped from prison, and sought his considered opinion on his state of mind. A serial killer is a person who Murders usually three or more people with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based

On April 1, 1921, Arkham returned to his home to find his front door wide open. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Inside, he discovered the raped and mutilated bodies of his wife and daughter in an upstairs room, Hawkins having carved his nickname on Harriet's body. Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person

Despite this family tragedy, the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane officially opened that November. One of its first patients was Martin Hawkins, whom Arkham insisted on personally treating. On April 1, 1922, after treating Hawkins for six months, Arkham strapped him to the electroshock couch and purposely electrocuted him. "Electrocute" redirects here For the band see Electrocute (band. The death was treated as an accident but contributed to Arkham's gradual descent into madness, which he began to believe was his birthright. Eventually, Arkham was institutionalized in his own hospital, where he died.

Influences

Arkham Asylum was named in honour of the fictional city of Arkham, Massachusetts, one of the settings of H. P. Lovecraft's horror stories. Arkham is a Fictional city in Massachusetts, part of the Lovecraft Country setting created by H Howard Phillips Lovecraft ( August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of horror, fantasy In fact, when the asylum first appeared, it was actually in the city of Arkham; its Gotham location, and the consequent alternative explanation of the name, were later retcons. Retroactive continuity is the deliberate changing of previously established facts in a work of serial fiction Lovecraft's Arkham Sanitarium may have been inspired by the Danvers State Insane Asylum (aka the Danvers State Hospital) in Danvers, Massachusetts. Danvers State Hospital, officially known as the State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers, was a psychiatric hospital located in Danvers Massachusetts. Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.

Arkham is similar to several real life mental hospitals. Ward's Island in the East River was the home of the New York City Asylum for the Insane, opened around 1863, and the nearby Roosevelt Island once had several mental institutions and prisons including the New York City Lunatic Asylum. Ward's Island is situated in the East River in New York City. Roosevelt Island, formerly known as Welfare Island, and before that Blackwell's Island, is a narrow island in the East River of New York

Publication history

Arkham Asylum first appeared in 1974, in Batman #258 by Dennis O'Neil. Dennis O'Neil (often credited as Denny O'Neil) is a Comic book Writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics In this story, it was named as "Arkham Hospital" (although it was already clear what kind of hospital it was); "Arkham Asylum" first appeared in another O'Neil story the following year, but it was not until 1979 that "Arkham Asylum" completely replaced "Arkham Hospital" (and the occasional "Arkham Sanatarium") as the institution's name. By 1979, too, the move to have the asylum closer to Gotham had begun; that was completed in 1980, when Batman #326 by Len Wein described the Asylum's location "deep in the suburbs of Gotham City". Len Wein (born June 12, 1948) is an American Comic book Writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. (Perhaps for this reason Batman #326 is listed in some histories as the first appearance of Arkham Asylum. ) It was also Wein who, in 1985's Who's Who #1, created its current back-story.

Arkham Asylum has been demolished or destroyed several times in its history, notably during the events of Batman: The Last Arkham (see below). It was also seriously damaged at the beginning of the Knightfall storyline, when Bane used stolen munitions to blow up the facility and release all the inmates. Batman Knightfall is the title given to a major Batman Story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman -related serial Bane is a Fictional character that appears in Comic books published by DC Comics. After these events, the asylum was relocated to a large mansion known as "mercy house", where it remains to this day. At the beginning of the No Man's Land storyline, the asylum was closed down and all its inmates set free (a timer was used to open the doors two minutes before the city was sealed). Batman No Man’s Land is an American comic book crossover storyline that ran for the whole of 1999 through the Batman comic book This was orchestrated by the administrator himself, who had the choice of releasing the inmates or watching them all starve or kill each other. In the middle of the story, it is revealed that Batman has established a hidden base within the subbasement of the asylum during the Prodigal storyline known as "Northwest Batcave. The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics Superhero Batman, (the alternate identity of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne consisting " [1]

During the No Man's Land, Arkham was taken over by the Joker and Harley Quinn. The Joker is a fictional character appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics. Harley Quinn ( Dr Harleen Quinzel) is a Fictional character, a Supervillainess, in the animated series Batman The Animated Series With the sole exception of the Riddler, the inmates elected to remain in the cut-off Gotham City. The Riddler ( Edward Nigma or Nygma, or Nashton) is a Fictional character, a DC Comics Supervillain, an enemy of

Inmates

Some of Arkham's inmates. Cover to Batman: Shadow of the Bat #82 (1999). Art by Glen Orbik.
Some of Arkham's inmates. Cover to Batman: Shadow of the Bat #82 (1999). Batman Shadow of the Bat was a Comic book series featuring Batman published by DC Comics. Art by Glen Orbik.

Originally, Arkham Asylum was used only to house genuinely insane characters - the Joker and Two-Face were inmates from its very first appearance - but over the course of the 1980s a trend was established of having the majority of Batman's supervillain opponents end up at Arkham, whether or not they were actually insane. This article is about the DC comics villain For the Nigerian musician see 2face Idibia. A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the Villain character type commonly found in Comic books, Action movies and This is likely due to some of the facility's high-tech features that make it more efficient to hold a villain such as Clayface there than in another prison. Clayface is a name used by several DC Comics Fictional characters most of them possessing Clay -like bodies and Shapeshifting abilities Nearly all of Batman's enemies have spent some time in Arkham.

Other DC Universe publications that feature Arkham Asylum and its inmates include Alan Moore's Swamp Thing (wherein Jason Woodrue -- The Floronic Man -- is detained) and The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, wherein John Dee (Doctor Destiny) escapes to wreak havoc on both the 'real' and 'dream' worlds. Alan Moore (born November 18 1953 in Northampton) is an English Writer most famous for his influential work in Comics, including the acclaimed The Swamp Thing is a Fictional character created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson for DC Comics and featured in a long-running horror-fantasy The Floronic Man ( Jason Woodrue) also known as the Plant Master and Floro, is a Fictional character in the DC Comics universe The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo Neil Richard Gaiman (ˈgeɪmən (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of Science fiction and Fantasy short stories and Doctor Destiny is a fictional Supervillain published by DC Comics.

Arkham has also been featured in varying capacities in a number of high profile DC miniseries events, such as Identity Crisis, Day of Vengeance, Countdown, and Crisis on Infinite Earths among others. Identity Crisis is a seven-issue Comic book Limited series published by DC Comics in 2004, written by Brad Meltzer Day of Vengeance is a six-issue Comic book Limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong Countdown to Final Crisis, known as Countdown for its first 25 issues is a Comic book Limited series published by DC Comics Crisis on Infinite Earths is a twelve-issue American comic book Limited series (identified as a "12-part maxi-series" and crossover

List of notable inmates

Batman villains

Others

Graphic novels featuring Arkham Asylum

The Dark Knight Returns

Main article: The Dark Knight Returns

The Dark Knight Returns, written by Frank Miller in 1986, was set about twenty years in the future. Solomon Grundy ( Cyrus Gold) is a fictional character published by DC Comics, a large strong Zombie Supervillain bearing a resemblance to Batman The Dark Knight Returns, originally published under the title Batman The Dark Knight, is a Batman comic book mini-series Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) It depicted an "Arkham Home for the Emotionally Troubled", presumably a renaming of the asylum which occurred as a result of the extreme political correctness which had evolved in Miller's dystopian setting.

The Joker has been kept there, catatonic for the ten years since the retirement of Batman, but awakens when the vigilante resumes action. The Joker is a fictional character appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics. Catatonic is a syndrome of psychic and motoric-disturbances In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association Under the employ of the home is Bartholemew Wolper, a condescending psychologist who treats the Joker humanely, even going so far to arrange for him to appear on a late night talk show. In its sequel it is revealed that the patients took over and resorted to cannibalism.

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

Main article: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is an original graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Dave McKean. Arkham Asylum A Serious House on Serious Earth is a Batman Graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean A Grant Morrison (born January 31 1960 is a Scottish Comic book writer and artist David Tench McKean (born 29 December 1963 in Maidenhead, Berkshire) is an English Illustrator, Photographer, It was published by DC Comics in 1989. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company The book sold over 500,000 and was for many years DC's best-selling graphic novel.

The book was praised for its exploration of ideas and storytelling and also proved financially and artistically lucrative for Morrison.

How and if the book fits in to the main DC continuity or if it is meant as a standalone Alternate Universe book is unclear. In Fiction, continuity (also called time-scheme) is consistency of the characteristics of persons plot, objects places and events seen by the reader or An Alternative Universe fan fiction (also known as Alternate Universe or Alternate Reality) commonly abbreviated as AU, is a type or form of Fan fiction (Several characters seem to be killed in the book, but appear later in the main series. However, Batman: Shadow of the Bat makes references to the history of the asylum established in the novel. Batman Shadow of the Bat was a Comic book series featuring Batman published by DC Comics. )

Arkham Asylum: Living Hell

Living Hell was written by Dan Slott, penciled by Ryan Sook with inks by Sook, Wade Von Grawbadger and Jim Royal. Dan Slott is an American Comic book writer best known for Avengers The Initiative and She-Hulk. Ryan Sook is an American Comic book artist from San Jose California The series was edited by Valerie D'Orazio. Valerie D'Orazio (born 1974 is a former assistant editor of Acclaim and DC Comics. Eric Powell created the painted cover art which appeared on both the original series and graphic novel compilation.

This six-issue miniseries and the subsequent trade paperback provided an intricate and multi-layered look at Arkham Asylum from several points of view: the director (Dr. Jeremiah Arkham), a psychiatrist (Dr. A miniseries (also mini-series) in a serial Storytelling medium is a production which tells a story in a pre-planned limited number of episodes Jeremiah Arkham is a Fictional character in DC Comics ' Batman comic books in which he serves as the current head of Arkham Asylum, an institution Anne Carver), the guards (particularly one Aaron Cash), and the inmates (with particular focus on previously-unknown residents "Jane Doe", "Junkyard Dog", "Doodlebug", "Lunkhead", "Death Rattle", and, perhaps most memorably, "Humpty Dumpty"). Humpty Dumpty is a DC Comics villain most commonly associated with Batman. The driving force is the recent incarceration of a ruthless investor, Warren "The Great White Shark" White, as well as the demonic element suggested by the title. The Great White Shark or simply Great White, formally Warren White, is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics who White, facing charges of massive fraud, decided to cheat the system by pleading insanity, not realizing the horrors of Arkham. In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual The most familiar characters, such as the Joker, Commissioner Gordon, Batgirl, and Batman himself, appear for comparatively few pages in this work. James Worthington "Jim" Gordon is a Fictional character who appears in Comic books published by DC Comics. Batgirl is the name of several Fictional characters appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts to the Superhero

Batman: The Last Arkham

Main article: Batman: The Last Arkham

Written by Alan Grant; pencils by Norm Breyfogle. Batman The Last Arkham was a four-part Batman Story arc that started the Shadow of the Bat Comic book series in mid- 1992 Alan Grant (born 1949 is a Scottish Comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Norman Keith "Norm" Breyfogle (b February 27 1960 is an American comic Artist.

Originally a four-issue storyline that kicked off the Shadow of the Bat series. In it, the old Arkham Asylum is destroyed, to be replaced by a new and more modern facility. The story introduces Jeremiah Arkham, the asylum's director, and nephew of Amadeus Arkham; and serial killer Victor Zsasz. A serial killer is a person who Murders usually three or more people with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based Victor Zsasz (referred to as Zsasz or Mr Zsasz) is a Fictional character in the DC Comics universe. These two have, in an uneasy partnership, captured Batman and are holding him prisoner in Arkham, attempting to see what makes him tick.

This story makes a few passing references to the flashback events of Arkham Asylum, such as Amadeus Arkham taping over the mirror, and his journal is shown early in the story. In history film television and other media a flashback (also called analepsis) is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current Jeremiah also mentions his relative's descent into madness. This would seem to indicate that at least some of the events in the Arkham Asylum graphic novel did occur in the main continuity.

An episode of Batman: The Animated Series titled "Dreams of Darkness", also about Batman in Arkham, seems to have been a very loose adaptation of this storyline, replacing Zsasz with the Scarecrow, and replacing Jeremiah Arkham with a more nondescript administrator, who is portrayed as clueless and naive rather than sinister. Batman The Animated Series (often shortened Batman TAS or BTAS) is an American, two time Emmy Award winning The Scarecrow ( Dr Jonathan Crane) is a DC Comics Supervillain, an enemy of Batman.

Black Orchid

Black Orchid, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean, also featured Arkham Asylum. Neil Richard Gaiman (ˈgeɪmən (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of Science fiction and Fantasy short stories and David Tench McKean (born 29 December 1963 in Maidenhead, Berkshire) is an English Illustrator, Photographer, The award-winning graphic novel introduced the crimefighter Black Orchid, who dies, is reborn and starts a quest to find her identity. Black Orchid is the name of three Fictional Superheroines published by DC Comics. During this she encounters Batman, who directs her to Arkham Asylum, where she meets The Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and the Joker. The Mad Hatter is a fictional character in the Batman comics published by DC Comics. Poison Ivy ( Pamela Lillian Isley) is a Fictional character, a DC Comics Supervillainess who is primarily an enemy of Batman. Arkham is viewed as a desperate place where inmates dwell in madness and terror, much in the same fashion as in A Serious House on Serious Earth (also illustrated by McKean).

Arkham in other media

Arkham has appeared beyond the pages of the comics in numerous guises and designs. Its appearances include:

Live-action films

Batman Forever

Batman & Robin

Batman Begins

While in the comics it is located at Mercey Island (which is at the east end of the Sprang River, which divides two of the three main islands that constitute the city), in Batman Begins, it is in the middle of Gotham City, located in the slum region known as the Narrows. A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security

Television

The Flash

Batman: The Animated Series

Justice League

The alternate Arkham Asylum as it appeared on the Justice League episode A Better World, Part 2.
The alternate Arkham Asylum as it appeared on the Justice League episode A Better World, Part 2. Justice League is an American Animated television series about a team of Superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

The Batman

Arkham Asylum as it appeared on The Batman.
Arkham Asylum as it appeared on The Batman. The Batman was an Emmy Award -winning American Animated Television series produced by Warner Bros

Lego Batman

Main article: Lego Batman

Neil Gaiman's Sandman series

References to Arkham Asylum

External links and references

  1. ^ Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files #1
  2. ^ I applaud Batman & Robin for being the only Batman film so far to give an adequate depiction of Arkham Asylum. On the outside, it's a massive gothic castle overlooking the ocean. Inside, it's dark, dirty and full of shadows... just the way it should be.
  3. ^ Songs > Arkham Asylum
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