Arkham Asylum

Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane is a fictional mental hospital near Gotham City in the DC Universe, where many of Batman's foes (most famously the Joker) wind up after they are captured.

Related Topics:
Fiction - Mental hospital - Gotham City - DC Universe - Batman - Joker

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It 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.

Related Topics:
Dennis O'Neil - 1974 - Back-story - Len Wein - 1980s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 on the grounds that he "looked like a responsible citizen"), and those who are 'cured' and released tend to re-offend. (Furthermore, several staff members, including at least one director, have ended up as residents. See also Harley Quinn.)

Related Topics:
Incontinent alcoholic vagrant - Harley Quinn

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In addition, prisoners with unusual medical conditions that the regular prisons cannot accommodate are housed here, like Mr. Freeze who requires a strongly refrigerated environment to stay alive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~