It seems that almost every week theJokeris returned to Arkham Asylum byBatmanor the police, and yet he always escapes. Fans have often wondered how the Clown Prince of Crime keeps escaping Arkham so easily, but DC gave the reason decades ago, and it just shows how the Joker truly is Batman’s perfect equal.
The Joker’s brilliant strategy to escape Arkham Asylum was revealed decades ago in 1976’sThe Joker#7 by Elliot S. Maggin and Irv Novick. In this story, it’s revealed that theJoker has a mini-Ha-Hacienda hideout under his Arkham Asylum cell that he can access at any time. WhileBatmanand the police think that the Joker is locked up safe and sound in his cell, he actually has the option to leave anytime he wants.
It’s long been known thatthe Joker often treats Arkham Asylumlike a vacation from Gotham City, but no one has understood just how true that is. Thanks tohis hidden base under his cell, the Joker can come and go from Arkham Asylum as much as he wants with complete ease. It’s a level of planning that even Batman might envy.
The Joker Can Leave Arkham Anytime He Wants Thanks to the Secret Lair Under His Cell
The Joker#7 by Elliot S. Maggin, Irv Novick, and Frank McLaughlin
Batman refuses to kill his enemy, no matter what. This no-kill rule means that he needs another way to deal with them, often having to stuff them in Arkham Asylum and simply hope that they can be rehabilitated. His methods have resulted inBatman hopelessly returning Joker to Arkham Asylum over and over again, only for him to escape,sometimes hours after being dropped off. This pattern has become so infamous that theJoker has referred to Arkham Asylum as a revolving door. Every time Batman puts him in, he just walks right back out. While most people thought the Joker’s claim was an exaggeration, it’s actually completely true.
The Joker Just Paid Batman Back for Sparing His Life With a Surprise Redemption Story
The Joker abandons his villainous ways and redeems himself at last, proving that Batman’s refusal to kill him was the right call all along.
Using his vast wealth and ingenuity, theJoker manages to build a mini-Ha-Hacienda under his Arkham cell, which evidently has access to the outside world. While the Joker can simply exit his cell anytime he wants, there’s also another use for his lair. The Joker has outfitted this mini-base with a working TV and a whole stock of luxuries. Often, when the Joker escapes and “disappears”, he actually hasn’t left at all. Instead of escaping into the outside world, the Joker just remains in his mini-base and enjoys the quiet time watching TV. When he decides to make another appearance, he either returns to his cell or escapes.
Arkham Asylum Has Always Just Been a Vacation for the Joker
He Can Come and Go Anytime He Wants
Arkham Asylum is a terrible place, and it’s unfit to hold the Joker for dozens of reasons. Not only does Arkham Asylum create more villains than it cures, but the institution can’t hold onto anyone to even try to cure them. Somehow, the security in Arkham Asylum is so terrible that the Joker manages to construct an entire secret base under his cell with no one noticing. While the Joker’s ability to escape Arkham Asylum has been a mystery thatBatmanhas been unable to solve over the years, fans know that theJokercan leave anytime he wants, because he literally built a back door into his cell.
The Joker
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman’s order and justice.
