Why Does Arkham Let Their Inmates Wear Their Costumes?

[Timothy Hunter]

As much as the Batman comics of the modern era flaunt the fact that they are dark and gritty, there will always be something inherently silly about Batman. "Why does Batman allow brightly colored adolescents to fight crime with him?" "Why doesn't Batman just let his Justice League friends clean up Gotham?"

But by far, the most ridiculous part of the Batman mythos is Arkham Asylun allowing inmates to wear their supervillain costumes. I can't wrap my head it. My suspension of disbelief goes far, but only so far. I mean Arkham Asylum just looks the other way when Joker is seen wearing his acid spewing flower?

[Restingvoice]

They don't though? They wear prison jumpsuits plus straitjacket if necessary

[Frontier]

It's not necessarily consistent but usually they put them in prison uniforms and just keep their costumes in storage.

[LordMikel]

So thy don't need to change their clothes once they escape.

[MajorHoy]

I think it depends on the writer / the artists, but in general I don't think they normally wear their costumes when they're incarcerated.

[Timothy Hunter]

To quell the flames of confusion, I got the inspiration after rereading the first 4 issues of Batman Shadow of the Bat that took place in Arkham Asylum and almost every inmate was wearing their villainous attire. This practice was more common in earlier Batman comics. You don't see this trope often nowadays. During the prison escape sequence in Knightfall if I recall, the Batman rogues gallery in Arkham also sported costunes.

[Frontier]

To quell the flames of confusion, I got the inspiration after rereading the first 4 issues of Batman Shadow of the Bat that took place in Arkham Asylum and almost every inmate was wearing their villainous attire. This practice was more common in earlier Batman comics. You don't see this trope often nowadays. During the prison escape sequence in Knightfall if I recall, the Batman rogues gallery in Arkham also sported costunes.

I think part of that could be blamed on the Arkham leadership at the time...

[Restingvoice]

To quell the flames of confusion, I got the inspiration after rereading the first 4 issues of Batman Shadow of the Bat that took place in Arkham Asylum and almost every inmate was wearing their villainous attire. This practice was more common in earlier Batman comics. You don't see this trope often nowadays. During the prison escape sequence in Knightfall if I recall, the Batman rogues gallery in Arkham also sported costunes.

Oh yeah I remember Jeremiah interrogating Scarecrow in costume but a lot of them wear their prison suit when they're transferred from old Arkham so I have no idea... I think... wasn't there something about Jeremiah's method?

I don't remember what he said, if he mentioned it, but in Scarecrow's case he's basically force him to confront his problem, then electrocute them or something if they refuse. So maybe the costumes are part of it?

[Frontier]

Oh yeah I remember Jeremiah interrogating Scarecrow in costume but a lot of them wear their prison suit when they're transferred from old Arkham so I have no idea... I think... wasn't there something about Jeremiah's method?

I don't remember what he said, if he mentioned it, but in Scarecrow's case he's basically force him to confront his problem, then electrocute them or something if they refuse. So maybe the costumes are part of it?

I think even when they don't wear the full costumes, sometimes they just keep the mask like with Scarecrow, or Tetch's Mad Hatter hat.

[The Cheat]

Because some artists aren't talented enough to draw distinct characters so fall back on costumes as a crutch to allow the reader to identify the characters.

[Timothy Hunter]

Because some artists aren't talented enough to draw distinct characters so fall back on costumes as a crutch to allow the reader to identify the characters.

This is the most likely reason this trope exists.

[phantom1592]

If I were to try and justify it somehow.... I would say the psychiatrists are trying to 'cure' the inmates... and don't want to push them over the edge or something...

Basically trying to avoid stuff like this...




It's not a GOOD justification, but i've seen in shows and stuff where people will humor the delusions to get at the root cause or whatnot... and having Riddler wearing some question marks and scarecrow in a mask doesn't make THAT big of difference in the grand scheme of things.

Depends on if they treat it as an psychiatric hospital.... or a glorified prison.