Axis Chemicals

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Axis Chemicals is a fictional chemical plant in the first Batman film and in DC Comics. It is famous for being the plant where the Red Hood, the man who would become The Joker fell into a vat of toxic waste, dyeing his hair green, his skin chalk-white, and his mouth stretched into a hideously permanent grin.

[edit] Comic's History

Little is known about the chemical plant before the Joker's transformation. However, in Batman: The Killing Joke, the future Joker worked as an engineer there, and later quit to become a failing stand-up comedian. He was contacted by a group of criminals to rob the plant (with his knowledge of its workings), and agreed for his wife and unborn child.

However, the plan failed when the Batman arrived, and the Red Hood, terrified, fell into the vat of waste. He would escape and found that he had been transformed into the Joker.

[edit] Film History

As Jack Napier (the film's name for the future Joker) was a mobster, Axis Chemicals was one of Carl Grissom's properties, but it was getting dangerous, and the police were planning a raid. As Napier suggested to burn the company's records, Grissom set Napier up to be arrested by the police during the raid. But then, Batman showed up at the facility, and when Napier tried to shoot him, Batman deflected his shots into his face, wounding Napier and causing him to fall into a massive pool of toxic chemicals. Napier survived, but was deformed and burned by the chemicals, as his surgeon had told him; "You understand that the nerves were completely severed, Mr. Napier." Napier then left the surgeon's room and became Joker.

After Joker shot Grissom, he took over Axis Chemicals, using it to poison beauty products in Gotham City.

Shortly before the film's climax, Batman broke into the factory using a remote-controlled Batmobile and destroyed it in an attempt to stop the Joker's production of his "smilex" toxin.

Joker is finally defeated at the Gotham City Cathedral when he tries to climb into a helicopter hovering over the roof of the cathedral. However, Batman shoots a wire that tangles his leg to a statue which breaks off and eventually causes Joker to fall to his death on the street far below.