Infinite Frontier #0 depicted the A-Day attack on Arkham Asylum that is believed to have been perpetrated by Joker and cost many lives.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the “Batman” chapter of Infinite Frontier #0 and Batman #106, by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey, ALW’s Troy Peteri/Troy Peteri, and Suicide Squad #1 by Robbie Thompson, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Marcelo Maiolo, and Wes Abbott, on sale now.
In various Future State stories, it was revealed that an event called “A-Day” resulted in the acceleration of the anti-mask legislation and the rise of the Magistrate within Gotham City. As revealed in Infinite Frontier #0, during the “Batman” section by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey, A-Day turns out to be a day where the Joker seemingly launched a huge chemical attack on Arkham Asylum, killing both inmates and workers indiscriminately.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the list of known and presumed victims from the Clown Prince of Crime’s latest atrocity.
Bane
A-Day’s biggest shock is the apparent death of Bane, the man who broke Batman. This heavily muscled villain is a tactical mastermind who is famous for snapping Batman’s spine over his knee and taking control of Gotham. During the recent “City of Bane” storyline, he once again became ruler of the city alongside the Thomas Wayne version of Batman first seen in Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s Flashpoint, and even killed Alfred in the process. While it’s unlikely Bruce Wayne will shed many tears over this loss, his death has already had a huge impact on the city, with shrines and memorials popping up all over. In terms of starting a fresh chapter for Batman, the death of one of his greatest villains is a bold statement.
Bolt
A few people have taken on the name Bolt, most notably Larry Bolatinsky. A former special effects artist turned assassin, Bolatinsky developed a suit that allowed him to teleport and shoot energy blasts at his enemies. He’s been a part of many teams, but is now once again under the control of Amanda Waller in her latest incarnation of Task Force X. In Suicide Squad #1 by Robbie Thompson, Eduardo Pansica and Julio Ferreira, this new team has been sent into Arkham Asylum to recover William Cobb, aka Talon. He retaliates, slicing Bolt’s neck with a sharpened toothbrush, and the group leaves him for dead as Joker’s gas seeps into the room.
Film Freak
This incarnation of Film Freak is a man called Edison, a film buff who was as obsessed with Catwoman as he was with cinema. After escaping capture once, he went on a crime spree, citing movies as his inspiration as he carried out various robberies and murders, before being apprehended by the feline criminal. Appearing in the Squad alongside Bolt, he seemingly only speaks through film quotes, and acts as an irritating guide through the Asylum. During the fight with Talon, he is thrown into the Joker gas, and with his last breaths says “That’s all folks!”
Shrike
Yet another name with various people attached to it, this Shrike is a man named Boone, a childhood friend of Dick Grayson’s who traveled the world to learn martial arts. He met a master named Shrike who was training teenagers to become killing machines. After the death of his master, Boone took on the mantle of Shrike and became one of the most dangerous assassins in the world, attempting to kill Nightwing on several occasions. He is also a member of the new Squad and is used as a distraction so that Peacemaker and Talon can escape the oncoming gas attack. With Peacemaker locking the door behind him, it’s assumed that Boone didn’t make it out alive.
Jeremiah Arkham
As the great-nephew of the founder of the famous Asylum, Amadeus Arkham, Jeremiah has had an interesting past to say the least. At the Asylum he is Administrative Director and Chief Psychiatrist, although his own mental wellbeing is very much in question. He’s known for his radical therapy techniques and has also taken advice from his own patients, allowing him to be easily manipulated. He’s suffered several break downs, and once even took on the role of Black Mask. In The Joker #1 by James Tynion IV, Guillem March and Arif Prinato, Gordon states that he is one of the “presumed dead.”
The Scarecrow
As Scarecrow, Jonathan Crane is an iconic villain within the Batman mythos, creating gases that cause its victims greatest fear to appear in their minds, and has been doing so for almost 80 years. While Infinite Frontier revealed that Scarecrow was very much alive, The Joker reveals that he is presumed dead, which means he could catch a Gotham City that’s unaware of the continuing threats that he poses.
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