The Confrontation at Axis Chemicals was a battle between the Gotham City Police Department and mobsters led by Jack Napier. The fight was also the location of the first confirmed sightings of Batman. The event would also disfigure Napier after he fell into a vat of chemicals, leading him to become a further-deranged criminal called "the Joker".
History[]
Surrounding Events[]
Prior to the shootout, Carl Grissom discovered that his right-hand man, Jack Napier, was having an affair with his mistress Alicia Hunt. Coupled with concerns he'd oust him from power, Grissom decided to have him killed. Using investigations by both District Attorney Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon into his criminal empire, Grissom decided to send Napier to the Axis Chemicals factory under the pretense of clearing incriminating evidence. In reality, evidence to his activities had already been cleared out beforehand and Grissom contacted the corrupt Lt. Eckhardt to kill Napier.
Word around the GCPD spread quickly, with both clean and dirty cops responding. Though one of his low-level contacts, Gordon learned of the attack during a gala at Wayne Manor. Learning that Eckhardt was in charge of the attack, he decided to take charge, hoping to use Napier to disband Grissom's empire. Unknown to them, monitoring equipment had recorded the conversation and Bruce Wayne overheard their plans. He quickly decided to also assist them as Batman.
The Battle Begins[]
GCPD Officers arrive at Axis Chemicals
Napier broke into the plant with the Grissom Syndicate some time before the GCPD arrived, one of them having started cutting open the vault with a cutting torch. Some time after them, Eckhardt arrived with his officers and issued shoot-to-kill orders on the intruders. By the time they'd opened it, they saw that the documents had been removed and Napier realized they'd been set up. As they exited the office to flee, the hoods were confronted by a GCPD officer, who told them to freeze. The hoods fired upon the officer, result in him returning fire and killing one of them.
Mobsters begin exchanging fire with the GCPD
As his men took the GCPD's attention, Napier made his way to one of the control rooms and activated the machinery, planning to it to cover his escape. As the battle waged on, Gordon arrived on the scene and took control from Eckhardt. His first action was to countermand the previous order, instead demanding that Napier be taken alive. After this, Eckhardt slipped away, hoping to ambush and kill Napier himself.
Batman Arrives[]
Batman prepares to use his spring-action reel with speargun
As two of the hoods fled from a recent exchange of fire, they were confronted by Batman. Whilst one of them fled, the other attempted to gun the Dark Knight down. Batman responded by using his spring-action reel with a speargun attachment to fire a barbed hook into his coat. He then pulled the hood into a gap separating them, hang him from a railing via the detached cord. Gordon was drawn to the man's screams with several of his officers, where he caught his first glimpse of Batman.
Attempting to flee via the ground level, Napier noticed several officers coming his way. Rupturing a chemical tank to prevent them from following him, he then fled to the higher levels of the plant. Batman, meanwhile, caught up with the hood that had fled, knocking him unconscious. He then began following Napier throughout the higher levels, able to pursue him without drawing attention to himself.
Skirmish in the Mixing Chamber[]
Napier eventually made his way to the main mixing chamber, where he discovered an fire exit. Gordon also was present, having deployed his remaining men to find him. Deciding to shoot the Commissioner, Napier took aim. However, Batman swung onto the scene and disarmed him with a kick, taking grasp of Napier by the collar.
However, Napier's associate, Robert Hawkins, ambushed Gordon and held him at gunpoint. When the criminal threatened to shoot his hostage unless Jack was let go, Batman complied. As Napier backed away, he took his revolver and prepared to shoot the Dark Knight, only to find he'd disappeared. As Hawkins fled and called out to him, Jack noticed Eckhardt and, after letting him know his presence, shot him dead.
As Napier prepared to leave, he realized Batman had returned and fired at the vigilante. Deflecting the shot with his gauntlet, the bullet ricocheted on machinery and through Napier's cheeks. Losing his balance and direction with the pain, Napier fell from the catwalk, though caught a railing before he could fall. Batman attempted to pull him to safety but lost grip, causing Napier to fall into one of the mixing vats.
With GCPD officers convening on his location, Batman took leave by throwing a smoke capsule on the ground. After the cloud covered him and the surrounding area, he used his spring-action reel to fire a grappling hook and escaped via the rooftops. Gordon decided to keep the vigilante's actions secret until they knew more about the Dark Knight.
It is unknown what happened to the criminals Batman didn't capture, including the one that had cut open the safe and another dressed in a pinstripe suit. However, it can be assumed they were either gunned down or captured by the GCPD. Hawkins, however, was able to escape capture, later resurfacing as a member of the Joker Goons.
Aftermath[]
Following the confrontation, the GCPD began to take the rumors about Batman seriously, though they were initially denied to the public and press. However, the events and rumors of the Dark Knight's involvement quickly spread to the Gotham Globe, serving as some of the initial basis of Alexander Knox and Vicki Vale's investigation into the vigilante. Napier was also reported dead, having believed to have died from the chemicals' exposure. The GCPD also reported his death to be a suicide to cover up Batman's involvement.
Unknown to all, Napier had survived the encounter but was horribly disfigured. Exposure to the chemicals in the vat had bleached his skin chalk-white, turned his hair emerald green, and his lips ruby-red. The gunshot had also torn through his face and severed his nerves so after a botched plastic surgery that attempted to heal/restore his appearance, Napier's appearance now matched a clown's with a permanent smile, driving his already damaged-psyche to breaking point. Taking on a new identity called "the Joker", Napier murdered Grissom in revenge for his betrayal and took over his criminal empire.
The confrontation served as the first encounter between Batman and the Joker. Using Grissom's resources, Napier set out to terrorize Gotham and outdo the Dark Knight in public recognition as payback for his involvement in the incident. Batman eventually learned of Napier's survival after an encounter at Gotham Square. Several more encounters between the two, including an incident in the Flugelheim Museum and a showdown at the 200th Anniversary Parade. These eventually culminated in a skirmish at the Old Gotham Cathedral, which resulted in Joker's demise.
Behind the Scenes[]
In Sam Hamm's original draft for the scene, Batman subdued most the Napier Hoods, using both martial arts and gadgets to subdue them. He also made use of more equipment, including Batarangs, sedative coated claws and a nightstick. An unnamed Napier Hood was the one to capture Gordon, with Batman subduing and disarming him with a "NINJA WHEEL" before he could flee the scene. His gun set off upon hitting the ground and caused the gunshot that disfigured Napier, who fell into the chemical vat without Batman catching him.
By one of Warren Skaaren's rewrites, the encounter resembled the confrontation that occurred in the final film, with Bob the Goon in the Hood's place, Batman causing Napier's disfigurement via self-defense, and attempt to pull Napier to safety. The only difference was that Napier attempted to flee rather than shoot Gordon, with Batman intercepting him before he could escape.