DC's 'Powerless' Finally Solved Batman's Pesky Joker Problem

Despite being a comedic take on the DC superhero universe, NBC’s Powerless is shedding a lot of light on Wayne Enterprises, specifically the fact that the company is selling some of Batman’s gadgets as consumer products.

Powerless takes place in the offices of Wayne Security, a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises that sells consumer products that protect everyday people from supervillain-related injuries. As a citizen of Gotham City, one of the deadliest domestic threat comes from a random gas attack from the Joker, who has utilized his terrorist weapon on innocent civilians on more than one occasion in the comics, shows, and movies.

Luckily for the people of Gotham, Wayne Securities has apparently produced a consumer version of Batman’s Joker Gas Anti-Venom, a chemical compound Batman has created and used numerous times in the past. You can see Wayne Security’s advert for the patented defense product in the new trailer below.

The Joker Gas has been a bane on Gotham citizenry since the Joker first started terrorizing the city. Luckily, Batman has been shown using an antidote, usually administered via an injector.

Batman’s antidote has been most prominently featured in the various animated series, including the original Batman: The Animated Series as well as The Batman animated series.

The question now is whether or not it’s ethical for Batman to be marketing his defense products and charging citizens for what is possibly their only safety measure against the Joker Gas. Is Batman more invested in his company’s bottom line than he is in protecting Gotham? Is it a prescription product, and if so, is it covered by health insurance? Does Bruce Wayne provide said health insurance?

The fiscal policies of Wayne Enterprises frankly seems antithetical to Batman’s mission as the city’s defender, but at least you can get Wayne’s Joker Anti-Venom in both amethyst and sangria colors.

Powerless premieres February 2, 2017 at 8:30 p.m Eastern.