Fictional Background
Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary is a special prison for metahumans and other supervillains. It is located in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. It is near the Gulf of Mexico, and is surrounded by miles of swamp land. Being the prison for many supervillains, it was chosen by Amanda Waller as the headquarters of the Suicide Squad. Criminals can reduce their sentences by working on the missions. Some of the more untrustworthy ones are required to carry devices that will cause maiming or death if they try to escape.
Many, but not all of the staff, work both as prison employees and facilitate Suicide Squad operations. Some of the staff are friends with the more level-headed Squad members. Mechanics work on Squad vehicles. Prison doctors treat prisoners and Squad staff alike. The existence of the Squad brings the facility under attack many times.
The prison has been the focus of much governmental investigations, as it would be a scandal to learn that the United States is using murderous supervillains to further its own ends. Noted reporter Lois Lane did an investigation, only partly turned away by a fake warden installed to divert attention away from Squad activities.
Amanda Waller actually served time in Belle Reve when she was convicted on charges stemming from her Squad operations.
A Belle Reve prison riot is calmed by Superman and the time traveling Kal Kent in "One Million" #1.
Belle Reve was the site of a Mageddon-caused riot in JLA #34, in which many guards and other prison staff members were killed, including the warden (it is not made clear if this is the same warden featured in the pages of the Squad). The villain Hector Hammond had been taken over by an emissary of Maggedon, which influenced much of the riot. Members of the Justice League, namely Aquaman, Green Lantern, Zauriel and Plastic Man managed to calm the riot. Most of it was stopped by Plastic Man, who used his shape changing abilities to fool the prisoners into thinking Batman was on the scene.
During the Day of Judgement storyline, one of the many portals to Hell opened near the prison. Plastic Man and some of the prisoners worked together in containing the situation.
Read more about this topic: Belle Reve
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