Venom

Venom is a potent drug variant based on the Miraclo formula used by the original Hourman. It is an addictive strength-enhancing super-steroid most famously used by the super villain, Bane.

Once injected, the drug would instantly transform the user into a hulking mass of unbridled physical strength. However, as the drug wears off, the user's body would rapidly return to its original state or sometimes even weaker, at which point the user would suffer from massive, debilitating withdrawal symptoms, which are usually accompanied by hallucinations.

Involvement
While initially only prevailent in foreign countries, Venom surfaced in America as the power source for Bane, who used it to overpower and cripple Batman. When Batman used his addiction to the drug against him, Bane stopped using the drug to enhancing his strength; instead using it to start a small drugs empire overseas.

Returning to Gotham City, Bane began supplying a new type of Venom throughout Gotham's streets while using the Cape Carmine Lighthouse as his hideout, bringing him into conflict with the Gotham City Organized Crime Family.

Trivia

 * Venom first appeared in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #16 (March, 1991).
 * Bane's apparatus includes a special "boost" button to give him a jolt of Venom when needed.
 * While searching for a way to cope for his physical limitations and imperfections, Batman became addicted to the drug and had to forcefully lock himself in the Batcave to "detox" himself when he realized how aggressive the drug was making him.
 * Lex Luthor used Venom, spiked with a metabolizing form of kryptonite, as a last ditch attempt to fight Superman as the President of the United States. Batman speculated that Luthor's use of Venom may have been responsible for his more "outlandish" schemes during his Presidency, such as attempting to accuse Superman of being responsible for a kryptonite meteorite the size of Texas heading for Earth.