[@Prostagma]'s chemist idea certainly wouldn't be defenseless. Why do you think he evoked [i]Bane[/i] when explaining how helpful his drugs could be? Bane used drugs to make himself into [url=http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/batman/images/b/bc/Bane_Breaks_People.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110829182731][i]BANE[/i][/url]! Super-strength serums are a dime a dozen to characters with chemistry at their backs!

Heck, if you change his motivation around, a chemist that's trying to invent some new super-powerful serum would be a shoo-in for an adventurous party of heroes!