A scientist working in his lab on the formula for synthetic skin is brutally attacked by mobsters. When they set fire to his lab, he is burned beyond recognition but survives. He lets his grieving fiance believe he died in the fire because he's so horribly scarred. He returns to what's left of his lab where he applies the synthetic skin to himself and vows revenge on his attackers. Since the synthetic skin dissolves in daylight, he must seek his revenge in the shadows as Darkman.