Customer Reviews

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I am sure I am going to confuse a lot of Batman fans with this review and I expect a lot will rate this review as not useful, but this book is NOT a superhero comic, and it would do it a disservice to review it as such. It is instead a psychological theory presented as a superhero comic that will appeal more to fans of Eraserhead than to fans of Batman. The first thing to note about this book is that Batman is not mentioned in the title for a reason. Although Batman is in the book and Arkham Asylum is where all of his criminally insane adversaries are kept locked up, this is not a book about Batman engaging in physical battles. Batman only serves, on the one hand, as the eyes and ears of the reader so that we can explore Arkham in all its details, and on the other, as a representation of the conscious mind.

Basically, Arkham serves as a Jungian metaphor for the mind, and all of its inmates represent the hidden aspects of the unconscious, with the Joker representing (in my opinion) the Trickster archetype whose role is to challenge and tear down the conscious mind, often with humour, and sometimes at the risk of destroying it. Batman himself serves to represent the conscious facade (i.e. those parts of one's personality people present to the external world while trying to suppress the unconscious) trying to keep the inmates (the unconscious) locked behind walls. Therefore Batman, with his mask, trying to keep the inmates in the Asylum is the perfect metaphor for Jungian psychology.

However, as the artist, McKean, has pointed out in interviews, Batman himself is not the picture of rationality, dressing up like a bat to fight crime, just as Jung points out the Facade is not a totally sane representation of the Self. Therefore, as Batman (the conscious) continues to try to fight back against the inmates (the unconscious), cracks begin to show in his character. According to Jungian theory, the truly sane person can face their unconscious and accept it as part of their personality instead of suppressing it and mistaking their public facade as their true identity. The Joker basically sums up Jungian theory by noting that it is the people outside (like Batman, presenting a false public persona) who are the real inmates.

As usual, McKean's multimedia art is spectacular, and noone is better at representing imagery straight out of dreams and the unconscious than he. Morrison's writing is less emotionally involving than his other works like the Mystery Play, reading more like an intellectual exercise, but McKean's art helps make up for the lack of the script's impact.

First, there are two things anyone interested in purchasing or reading this title should know about it beforehand. One, that it is probably not for everyone's taste as it isn't your traditional Batman vs. the villain-of-the-week sort of story, but rather a darker, more disturbing kind of tale that focuses on a deep, complex exploration of madness, told alternately from three different points of view: that of Amadeus Arkham, founder of the asylum, that of Batman and his other persona, Bruce Wayne, and of course, that of all the madmen locked up at the asylum, including the super villains.
Two, that it is "Suggested for Mature Readers" on the back cover as it's probably one of the most unnecessarily violent and ghastly graphic novels ever published under the Batman title, although, I definitely think - regardless of it being at times a bit too disgusting for my taste - that it's also one of the most original and beautifully illustrated narratives ever created for the genre. The superb artwork is perfect for the story with its surreal, dreamy, and suggestive look, even if, on occasion, it gets a little difficult to follow, especially with certain clashing combinations of colors and typographies. Still, the lavish intricacy of the compositions and the broad range of techniques used by the artist are a spectacular visual feast worth the price of the book alone.
The dual story, told in a nicely interwoven parallel, on one hand, explores Arkham's past and how his reasons for founding the asylum derived from decisions he made during the most crucial points of his life, and on the other, focuses on Batman's present day mission to go inside the asylum and, while confronting the insecurities about his own sanity, regain control of the facility after it's been taken over by the Joker.
Arkham's story is from beginning to end an emotional journey through the situations and escalating tragedies that can slowly drive a man insane. It's marvelously shrouded in a veil of mystery and superstition, and brilliantly placed in time during the beginning of the 1900's both by the overall mood of the art and the historical details sprinkled here and there, including, among others, having Arkham meet and learn from both Carl Jung and Aleister Crowley.
Batman's story, told from both his point of view and that of the inmates' is, on the other hand, a lot darker, more twisted and sadly less consistent. Our hero's mischaracterization, present throughout the whole story, is obvious from his first line of dialogue, with which he's not only portrayed as a constantly daunted man, but also as one who reacts with shock and disbelief to the inmates' atrocities and maniacal behavior that he's so used to fighting. Contrastingly, the clever analysis of Joker's psychosis is brilliant right to very last page of the book, even in spite of the endless sexually perverted innuendos from him - who even hints at a homosexual relationship between Batman and Robin - that somewhat lessen the impact of the story's emotional momentum.
The story concludes with the most satisfactory ending I've so far encountered in any graphic novel - worthy of a 5-star rating on its own -, an excellent comparison of the contrasts and similarities between Arkham and Batman's sense of duty, the ghosts of their pasts, and the skeletons in each one's closet.
As you'd expect from the title, along with the Joker, a fair amount of villains make an appearance, enriching Arkham Asylum's decadent milieu, among them Two-Face, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Clayface, Prof. Milo, Dr. Destiny, Maxie Zeus, Black Mask, etc. The constant references to April Fools' Day and Alice in Wonderland, the changes introduced to Two-Face's alter ego, Harvey Dent, and the re-imagining of some of the other super villains, are truly delightful as well. But where the most pleasant surprises of the story lie for me are on Batman's iterated questioning of the "cures" administered to the inmates by the asylum's doctors, and the contemplation of the possibility that madness might not only be a physical illness but that it could also be a contagious disease.
Despite the fact that this book could use some degree of fine-tuning in a few places and a little less unwarranted violence in others, overall it holds its own and delivers a fantastic story about how different people perceive the world around them when they see it through their own demented biases.
This volume is definitely a must-have addition to any serious Batman collection.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

First founded in the 1920s following the death of his insane mother, Amadeus Arkham converted his late mother's house into a mental institution, knowing little that he had set in motion a chain of events of horrific consequence and bizarre circumstance. Years later, the asylum had become a living Hell on earth, a mental hospital for the deadliest criminal individuals in Gotham City, the enemies of the legendary Batman. April Fool's Day has arrived, and the inmates have all escaped and, led by The Joker, have seized control of the asylum and drag the one man responsible for their incarcerations, Batman, into the madhouse and put him through a mad funhouse of mind cancer. Learn the disturbing origin of Dr. Arkham, and dive into the minds of some of the inmates!

I have always considered the Batman to be such a poetic character, and so this story is unique and fun to read in such its own unique, psychologically thrilling way. Writer Grant Morrison's idea in his book are mystic and focus mainly on the symbiosis between Batman and the insidious psychopaths he has time and time again helped incarcerate. "A Serious House on Serious Earth" is a Bat tale unlike any other, because the characters each represent something. Everything in the story is depicted as some form of symbolism, and include the works of the psychology of Carl Jung, the works of Joseph Campbell, and Lewis Carroll (Bat villain Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter, plays a particularly symbolic role here). The villains-Joker, Two-Face, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Maxie Zeus, Killer Croc-each represent important symbols, even Batman himself is a form of symbolism in this tale; Dave McKean's chaotic and mystic artwork is very effective in backing this up (each page actually feels like the inside of the mind of a madman). The main point of "Arkham Asylum" is about madness and facing one's own sanity and fears. Even Batman himself questions his own rationality and wonders if he is really all that different from his enemies. Because it is such a symbolic and poetic tale, "Arkham Asylum" is one of the prizes in my ever-growing graphic novel library. It seems to change every time I read it, and I appreciate it more with each rereading. The story is also brutal and frightening, and more fit for mature reader (it has a pedophilic Mad Hatter in it!). Batman graphic novels have become MUCH darker and more serious ever since the 80s, particularly thanks to Frank Miller and his instant classic, "The Dark Knight Returns." It makes me sad to think that all too many people remember Batman as a campy, comedic icon.

On paper, you'd think that Arkham Asylum had all the ingredients to be a brilliant read: a talented cast (writer par-excellence Morrison and the peerless and trailblazing Dave McKean) with a fascinating premise: what if Batman was assaulted by others'- and his own-insanity? Is Batman a mentally stable person to begin with; is his persona created and defined by his own inner psychological turmoil? While previous graphic novels have previously raised these questions when confronting the Batman mystique (the penultimate example being Miller's seminal The Dark Knight Returns), none ever placed them at the heart of the narrative.

I particularly enjoyed the first half of the book that traced the growth of both Amadeus Arkham and his Asylum. The latter seems to be the alter-ego of the former, the embodiment of his buried fears, much as Batman is the embodiment of Bruce Wayne's (and our?) innermost insecurities. Morrison is at his best here when he plays with the heavy symbolism of the themes involved; when he takes his time as a storyteller and enriches the world he's creating. It's only when things progress to the second half that he loses me. Without giving too much away, the narrative descends to a typical good guy vs. bad guy dualism where Batman has to battle the big, bad Joker. We're not provided any enlightening insights into any of the characters. The uninspiring resolution of this battle also ends rather awkwardly. By this point, I felt rather disappointed and empty.

It's all really quite a shame, too, because McKean seems at the top of his game. His visual renderings of Arkham Asylum and Joker are particularly noteworthy, brilliantly capturing the menace and pathos of both. Had it not been for his efforts, I would have liked the book even less than I actually did.

The fact that this is one of the most popular graphic novels ever created demonstrates that there are quite a few things that Arkham Asylum did right. For me, however, there are far too many things that went wrong.

Batman enters the hell that is Arkam Asylum after it is taken over by the imates. He enters with The Joker, whose become the one "sane" person in all this! He, compared to others at Arkam, is at least able to speak in coherent sentences. Harvey/Two Face has been warped by the doctors in a way that you will have to read! Batman is then sent through the asylum encountering everyone from Killer Croc, who stabs him and throws him out the window; and Ivy.

There is also some disturbing information about the founding of Arkham from the journals of Jerimiah Arkam himself! My favorite part of this "graphic" novel is the Pysch elvaluations filled out by the inmates themselves, Harvey/Two Face is my favorite of those.

Disturbing art by Dave McKean, who illustrated covers for The Sandman series, illustrates the madness perfectly. Grant Morrisons words, echo them.

Brilliant work, just don't stay around that place for too long!

First off, I must say that ARKHAM ASYLUM sticks to it's guns and tells the story of ARKHAM ASYLUM. That being said, it is interesting to have the Batman and all of his foes cast into this unlikely place (in comic, graphic book terms). They have to work with being in a very modern look at OUR world through the eyes of an asylum staff, who are inexperienced, or overzealous people. The asylum is failing at it's job. The original creator of the asylum, Amadeus Arkham, is shown to be quite insane... But what is going on here? Is it the pat phrase: "the inmates are running the asylum" and that's that? Or is it saying something very primordial about insanity itself? Insanity is contagious...? Possibly. But I do know that of all the subjects I have seen or read or discussed, insanity is the most fascinating and elusive of topics. Why? Because of it's inherent nature. To be insane, is not to think CLEARLY, or (duh) sanely. You would constantly differ from any and all opinions thrown at you.
Which brings me to discuss the art that gets such black marks from many people. The art is shown as it is to keep you disoriented. What happens to Killer Croc? What is the Mad Hatter talking about? Why does the Joker and his words look like a salvador Dali painting?
Let me put it this way. If there was a story about superman's fortress of solitude, would you want the storytellers to stage many epic superman battles there while you read about it? NO. (at least I say no...) You would want the story of the Fortress itself. When was it built? Why was it built? Why ice? Why not under a volcano? Or under the ocean itself? Or on the moon? But anyway, I digress... The story would be about the fortress, and superman would be a supporting character in it. In that story, superman would be directly involved in the creation of the building, firmly entrenching it as a superman tale.
In Batman's story, he was not responsible for the Asylum's creation, it is his job to fill it (unfortunately). The story behind the asylum's creation gets center stage in this novel, and if you like the films ASYLUM, SHOCK CORRIDOR, MARAT/SADE, and UN CHIEN ANDALOU (the andalusian dog), or the art of Goya, Bacon, and Dali, then you will LOVE Arkham Asylum. If not, then you are probably not still reading this review. Enjoy!

Arkham Asylum goes beyond just comic and comic book cliches and standards. It is, without doubt, the most complex and sophiscated graphic story treatment ever given to a superhero. Reading this 15 years ago, it sent a chill up my spine. Now it just envelopes me totally.

Morrison's writing is so deep, so rich that it's almost like a exploration of the complicated insanities that exist within the Batman and his numerous foes. But beyond this rich tapestry of psychological drama that unfoldes, is an outstanding backstory of Amadeus Arkham. At once tragic and haunting, it gives the reader a profound sense of understanding and appreciation of this most famous instituion in Gotham City.

If MOrrison's writing is graphic literature as its supreme best, then McKean's art is simply without peer in this medium. Using an arsenal of styles and tools that includes paint and photography, McKean's artwork will leave you more than just spellbound. It literally is graphic art that is a masterpiece to behold. And this on every single page.

Perhaps the only left to be said of this is to get the new 15th Anniversary edition, which includes the original script and sketeches that gives a further understanding to the complexity that went into creating this masterpiece.

For myself, it will rank as the best Batman story, even above The Dark Knight Returns, which I thought was unsurpassable. 15 years on, and this remains the pinnacle in superhero storytelling.

More than just super, Arkham Asylum is ultimately supreme.

First let me say that the art is fantastic, don't listen to the huddling masses saying it's slop, Picasso had to deal with the same thing.
The story is phenomenally good, while on the whole quite disturbing, it does not use gore simply for it's own sake, as every character in the comic is amazingly disturbed. All the inhabitants of the asylum are incredibly dangerous, and if left to their own devices, would quite happily torture and maim all of us. Bad things happen to good people, which is what some people seem to have such a problem with, but a recurring theme of the book is how we deal with the bad things that happen.
Batman himself is rather insane when looked at straight on. Dressing as a bat to fight crime at night, schizophrenic tendencies regarding the "Batman" persona, etc. He says at the beginning that he doesn't want to go into the asylum because it might feel like "coming home."
It is very much for mature readers, but not just for the violence, it will twist your head and take you to uncomfortable places, so be ready. Even if you don't like Batman, try it out, it isn't really a superhero story.
So go get it. Get it now. Now!

...traditional comic readers either love or hate "Arkham Asylum." While the book uses Batman and his traditional Rogues Gallery, the portrayal of the characters is uniquely dark, Freudian, and twisted. This time the battleground of Batman and his villains is the mind.

Grant Morrison's moody script is deceptively complex, and heavily laden with references to psychology, myth, religion, and "Alice in Wonderland." Set almost entirely within Arkham Asylum, the prison for the criminally insane in the Batman universe, the story is of Batman's self-questioning and doubt: is he no better, no more sane, than the asylum inhabitants? A secondary story chronicles the founding of Arkham, and the descent into madness of the brilliant man who created the asylum.

Dave McKean's artwork at the time was unique in comics, consisting of a combination of painting, construction, and photography that made every page feel like a 2-D representation of a 3-D work. With one or two exceptions, little is made of the background scenery, because the real setting of this story is the mind. The characters are portrayed as extreme, iconic versions of their normal selves. Background imagery is used to enhance the metaphors drawn in the story. One double-page spread shows a room filled with the mad; the left side of the page is a more-or-less literal representation of the room, while the right side of the painting dissolves into tarot imagery.

Very few writers and artists have attempted to realistically portray the insanity of a man who would put on a cape and cowl and fight criminals to avenge parents long dead. Even fewer have attempted to tie the Batman tales into long traditions of myth and storytelling. McKean and Morrison did both within a single, thin graphic novel. Literate readers and those who appreciate dark, beautiful artwork will love this book.

Yes, the novel is really cool. Yes, the artwork is phenominal. And yes, Batman is nearly broken in this. But, really, would you consider this "essential" Batman? I am new to the scene, and have only read about 4-5 trade paperbacks, the last of which was The Long Halloween. I found Batman's dialogue to be trite and unintelligent, as Batman never is. It doesn't get dark until halfway through. I almost wanted to put it down at first read. It is worth getting, don't get me wrong, but not essential unless you like the visuals more than the story.