Customer Reviews

Batman: Arkham Asylum Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

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 biases.
This 15th Anniversary Edition includes a section with the original sketches and story conceptualizations done for this title that presents an amazing view of the artists' creative process.
Definitely a must-have addition to any serious Batman collection.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

"I see now the virtue in madness" begins Amadeus Arkham, locked in his own family home which he spent his life converting into a home for the mentally deranged only to later descend into madness himself. "I pity the poor shades confined to the Euclidean prison that is sanity. All things are possible here and I am what madness has made me. Whole. And complete. And free at last..."

"Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth" is a nightmare vision featuring The Batman and some of his most deadly foes as you've never seen them before. Not a typical comic book by any means; this is art, plain and simple. A psychological exploration overflowing with oblique symbolism, jaw-dropping and stylish artwork, imagery meant to terrify, and prose meant to provoke. Some readers may be turned off by the out-of-character situations and reactions of some of their favorite characters or the mind-twirling nature of the story progression and art, but this is the creepiest and most avant-garde comic I've ever read and that alone makes it a must. This is not a superhero story; this is pure unadulterated psychological horror of the highest caliber.

The story is actually two concurrent tales. One is an illustrated reading of the journal of Amadeus Arkham exploring his life, his death, his ambitions, and his succumbing to the very thing he dedicated his life to curing. The other follows the exploits of The Batman, called to the most storied sanitarium in all of fiction to face some of his greatest foes -and greatest fears- alone. The two overlap at times with Arkham's words adding symbolism to the events during Batman's journey into the heart of darkness.

The look of this book is jarring. Outstanding. Amazing. It's like real life bleed into a classic painting to create this surreal abstract art style. I figured Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight would be the one to haunt my nightmares. I was wrong. From his very first frame here he looks positively demonic; not a man at all but a grinning atrocity with frightening eyes and a horrific countenance. The very embodiment of Satan himself: a fitting representation in this context. Clayface is not the shapeshifter we know here, but has become a living symbol of disease and corruption, a pathetic being like many of the other villains residing within Arkham's walls. After successful therapy, Two-Face has been weaned from his coin-flipping habit and now makes decisions based on tarot cards, offering him shelter from the black/white absolutes of his criminal past. The problem: he can no longer even go to the bathroom without relying on his cards to tell him what to do. The end result is messy. Scarecrow makes a brief, but frightening appearance, and The Caped Crusader does battle with Killer Croc as well. The Mad Hatter shows up in true Lewis Carroll form (but with more pedophilic undertones) and offers up the solution to the mystery of this bizarre version of Batman's existence; confirming what I had suspected.

If there is any chink in this book's armor, it's that the symbolism overpowers the story much of the time. Fans of David Lynch, David Cronenburg, and H. P. Lovecraft will eat this up, but anybody looking for a traditional linear good vs. evil story may want to think twice. This is an exploration of the psychology of Batman; his fear that he is the reason Arkham is overflowing with madmen, or worse: that he is no different from those he puts behind it's walls. There are several recurring themes that are shared in the past experiences of both Amadeus Arkham and Bruce Wayne that are pretty fascinating. All of this insanity is held together by the outstanding art. "Arkham Asylum" is a complete package that requires multiple readings and a patient mind to unravel, but it is well worth the effort for those who want to get down to the elemental core of the Batman and gain insight into his thoughts and feelings. At first read, there is a lot that will be very off-putting the the Batman faithful, but once you understand the true nature of the book, it is an amazing work.

This 15th anniversary edition features a real treat. The back pages are full of commentary by the creator of this beautiful mess who shares a ton of insight in entertaining fashion. But the real gem is the original script for the comic, which reads a lot like a screenplay for a film. Anyone still in the dark about writer Grant Morrison's intentions with this story would do well to give it a hard read. It really lays out the symbolism and references that would otherwise fly over most anybody's head and answers any remaining questions the reader may have about any given scene. A brilliant addition. Here's one little factoid for you: The Joker's mouth was originally to be drawn as a reference to the fabled vagina dentata. The concept never made it onto the page, but you're welcome for that mental image. Thanks, Mr. Morrison!

So there it is. If you've ever questioned Batman's (or your own) sanity then this is the book for you. It's a nightmare of ink on paper and a deep, thoughtful look at the mind of one of the most iconic heroes of all time. It's dark, brutal, chilling, and downright gorgeous in the most disturbing possible way. It will change the way you look at the denizens of Gotham City, I can tell you that.

4 1/2 stars, rounded up for treating comics as an adult medium.

It's hard to believe that Grant Morrison's defining look at Batman is over 15 years old, but even so, Arkham Asylum: Serious House on Serious Earth, is a masterpiece of comic horror. It starts off like one may think a Batman comic would: Bats is called in by Commissioner Gordon because the inmates at Arkham have taken the staff hostage and will release them on one condition: Batman must join them. Featuring the most psychotic of Batman's rogue gallery: the Joker, Two-Face, Black Mask, Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Doctor Destiny, Clayface, and Professor Milo are all here, and they all have plans for the Dark Knight. During the story, the tragic tale of Arkham himself is told as the origin of the construction of the asylum is built, and Morrison's examination of the inner demons of Batman in comparison to that of his villains is simply brilliant. His interpretations of the Joker, Two-Face, and Clayface are unlike anything else done by anyone else with the characters, maybe except for Alan Moore's use of the Joker in the Killing Joke. Add to this the haunting and visceral artwork of Sandman cover artist and frequent Neil Gaiman collaborator Dave McKean, and you get one of the greatest, and most chilling, Batman stories ever told. There's a nice assortment of extras thrown in as well, including Morrison's complete original script with new notes, and his hand drawn storyboards to boot.

This is arguably the most dark and disturbing Batman tale I have read. At first glance, the art seems messy, but a closer look shows how well it portrays the madness of the asylum, with its shadows and the way things are never quite what they seem. The writing is excellent, showing the deeper, darker parts of the characters' psyches rather than stereotyping them as evil villains, triumphant heroes, etc. The storyline delves deep into the psyche of Arkham, for whom the asylum was named, as well as the psyche of Batman and his foes, showing that hero and villain are not so far apart as they might seem. The ending statements by the different inmates show the tragic underlying roots of their madness. Overall, this a great graphic novel, and I highly recommend it--but to adult audiences only. This is not a comic for children.

"Arkham Asylum" has to be my all-around favorite story about my all-around favorite superhero, playing seconds only to "The Dark Knight Returns," of course. With this disturbing tale of "discovering thyself," Grant Morrison shows that he can be just as good and influential a writer of everyone's favorite Caped Crusader as Frank Miller. Actually, Morrison proves himself an even better writer than Miller in certain places. While "The Dark Knight Returns" will, no doubt, always be my favorite Bat tale, "Arkham Asylum" expands the Batman character in a way that we never could've imagined. It evens shows Batman as even more of a "human" than most people care to admit. Be warned though, fans who grew up with the "ZIP" and "POW"" campiness of the 60s Adam West/Burt Ward show will be disgusted and disturbed by this book, whereas fans of the Dark Knight (the *REAL* Batman, I mean) will drool over it like Michael Jackson at a daycare center.

The first time I read this symbolic, frightening book I have been a huge fan of it. I've read it over and over again and it gets better upon each re-read. While reading, though, I couldn't help but notice some hidden symbolism and significant imagery scattered all throughout the story. I started read the "script" version of the story (featured in the back of this "anniversary edition") and indeed, learned and noticed many new things about it I otherwise never would've picked up on. Every single character in the book--from Batman, to the Joker and the villains--to even the minor characters, each symbolizes some sort of image significant to the story's plot and climax. Morrison's script has taught me a lot about this strange, but intellectually satisfying graphic novel, which I now like at least a hundred times more than I did before. "Arkham Asylum" is a Bat tale unlike any other, and would've made Frank Miller jealous. Oh, and did I mention Dave McKean's twisted, chaotic artwork which is essential to the entire story? If any other artist had illustrated this book, it would've failed and not be praised for what it is today, and that is not just my own opinion, it is the honest truth. Read it and you'll understand exactly what I mean. Highly recommended!

But I warn you once more: this is NOT your father's Batman. It's a relentlessly violent and very scary tale; absolutely NOT for the faint of heart, easily offended, or young children.

I am not a big fan of superhero comic books, but I have read a handful of the genre's graphic novels, including Arkham Asylum.

Arkham Asylum blew me away. I feel like this medium is at its best when the graphical flavor is as adventurous as its textual and thematic flavor, and this book is a perfect example of my preference. Like Mignola's Hellboy, Arkham Asylum is just gorgeous from one cover to the next.

The only gripe I have is with the book binding. I had to almost break the book's spine in half in order to get a full view of some of the panels.

If you don't like comic books or graphic novels, you have no idea how many good stories you're missing out on. Oftentimes it's the skills of an accomplished writer that elevates a trade paperback to timeless glory in the eyes of many comic geeks (in this case I highly recommend Watchmen by Alan Moore if you want to read a good yarn). Sometimes the artwork is so good you buy a book just to gawk at (look no further than any book with Alex Ross' name on it).

'Batman: Arkham Asylum' is one of the most creepy, beautiful and disorienting graphic novels I've ever read. Being fortunate enough to purchase a copy of the fifteenth anniversary edition, I read the whole thing in one sitting in broad daylight, and when I was finished I felt like I just came out of a nightmare, but a very insightful one. If you are familiar with the creative team behind this classic book, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Be warned that the following story will not appeal to people who think they know who Batman is based on what they've seen in the theaters or on the television screen, because this story does not even operate in Batman's world, let alone the confines of reality (I'm speaking figuratively of course). As far as I'm concerned it's not even a full-fledged Batman tale, even though a slew of well-known characters occupy its narrative.

Grant Morrison brought something unique and fresh to the table when he wrote this in 1989, and Dave McKean's artwork backs that up spectacularly. If it wasn't for McKean's presence in this book, the story wouldn't work at all. Speaking of the story, I'll throw you the specifics in case you have no idea what this book is about: all of Arkham Asylum's depraved inmates, including the notoriously psychotic Joker, take over the institution on April Fool's Day and demand that Batman enter its doors so he can face all of the filth he's put away over the years, or else they will systematically execute the unfortunate hostages they've taken inside. That's just the setup, of course. Batman is then confronted by The Joker and made to question his own sanity as things begin to unfold, however surreal, in the prison's walls. The more I read it the more I'm convinced the whole story is a nightmare in and of itself. The narrative flow is disjointed, the settings are vertigo-inducing, the villains are portrayed in extremely stylish ways (the most extreme example of this is Maxie Zeus), and Batman himself is nothing more than a silhouette floating through the proceedings. It's a very short story, but it presents a lot of interesting questions in terms of psychological, philosophical, and even mystical perceptions of sanity: the villains in the story, especially Two-Face, were being "effectively" treated before all hell broke loose, but the conclusion that Batman ultimately comes to when all is said and done is that some things never change, and sometimes you have to be insane to cope with a world as dark as Gotham City.

A graphic novel like this will be hard to swallow for Batman fans, but Batman fanatics such as myself go for material this brutal and left-field every chance we get (it's even darker than 'The Killing Joke'!). There are moments where I felt sick to my stomach merely by what the book was insinuating, such as a scene where The Mad Hatter admits his fondness for little girls, but it is the portrayal of The Joker as a demonic cross-dresser that might put off fans who are used to seeing the clown prince of crime in a certain light, preferably the animated one. Just throw prior knowledge to the wind and approach this with an open mind.

All-in-all, if you think you can stomach it and want to be literally sucked into a nightmare but walk away with something to think about, then 'Arkham Asylum' is just for you, complete with my seal of approval.

I have been wanting to read this graphic novel for awhile and was excited to get it through paperbackswap. This is a very dark horror that was wonderful, but a bit disturbing.

I think pretty much everyone is familiar with this story. Batman is called to Arkham Asylum to face down the Joker and all the other depraved inmates there. As he goes through the asylum Batman is forced to consider his similarities and differences to the crazy lunatics of Arkham asylum.

This is definitely an adults only book; it is disturbing, depraved, violent, scary and overall just plain creepy. The artwork is a very dark style of Dave McKean's typical. I love McKean's artwork it is always interesting to look at and has elements that are unpredictable and surprising. The tone of the artwork matches the story well and gives it even more depth. McKean's artwork is perfect for this creepy crazy story about Batman's trip through Arkham Asylum. Absolutely beautiful, haunting, and did I say creepy enough yet?!

Morrison's story is excellent as well. The story has predictable elements of creepiness that one would expect from an asylum full of criminally insane people. It also has unexpected depth to it and a lot of darkly clever elements.

Batman is forced to face his similarities to some of the insane folks and questions of what it means to be insane versus sane are raised. This is a Batman story that emphasizes the rather disturbing elements you'd have to have as part of your personality if you wanted to run around dressed like a giant bat.

Additionally there are some wonderful scenes; for example where the psychiatrist has weened Two Face from a coin to a set of tarot cards to make his decisions just so his decisions won't be so black and white. Of course there are seriously disturbing scenes...like Arkham himself parading through the halls wearing his mother's blood covered wedding dress.

Additionally this version has the full script notes from Morrison. These are a great read and clarify some parts where it is a bit unclear what is going on in the story. There are also thumbnail sketches of the story Morrison wrote up. All of this is a great addition to the graphic novel.

Overall just an excellent read. This is a story that is disturbing and dark, definitely creepy...but it also takes a deep look at some societal issues like what it means to be sane vs. insane. It also dives into Batman's mind and takes a look at what made Batman the dark character he is. Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy, horror, and the darker side of Batman.

Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum starts off fairly well, the art isn't too intrusive, the dialogue starts off decent but from there it just degenerates.

The main story starts off with promise but it wears away pretty quickly. It starts with the inmates requesting Batman join them in Arkham Asylum because they believe it's where he belongs. He answers their request and then the story quickly goes from an interesting premise into a game of hide and seek in Arkham Asylum.

I'm probably the only man on earth who hates the artwork of this book, but I do. It looks like an impressionist painter is illustrating this book. I know that may sound like a good thing but it really isn't, it ends up with smeared and blurry visuals, many panels you can't tell what's happening and others are just a blur of black, blue, and gray. This style of artwork is NOT fit for telling an action sequence.

And the art really varies as the comic continues. The fight scene with Killer Croc is almost impossible to tell what's happening. Mad Hatter is illustrated very well and clearly (perhaps the best illustration in the entire book), but then you move to Maxie Zeus who doesn't resemble a human in any conceivable manner, (also he says nothing important just drivel). Also much of the backgrounds/objects/fights/characters are unidentifiable, due to the blurry illustrations

Batman is strangely portrayed in this book, in this book he's much weaker psychologically. For the sake of this story, he's openly aware that what he does is strange and he questions his own sanity. I don't remember batman ever thinking that way before. In fact if I recall The Killing Joke (and many other Batman stories including the Film "The Dark Knight") correctly I believe it was the Joker who was trying to convince him they were the same, and Batman who showed the Joker that they were different in the end.

The character of Two-Face is degenerated into a sniveling and weak character (for the sake of the story of course). I like the idea of weaning him off the duality of the coin, also the duality of his mind, and the consequences of doing so but it's done in a very sophomoric manner.

The Joker is decently done, he's a little crude for my tastes and I can't stand the way he's drawn. He has a great line at the end of the story, but every single one of his lines prior seems fairly basic for the character. Nothing really funny or scary (except in the very beginning). So that's 2 instances of good character, and the rest is just fair.

Also why is Clayface some dirty diseased looking leper?

Also there's a story of Amadeus Arkham, I never really understood why it was in this story but it's probably the best part of the book. It's creepy and dark but also very interesting, more interesting then the main plot of the book in my opinion.

It's an incredibly over rated book that's for sure, but it's not bad. If you can get it, I recommend picking it up but only if it's really cheap. Say $5 - 8

My husband loves graphic novels and loves everything from Maus to Sin City, Persepolis, and Hellboy. He really loved the story in this and thought it was a good gift