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bluvega's review against another edition
5.0
«Ma io non voglio andare fra i matti", osservò Alice.
"Beh, non hai altra scelta", disse il Gatto. "Qui sono tutti matti. Io sono matto. Tu sei matta."
"Come lo sai che sono matta?" chiese Alice.
"Per forza", disse il Gatto, "altrimenti non saresti venuta qui.»
Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie
(Lewis Carroll)
"Beh, non hai altra scelta", disse il Gatto. "Qui sono tutti matti. Io sono matto. Tu sei matta."
"Come lo sai che sono matta?" chiese Alice.
"Per forza", disse il Gatto, "altrimenti non saresti venuta qui.»
Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie
(Lewis Carroll)
mellowbry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sam_el's review against another edition
3.0
There is a lot to like in the book. The script is great and the artwork is very original and interesting. Unfortunately, it is less than the sum of its parts. I feel McKean is the wrong artist for this tale. The art distances the story from the reader, so that he never really understands (this reader, at least) what is going on in the story. I enjoyed the script at the end much more than the comic proper, and I would love to see a version that welcomes the reader into the story.
ericbuscemi's review against another edition
1.0
What a fucking mess. The painted artwork was appalling, the story-line was incoherent, the dialogue was barely legible, and, most importantly, the portrayal of Batman was all wrong. This felt like a second-rate haunted-house horror that Batman was wedged into, and poorly at that. Batman's encounters with various villains felt thrown-in, in a cheap name-dropping way, his decision-making was baffling to non-existent, and the story's resolution -- hanging on a coin-flip -- was absurd.
The back-story to Gotham's Arkham Asylum was done much better in the Batman: Arkham Asylum video-game. If I'd read this first, I may never have played that game due to fear it was this bad.
I only did decide to read this after seeing it on multiple best graphic-novel lists. How can so many lists be so wrong? And how is the Goodreads rating so high? What am I missing?
The back-story to Gotham's Arkham Asylum was done much better in the Batman: Arkham Asylum video-game. If I'd read this first, I may never have played that game due to fear it was this bad.
I only did decide to read this after seeing it on multiple best graphic-novel lists. How can so many lists be so wrong? And how is the Goodreads rating so high? What am I missing?
bearded_ginger's review against another edition
3.0
My only previous experience with Grant Morisson is his more recent trippy Batman and Superman story lines. My previous experience with Dave McKean was the covers of The Sandman. Seeing their work together over 25 years later is astounding.
Arkham Asylum is telling two stories at once. At first it's about Batman walking the halls of Arkham Asylum trying to foil the chaos going on there. As he's doing this he has flashbacks to his parents murder, driving him crazy, and in the end the day is saved when Batman embraces madness and unpredictability.
At the same time we're told the backstory of how the Asylum was founded, and a parallel is made between Arkham and Batman. They both shared a similar tragic incident in their lives but the fallout from it made them polar opposites that are dangerously similar.
Arkham Asylum is a look at what defines madness and says that sometimes all you can do is stop fighting it and dive headfirst in and embrace it. Both Wayne and Arkham are acting on what they believe to be right, while trying to install order in what might the craziest place on earth. The art took some getting used too, but once I got in the mood for it I loved it. For me it ranks beside the Dark Knight Returns as one of the best Batman stories ever told.
Arkham Asylum is telling two stories at once. At first it's about Batman walking the halls of Arkham Asylum trying to foil the chaos going on there. As he's doing this he has flashbacks to his parents murder, driving him crazy, and in the end the day is saved when Batman embraces madness and unpredictability.
At the same time we're told the backstory of how the Asylum was founded, and a parallel is made between Arkham and Batman. They both shared a similar tragic incident in their lives but the fallout from it made them polar opposites that are dangerously similar.
Arkham Asylum is a look at what defines madness and says that sometimes all you can do is stop fighting it and dive headfirst in and embrace it. Both Wayne and Arkham are acting on what they believe to be right, while trying to install order in what might the craziest place on earth. The art took some getting used too, but once I got in the mood for it I loved it. For me it ranks beside the Dark Knight Returns as one of the best Batman stories ever told.
tsharris's review against another edition
5.0
Grant Morrison's best work? Even better than 'The Invisibles?' Not sure, but it's a phenomenal exploration of Batman and his villains.
asia_b's review against another edition
5.0
The more you read it the better it gets. I love everything in this, not a single complaint.
(well apart wishing the Joker was even more gayer, but alas)
(well apart wishing the Joker was even more gayer, but alas)
accidentprobe's review against another edition
5.0
dave mckeans insane art was the best choice to compliment grants insane writing what a fucking collab
courtofnilly's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A true masterpiece. It really captures the spirit of Arkham Asylum and is a love letter to Batman and Joker’s dynamic together. Truly a read that lost me a bit of sanity, but seeing as some of this influenced the Arkham series (especially Asylum) that lost sanity was worth it in order to see the book’s true meaning.
caitcoy's review against another edition
5.0
This is probably one of the most confusing and out there Batman graphic novels that I've read but I really like how creepy and off-the-wall it is. There's a reason it's considered one of the Batman must-read comics. The story goes back and forth between Amadeus Arkham establishing Arkham Asylum (where most of Gotham's more interesting villians will be incarcerated) and Batman being forced to enter the Asylum years later after Joker has taken control. The madness inherent in Amadeus' family was fascinating to see unravel and I loved getting the history behind the classic Gotham institution. The Joker in this story is disturbingly sexual and it was almost uncomfortable to see his interactions yet absolutely fascinating. Batman must run a gauntlet through classic Batman villains to get control of Arkham once again and as is common for Grant Morrison, the symbolism and small details mean that it's one that really needs to be read more than once. This was the second time I've read this and I still don't think I fully understand it all. Dave McKean is as brilliant in his artwork as always so if you like creepy, subtle explorations of madness and the darker sides of humanity, it's a good one!