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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Honestly so bad. There was basically no redeeming features other than the actual illustrations were good
The story was decent but the art was hard to follow.
Interesting take on Batman and his relationship with Arkham Asylum, adding a supernatural aspect to the history. The art was great, very dark and broody, but I found some of the Joker's text hard to read. Still, well worth a look for Batfans.
The actual Batman/Joker plot isn't so great, but the subplot with Amadeus Arkham is fantastic, and this is some of the most beautiful, intense artwork in any comic ever.
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one was interesting. I mostly liked it. I thought it was a work of art. It wasn't exactly a Batman comic, but it sure was something. I think that if you go into this thinking that the asylum is just full of Scarecrow's Fear Toxin, everything makes sense and it's great. I loved that we don't ever really get to see Batman; he's always a silhouette or an extreme closeup. He's nebulous and ethereal, which fits for the dreamlike quality of this story.
Do I like the plot? no, am I too in love with this type of art to give a shit? Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love to see Dave McKeans art in a narrative and not just a cover image. Combined with Grant Morrison's ability to reexamine classic Batman tropes this made for a fun, eerie read.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
March 14, 2012: A little too 'crazy' for me. Too hard to follow. Did not read the draft.
March 31, 2015: Actually read the full script this time and the entire story made much more sense. In fact, it made me a little disappointed with the illustrator, Dave McKean, in that key parts of the story as written by Grant Morrison are either not included or represented in a way that is unclear. Don't get me wrong, visually, the work is fascinating but the story just doesn't come through for me without reading the author's descriptions.
In this story, Batman enters Arkham Asylum to rescue some hostages after it's been taken over by some of the inmates. We learn about the history of the Asylum and of Arkham's family and madness and death and see Batman's rebirth through experiencing the madness that seems to be almost physically present in the place itself. We see interesting interpretations of the Joker, Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Two Face, and Maxie Zeus, as well as a much more human and broken Batman (until the end).
The first half of this work is the graphic novel as released in 1989, while the second half is the final draft by Morrison, along with more recent annotations. There's also a basic original plot synopsis and character list, storyboards, and several related images.
This is certainly not for kids. I would say that you should probably be a pretty diehard fan of Batman to enjoy this work. But anyone interested in representations of madness might get a kick out of it too.
March 31, 2015: Actually read the full script this time and the entire story made much more sense. In fact, it made me a little disappointed with the illustrator, Dave McKean, in that key parts of the story as written by Grant Morrison are either not included or represented in a way that is unclear. Don't get me wrong, visually, the work is fascinating but the story just doesn't come through for me without reading the author's descriptions.
In this story, Batman enters Arkham Asylum to rescue some hostages after it's been taken over by some of the inmates. We learn about the history of the Asylum and of Arkham's family and madness and death and see Batman's rebirth through experiencing the madness that seems to be almost physically present in the place itself. We see interesting interpretations of the Joker, Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Two Face, and Maxie Zeus, as well as a much more human and broken Batman (until the end).
The first half of this work is the graphic novel as released in 1989, while the second half is the final draft by Morrison, along with more recent annotations. There's also a basic original plot synopsis and character list, storyboards, and several related images.
This is certainly not for kids. I would say that you should probably be a pretty diehard fan of Batman to enjoy this work. But anyone interested in representations of madness might get a kick out of it too.