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A review by kierscrivener
Absolute Batman: Arkham Asylum by Dave McKean, Grant Morrison
2.0
Unpopular opinion: I did not like this. I think when it comes to graphic novels or comics the art really makes it or breaks it. And though the art was unique, dramatic and it's own surrealist thing it messed with my mind and not in a good way. Not in a thought provoking or an unnerving way, just in a way that made it very difficult to get into the story. The Joker was the only character I could clearly identify, the others were often so shrouded and drawn in symbolic ways I couldn't follow and my dyslexic brain hurt. Truly hurt trying to decipher his font.
I get the cool psychological elements but I didn't care because I could never get into this story that felt more like a surealist fever dream than a storyline. This is probably also derived from me being a character reader and not a plot reader, I don't care for the trauma if I never see the man. (and yes man, there was not a single female that was mentioned that wasn't assaulted or murdered and those were the only scenes any woman appears in). And the thing with grimdark is if everything is already dark the depravity of man seems way less grave. You need a little bit of hope, even if it is only there to be crushed for the suffering to actually affect me.
I give it too stars because of its legacy and I understand why it matters to people, I just don't share those feelings. But the last few panels were actually my favourite of the comic.
Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, murder, bad/harmful representation of mental health and neurodivergence, and a lot of other messed up things
I get the cool psychological elements but I didn't care because I could never get into this story that felt more like a surealist fever dream than a storyline. This is probably also derived from me being a character reader and not a plot reader, I don't care for the trauma if I never see the man. (and yes man, there was not a single female that was mentioned that wasn't assaulted or murdered and those were the only scenes any woman appears in). And the thing with grimdark is if everything is already dark the depravity of man seems way less grave. You need a little bit of hope, even if it is only there to be crushed for the suffering to actually affect me.
I give it too stars because of its legacy and I understand why it matters to people, I just don't share those feelings. But the last few panels were actually my favourite of the comic.
Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, murder, bad/harmful representation of mental health and neurodivergence, and a lot of other messed up things