Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition) | 
 enlarge | Author: Grant Morrison
Creator: Dave Mckean
Publisher: DC Comics
Category: Book
List Price: $17.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  74 reviews
Sales Rank: 1130
Media: Paperback
Edition: 15
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 216
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 6.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 1401204252
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN: 9781401204259
Publication Date: November 1, 2005
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Product Description
In this groundbreaking, painted graphic novel, the inmates of Arkham Asylum have taken over Gothams detention center for the criminally insane on April Fools Day, demanding Batman in exchange for their hostages.Accepting their demented challenge, Batman is forced to live and endure the personal hells of the Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and many other sworn enemies in order to save the innocents and retake the prison.During his run through this absurd gauntlet, the Dark Knights own sanity is placed in jeopardy.This special anniversary edition trade paperback also reproduces the original script with annotations by Morrison and editor Karen Berger.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 69 more reviews...
 An inside look at a madman's nightmare. July 28, 2005
73 out of 76 found this review helpful
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 Maritza Volmar
A total nightmare December 13, 2006
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
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.
A once-in-a-lifetime stroke of genius December 22, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
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.
The "anniversary edition" made me like it even more. July 24, 2006
15 out of 19 found this review helpful
"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.
We're all mad in here!!! March 16, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Next to the theme of vengeance, there is one theme that is has been shown throughout the many years of Batman: madness. Madness is what drives most of Batman's enemies to destroy his precious city. But, in dealing with these mad men, has Batman too gone "batty"? Beautifully drawn and brilliantly written, this is the one of the essential books for any Batman fan.
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