Billed a 'psychological horror story,' Arkham Asylum sees the inmates (Joker, Two-Face, and all the rest) take over the famous facility. They demand only one thing: Batman's presence. Bats arrives and experiences, for a brief time, life in the asylum. Can he overcome the demons inside- both the house and himself?
This one is definitely different. I've read it a few times over the years, and never really understood it fully (this time, I read the author's full script and notes afterward, which helped me get it more). There are multiple things going on:
- it's symbolic of Batman facing the inner demons of his tragic past. Arkham is a 'looking glass,' and the criminals therein are aspects of Batman's life/struggle
- it gives backstory of the asylum and its founder, Amadeus Arkham
- it implies the house itself has a spirit of sorts, and the bat plays a role in containing/overcoming it
- it looks at madness of all of us, and suggests that "it's only madness that makes us what we are"
The story was dark- really dark. I like dark, if it's done well. This one was . . . okay. It was confusing, hard to read in places (the Joker's words are hard to make out), and a bit too disturbing for even my tastes. The art is provocative, impressionist, surreal, disturbing, raw, and gritty (see below for some examples). While it wasn't my preferred style, I recognize the talent of the artist, and his work fits the tone of the piece perfectly. Overall, I think there are better treatments out there, but I do have a mild appreciation for this. I don't think I'll read it again, though.
Rating: B-
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