Batman: Arkham Asylum: Serious House on Serious Earth - Grant Morrison

I have always been a fan of graphic novels, and often follow the lesser known characters just as much as the more prominent ones. Something that has always remained a bit of a mystery is the history of various characters. On the Marvel side of the fence, characters such as Spiderman are being constantly reinvented with ever emerging secrets and plot developments making the character much darker and appealing. On The DC side of things, Superman and co seem to be emerging with more plot threads that make the character a bit more exciting than the much examined common origins we are used to. On a ... more

Quite some time ago I bought a Batman title, little knowing that I would be perched on the edge of my bed late one night frightened by a comic book. PLOT The story, written by Grant Morrison (The Invisibles, Dare, Zenith to name but a few graphic novels/trade paperbacks titles he has written) cetnres around a riot in Arkham Asylum, a riot in which Batman is about to swallowed. Arriving on the scene Batman is told the final item on the captor's list of demands. The Joker and his crew of loonies want Batman himself to come join the party. As always that's about all I will say on the actual story ... more

This graphic novel is by far the most artistic Batman story I’ve ever read. Even the lettering is heavily designed. It makes for a very involving read, as it captures the very unstable mental experience that is Arkham Asylum. Batman initially enter the Asylum after receiving information that the Joker had escaped his cell and has taken over the Asylum. Though upon entry Batman realises that the Joker didn’t take control of Arkham for himself but to trap the Batman and force him to confront his own mental stability. You follow the Batman on his journey through the Asylum seeing old nemeses and ... more