A serious house on serious earth
Illustrator: Dave McKean
See also: Librarything ; Other reviews ; Read for RIP III
From the journals of Amadeus Arkham: In the years following my mother’s death, I think it’s true to say that the house became my whole world.
I think one the main reasons I picked this book up was because of the illustrator. I love Dave McKean’s style. But the fact that the story was written by Grant Morrison certainly didn’t hinder my purchase. After all he did produce the weirdness that was Lovely Biscuits, not to mention one of my favourite comics of all time, We3. And I really wasn’t disappointed with Arkham Asylum.
The plot sees the inmates taking over the asylum in Gotham City, and there is only one thing they request, The Batman. So he goes, to where he maybe, just maybe, really belongs. This is a Batman who sees the insanity of dressing up and chasing criminals. Who recognises that he is a little crazy himself. And okay, maybe at this stage it is a little predictable to have the Bat as such a character, but it doesn’t really matter because it works. Plus, the book is from 1989.
The one problem I did have with it was deciphering the Joker’s words. The lettering was quite difficult to figure out. But that aside I really enjoyed this one. Plus, the cover has a bat! I know, I know, it is Batman, so a bat isn’t totally unexpected. But I likes bats.
Most of the bad-guys from the Batman ‘verse make an appearance; the main one is The Joker, but plenty of others show up, including Two-Face, Croc, and Scarecrow. It is well worth a read for the story, but it is the art that I think I enjoyed the most. It really is fabtastic.
I am almost positive that I have read this at one point but I don't remember it clearly so it is probably time to track it down and read it again! Especially since it is McKean. I should actually own this!!!
You should Carl, I think you'd really like the art