www.amazon.2db.com.pl - Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973 EAN: 9781401204259 ISBN: 1401204252 Label: DC Comics Manufacturer: DC Comics Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 216 Publication Date: 2005-11-01 Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: 2005-11-01 Studio: DC Comics
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Editorial Reviews: 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.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Fantastic Comment: This was an amazingly detailed graphic novel. It was rich in character development as well as story line. I strongly suggest that those with a craving for everything Batman buy this. Customer Rating: Summary: Gorgeous and Twisted Comment: I can't add much to what's already been said about this masterpiece, except for that I loved it. The artwork is beautiful, and is reason enough to buy this, but then there's also the story-telling achievement therein. Mood and tone is masterfully created with interesting and creep typography, and the color palette screams fear and distress, common moods of Gotham and Arkham specifically. I recommend this to the more hardcore Batman fan, and the casual fan, especially those of the latter category who are left reeling after the grimmer Nolan-films. It's a satisfying experience and interesting psychological exploration into the heart of the Batman mythos: Arkham and its infamous inmates. Customer Rating: Summary: Incomplete Comment: My copy arrived with several pages missing, which meant the exclusion of some key scenes. Apparently, this has been known to happen with certain printings of this book. I would recommend purchasing this from a place where you can read through it first, and make sure everything's there. (The book, in its complete form, is easily 5/5 stars) Customer Rating: Summary: Joker gooses Batman Comment: The art in this is fantastic which was really the basis of appeal for me overall. The story idea is really a good one also and even though it kinda glides through it, it works because the writing and art feed off each other perfectly. I also like how the history of arkham is wound up in the psychological delivery of this book. Some pages if you just stare at them and absorb all that is printed on them you can feel the chaos. My only gripe is that some of the text is hard to read, but who cares. The art is so good the pages deserve a closer look. Customer Rating: Summary: The Dark Knightmare Comment: "I see now the virtue in madness" begins Amadeus Arkham, locked in his own family home which he spent his life converting into a home for the mentally deranged only to later descend into madness himself. "I pity the poor shades confined to the Euclidean prison that is sanity. All things are possible here and I am what madness has made me. Whole. And complete. And free at last..." "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth" is a nightmare vision featuring The Batman and some of his most deadly foes as you've never seen them before. Not a typical comic book by any means; this is art, plain and simple. A psychological exploration overflowing with oblique symbolism, jaw-dropping and stylish artwork, imagery meant to terrify, and prose meant to provoke. Some readers may be turned off by the out-of-character situations and reactions of some of their favorite characters or the mind-twirling nature of the story progression and art, but this is the creepiest and most avant-garde comic I've ever read and that alone makes it a must. This is not a superhero story; this is pure unadulterated psychological horror of the highest caliber. The story is actually two concurrent tales. One is an illustrated reading of the journal of Amadeus Arkham exploring his life, his death, his ambitions, and his succumbing to the very thing he dedicated his life to curing. The other follows the exploits of The Batman, called to the most storied sanitarium in all of fiction to face some of his greatest foes -and greatest fears- alone. The two overlap at times with Arkham's words adding symbolism to the events during Batman's journey into the heart of darkness. The look of this book is jarring. Outstanding. Amazing. It's like real life bleed into a classic painting to create this surreal abstract art style. I figured Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight would be the one to haunt my nightmares. I was wrong. From his very first frame here he looks positively demonic; not a man at all but a grinning atrocity with frightening eyes and a horrific countenance. The very embodiment of Satan himself: a fitting representation in this context. Clayface is not the shapeshifter we know here, but has become a living symbol of disease and corruption, a pathetic being like many of the other villains residing within Arkham's walls. After successful therapy, Two-Face has been weaned from his coin-flipping habit and now makes decisions based on tarot cards, offering him shelter from the black/white absolutes of his criminal past. The problem: he can no longer even go to the bathroom without relying on his cards to tell him what to do. The end result is messy. Scarecrow makes a brief, but frightening appearance, and The Caped Crusader does battle with Killer Croc as well. The Mad Hatter shows up in true Lewis Carroll form (but with more pedophilic undertones) and offers up the solution to the mystery of this bizarre version of Batman's existence; confirming what I had suspected. If there is any chink in this book's armor, it's that the symbolism overpowers the story much of the time. Fans of David Lynch, David Cronenburg, and H. P. Lovecraft will eat this up, but anybody looking for a traditional linear good vs. evil story may want to think twice. This is an exploration of the psychology of Batman; his fear that he is the reason Arkham is overflowing with madmen, or worse: that he is no different from those he puts behind it's walls. There are several recurring themes that are shared in the past experiences of both Amadeus Arkham and Bruce Wayne that are pretty fascinating. All of this insanity is held together by the outstanding art. "Arkham Asylum" is a complete package that requires multiple readings and a patient mind to unravel, but it is well worth the effort for those who want to get down to the elemental core of the Batman and gain insight into his thoughts and feelings. At first read, there is a lot that will be very off-putting the the Batman faithful, but once you understand the true nature of the book, it is an amazing work. This 15th anniversary edition features a real treat. The back pages are full of commentary by the creator of this beautiful mess who shares a ton of insight in entertaining fashion. But the real gem is the original script for the comic, which reads a lot like a screenplay for a film. Anyone still in the dark about writer Grant Morrison's intentions with this story would do well to give it a hard read. It really lays out the symbolism and references that would otherwise fly over most anybody's head and answers any remaining questions the reader may have about any given scene. A brilliant addition. Here's one little factoid for you: The Joker's mouth was originally to be drawn as a reference to the fabled vagina dentata. The concept never made it onto the page, but you're welcome for that mental image. Thanks, Mr. Morrison! So there it is. If you've ever questioned Batman's (or your own) sanity then this is the book for you. It's a nightmare of ink on paper and a deep, thoughtful look at the mind of one of the most iconic heroes of all time. It's dark, brutal, chilling, and downright gorgeous in the most disturbing possible way. It will change the way you look at the denizens of Gotham City, I can tell you that. 4 1/2 stars, rounded up for treating comics as an adult medium. More Reviews