I kind of like the idea that this a nightmare Batman is having one night. It not only explains the abstract art, metaphors, and symbolism, but adds to them.
They based the Batman Arkham Asylum game off this comic especially the whole "Batman fighting to keep his sanity in Arkham a place meant to restore people to sanity" thing." Quincy Sharp and his Spirit of Amadeus Arkham personality are based on Dr Cavendish and the beetles on the Chronicles of Arkham are a reference to the beetles Amadeus's insane mother Elizabeth ate because they were a symbol of rebirth implying she believed she'd be reborn after death if she ate enough of them.
Xehanort10 True up to a point...it is worth saying that Paul Dini, a man with an equally impressive history on Batman, added his own loving and insightful touches to the characters. In particular, the Scarecrow fear gas sequences and the patient tapes that you can recover point to things I'm not certain Morrison could have pulled off. The Victor Zzasz sequence alone makes me think Dini missed his calling as a Thomas Harris style thriller writer.
Great points from both of you! Yes, the spirit of Morrison's work is definitely the genus of the video game, but Dini used his more grounded and noir style of narrative to create the core of the game. Morrison's narrative wouldn't really work as a video game, but it's fascinating to see the blending of these two writers that happens in this game.
I think the art style of odd symbols and the like would be better in a game similar to Nightmare Ned or The Dark Eye. Having Batman solve puzzles based on his environment instead of just beat em' up combat
Yeah a mix between both visions pretty much can create a great Batman Arkham Asylum story for adapted media, live action, animated, and videogame of course
Looking back at this comment now after seeing that deleted scene from the batman, Barry Keoghan joker fits the voice of this comic because not only that we are getting an arkham asylum show taking place in the same universe that matt reeves created and knowing if that show is going to be horror and suspense reeves is going to take very heavy inspiration from this comic
great, thorough take on a comic masterwork too often overshadowed by "Watchmen" and "The Dark Knight Returns". Morrison & McKean deconstruct the Dark Knight while revealing the one thing that makes him inherently heroic: Never Give Up. Not Even In The Face of Pure Madness And Despair. Let Short-term Defeat Pass Through You. Then Come Back With That Great Deductive Intellect And Fighting Spirit Intact. And Never Give Up. surreal, terrifying, but -- somehow in the end -- still uplifting.
Great video! I previously had no idea of the creative conflict between Morrison and Mckean. Frankly, I don't think this story would have been as impactful or influential without the art of Mckean. As much as I love Bolland (as every comic fans should) I don't think this story would have matched his art having read the original script (from the 10th anniversary edition). The vivid reality of a dream world used by Mckean captures you in a fluid uncertain world which allows all the elements of psychoanalytics, fear, and doubt to bleed through. At each beat of each page you become increasingly more shrouded in these emotions which allows the reader a chance to really experience the dark reality of batman world and the sinister nature of those villains who inhabit it. This effect was in fact used once more by Morrison with a different artist, Duncan Fegredo, in the story 'Kid Eternity' which takes us spiraling into the depth of hell like Virgil in Dante's Inferno. Just speaking for myself, I believe this was Morrisons best batman story. With the exception of his Batman & Robin vol.1-3, I found the majority of his Batman run a utter disappointment. If you have read Morrisons "the invisibles" you will see character ripped right from that story and rebranded with names from the Batman mythos. I found it so disappointing I questioned whether or not he had anything left to say and I love Morrison.
Really great analysis here! I wouldn't want any other artist on this comic, even if it does have its shortcomings. So I'm very curious as to how the announced "Arkham Asylum 2" with Chris Burnham will be, as his art is nothing like McKean's.
Now that's pretty interesting as Burnham worked with him on the end of his run (Batman incorporated) after Yanick Paquette. Still waiting on Wonder Woman Earth one volume two, but that's life. Anyway and more importantly, I think Burnham style would better fit your thesis on what Morrison really wanted. By that meaning a theme which evokes nostalgia and/or reaffirms myth which both can be used in negating realism. It fits better with Burnham style which has a blocked out Kirby or Cooke feel. Either pretty cool stuff.
Thank you very much! In all honesty, I cover somewhat niche topics, so my videos generally have smaller audiences. But I'm consistently growing, so I'm thankful for that!
The book is excellent in exploring mental representations and subjective memory... In rejecting realism, hence, the book explores human psychology. Amazing video and great connections! Enjoyed this!
I miss the avant garde aesthetic and intellectual subtext of early Vertigo. I'm not saying I want it to come back for a revival, but I wish something equally as groundbreaking and meaningful would come out of comics now.
This one still remains one of my favorite Batman AND Grant Morrison stories of all time. In a real sense, I consider Amadeus Arkham to be the story's real protagonist, as it delves deeper into his descent into madness than anyone else's psychology. To me, it's a fitting followup to Morrison's earlier Legends of the Dark Knight four-parter Gothic with Klaus Jansen, which had a similar psychological focus through the conventions. Also of note: there is something about Batman, Superman and even Shazam that brings out the best in Morrison as a writer. He has occasionally gone off the rails, like when he accused Warner Brothers of ripping off his ultra-pretentious and boring series The Invisibles to make The Matrix. Yet classic characters seem to ground his writing enough to make some wonderful stories.
Fantastic analysis! I agree about Morrison on classic characters. They seem to give him a solid grounding to his experimental ideas. And I love his single "Thunderworld" issue in The Multiversity, it's a joy to read.
I liked the story, however when reading it joker's dialogue is often difficult to read due to it's distortion which at the same time gives it some atmosphere.
I just finished this one and damn it was good. It was a interesting way to see bruce humanised while being batman. Interesting way to see the psychology of it
Awesome video, content & review as ever Matt :) I love the way you document your thoughts and the way that you go through and give a structured & well-balanced analysis in a clear and concise way while also taking the time to further explain and justify your reasons behind your opinions and conclusions. I have this story on my trades/graphic novels to read pile along with Morrison's entire run on Batman which I can't wait to delve into keep up the stellar work!.
Thank you for the kind words, as always! I would say to start with this before reading the rest of his work, it's almost like the transition into his later take on the character.
*im a sucker for comic book stories with provocative themes and interesting backstory, this obviously being one of em, having said that, does anyone else have any recommendations for other stories like this ? It doesn’t have to be Batman or dc related either, like other graphic novels like this ???*
My only complaint with this book is the font they used for Joker’s dialogue. It’s so difficult to read and you really have to look hard to understand it. I understand that it was supposed to make him feel more creepy and unstable but I think it would’ve just been better if they made it the same font but kept the red text. Everything else is incredible tho
I like to think that this is all a nightmare in kid Bruce’s mind after his parents read him Alice in wonderland which would explain the trippiness of the book
we was originally gonna get this adapted in joel schumacher batman unchained canceled film where all the previous villains in all 4 tim burtons/joel schumacher films wit scarecrow and harley quinn was gonna be the main villains
Imagine - you see Batman 89 in theatres when you're 8 years old and then you manage to get hold of this graphic novel..plus TDKR when you're 9-10, and I've been a Batman fan ever since. Those were the best times though!
Grant morrison should probably be up there with Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, and Douglas adams in terms of Surreality, difference is that somehow Grant Morrison's version makes more sense
My uncle had this when it came out, he let me read it and i was floored by it. I often would re-read this with Metallica's The Unforgiving playing in my head. Just went so good together. The video of Unforgiven felt like the perfect tone for an Arkham Asylum movie, my 12 year old mind would imagine back then.
I will likely get to all of these at some point. Really, I choose these topics once I've finally figured out a take on the subject. So these will happen when I figure out what I want to say about them.
Matt Draper cool. I absolutely loved your review of the idw turtles so I'd love your take on Ultimate Spider-Man. And your analysis on how emotion s are such a motivating and cohesive part of life and the universe in green lantern. I think you would slay those so I'll be on the lookout and always interested in your thoughts and perspectives!
I got totally lost in that scary, depressing atmosphere (the ,,Bambi" scene made me cry out loud, poor Batman😢) P.S.: Joker is pretty gay there, that was the only funny thing about this comic I think.
Grant Morrison was one step ahead when it comes to criticising Batman's role as a plain and all-mighty character with random victories and contempt for Superman (well, bat-posers are the ones who actually hate Superman lol).
*is there more haunting type of Batman stories like the one being told here ?* *its just im a huge Batman fan and a fan of scary and profound stories with mature and provocative themes, any recommendations like other Batman stories similar to this ? Thnx*
Though many are divided on the book, i think the objective of A Serious House on Serious Earth was to give Arkham Asylum a character to a kin to what Batman Year One did for Gotham City. True the story was established by Len Wein, but we didn't get that story fleshed out til now
I see why this comic is well loved. But the things I don't like is the weaker Batman and the crazy art style which makes the symbolism difficult to follow (and half the time you don't even know what's going on). But the thing about this being a nightmare Batman is having makes a lot more sense and really brings this story together.
I love Brian Bolland to death don't get me wrong but I don't think his art could've pulled off bringing this trip through a nightmare labyrinth to life as well as Dave McKean did in the end. Dave McKean's art literally feels like it was plucked from a nightmare, it literally has that same fuzzy, surreal quality that nightmares have, and I think it works to excellent effect in truly bringing out the horror of this story.
you've probably already read it but if you like McKean's art check out Mr Punch, I only read that once years ago and it's still in my head, i've blocked everything out though as except some random images and the atmosphere, iirc it's a bit dark.
It's a damn shame that this comic is often said to be "the scariest Batman comic ever made", and having it dive heavily into horror and psychology... and then Scarecrow (who is a perfect mix of both) is given less than a handful of panels in the entire comic. A wasted opportunity for sure.
Despite Scarecrow being my favorite Batman villain of all time, I’m hesitant to agree… I think the fact that Batman literally hides from the Scarecrow as he shambles through the hallway is a brilliant choice. Batman battles the monstrous Killer Croc, attacks the repulsive Clayface, endures the antics of Mad Hatter and Maxie Zeus, and yet is so fragile mentally that he cannot face the Scarecrow. Something about The Batman, a figure of fear and elemental force bellowing with rage in the night, cowering in the shadows from a scrawny, silent Scarecrow is so powerful. While I wish he’d been used more, I think showing Crane this way makes his impact on Batman so much deeper.
I love this book so much. But I can’t stand Morrison’s later Batman run. Everyone is out of character, the dialogue is awful, and Morrison inflicting his own drug habits on Batman is terrible.
I think his later work on Batman is kind of a mixed bag. I really like "Batman and Robin" as well as "Batman Inc" and "The Return of Bruce Wayne" for how creative they were, but most of the earlier stuff in his run like the introduction of Damien isn't super great.
I loved his Batman run. It goes to the characters roots and brings it to the modern world of comics. It's essential reading for any Batman fan imo. The scene where Batman digs himself out of the grave might be one of the most iconic moments of the character.
It's best to just label this as a nightmare that Bruce is having because I can't see a Batman that's too weak to fight off a slim psycho work along side people like Superman.
Honestly? I don't this story. I don't like the art, I don't like the storyline, I don't like many of the depictions...but I respect it. I respect this darker attempt at this story and as usual Matt Draper comes in clutch.
The only complaint I have about this comic is that it's the origin of the bullshit "Joker super sanity" thing, which I always read as a throwaway line intended to show how incompetent the doctors at Arkham were. But no, DC writers had to take the idea and run with it, and I fucking hate it. Joker isn't fucking super sane. He is a psychologically disturbed attention whore. Nothing more, nothing less.
I would like to believe that Batman has mpd (multiple personality disorder) and is already insane and all of the villains are really just innocent people he is killing. While of course he is in his batman personality, and the joker is one specific person he is pursuing but that one person keeps getting away
I know this comment is over 2 years old and not to be rude but I hate this idea of Batman. It really just seems like a way to completely be different just to be different
I think I'm going to start getting more into comic books. Does anyone have good recommendations for starters? I would like something at least mildly compelling, not some "hero v villain" stuff. Thanks!
My recommendation for most people starting comics is to pick a genre or character that they like in other mediums, like Westerns or Batman, for example, and go from there. If you have some favorites, let me know and I can give you more specific suggestions.
Matt Draper Batman is a favorite, Red Hood is pretty good too. I also enjoy some marvel characters, but I feel like they lack the depth of D.C. Characters. Are there any marvel books/heroes with good characters?
I'll butt in and recommend some books for you, let's start with Batman, you can read year one, the long Halloween, Arkham Asylum, Black mirror, dark night a true Batman story, Gotham central, and Killing Joke. for Superman, you can read all star superman, superman secret identity, Superman Birthright, Red Son, Kingdom Come, For the Man Who Has Everything, Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes. if you want a Marvel character you can read daredevil by these writers (they did long phases with multiple stories so it's easier to list their names) frank miller run, Brian Michael Bendis Run, Mark Waid run,there is Moon knight too, with the arcs made by the writer jeff Lemire, if you like Captain America you can read man out of time, and the Ed Brubaker phase,if you like thor,i recommend you getting the walt simonson run, and Butcher of Gods and at last, a list of less popular characters with excellent stories are, swamp thing written by alan morre,doom patrol by grant morrison,animal man by grant morrison, DC- The New Frontier, inhumans by paul jenkins, annihilation, and annihilation conquest, X-Factor by peter david, Marvels, Shazam! by Jeff Smith, Sandman by Neil Gaiman, sandman mystery theater, Omega men the End is Here, that's it,sorry for the long comment
I really enjoy Daredevil, specifically Born Again and the runs by Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, and Mark Waid. Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson is great. Hawkeye by Matt Fraction if you like something a little more modern and offbeat. Also, Fantastic Four by Mark Waid or Jonathan Hickman. Captain America by Ed Brubaker. And Thor by Jason Aaron.
I remember really not enjoying this graphic novel when I first read it, until I read the script in an anniversary edition. The script, especially with its annotations, was excellent and made me realize how much Dave McKean's art ruined that experience for me. This video, while interesting and enjoyable, also made me remember how much I hate Dave McKean's work in my comic books.
Dave McKean sounds like a pain in the ass to work with, hate people who don't cooperate and just toss out whatever work half the creative team lays out. Especially when all they end up doing is making a mess, and being all judgemental about the source material. Just suck up the fact you're drawing a batman story and stop acting so high and mighty about it.
Arkham Asylum is a creatively bankrupt story. All it manages to say in its 90+ pages is that Batman is insane, as well as everybody in Arkham, including its founder. That's after Alan Moore had already done The Killing Joke, the main idea of which was, in the words of Alan Moore: "That Batman isn't that different from Joker". And the fact Morrison wanted Bolland only further suggests he was just copying Moore, like he did pretty much the whole of his career. The only great thing about Arkham Asylum was McKean's art, which is amazing.
I don't know a whole lot about realism, but I know this video was *really* neat!
I'm so sorry.
Ok, this is getting pinned to the top.
This is the greatest moment of my life.
@Mr Temporal real
Real,really
I get it
BOO THIS MAN! xD
I kind of like the idea that this a nightmare Batman is having one night. It not only explains the abstract art, metaphors, and symbolism, but adds to them.
I read in the Wiki that is is the theory
They based the Batman Arkham Asylum game off this comic especially the whole "Batman fighting to keep his sanity in Arkham a place meant to restore people to sanity" thing." Quincy Sharp and his Spirit of Amadeus Arkham personality are based on Dr Cavendish and the beetles on the Chronicles of Arkham are a reference to the beetles Amadeus's insane mother Elizabeth ate because they were a symbol of rebirth implying she believed she'd be reborn after death if she ate enough of them.
Xehanort10 True up to a point...it is worth saying that Paul Dini, a man with an equally impressive history on Batman, added his own loving and insightful touches to the characters. In particular, the Scarecrow fear gas sequences and the patient tapes that you can recover point to things I'm not certain Morrison could have pulled off. The Victor Zzasz sequence alone makes me think Dini missed his calling as a Thomas Harris style thriller writer.
Great points from both of you! Yes, the spirit of Morrison's work is definitely the genus of the video game, but Dini used his more grounded and noir style of narrative to create the core of the game. Morrison's narrative wouldn't really work as a video game, but it's fascinating to see the blending of these two writers that happens in this game.
I think the art style of odd symbols and the like would be better in a game similar to Nightmare Ned or The Dark Eye. Having Batman solve puzzles based on his environment instead of just beat em' up combat
Oh and don't forget Amadeus Arkham's weird cell with his drawings
Yeah a mix between both visions pretty much can create a great Batman Arkham Asylum story for adapted media, live action, animated, and videogame of course
Gosh I love the artwork of this comic it's so visceral
I believe he's the guy who did the Sandman Covers
@@sethleoric2598 correct
@@pierluigizappala1157 ah..
Captain Jakemerica it’s also extremely difficult to follow.
Need more comics with that horror look.
This book was the prettiest thing to ever confuse the shit out of me.
A mindblowing comic to read at age 12 I can tell you.
The Joker is terrifying in this comic, especially because I read his dialogue in Mark Hamill's voice.
I personally think Heath Ledger fits better for this version.
My interpretation of this jokers voice is sorta in between Ledger and Hamill.
@@jamesrutley1009 no it’s too goofy
Looking back at this comment now after seeing that deleted scene from the batman, Barry Keoghan joker fits the voice of this comic because not only that we are getting an arkham asylum show taking place in the same universe that matt reeves created and knowing if that show is going to be horror and suspense reeves is going to take very heavy inspiration from this comic
I hear it as Hamill but more screechy
great, thorough take on a comic masterwork too often overshadowed by "Watchmen" and "The Dark Knight Returns".
Morrison & McKean deconstruct the Dark Knight while revealing the one thing that makes him inherently heroic: Never Give Up. Not Even In The Face of Pure Madness And Despair. Let Short-term Defeat Pass Through You. Then Come Back With That Great Deductive Intellect And Fighting Spirit Intact. And Never Give Up.
surreal, terrifying, but -- somehow in the end -- still uplifting.
And much better than TDKR.
Great video! I previously had no idea of the creative conflict between Morrison and Mckean. Frankly, I don't think this story would have been as impactful or influential without the art of Mckean. As much as I love Bolland (as every comic fans should) I don't think this story would have matched his art having read the original script (from the 10th anniversary edition). The vivid reality of a dream world used by Mckean captures you in a fluid uncertain world which allows all the elements of psychoanalytics, fear, and doubt to bleed through. At each beat of each page you become increasingly more shrouded in these emotions which allows the reader a chance to really experience the dark reality of batman world and the sinister nature of those villains who inhabit it. This effect was in fact used once more by Morrison with a different artist, Duncan Fegredo, in the story 'Kid Eternity' which takes us spiraling into the depth of hell like Virgil in Dante's Inferno.
Just speaking for myself, I believe this was Morrisons best batman story. With the exception of his Batman & Robin vol.1-3, I found the majority of his Batman run a utter disappointment. If you have read Morrisons "the invisibles" you will see character ripped right from that story and rebranded with names from the Batman mythos. I found it so disappointing I questioned whether or not he had anything left to say and I love Morrison.
Really great analysis here! I wouldn't want any other artist on this comic, even if it does have its shortcomings. So I'm very curious as to how the announced "Arkham Asylum 2" with Chris Burnham will be, as his art is nothing like McKean's.
Now that's pretty interesting as Burnham worked with him on the end of his run (Batman incorporated) after Yanick Paquette. Still waiting on Wonder Woman Earth one volume two, but that's life. Anyway and more importantly, I think Burnham style would better fit your thesis on what Morrison really wanted. By that meaning a theme which evokes nostalgia and/or reaffirms myth which both can be used in negating realism. It fits better with Burnham style which has a blocked out Kirby or Cooke feel. Either pretty cool stuff.
Grant Morrison is a mushroom fueled genius
I would really like some of what he's having. P.S. You really do have a funny and silly channel!
Matt Draper thanks dude, means a lot!
More like peyote lol
he's on fear toxin, wdym?
Or a genius fueled mushroom
* Adds Morrison’s Batman to cart *
That's going to come in handy for future videos ...
GoodOle JMar Be sure to get Gothic as well.
@@johnathonhaney8291 very underrated book
I think the artwork is amazing and perfectly apropriate to the story.
I'm baffled that you still have so little subscribers. Yet I respect your persistence! Go boy! We love you and want more content!
Thank you very much! In all honesty, I cover somewhat niche topics, so my videos generally have smaller audiences. But I'm consistently growing, so I'm thankful for that!
Dude, you deserve way more subscribers!
Thanks! The subscribers keep growing every day, which is all I can ask for.
The book is excellent in exploring mental representations and subjective memory... In rejecting realism, hence, the book explores human psychology. Amazing video and great connections! Enjoyed this!
This week, a discussion of a defining graphic novel in the history of Batman and the many elements that make it both iconic and frustrating. Enjoy!
Did this inspire the game?
@@sethleoric2598 yes
I miss the avant garde aesthetic and intellectual subtext of early Vertigo. I'm not saying I want it to come back for a revival, but I wish something equally as groundbreaking and meaningful would come out of comics now.
you know, since DC has done the joker movie this is a good opportunity to more art house style movies with these characters.
This one still remains one of my favorite Batman AND Grant Morrison stories of all time. In a real sense, I consider Amadeus Arkham to be the story's real protagonist, as it delves deeper into his descent into madness than anyone else's psychology. To me, it's a fitting followup to Morrison's earlier Legends of the Dark Knight four-parter Gothic with Klaus Jansen, which had a similar psychological focus through the conventions.
Also of note: there is something about Batman, Superman and even Shazam that brings out the best in Morrison as a writer. He has occasionally gone off the rails, like when he accused Warner Brothers of ripping off his ultra-pretentious and boring series The Invisibles to make The Matrix. Yet classic characters seem to ground his writing enough to make some wonderful stories.
Fantastic analysis! I agree about Morrison on classic characters. They seem to give him a solid grounding to his experimental ideas. And I love his single "Thunderworld" issue in The Multiversity, it's a joy to read.
I liked the story, however when reading it joker's dialogue is often difficult to read due to it's distortion which at the same time gives it some atmosphere.
The comics including these are basically tell us what the real Batman is. It’s so different than movies these days and its so much darker.
I think the story is best viewed as Bruce Wayne having a convuluted nightmare about his alter ego's life.
I just finished this one and damn it was good. It was a interesting way to see bruce humanised while being batman. Interesting way to see the psychology of it
Awesome video, content & review as ever Matt :) I love the way you document your thoughts and the way that you go through and give a structured & well-balanced analysis in a clear and concise way while also taking the time to further explain and justify your reasons behind your opinions and conclusions. I have this story on my trades/graphic novels to read pile along with Morrison's entire run on Batman which I can't wait to delve into keep up the stellar work!.
Thank you for the kind words, as always! I would say to start with this before reading the rest of his work, it's almost like the transition into his later take on the character.
There is so much depth that can be found in Batman, you made a great video here, keep making more!
Thanks! Lots more Batman content to come, spread out to keep things interesting.
*im a sucker for comic book stories with provocative themes and interesting backstory, this obviously being one of em, having said that, does anyone else have any recommendations for other stories like this ? It doesn’t have to be Batman or dc related either, like other graphic novels like this ???*
This is my favorite Batman story ever, the others being Dark Night: A True Batman Story, and Year One.
I was just pretending I fully understood this book. I'm glad other people found it sort of confusing
I didnt understand why maxie zeuz was toting around a bucket of shit
This Book was a true work of art.
Best analysis of the book on TH-cam.
5:25 I am now imagining an alternate universe where Dave McKean illustrated _The Killing Joke_ and Brian Bolland illustrated _Arkham Asylum._
I love Arkham Asylum it’s my favorite Batman book and DC book of all time
My only complaint with this book is the font they used for Joker’s dialogue. It’s so difficult to read and you really have to look hard to understand it. I understand that it was supposed to make him feel more creepy and unstable but I think it would’ve just been better if they made it the same font but kept the red text. Everything else is incredible tho
I like to think that this is all a nightmare in kid Bruce’s mind after his parents read him Alice in wonderland which would explain the trippiness of the book
it isn’t though
we was originally gonna get this adapted in joel schumacher batman unchained canceled film where all the previous villains in all 4 tim burtons/joel schumacher films wit scarecrow and harley quinn was gonna be the main villains
Imagine - you see Batman 89 in theatres when you're 8 years old and then you manage to get hold of this graphic novel..plus TDKR when you're 9-10, and I've been a Batman fan ever since. Those were the best times though!
I noticed the video has music from the movie Beyond the Black Rainbow, a movie that pairs well with the comic.
I’ve always wondered if there was a connection between Arkham Asylum and HP Lovecraft as though the ancient ones or Cthulhu resides under Arkham.
Would be cool if the reference is in the comics instead of real life.
Grant morrison should probably be up there with Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, and Douglas adams in terms of Surreality, difference is that somehow Grant Morrison's version makes more sense
It’s so beautiful broo I love the art
I love your channel man. I hope you grow. People like you doing this kinds of vids on youtube are so underrated. Keep up the good job ✌
Thank you! The support is greatly appreciated.
My uncle had this when it came out, he let me read it and i was floored by it. I often would re-read this with Metallica's The Unforgiving playing in my head. Just went so good together. The video of Unforgiven felt like the perfect tone for an Arkham Asylum movie, my 12 year old mind would imagine back then.
Jose Angel Hernandez *ya got a cool uncle*
Reading this while listing to the fan made audio drama was a spiritual experience almost
Great video and analysis
Thank you!
First. Love your channel great content and perfect in depth analysis are presented here. Hats off to you.
True! And thank you!
Matt Draper would you consider doing books like Ultimate Spider-Man, Think Tank, or Geoff Johns Green Lantern?
I will likely get to all of these at some point. Really, I choose these topics once I've finally figured out a take on the subject. So these will happen when I figure out what I want to say about them.
Matt Draper cool. I absolutely loved your review of the idw turtles so I'd love your take on Ultimate Spider-Man. And your analysis on how emotion s are such a motivating and cohesive part of life and the universe in green lantern. I think you would slay those so I'll be on the lookout and always interested in your thoughts and perspectives!
This is one of the best comics ever written, from artwork to story, its complete.
Great video man!
Thank you kindly!
I got totally lost in that scary, depressing atmosphere (the ,,Bambi" scene made me cry out loud, poor Batman😢)
P.S.: Joker is pretty gay there, that was the only funny thing about this comic I think.
Grant Morrison was one step ahead when it comes to criticising Batman's role as a plain and all-mighty character with random victories and contempt for Superman (well, bat-posers are the ones who actually hate Superman lol).
I like both.
Superman is my motivation ❤❤❤
A serious house on serious earth is my favorite comic
*is there more haunting type of Batman stories like the one being told here ?*
*its just im a huge Batman fan and a fan of scary and profound stories with mature and provocative themes, any recommendations like other Batman stories similar to this ? Thnx*
batman nosferatu,
Try Scott Snyder's ,,The death of Family"
ElseWorlds has some.
Great video!!
Editing on point!
Thank you very much!
Great video. Probably my favorite graphic novel
Though many are divided on the book, i think the objective of A Serious House on Serious Earth was to give Arkham Asylum a character to a kin to what Batman Year One did for Gotham City. True the story was established by Len Wein, but we didn't get that story fleshed out til now
Since we knew now about Barbatos I wonder if he could be part of this Comic eh the Dragon
I see why this comic is well loved. But the things I don't like is the weaker Batman and the crazy art style which makes the symbolism difficult to follow (and half the time you don't even know what's going on). But the thing about this being a nightmare Batman is having makes a lot more sense and really brings this story together.
This is my favorite Batman comic behind Killing Joke
PS I love your channel
Do batman gothic next as well as Morrison's doom patrol,JLA AND Action comics runs. Also Happy and the invisibles and the filth
People calling this book pretentious can shove it. Not understanding metaphors is their problem, not the author’s.
The art makes this comic
your videos are so fucking good, please keep up the great work.
Thank you very much!
My favorite Batman Book
I love Brian Bolland to death don't get me wrong but I don't think his art could've pulled off bringing this trip through a nightmare labyrinth to life as well as Dave McKean did in the end. Dave McKean's art literally feels like it was plucked from a nightmare, it literally has that same fuzzy, surreal quality that nightmares have, and I think it works to excellent effect in truly bringing out the horror of this story.
you've probably already read it but if you like McKean's art check out Mr Punch, I only read that once years ago and it's still in my head, i've blocked everything out though as except some random images and the atmosphere, iirc it's a bit dark.
This feels almost like a junji ito manga
It's a damn shame that this comic is often said to be "the scariest Batman comic ever made", and having it dive heavily into horror and psychology... and then Scarecrow (who is a perfect mix of both) is given less than a handful of panels in the entire comic. A wasted opportunity for sure.
Despite Scarecrow being my favorite Batman villain of all time, I’m hesitant to agree… I think the fact that Batman literally hides from the Scarecrow as he shambles through the hallway is a brilliant choice.
Batman battles the monstrous Killer Croc, attacks the repulsive Clayface, endures the antics of Mad Hatter and Maxie Zeus, and yet is so fragile mentally that he cannot face the Scarecrow. Something about The Batman, a figure of fear and elemental force bellowing with rage in the night, cowering in the shadows from a scrawny, silent Scarecrow is so powerful.
While I wish he’d been used more, I think showing Crane this way makes his impact on Batman so much deeper.
Eat shrooms then read the book. I genuinely want to know what happens.
Hmmm, the art work reminds me very much of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series.
The artist also did the cover arts of Sandman
I love McKean's artwork.
Bats is the most versatile Character ; from fighting Darkseid to fighting for his sanity.
Would you do a video on The John Wagner and Alan Grant era of Batman comics?
Hot take: Arkham Asylum is a Sandman story about Batman.
I feel like the artwork is perfect for this comic
I love this book so much. But I can’t stand Morrison’s later Batman run. Everyone is out of character, the dialogue is awful, and Morrison inflicting his own drug habits on Batman is terrible.
I do like his Batman, but I respect your differing opinion! Personally, his Dickbats era is my favorite of that later run on the character.
I think his later work on Batman is kind of a mixed bag. I really like "Batman and Robin" as well as "Batman Inc" and "The Return of Bruce Wayne" for how creative they were, but most of the earlier stuff in his run like the introduction of Damien isn't super great.
Hunter
It's ht or miss
I loved his Batman run. It goes to the characters roots and brings it to the modern world of comics. It's essential reading for any Batman fan imo. The scene where Batman digs himself out of the grave might be one of the most iconic moments of the character.
I loved it
And my art teacher thinks Batman isn't art, yeah I'm gonna show her this lmao😂👍🏻
Wonder how a Dark MultiVerse Version would look like lol
Where did you get the script from.
Arkham Asylum is my favorite Batman comic
Will we see Grant Morrison's take on Doom Patrol in your channel?
It's best to just label this as a nightmare that Bruce is having because I can't see a Batman that's too weak to fight off a slim psycho work along side people like Superman.
Honestly? I don't this story. I don't like the art, I don't like the storyline, I don't like many of the depictions...but I respect it. I respect this darker attempt at this story and as usual Matt Draper comes in clutch.
The only complaint I have about this comic is that it's the origin of the bullshit "Joker super sanity" thing, which I always read as a throwaway line intended to show how incompetent the doctors at Arkham were.
But no, DC writers had to take the idea and run with it, and I fucking hate it. Joker isn't fucking super sane. He is a psychologically disturbed attention whore. Nothing more, nothing less.
I love this book, I don't care what anyone says I love Arkham Asylum alongside TDKR and Year One.
I would like to believe that Batman has mpd (multiple personality disorder) and is already insane and all of the villains are really just innocent people he is killing. While of course he is in his batman personality, and the joker is one specific person he is pursuing but that one person keeps getting away
I know this comment is over 2 years old and not to be rude but I hate this idea of Batman. It really just seems like a way to completely be different just to be different
I felt so odd for like a solid hour after reading this thing
Leprosy Not AIDS💧
William Long
It doesn't matter. It's just some illness, what are people most scared of. A hundred years ago it was leprosy and nowadays it's AIDS.
So @Matt Draper. What's your stand on this story?
Do you want to show us a link to the scripts.
its in the back of the comic
Somehow the theme reminds me a bit of Silent Hill lol
Well technicaly Silwnt Hill reminds me of Serious Earth.
I think I'm going to start getting more into comic books. Does anyone have good recommendations for starters?
I would like something at least mildly compelling, not some "hero v villain" stuff. Thanks!
My recommendation for most people starting comics is to pick a genre or character that they like in other mediums, like Westerns or Batman, for example, and go from there. If you have some favorites, let me know and I can give you more specific suggestions.
Matt Draper
Batman is a favorite, Red Hood is pretty good too. I also enjoy some marvel characters, but I feel like they lack the depth of D.C. Characters. Are there any marvel books/heroes with good characters?
I'll butt in and recommend some books for you, let's start with Batman, you can read year one, the long Halloween, Arkham Asylum, Black mirror, dark night a true Batman story, Gotham central, and Killing Joke. for Superman, you can read all star superman, superman secret identity, Superman Birthright, Red Son, Kingdom Come, For the Man Who Has Everything, Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes. if you want a Marvel character you can read daredevil by these writers (they did long phases with multiple stories so it's easier to list their names) frank miller run, Brian Michael Bendis Run, Mark Waid run,there is Moon knight too, with the arcs made by the writer jeff Lemire, if you like Captain America you can read man out of time, and the Ed Brubaker phase,if you like thor,i recommend you getting the walt simonson run, and Butcher of Gods and at last, a list of less popular characters with excellent stories are, swamp thing written by alan morre,doom patrol by grant morrison,animal man by grant morrison, DC- The New Frontier, inhumans by paul jenkins, annihilation, and annihilation conquest, X-Factor by peter david, Marvels, Shazam! by Jeff Smith, Sandman by Neil Gaiman, sandman mystery theater, Omega men the End is Here, that's it,sorry for the long comment
These are great suggestions.
I really enjoy Daredevil, specifically Born Again and the runs by Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, and Mark Waid. Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson is great. Hawkeye by Matt Fraction if you like something a little more modern and offbeat. Also, Fantastic Four by Mark Waid or Jonathan Hickman. Captain America by Ed Brubaker. And Thor by Jason Aaron.
if Francis Bacon drew Batman
This is FUCKED UP
Oh shit!
What other stories did Dave McKeen work on.
the sandman and mr punch are 2 of the main ones
Flaws?
I'd say Wolverine is even more flexible than batman. You can do anything with him
Finally someone understood Logan.
Yeah, true.😄
I found artwork some what weird. I couldn’t get into it.
I remember really not enjoying this graphic novel when I first read it, until I read the script in an anniversary edition. The script, especially with its annotations, was excellent and made me realize how much Dave McKean's art ruined that experience for me. This video, while interesting and enjoyable, also made me remember how much I hate Dave McKean's work in my comic books.
Your books? Not that you're a writer.
what is sanity what is madness
what is a man
what is real
what do these questions have in common there really REALLY annoying
*They're
@@CrashWeezerman a true intellectual we have here :/
It's not pretentious.
Ooh sketchy...
The art is very different here. Tried my best to make sure everything was clear enough to see.
Dave McKean sounds like a pain in the ass to work with, hate people who don't cooperate and just toss out whatever work half the creative team lays out.
Especially when all they end up doing is making a mess, and being all judgemental about the source material.
Just suck up the fact you're drawing a batman story and stop acting so high and mighty about it.
McKean still made the book infinitely better
Arkham Asylum is a creatively bankrupt story. All it manages to say in its 90+ pages is that Batman is insane, as well as everybody in Arkham, including its founder. That's after Alan Moore had already done The Killing Joke, the main idea of which was, in the words of Alan Moore: "That Batman isn't that different from Joker". And the fact Morrison wanted Bolland only further suggests he was just copying Moore, like he did pretty much the whole of his career. The only great thing about Arkham Asylum was McKean's art, which is amazing.