Is Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum Graphic Novel a Modern Masterpiece or a Pretentious mess?
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is a graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean. The book was published in 1989.
I've always been interested in reading comics that do something different with the medium. That's why I decided to pick up Arkham Asylum. There is something otherworldly and wholly disturbing about Dave McKean's artwork, his unique blend of Illustration, painting, and heavy digital compositing is masterful. His range of art styles and use of media is astonishing. In the foreword, Grant Morrison praises McKean for his efforts to make Arkham Asylum a singular vision.
Showing up many preconceived notions of comic books as immature stories with simple plots, I was surprised by the slow pace and convoluted plot of Arkham Asylum. Although it is considered a masterpiece by many, I find myself divided about this book. Grant Morrison is one of comics most intriguing and unique voices. His work is often cerebral yet universal in it's messaging. He uses symbolism throughout the tale in a way that leaves you guessing whether or not this reality or a delusion of Batman's own damaged psyche. Motifs are repeated and hammered home in the parallels between real world mental and physical health issues (i.e. Clayface and the Aids epidemic); as well as Batman and the Arkham family. Both men are driven by a desire to fix humanity, yet are tainted by familial tragedies and twisted obsessions.
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In my opinion, the artwork in Arkham Asylum is some of the best I've ever seen in comics. However, that does not overshadow how tedious and slow the story moves at times. That being said, there are scenes where you really feel Batman's frustration as Arkham's inmates beat on him relentlessly. There are moments where the story is overtaken by the artwork and things get lost and muddled in the execution. Both McKean and Morrison refusing to yield ground to the other throwing the book off balance and leaving the reader to strain to focus back on the story. It's dizzying and disorienting, yet helps you feel more engrossed in the world of Arkham Asylum.
I was able to read the 25th anniversary hardcover, which includes the original script. This was a tremendous help in helping me understand the complex story on a deeper level without being disoriented by the constant sensory overload of McKean's artwork and style. The Anniversary edition is peppered with notes from Morrison and an essay by Jason Aaron. They encourage the reader to slow down and put some effort into seeing what they are trying to do. It is open to interpretation on all levels, creating new discussions on its symbolism. It can be seen as both metaphorical and realistic at the same time with McKean's artwork cleverly drawing elements from old Victorian era paintings, which was so innovative for its time.
Definitely check out this book, but make sure to ready yourself before you do because the thing about Arkham Asylum... is that it's not just a comic book, but more of an experience that has multiple layers of engagement beyond just being a story for you to read.