Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Batman: Arkham Asylum New Edition by Grant Morrison

4 reviews

sebastiandabookreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Rape, and Vomit

Minor: Miscarriage

It's pretty crazy

thechocolatefinger's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is the one where Joker slaps Batman’s butt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Excrement

The transphobia is how the Joker’s cross-dressing is treated. The homophobia is implied from the AIDS portrayal of Clayface.

ermw0's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

3.75

I enjoyed this in one sitting. The artwork is complex and stunning, deserving of long and thoughtful examination. The story itself is haunting and grotesque. I will say that at points the artwork is a bit hard to decipher, so I was confused at what was happening during certain moments. Also, the Joker’s dialogue in that red font is a bold style choice but also equally hard to read. I enjoyed the full text included in the back, because a lot of the references and symbology went over my head. So on its own it was a disturbing story but I missed out on a lot of the deeper stuff until I read the end. That’s why I gave it the rating I did! Some of it just seems a bit ridiculous- Batman just shows up, does his thing, and then leaves? No problem? Arkham the video game really fleshes out what’s in here in a unique way. Also getting a little tired of the “wife and child brutally murdered as a plot device for the man” though this time it’s used to be the breaking point for the man’s embrace of madness. I know this was originally published in the 80’s but still. Felt a bit rushed overall, like I was digging into the middle and then all of the sudden it was over? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

lu_carmenrd's review against another edition

dark inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

such a devilish and grotesque comic. the theatricality of the artwork combined with the storyline gave me a thrilling but morbid experience.

what i loved the most was the dramatic dark art and the chaos it creates. the artstyle is mind-blowing, and i think it fully describes the asylum, giving a feeling of being swallowed into its depths. i also found interesting the constant shifting between rough artwork and more delicate, detailed illustrations, as well as the inclusion of realistic photography. the dynamics of the fight scenes should also be noted. overall, the artwork was a constant source of inspiration while reading the comic.

the plotline was quite interesting. i mainly enjoyed the flashbacks, and the alternations and parallels between timelines. combined with the artwork, it perfectly transmits the loneliness, the desperation and sadness, the struggles and the pain inside the asylum, not to mention that i was being reminded of norman bates from psycho the entire time. i also loved the use of symbolism, and inclusion of religious and occultist meanings.

bottomline: it's a must buy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Grief, and Medical trauma

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts