alexus_sb's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
So freaking confusing. And the art sucks.
arianamadison's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
croller584's review against another edition
4.0
Arkham's Story
The artwork alone is worth reading this title. It's fits perfectly with the most unsettling, horrific and violent batman tales.
The artwork alone is worth reading this title. It's fits perfectly with the most unsettling, horrific and violent batman tales.
younglacksleepii's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
thundrflap's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
garrodot's review against another edition
2.0
A high school lit mag if half the contributors has been told the theme was Batman. The art is at times quite beautiful, but more often than not hinders the story. The original script included in the book reveals many important details entirely omitted from the final product due to the murky art. Style utterly trumps the readers ability to understand certain scenes. The author's frustration with the art peeks through a few times in his "commentary" on the script - including a story where the artist refused to paint Robin into the story, thinking the character beneath him.
That being said, even if a great artist had perfectly rendered this script, it would still at best be a heady philosophical mix of symbolisms and allusions at the forefront, run-of-the-mill Batman story as an afterthought. Here we see the weakest Batman I've ever read, who is pushed over the edge by "trauma" lesser than most stories he lives through. Broken and crazy, he stumbles and brutally lashes out, barely surviving a mildly threatening evening.
I appreciate a very unique and thoughtful take on Batman. Clearly there is passion oozing out of every page. They worked hard to bring some depth to a character and genre often treated very shallowly. But when your symbolism is layered unfathombly thick (see the fish represents pisces, tarot, Jesus and androgyny at the same time! Oh also the Joker, and it might have been a time travelled thought.) it's not really impressive... it feels hobbled together. Furthermore, the final product doesn't even include all the pieces for your fish point to be made, because the artist decided it wasn't necessary.
Just didn't work for me.
That being said, even if a great artist had perfectly rendered this script, it would still at best be a heady philosophical mix of symbolisms and allusions at the forefront, run-of-the-mill Batman story as an afterthought. Here we see the weakest Batman I've ever read, who is pushed over the edge by "trauma" lesser than most stories he lives through. Broken and crazy, he stumbles and brutally lashes out, barely surviving a mildly threatening evening.
I appreciate a very unique and thoughtful take on Batman. Clearly there is passion oozing out of every page. They worked hard to bring some depth to a character and genre often treated very shallowly. But when your symbolism is layered unfathombly thick (see the fish represents pisces, tarot, Jesus and androgyny at the same time! Oh also the Joker, and it might have been a time travelled thought.) it's not really impressive... it feels hobbled together. Furthermore, the final product doesn't even include all the pieces for your fish point to be made, because the artist decided it wasn't necessary.
Just didn't work for me.
wereallinthegutter's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
benorolfo's review against another edition
2.0
The art takes the form of a whirling dream-state that I appreciate greatly. Who doesn't like trippy psychedelic symbolisms, especially in such an edgy character as Batman? That being said, I don't think that the story it was trying to tell achieved the same heights it was visually churning out. The writing was hardly cohesive, which I think was intentional to let its unorthodox graphics carry most of the weight of messaging--but nonetheless it was really hard to enjoy as a "read" overall, it's better to see it as an extensive and experimental soliloquy.