YMMV / Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • In the notes to the script included in the 15th anniversary edition, Morrison admits that this interpretation of the Batman (as an insecure, sexually repressed, infantile mama's boy) can only apply to this comic, that it's meant to be a death and rebirth for Batman. Invoked by Morrison in response to all the interpretations of Batman as borderline sociopathic, and partly because this was one of Grant and McKean's earliest professional projects.
  • Though the abstract storytelling makes it hard to know for sure, the story also leaves open the suggestion that Bruce Wayne may (or may not) really be either possessed by an evil spirit that gives him a symbiotic connection with Arkham Asylum, or the latest reincarnation of the deranged psychologist who founded the asylum.
  • Most incarnations of Doctor Destiny have him as a 7-foot tall, muscular titan with a skull for a head. Morrison re-imagined him as an emaciated cripple, trapped in a wheelchair, wasted by his inability to dream. This incarnation was also used by Neil Gaiman in The Sandman (1989), to good effect.
• And You Thought It Would Fail: In one of the anniversary paperbacks, Grant Morrison recalls how an early version of the script was passed around for people to look at. Most of them thought the psychological horror and heavy symbolism was not only a failure, but the dumbest Batman story ever. They all laughed their asses off, and in the paperback, Morrison asks them Who's Laughing Now?.
• Anti-Climax Boss: Oh, Batman's fighting Doctor Destiny? As in, Reality Warper oneiromancer Doctor Destiny? Gee, I wonder how he'll defeat such a powerful opponent. Wait, did he just push Destiny down the stairs?
• Awesome Art: Words cannot describe how horrifying and amazing the artwork looks.
• Crosses the Line Twice: Call it sick if you want, but Batman defeating Doctor Destiny by pushing him down a flight of stairs is audaciously, "I'm-the-goddamn-Batman" hilarious.
• Delusion Conclusion: One which has been suggested by Grant Morrison themself in the 15th Anniversary Edition is that the whole story is a nightmare Bruce had after a night of crimefighting, after which he wakes up, purged of his more negative traits to be more of how Morrison wrote Bruce afterward.
• Ensemble Dark Horse:
  • Mad Hatter doesn't even do much: Just sit and smoke opium while talking about his girls and Leaning on the Fourth Wall for a bit, with Batman barely reacting to him. This depiction of the Hatter as a heavily deluded sexual predator proved very popular, and most further depictions of Jervis have at least implied this characterisation.
  • Clayface III also is considered a big highlight of the book, part because of his Body Horror design and part because Batman seems actually grossed out and kind of scared of him. Admit it, if you're a fan of Preston Payne, it's because of this comic (Either that or Alan Moore's Batman Annual #11, "Mortal Clay").
  • Prof. Milo also seems surprisingly popular, being, in a very dark sense, the Only Sane Man in Arkham both literally and metaphorically.
• Fanon: It's a very popular theory that the whole story is a nightmare that main universe Bruce had, justifying the surreal artwork, the Leaning on the Fourth Wall elements, the barely coherent plot, the heavy influence of psychology and Batman being unusually weak, but also the more hopeful elements like Two-Face's recovery.
• Genius Bonus: Like most Morrison books. Don't forget to have in hand your Rider-Waite tarot deck, your book about the Kabbalah and the holographic principle and your notes on Carl Jung.
• Harsher in Hindsight:
  • "I almost wish she need never grow up."
  • The Joker's crack about Robin being old enough to shave yet was written before Jason Todd had died in the regular books (at the hands of the Joker, no less) but the book came after. Morrison noted all it did was add another layer to the Joker's audacity in saying it.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: This wouldn't be the last time Joker and pencils in people's eyes would cross paths.
• Less Disturbing in Context: Clayface's portrayal, while still creepy, feels a lot less inexplicable if you're aware of when the comic was released. The Clayface featured here is actually the third one, Preston Payne, who suffered painful Body Horror he could only soothe by using his Touch of Death powers on people, hence his sickly appearance and weird dialogue about giving Batman his sickness. Likewise, Batman brutally breaking Clayface's leg to keep him away is good deal more understandable if you know all that; it isn't a vicious Kick the Dog moment, Clayface is trying to melt him and Batman is defending himself.
• Narm: It's hard to tell whether or not this was intentional Black Comedy or just Morrison trying to make an obvious Visual Pun horrifying; as Amadeus discovers his daughter's head in the doll house, the cuckoo clock chimes to signal the moment he goes cuckoo for Coco Puffs.
• One-Scene Wonder: Most villains only get a single appearance, but they're played for all their worth.
  • Maxie Zeus only appears for one scene and does nothing but ramble out a speech, but he leaves a major and chilling impact. Perhaps fitting, as his portrayal here is heavily based on another One-Scene Wonder, the insane Earl from The Ruling Class.
  • Scarecrow gets a one page cameo spastically walking down a hallway with a pitchfork... and it is haunting.
  • Mad Hatter too. Read Ensemble Dark Horse above.
• Sequelitis: A "spiritual sequel", written and illustrated by Sam Kieth and entitled Arkham Asylum: Madness, was released in 2006. Basically nobody remembers or likes it.
• Squick: Take your pick, really.
  • Clayface's... "condition" comes to mind.
  • There's also Batman driving a shard of glass through his own palm.
  • In the early sketches, the Joker was supposed to be dressed as Madonna.
  • Grant Morrison said that their mentor suggested a bearded Joker, symbolizing Vagina Dentata.
  • The implications, and imagery, of sexual abuse in the Arkham family are disturbing enough without Amadeus Arkham talking about his daughter Harriet.
  "..and She is so very intelligent. And so very beautiful. I almost wish she need never grow up."
  • The panel where Amadeus is in the carnival and facing the "Tunnel of Love" was disturbing enough where it really wasn't a mystery what went on between him and his mother.
  • Maxie Zeus offering up a barrel of his own feces to Batman.

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