Clayface, who looks like he's flaking apart.Beetle Maniac: Amadeus Arkham inherited his obsession with beetles from his mother, who ate them because of their mythological significance as a symbol of rebirth.And by finest, we mean "most pants-crappingly scary". Bedlam House: Arkham at its finest, folks.April Fools' Plot: The story takes place on April Fools' Day.Like, for instance, one little inscription that's scratched into the doorway of Maxie Zeus' electroshock chamber in Greek, which is significant to the scene, and it translates to "Discover thyself." Again, the artwork is very loosely defined (and in some cases bypasses the original script).McKean or anything) helps to clarify what's happening in some of the more abstractly illustrated scenes. It explains the use of some images, some of the stuff that was cut out, and (not to diss Mr. All There in the Script: The only way to really understand the sheer amount of symbolism and imagery stuffed in this story is by buying the 15th Anniversary Edition, which includes the annotated script.There's still some Freudian vibes, though - Batman and Arkham are both fucked up because of their parents, and there's a lot of vaginas. Morrison actually wanted to write a Batman story based on Jungian psychology for a change. All Psychology Is Freudian: Averted, mostly.It's also stated that "Mad Dog" Hawkins was sexually abused by his father as well, which contributed to his descent into insanity, leading him to rape and kill as many women he can, including Amadeus's wife and daughter. This is backed up by the drawing she did of her parents, which if you look closely also appears to be external female genitalia. Not only Amadeus's parents, it's implied Amadeus Arkham and Constance, his wife, sexually abused Harriet, their daughter.It is hinted that Amadeus Arkham's parents sexually abused him, specifically in the " Tunnel of Love" imagery from his childhood dreams, and the way his face is situated in said image.The video game Batman: Arkham Asylum also takes many cues from the graphic novel (along with Batman: The Animated Series and Arkham Asylum: Living Hell). The current release is the Deluxe 25th Anniversary edition. More recent editions come with a full script, which is a huge help in understanding what the hell is going on. While the events of the story are only considered canon by some writers, the backstory of Arkham Asylum and the Arkhams has been integrated into the mainstream DC Universe. The title is taken from Philip Larkin's poem "Church Going". What follows is a surrealist, heavily atmospheric sequence of symbols based on everything from The Bible and the occult to Jungian and Freudian psychology. As they plan to exact revenge, Batman runs into the depths of the asylum. Many years later, the inmates have taken over (as opposed to just getting out like usual) and threaten to kill the staff unless Batman comes. A 1989 Batman graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean.Īmadeus Arkham ended up living the remainder of his life in the asylum he founded, after losing a battle with his own private mental illness which started at childhood and was fueled by the murder of his wife and daughter.
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