Shadow Strike

I really really love this book. It's a complete deconstruction of the character of Batman, and I love how it parallels Amadeus Arkham's story. While there are some problems, such as the artwork being a double edged sword. I love how the art feels more demonic and ghostly, reflecting Arkham Asylum. But at the same time i couldn't tell what was happening in the scenery a lot of the time. For example, i couldn't tell the difference between Black Mask and Doctor Destiny (who just feels kinda out of place for me), or even Killer Croc and Clayface, since they looked so similar. Batman also seemed unusually talkative in the comic, but i guess that's just me. But it totally makes up for it. This story is one of the most detailed stories i have read from DC. Almost every page is like a double entendre for something else. The artwork is stunning for the most part, with the ghostly visuals, and sometimes when reading the story i felt like i was going mad with Batman in the asylum. The idea of Batman being just an insane as the people he fights on a daily basis is very interesting to me, and how he himself would be perfect in Arkham Asylum. The story also deviates from many comic book tropes. In the end, Batman's greatest enemy in the book was himself, and the ending reflects upon that. The story itself feels like you're journeying through a madhouse, losing bits of your mind as you get lost in the madness in both Batman and Amadeus Arkham's story. It feels more like a psychological thriller than a typical comic book. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth strives to be more than what a comic book should be, and by God does it achieve that in my eyes. 9/10.