| rdfs:comment | - Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is a Batman graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean. It was originally published in the United States in both hardcover and softcover editions by DC Comics in 1989. The subtitle is taken from line 55 of the poem "Church Going", by Philip Larkin.
- La historia comienza con una secuencia flashback protagonizada por Amadeus Arkham, el arquitecto y primer administrador del Asilo Arkham, detallando la renovación de Arkham de la mansión de la familia hacia un asilo tras la muerte de su madre Elizabeth y la posterior herencia de la propiedad.
- In his original script printed in the 15th Anniversary Edition (2004), Morrison remarks on several details behind the genesis of the work: Len Wein... had written a few short and evocative paragraphs on the history of Arkham Asylum [in the DC Who's Who series] and it was here I learned of poor Amadeus Arkham, the hospital's founder.... [Arkham]'s themes were inspired by Lewis Carroll, quantum physics, Jung, and Crowley; its visual style by surrealism, Cocteau, Artaud, Svankmajer, the Brothers Quay, etc. The intention was to create something that was more like a piece of music or an experimental film than a typical adventure comic book. I wanted to approach Batman from the point of view of the dreamlike, emotional and irrational hemisphere, as a response to the very literal, 'realistic', 'l
- Commissioner Gordon informs Batman that the patients of Arkham Asylum have taken over the facility, threatening to murder the staff unless Batman agrees to meet with them. Among the hostages are Dr. Charles Cavendish, Arkham's administrator, and Dr. Ruth Adams, a therapist. The patients are led by the Joker, who kills a guard to spur Batman to obey his wishes. Meanwhile, Two-Face's mental condition has deteriorated as a result of Adams' therapy; she replaced Two-Face's trademark coin with a six-sided die and a tarot deck, in each instance increasing the number of choices he has (as opposed to two choices from his original coin) in the hope that he will eventually not leave any of his choices up to chance. Instead, the treatment renders him incapable of even making simple decisions, such as
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| abstract | - La historia comienza con una secuencia flashback protagonizada por Amadeus Arkham, el arquitecto y primer administrador del Asilo Arkham, detallando la renovación de Arkham de la mansión de la familia hacia un asilo tras la muerte de su madre Elizabeth y la posterior herencia de la propiedad. thumb|left|270pxEl 1 de abril, el Comisario Gordon informa a Batman que los pacientes del Asilo Arkham han tomado el edificio, y que matarán al personal a menos que Batman acceda a reunirse con ellos. Entre los rehenes están una joven mujer llamada Pearl, que trabaja en la cocina; el actual administrador, el Doctor Cavendish; y la Doctora Ruth Adams, la terapeuta. Los pacientes están siendo liderados por Máscara Negra y el Joker, quienes matan a un guardia para obligar a Batman a obedecer sus deseos. Dos Caras, mientras tanto, ha degenerado en la locura incluso más allá como resultado de una terapia fallida de Adams; ella reemplazó su moneda por un dado de seis caras, y luego con una baraja de tarot, dejándole incapaz de tomar decisiones simples como ir al baño. Batman se ve forzado a un juego de sigilo y búsqueda, y le comunican que tiene una hora para atravesar los pasillos laberínticos y encontrar un camino de salida antes que sus antiguos enemigos sean enviados para buscarle. Batman pelea por todo Arkham y con su propio subconsciente hasta que alcanza una sala secreta en las alturas de una torre del asilo: una sala que no ha sido alterada desde el día que la propiedad sirvió a Amadeus Arkham como la casa de su infancia. Dentro, el Doctor Cavendish lleva puesto un vestido de novia y presiona una navaja contra la garganta de la Doctora Adams. Él revela que ha sido uno de los que organizaron los disturbios. Cuando Batman le interroga, le ruega que lea un pasaje marcado en el diario secreto de Amadeus Arkham. La habitación oculta resulta ser el dormitorio de Elizabeth Arkham. Durante años, ella sufrió alucinaciones en las que era atormentada por una criatura sobrenatural, y llamaba a su hijo para que la protegiera. Un día, sin embargo, él acabó viendo lo que su madre veía: un gran murciélago, el fantasma de la muerte. Tomando una navaja con mango de perlas de su bolsillo, cortó la garganta de su madre para liberarla de su sufrimiento. Debido al impacto de sus acciones, a Amadeus Arkham se le bloqueaba su memoria, y atribuyó la muerte de su madre a un suicidio. Años más tarde, su esposa e hija fueron asesinadas por uno de sus antiguos pacientes, un asesino en serie llamado Martin "Perro Loco" Hawkings. La tragedia le trajo de vuelta el recuerdo de la verdadera muerte de su madre. Traumatizado, Amadeus se puso el vestido de novia de su madre y sacó la navaja de perlas. Arrodillado en la sangre de su familia, se comprometió a vincular el espíritu maligno de "El Murciélago" a través de rituales y brujería, creyendo que habitaba en la casa. Él continuó su misión incluso después de ingresar él mismo en su Asilo; marcó las palabras del conjuro en las paredes y el suelo de su celda con sus uñas hasta el día de su muerte. Cavendish, al descubrir el diario de Amadeus Arkham, la navaja y el vestido, empieza a creer que es el destinado a continuar con el trabajo de Arkham. El uno de abril, la fecha del asesinato de la familia de Amadeus, quería atraer a Batman al pensar que sería el espíritu de "El Murciélago". Le acusa de alimentar el demonio de la casa por traerle más almas en la locura. Comienza una pelea con Batman, en la que se le cae accidentalmente la navaja; Adams, reaccionando instintivamente, la recoge y atraviesa la garganta de Cavendish, causándole la muerte. Batman recupera la moneda de Dos Caras, alegando que sería Dos Caras el único que decidiera su destino. Al devolverla, Dos Caras comunica que si la moneda cae por la parte rayada ellos matarían a Batman, en caso contrario le dejarían marchar. Dos Caras lanza la moneda, y declara a Batman libre de irse. Mirando a la luna, Dos Caras revela que la moneda había caído por la parte rayada.
- In his original script printed in the 15th Anniversary Edition (2004), Morrison remarks on several details behind the genesis of the work: Len Wein... had written a few short and evocative paragraphs on the history of Arkham Asylum [in the DC Who's Who series] and it was here I learned of poor Amadeus Arkham, the hospital's founder.... [Arkham]'s themes were inspired by Lewis Carroll, quantum physics, Jung, and Crowley; its visual style by surrealism, Cocteau, Artaud, Svankmajer, the Brothers Quay, etc. The intention was to create something that was more like a piece of music or an experimental film than a typical adventure comic book. I wanted to approach Batman from the point of view of the dreamlike, emotional and irrational hemisphere, as a response to the very literal, 'realistic', 'left brain' treatment of superheroes which was in vogue at the time, in the wake of The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, and others. An additional reference to the work as a "response" to trends of the time is made in a later note: "The repressed, armored, uncertain and sexually frozen [Bat]man in Arkham Asylum was intended as a critique of the '80s interpretation of Batman as violent, driven, and borderline psychopathic." Morrison goes on to explain that this conception of the character is for this book alone, and that his other work involving Batman has cast him in a far different (and more positive) light. He explains, ... the story is woven tightly around a small number of symbolic elements, which combine and recombine throughout, as if in a dream: the Moon, the Shadow, the Mirror, the Tower, and the Mother's Son. The construction of the story was influenced by the architecture of a house — the past and the tale of Amadeus Arkham forms the basement levels. Secret passages connect ideas and segments of the book. There are upper stories of unfolding symbol and metaphor. We were also referencing sacred geometry, and the plan of the Arkham House was based on the Glastonbury Abbey and Chartres Cathedral. The journey through the book is like moving through the floors of the house itself. The house and the head are one.
- Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is a Batman graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean. It was originally published in the United States in both hardcover and softcover editions by DC Comics in 1989. The subtitle is taken from line 55 of the poem "Church Going", by Philip Larkin.
- Commissioner Gordon informs Batman that the patients of Arkham Asylum have taken over the facility, threatening to murder the staff unless Batman agrees to meet with them. Among the hostages are Dr. Charles Cavendish, Arkham's administrator, and Dr. Ruth Adams, a therapist. The patients are led by the Joker, who kills a guard to spur Batman to obey his wishes. Meanwhile, Two-Face's mental condition has deteriorated as a result of Adams' therapy; she replaced Two-Face's trademark coin with a six-sided die and a tarot deck, in each instance increasing the number of choices he has (as opposed to two choices from his original coin) in the hope that he will eventually not leave any of his choices up to chance. Instead, the treatment renders him incapable of even making simple decisions, such as going to the bathroom. The Joker forces Batman into a game of hide and seek, giving him one hour to escape Arkham before his adversaries are sent to hunt him down. However, unbeknownst to Batman, the Joker shortens the time from one hour after being pressured by the other inmates. Batman subsequently encounters Clayface, Mad Hatter, and Maxie Zeus, among other villains. During a struggle with Killer Croc, Batman is thrown out of a window, grabbing onto the statue of an angel. Clutching the statue's bronze spear, Batman climbs back inside and impales Croc before throwing him out the window, sustaining a severe wound from the spear in the process. Batman finally reaches a secret room high in the towers of the asylum. Inside, he discovers Cavendish dressed in a bridal gown and threatening Adams with a razor. It is revealed that he orchestrated the riots. When questioned by Batman, Cavendish has him read a passage from the diary of the asylum's founder, Amadeus Arkham. In flashbacks, we see that Arkham's mentally ill mother, Elizabeth, suffered delusions of being tormented by a Supernatural Bat. After seeing the creature himself, Arkham cut his mother's throat to end her suffering. He blocked out the memory, only to have it return after an inmate, Martin "Mad Dog" Hawkins, raped and murdered Arkham's wife and daughter. Traumatized, Arkham donned his mother's wedding dress and razor, vowing to bind the evil spirit of "The Bat" with sorcery. He treats Hawkins for months before finally killing him by means of electrocution during a shock therapy session. Arkham continues his mission even after he is incarcerated in his own asylum; using his fingernails, he scratches the words of a binding spell all over his cell until his death. After discovering the diary, razor, and dress, Cavendish came to believe that he was destined to continue Arkham's work. On April Fools Day—the date Arkham's family was murdered—Cavendish released the patients and lured Batman to the asylum, believing him to be the bat Arkham spoke of. Cavendish accuses him of feeding the evil of the asylum by bringing it more insane souls. Batman and Cavendish proceed to struggle, which ends after Adams slashes Cavendish's throat with the razor. Seizing an axe, Batman hacks down the front door of the asylum, proclaiming that the inmates are now free. The Joker offers to put him out of his misery. Batman retrieves Two-Face's coin from Adams and returns it to him, stating that it should be up to Two-Face to decide Batman's fate. Two-Face declares that they will kill Batman if the coin lands scratched side up, but let him go if the unscarred side appears. Two-Face flips the coin and declares Batman free. The Joker bids Batman good-bye, taunting him by saying that should life ever become too much for him in "the asylum" (the outside world) then he always has a place in Arkham. As Batman disappears into the night, Two-Face stands looking at the coin and it is revealed that it landed scratched side up – he chose to let Batman go. He then turns to the stack of tarot cards and recites a passage from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: "Who cares for you? You're nothing but a pack of cards."
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