Batman Arkham Asylum — 10 Big Differences Between The Game & The Graphic Novel

Batman: Arkham Asylum — 10 Big Differences Between The Game & The Graphic Novel

Though the two have many similarities, the video game Batman: Arkham Asylum is rather different from Grant Morrison and Dave McKean’s comic.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

With Gotham Knights on the horizon, gamers have a new Batman universe to look forward to with the Arkham universe more or less coming to a close after Arkham Knight. On any run-through of the series, fans will begin with the game that started it all, Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Many players are unaware that the game was inspired by Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, a graphic novel by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean. While the two share similar elements, both the video game and the comic book are vastly different in terms of themes, characterization, and tone. The 1989 comic ultimately presented a twisted world gamers in 2009 wouldn’t have been ready for.

10 The Graphic Novel Has A Much Darker Tone

Batman: Arkham Asylum isn’t a lighthearted game, but it has that fun quality that any Batman game should have. At its very core, the game is Die Hard with Batman, with the Dark Knight easily trouncing hapless goons to rescue hostages from the Joker. A simple but effective premise that is sometimes overshadowed by the game’s unique features.

A Serious House on Serious Earth has been called many things, but “fun” does not number among them. In essence, the graphic novel is a horror story, with Arkham Asylum itself being treated as a haunted house that a surprisingly less capable Batman must make his way through to humor a far more sinister Clown Prince of Crime.

9 Two Very Different Artistic Styles

In regards to style, the game and the graphic novel are radically different. The game presents an art style that would go on to inform the rest of the games in the series, presenting grounded environments and character designs that are still informed by classic comic book artwork.

The graphic novel is a different story, as Dave McKean’s nightmarish illustrations and use of mixed media bring forth grotesque yet fascinating versions of well-known characters such as the Joker. These conflicting art styles serve to illustrate one of the core differences between the two works.

8 Batman Is Weaker In The Graphic Novel

The Caped Crusader is at his zenith in Arkham Asylum, rarely meeting a challenge he can’t deal with. Batman has the best gadgets, the deadliest martial arts experience, incredibly useful stealth skills, and a talented voice actor to play the role behind him.

In contrast, the version of the character in the graphic novel is a shadow of the heroic figure seen in the Arkham games. Though artistically portrayed as an ethereal silhouette, Grant Morrison’s Batman is dealing with a fragile ego and is quite unprepared for the horrors he must overcome. Though less capable, this is clearly Morrison’s intention for the character and it works well for the story.

7 Joker’s Role Is Expanded In The Game

Voiced by the iconic Mark Hamill, famous for playing the character in Batman: The Animated Series, the Joker, as he is portrayed in Arkham Asylum, is essentially a PG-13 version of his animated counterpart. Though he is far more bloodthirsty than his more kid-friendly cousin, this Joker is still extremely funny in the game.

He is also a presence that pervades over the majority of the game’s narrative, something the graphic novel’s Joker can’t boast. Though he is still the main villain, he only really appears a few times in the story. However, this incarnation of the Joker makes up for it by being utterly terrifying, with both McKean’s horrifying artwork and Morrison’s dialogue cementing this monstrous incarnation.

6 The Characters That Are Present

Much like the Joker, the characters Scarecrow and Killer Croc appear in both the graphic novel and the game. While Killer Croc essentially serves the role of Batman’s ultimate test in both formats, Jonathan Crane’s role is more expansive in the game, as in the comic he only serves as a cameo, which is unfortunate as Scarecrow is one of Batman’s greatest foes.

On the side of the angels, Commissioner Gordon also appears in both stories. In the comic, he convinces Batman to travel to Arkham Asylum to stop Joker, while in the game he is captured by Joker and has to be rescued by Batman.

5 The Absent Characters

In Batman: Arkham Asylum, Harley Quinn and Bane both play major roles, but neither had been created when the graphic novel was written. At the same time, Poison Ivy and Oracle both make appearances in the game, though they are absent in the graphic novel, while Aaron Cash was actually created for another Arkham-based comic book miniseries, Arkham Asylum: Living Hell.

A Serious House on Serious Earth features characters like Professor Milo, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Black Mask, Doctor Destiny, and Maxie Zeus, some of whom are reduced to Easter eggs in the game. Meanwhile, the roles of the characters Dr. Ruth Adams and Dr. Cavendish are given to Dr. Penelope Young and Warden Sharpe, both of whom were created for the game.

4 Two-Face

Another character who is absent from the game is Two-Face, who plays a pivotal role in the graphic novel. In the graphic novel, Two-Face’s story is a tragic one, as Dr. Adams has taken his coin and replaced it with a deck of tarot cards, which inadvertently makes him unable to make decisions.

Two-Face is mentioned here and there throughout the game but never makes a proper appearance. Batman: Arkham City included the character, but he was more in line with his traditional comic book characterization as opposed to Morrison’s unique depiction.

3 Arkham Is Larger In The Game

Though Arkham Island pails in comparison to the rest of the maps of the Arkham games size-wise, it is still a massive facility. Featuring several wings, an enormous sewer system, and even has the Arkhamverse’s first Batcave.

Dave McKean’s complex artwork makes it hard to figure out the exact size of the asylum, but it’s clearly much smaller than the game’s version. The majority of the graphic novel’s story takes place in an Arkham Asylum that once served as the home of the unfortunate Arkham family.

2 Amadeus Arkham’s Role Is Lessened In The Game

While Batman takes center stage, the graphic novel’s main character is Amadeus Arkham. His story is told through flashbacks, detailing his childhood where he cared for his mother, the early days of his medical practice, the murder of his wife and daughter, and his descent into madness leading to his ignoble demise.

The climax of the graphic novel sees Dr. Cavendish reveal that he is the Spirit of Amadeus Arkham, nearly murdering Batman before being killed by Dr. Adams. This story is nowhere near the forefront of the game, but the player can find tablets the retell the story, slowly identifying who The Spirit of Amadeus Arkham is.

1 Themes

While Arkham Asylum is an amazing game, it focuses more on delivering an amazing Batman experience rather than deal with serious themes. On the other hand, A Serious House on Serious Earth analyzes topics like mental health, trauma, and faith, with most of them examined through the character of Amadeus Arkham.

Batman’s journey parallels Sir Percival’s quest for The Holy Grail, with The Dark Knight’s inner monologue referencing how he, much like the iconic knight, must go alone into the belly of darkness and face the dragon within. A Serious House on Serious Earth’s deeper themes may not be for everybody, but they do work to differentiate it from the game that inspired it.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/batman-arkham-asylum-big-differences-between-game-and-graphic-novel/

• Election Year 10 Best Netflix Documentaries About American Politics

• Doomsday Castle TV Series Prepping to Survive the End of Days

• Breath Of The Wild Dye Recipe Accidentally Ends Up In Historical Fiction

• Every Major KOTOR Reference In Star Wars The Old Republic

• Every Console Skyrim Has Released On

• Bridgertons Lady Whistledown Reveal Is Secretly Heartbreaking For Penelope

• Bill & Ted Face The Music 10 Things Fans Never Knew About The LongAwaited Sequel