Reconsidering the Superhero

I read Watchmen for the first time when I was a freshmen in High School and it still remains one of my favorite stories, not just in terms of comics but in storytelling in general. The thing that I found so engaging about Allen More's masterpiece is that all of his characters are so deeply flawed, some even completely psychotic, which is rarely seen in superhero comics. It is a very mature comic in terms of tone, its depictions of violence and sex, and what it sets out to do in tackling complicated real life issues all within the context of what appears on the surface as a murder mystery. But it quickly reveals itself to much more than what appears to be. The world and its history are so dense it really takes multiple readings to fully understand and appreciate the complex interwoven stories of its many and diverse cast of characters. When I read Watchmen for the first time it blew my mind because I had no idea that comics like it existed or that it was even possible to tell a story like it in the comic medium. This is the third time that I have read Watchmen and still find it to be an incredible achievement in storytelling and a must read for anyone.

The other comic that I read was Arkham Asylum, but only about the first fifty pages or so. I have played the Batman video games of the same name and was curious to see how much of the games borrowed from this story. From what I read so far it certainly seemed like the creators of the game were very much influenced by the darker tone and esthetic of the comic. I think thats what my first reaction to the comic was, its visual style and its very creepy dark tone, which I love in a Batman story. It reminds me a bit of The Killing Joke, by Allen More, also one of my favorites. The way the comic is drawn( or painted?) is very cool and interesting, I  don't think I have seen any comic that looks anything like this. Which I think fits what the story is trying to tell very well, the idea of insanity. I also found the parallel story with Armedeus Arkham to be a really fascinating backstory that helps put the Batman part of the story in some context. I plan on finishing it when I get the chance.