I really hope the game is better than this prequel book, because it had no drama to it, and was the antithesis for the springboard it was supposed to be for the video game.

If you are a video gamer, chances are you will have heard of, if not played, Arkham Asylum or Arkham City. And if you are a gamer and have not played it I fully recommend doing so. While literary fiction is my number one love, movies and video games also have an interactive ability that immerses me in another world - whether it be the cool factor of blowing myself to pieces and not leaving a mark, or the brilliant and beautiful storytelling. Arkham City has both of those elements inside it - an

This is another tough one for me to rate, particularly because the game is so damn good that any other representation is going to suffer a little in comparison. It was a little confusing as to when exactly in the timeline of the game the events in this story take place as it seems to bounce around quite a bit. Paul Dini is absolutely one of my favorite storytellers when it comes to Batman and ESPECIALLY when it comes to Harley. I really don't feel like anyone else can write her better. Dini does...

What do I think? I love it! I am an old time comic book junkie from way back in the 60's. I am not a game player, and have not been reading regular DC or Marvel titles for the past several years. Too many titles and they are always redoing comic book characters and their histories. But, the covers of these Arkham games were looking pretty darn good and the game promos finally got to me. So a few weeks ago I ordered and read it and loved it. But I felt I was missing something (like how Arkha...

You know those cinematics they show now at the beginning of video games? The one where they have a little narrative to set up whatever story the game is supposed to have before you can actually start playing? That is basically what this book is. It is nothing more than the set up for the Arkham City video game. There is no conclusion because it leads in to whatever point the game starts at. Fans of the game will probably like this. Of course, you do have to get past the pretty preposterous premi...

This is a solid 3.5 for me!So before I start I have to say, if you haven't played either of the Arkham games then you should probably give this a miss. This story will, for the most part, only make sense if you have knowledge of what happens in both games. Having said that, the Arkham games are some of the best, if not THE best comic book adapted games ever made. If you are a Batman fan, or a DC fan in general and you haven't played them, you need to get your hands on a copy. The story is beauti...

I first read this comic years ago and didn’t really like it that much but as a reread it was better than I remembered. I think that’s because at the time I didn’t appreciate the Hugo Strange sections as much as I did while reading this again. I was more annoyed that it was cutting away from The Joker back then I think.But I found the story of Strange finding out Batman’s identity more interesting this time. And would now I finally understand the start of the game Arkham City. Even after I first

Set after the events of Arkham Asylum (the computer game), the Mayor of Gotham, Quincy Sharp, makes the baffling choice of segregating a part of Gotham City exclusively for the use of the inmates of Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum in an effort to better rehabilitate the prisoners (?). If the premise sounds barmy, it’s because the Mayor is being controlled by the mad Doctor Hugo Strange who wants to defeat the Batman by luring him into his nefarious schemes. As a comic book the story is very w...

Eh, this was alright. It was competently drawn and there are a fun cavalcade of Batman villains here (all of the usual suspects + Hugo Strange.) The story involves the Mayor of Gotham, in the aftermath of the new City Hall being blown up at its dedication ceremony, creating a walled-off city within the city to house its criminals. This doesn't just include supervillains like The Joker, but petty crooks of all sorts as well. The city is, naturally, called Arkham City.That would be a cool concept

It was good overall. Not great but not terrible either.

4-5* art (0* for subjects) + 0-1* plot = overall 2*. Just not for me. I hate counting slippery shiny pages, any pages. Chapters seem irrelevant when plot never goes anywhere or ends. Stiff bodies, faces either frozen rigid or bug-eyed in alarm or anger. Emaciated sick Joker, grossly obese Penguin, scrawny stick Riddler, bulky Bane, and mostly Two-Face with exposed side of blood sinew and bone, plus bare green skin (couldn't her red hair curl seductively over appropriate parts?) Ivy, tight low-cu...

This is epic. A must read for Batman fans!

As a prelude to the game this is really good. I enjoyed myself the entire time. Paul Dini has a knack for Batman.If you’ve played Batman: Arkham City and want more of that you should pick this up immediately because it fits right in.If you just like Batman it’s an interesting spin on a Hugo Strange tale and enjoyable for all the other villains that pop up. Batman’s inner monologue is also written really well and might be my favorite part.The digital chapter that come after the prelude are lacklu...

I assume it‘s more fun if you played the game but I feel it still holds up as a standalone storywise! Tbh I am more biased for this since City is one of my top games. Will I get my comic card revoked if I say this was my first batman comic?

To my understanding, this graphic novel is the novelization of the concept for the video game. Immediately, you might start to think it won't be that great. Wrong! This was good reading. I'm not that surprised, because I have enjoyed Dini's Zatanna books. While Batman doesn't let anyone steal the show, I liked how prominent the various narratives of villains and criminals was. It's more or less their story. It tells how Arkham city becomes what it is, and since it's a city for criminals, there y...

It was nice to read the events that bridged the gap between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. The game, from what I've played of it anyway (I kind of had to rush because I was on a deadline) never fully explained what happened other than (view spoiler)[ somehow Sharpe became mayor and then created Arkham City (hide spoiler)]. This comic detailed the months between and how those events happened. I was pleased with the comic itself; it was well written and beautifully drawn. Would definitely recommen...

Art 4/5, Story 3/5I liked that the story story focused primarily on one main villain, (view spoiler)[ Dr. Hugo Strange (hide spoiler)], but still incorporated other villains without them interfering with the main story. I also liked how their inclusion seemed relevant to the story, rather than just including them for the sake of including them. (view spoiler)[ This is a story primarily about Hugo Strange influencing the Mayor and taking control of how Arkham City will be run once complete. It i...

I’m a big fan of the Arkham games so this was a must read for me but if you haven’t played the game there’s not much point in reading this. My absolute favourite thing about this comic is the art! Carlos D’anda has a great art style for comics - even if the ladies all have the skinny + big boobs look. But I guess that’s pretty commonplace in comics and games.

A fantastic bridge between the Arkham Asylum and Arkham City video games. Great artwork and storytelling. Not really a stand alone story, more of an rundown of events between the two games.Batman may not be the hero we want, but he's definitely the hero we need!

Wow! What a "Must Read" for any Batman fan. This lead-in to the video game is fantastic. Both the story and the artwork keeps the reader at the edge of their seat!Kudos to Paul Dini & Carlos D'Anda!Thank you for the loan Franklin Public Library!