Questions: Arkham Asylum

Intense!  Gritty violence, psychological trauma, and beautiful art collide in the fun house that ain't so fun.  Dig deep as we the readers discover the sordid history of Arkham and the Batman discovers that sometimes, sickness is a place called home.

1)  The idea is presented that the strong tradition of insanity in the Arkham family, was either caused by the house or cursed the house into becoming a conduit of insanity.  Basically, that the location itself makes the prisoners (and some of the staff) worse, rather than help heal.  How did the writing and art help to make setting the centerpiece of the book, where usually characters are?

2)  Batman has been written by many minds, and can range from a friendly do-gooder to a gruff anti-hero.  This version seems particularly edgy, repulsed by the prisoners he himself locked away in the asylum, almost phobic, even of touching them.  How do you feel about the dynamic and banter between Batman and the inmates?

3) The Joker here is presented as a guide and ringmaster of sorts ("Let the wild rumpus begin!").  On this particular day, he doesn't even harm any innocents (letting most of the staff leave and only pretending to stab a girl's eye out).  Dr. Ruth Adams posits that Joker is not insane, but super sane, reinventing himself daily, therefore being more or less violent depending on whether he's playing the part of a buffoon or a deranged killer on any given day.  How well does this idea hold up under inspection?

4)  The intertwining tales of Amadeus Arkham and Batman twist and twine as they both travel further along, for Arkham into madness, for Batman into the asylum itself.  Which story was more captivating?  How does Batman's journey mirror Arkham's?

5)  Once inside the asylum, a strange distortion begins to present itself, an almost psychedelic reality which warps and bends around the personalities of the prisoners, as though their psychosis shape the very walls around them.  For instance, Man Hatter seems to reside inside a very really Wonderland, relaxing on top of a giant mushroom.  Is this simply a stylistic choice or does it give credence to the idea that the asylum has a mind of its own?

6)  Dr. Ruth explains how they are treating Two Face/Harvey Dent by giving him more options than a simple toss of the coin.  This has effectively rendered him helpless, a fact the even Batman seems appalled by.  In the end, Batman returns his coin to him, allowing Two Face to return and decide his fate.  Why give Two Face this pivotal choice?  How do you feel about his characterization?

7) Did you read the pages following the conclusion of the story?  How did you like or feel about the character "profiles", each featuring a distinct font and psychological break down of the characters?

8)  Why does Arkham remain open?  It has always been depicted as run down, and terribly insufficient at holding its prisoners, even though it is the only prison of its type.  Would it not be better to build a new and improved prison?  What place does Arkham hold in the DC Universe?

9) It has many times been posited that Batman himself is responsible for the uniquely eccentric villains that seem to spawn from Gotham alone.  No mere crooks or thieves, but deranged and oddly themed and costumed lunatics.  It is said that they are an answer to him, not the other way around.  After all, it was a common thug who killed him parents.  Would Gotham be better off if Batman quit?

10) Leading us to the big question: is Batman not just as insane as the inmates of Arkham?  Even he seems unsure, in the end, as to whether he is any better than Two Face or The Joker.  He agrees to allow the prisoners go if the coin flips in that favor.  And Joker tells him that he may return any time,to the "comforts" of the asylum, if the outside world ever proves too much.  So which is it?  Are the occupants of Arkham Batman's foes-- or family?