While Batman fans everywhere believed the project dead, one of the greatest DC graphic novels could finally get a sequel series after all. Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 may still become a reality, but it won’t be the direct sequel fans expect.
As a guaranteed entry in almost any list of the greatest Batman stories of all time, the desire for a follow-up to Batman: Arkham Asylum is easy to grasp. When recently speaking during an ‘Ask Me Anything’ on Reddit, writer Grant Morrison was pointedly asked to provide details on the reportedly shelved Arkham Asylum 2, prompting the writer to give an unexpected update:
“I may still write it, so no details yet!”
While a short response (so as not to divulge any details), the update will be fantastic news for fans. It’s also reason to revisit Morrison’s description of the sequel when first announced, prior to it being put ‘on hold’ as recently as 2020.
Batman: Arkham Asylum May Finally Get The Sequel Fans Have Waited For
The Acclaimed Story Was One Fans Never Expected Morrison To Return To
Originally released under the full title Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the legacy and impact of Grant Morrison and Dave McKean’s creation can’t be understated. After all, it’s the one comic which made Christian Bale want to play Batman, ensuring its place in film history, as well as comics.
So when Morrison appeared during SDCC 2017 to announce a sequel was in the works (via THR), the intention was stated as creating “the best Batman book there’s ever been.” Continuing to embrace the surreal nature of the original, Morrison described a wild, Luc Besson-esque thriller, following Damian Wayne in his own Batman 666 future.
The announcement sent fans into a frenzy, given the acclaimed place of the original. But with no further updates by 2020, Morrison confirmed to TechRadar that the project was shelved. While also teasing the story beats Morrison had successfully written thus far:
“It got shelved because the television work was taking up so much time. But again, I never say never because I think [those] 26 pages were pretty good. And I did enjoy doing a short story with Chris Burnham, the artist… it gave me the taste again because he was going to draw the second Arkham Asylum, too.
“But no, I had a story – it’s very, very, very different from the original book. It was more of a Philip K. Dick thing.”
Despite the positive assessment of the work so far, Morrison’s use of the past tense (and te ensuing 5 years of silence) seemed to kill all likelihood of the project moving forward. Now, that has changed with a single sentence.
Our Take on Grant Morrison Returning For ‘Arkham Asylum 2’
There’s no denying the emotional rollercoaster Batman fans have been subjected to with the surprise announcement, subsequent delay, and implied abandonment of the project by Morrison. But alluding to Arkham Asylum 2 still being planned, and considering DC’s massive string of successes of late, there is legitimate reason to anticipate the sequel, not just ‘hope.’
Yet it must be said that while Morrison is deserving of accolades for Arkham Asylum, as much, if not more must also be given to artist Dave McKean. Graphic novel stories are told by both writers and artists, but much of the praise for Arkham Asylum‘s dark, surreal, dreamlike, and iconic style would not exist without McKean’s artwork.
That isn’t to detract from, or even compare McKean’s work to that of Chris Burnham, Morrison’s collaborator on Detective Comics and Batman Incorporated. But given Burnham’s more ‘traditional’ style, their Arkham Asylum sequel will look and feel profoundly different. And that’s not even mentioning the different version of Batman in the spotlight.
While we await more details, follow-up discussions from Morrison, or any official announcement from DC Comics directly, stay tuned to ScreenRant for all your Batman news.
- Created By
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Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- Alias
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Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
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Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family
- Race
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Human
- Franchise
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D.C.