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Batman: The Arkham Saga #3
Batman: Arkham Origins
The best-selling video game comes to comic books in ARKHAM ORIGINS!
In the video game Arkham Origins, Black Mask orders a hit on the Dark Knight and assassins from all across Gotham City answer the call. Batman must defeat the likes of Deathstroke, Bane, The Joker, Copperhead and others while trying to find out what Black Mask is up to.
Based on the hit video game, this volume is presented in multi-path comic format, allowing the reader to make critical choices throughout this interactive adventure. Included in this volume are chapters #1-14.
From the Hardcover edition.
In the video game Arkham Origins, Black Mask orders a hit on the Dark Knight and assassins from all across Gotham City answer the call. Batman must defeat the likes of Deathstroke, Bane, The Joker, Copperhead and others while trying to find out what Black Mask is up to.
Based on the hit video game, this volume is presented in multi-path comic format, allowing the reader to make critical choices throughout this interactive adventure. Included in this volume are chapters #1-14.
From the Hardcover edition.
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2014
15 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Adam Beechen
322 books10 followersFor more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bee...
Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.
Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 11, 2023
If you don't intend to play the video game then just run away. There's nothing worth it here.
If you do, this could be a bit interesting to look at... but very irritating.
This comic is a prequel to the prequel video game of the Arkham series. It features Batman's early days in Gotham as he lacks both reputation and emotional control. Full of doubt, anger, and yet immature. All in the shadow of a corrupted Gotham. This is pretty much all I liked about this comic knowing how he'll turn out to be in later games.
The problem is it's a "choose your own adventure" type of story. It got me more excited at first thinking it'll be something similar to Telltale's games but it never came close. The decisions that readers are "optioned" to take are just full of deadends with not much logic behind them. So it turned out to be just a trial and error kind of thing and that was so annoying.
As for the plot, I didn't expect much to start with, but it was pretty messy and not well-adjusted to the all choose your way method. My choices led me to the same event that others do, but unlike other routes, I had no idea about a certain key character which Batman was supposed to save.
The art was fine, the story had an element of mystery at a point and I liked the self-conflict Batman went through... other than that I should probably run away from any title with the sentence "choose your own adventure".
If you do, this could be a bit interesting to look at... but very irritating.
This comic is a prequel to the prequel video game of the Arkham series. It features Batman's early days in Gotham as he lacks both reputation and emotional control. Full of doubt, anger, and yet immature. All in the shadow of a corrupted Gotham. This is pretty much all I liked about this comic knowing how he'll turn out to be in later games.
The problem is it's a "choose your own adventure" type of story. It got me more excited at first thinking it'll be something similar to Telltale's games but it never came close. The decisions that readers are "optioned" to take are just full of deadends with not much logic behind them. So it turned out to be just a trial and error kind of thing and that was so annoying.
As for the plot, I didn't expect much to start with, but it was pretty messy and not well-adjusted to the all choose your way method. My choices led me to the same event that others do, but unlike other routes, I had no idea about a certain key character which Batman was supposed to save.
The art was fine, the story had an element of mystery at a point and I liked the self-conflict Batman went through... other than that I should probably run away from any title with the sentence "choose your own adventure".
March 20, 2015
This is a choose your own path/adventure book.. just no.
July 2, 2021
When i bought this at the dollar store, i was pretty excited! The excitement didn't last long, as I soon realized that this was a "choose your way" through the story type book. I hated these types of books as a kid, and I dislike them even more as an adult. I admit i have Book OCD, where i have a difficult time skipping pages in a book, or not finishing a book I've started. With this book, I did both, and it didn't even phase me. Am I cured of my Book OCD?? No probably not. But for a brief moment, this crappy book, made me feel like I could be. HEY DC! DON'T DO THIS SHIT AGAIN! IT WAS TERRIBLE!!
April 30, 2025
I actually thought the idea of a choose your own story comic was kinda cool, but the story told in this comic was not interesting and not very engaging. Also being a big fan of the Arkham origins game, this comic doesn’t really add anything to the story of the game.
February 20, 2022
Arkham Origins has always the red headed stepchild of the Batman: Arkham Games. Personally though, I loved it. I’m not a huge gamer but I love Batman so I’ve given the time to all the Arkham games, and Origins might have my favourite story of the 4.
This comic is a prequel to the game that adds absolutely nothing of value to it.
The most interesting part of the book is the introduction by its writer, Adam Beechen. He discusses the future of comics and how most other media places the participant at the centre of the experience. The comic he’s written is an experiment to see what comics could become: a digital first, choose your own adventure comic.
I’m not opposed to that idea. I’d like to see someone else try it again one day. But Beechen is clearly spectacularly unsuited to the task as this is one of the most uninspiring and incomprehensible books I’ve read in a long time.
The plot of the book as best as I could tell is as follows: Black Mask is moving to take control of Gotham. He makes an alliance with Penguin, has GCPD detective Arnold Flass kidnap Alexandra Dent (presumably related to current DA Harvey Dent) with the help of Humpty Dumpty, has Police Commissioner Loeb run for mayor to be his puppet. Batman eventually saves Dent, and Harvey Dent puts a hold on the mayoral election to investigate GCPD corruption after the resultant shootout.
It’s not a great plot. It’s messy and lacks features of interest and all of it is incredibly underdeveloped and unexplored. What’s most disappointing though, is that you’re very unlikely to get most of it. You navigate through the story as you choose but this inevitably skips important plot points in every iteration but still just assumes you know them. In some versions, Batman finds himself rushing to save Dent without ever learning she’s been kidnapped, or he comments on stopping Loeb’s election without ever meeting or mentioning Loeb in the story before. The puzzle pieces of Beechen’s choose your own adventure don’t fit together.
Perhaps the best way to show the problem with this book is with Ratcatcher. In some versions of the plot you get randomly run over by a horde of rats at one point to tease Ratcatcher. There is only one way that you can encounter Ratcatcher though and he immediately kills Batman, ending the story. So what is the point of him? He’s not part of the story, he’s not in the game this is a prequel to, he can’t be defeated. Why is he here?
There’s also a brief appearance from ‘Enigma’ which is set up for the game’s story (or one of its subplots at least) but this is explained awfully and will just leave you confused.
The worst part is: Batman keeps dying. The choices you make regularly lead to him being easily or stupidly killed off. But it’s not usually that you’ve made bad choices. Its entirely random. There are several times where are two places Batman needs to investigate. You choose where he goes but so that Beechen doesn’t have to write too many pages, if you choose one - the story continues, if you choose the other - Batman gets there and immediately dies. Its lazy and uncreative and you feel cheated.
There was a bold idea here and they completely ruined it with such an appalling book. Arkham Origins deserved better.
This comic is a prequel to the game that adds absolutely nothing of value to it.
The most interesting part of the book is the introduction by its writer, Adam Beechen. He discusses the future of comics and how most other media places the participant at the centre of the experience. The comic he’s written is an experiment to see what comics could become: a digital first, choose your own adventure comic.
I’m not opposed to that idea. I’d like to see someone else try it again one day. But Beechen is clearly spectacularly unsuited to the task as this is one of the most uninspiring and incomprehensible books I’ve read in a long time.
The plot of the book as best as I could tell is as follows: Black Mask is moving to take control of Gotham. He makes an alliance with Penguin, has GCPD detective Arnold Flass kidnap Alexandra Dent (presumably related to current DA Harvey Dent) with the help of Humpty Dumpty, has Police Commissioner Loeb run for mayor to be his puppet. Batman eventually saves Dent, and Harvey Dent puts a hold on the mayoral election to investigate GCPD corruption after the resultant shootout.
It’s not a great plot. It’s messy and lacks features of interest and all of it is incredibly underdeveloped and unexplored. What’s most disappointing though, is that you’re very unlikely to get most of it. You navigate through the story as you choose but this inevitably skips important plot points in every iteration but still just assumes you know them. In some versions, Batman finds himself rushing to save Dent without ever learning she’s been kidnapped, or he comments on stopping Loeb’s election without ever meeting or mentioning Loeb in the story before. The puzzle pieces of Beechen’s choose your own adventure don’t fit together.
Perhaps the best way to show the problem with this book is with Ratcatcher. In some versions of the plot you get randomly run over by a horde of rats at one point to tease Ratcatcher. There is only one way that you can encounter Ratcatcher though and he immediately kills Batman, ending the story. So what is the point of him? He’s not part of the story, he’s not in the game this is a prequel to, he can’t be defeated. Why is he here?
There’s also a brief appearance from ‘Enigma’ which is set up for the game’s story (or one of its subplots at least) but this is explained awfully and will just leave you confused.
The worst part is: Batman keeps dying. The choices you make regularly lead to him being easily or stupidly killed off. But it’s not usually that you’ve made bad choices. Its entirely random. There are several times where are two places Batman needs to investigate. You choose where he goes but so that Beechen doesn’t have to write too many pages, if you choose one - the story continues, if you choose the other - Batman gets there and immediately dies. Its lazy and uncreative and you feel cheated.
There was a bold idea here and they completely ruined it with such an appalling book. Arkham Origins deserved better.
May 18, 2017
After reading a few pages, I understood that this was a "create you own adventure" kinda book. The book suggests you take decisions and go to different page numbers to see how your decision unfolds.
I was soo damn excited, a chance to act like the bat? Choose his own adventure? Sign me up, I thought.
Bleh, didn't turn out to be worthy of what all that hope. The book gets confusing to follow only 10-12 pages in and keeps on going crazier. There are a lot of ways to finish the book and most of them are sad endings, often ending in Batman losing the battle against evil. And even some of the good endings left me with a bitter feeling, which is unexpected from a Bat-book.
Too much effort and remembrance are needed if you want to finish the book in all its glory and find out the perfect ending, And to add insult to injury, you will have to read through all those dissatisfactory endings to understand this is indeed the better one.
Not a fun read. Not one I'd recommend to others either.
I was soo damn excited, a chance to act like the bat? Choose his own adventure? Sign me up, I thought.
Bleh, didn't turn out to be worthy of what all that hope. The book gets confusing to follow only 10-12 pages in and keeps on going crazier. There are a lot of ways to finish the book and most of them are sad endings, often ending in Batman losing the battle against evil. And even some of the good endings left me with a bitter feeling, which is unexpected from a Bat-book.
Too much effort and remembrance are needed if you want to finish the book in all its glory and find out the perfect ending, And to add insult to injury, you will have to read through all those dissatisfactory endings to understand this is indeed the better one.
Not a fun read. Not one I'd recommend to others either.
February 12, 2016
I went to the library to peruse the graphic novel offerings and I found this Arkham: Origins. Well, it seems my dear librarians have made a terrible mistake. This is not a graphic novel at all-but a choose-your-own-adventure. No, really. As I am not 5 years old and read comic for great writing and great artwork, not to "be" Batman (I could easily just play the game-and I love video games). This sad attempt at a comics was just a mask for poor writing. Sorry got only a part of the way through and after my second "choice" gave up. This is crap and Mr Beechen knows it. Using kids to justify it is no excuse. Avoid this crap, unless you are 5 in which case-enjoy!
January 31, 2015
didn't realize this was a choose your own adventure book.
it didn't really seem to fit a comic book format that well , or maybe I've just lost my taste for choose your own adventures.
I just wanted to read a good Batman story.
I didn't feel like I was in the middle of the story at all which I believe was supposed to be the point.
having to pick which page to go to next just kept pulling me out of the narrative.
I was also a bit confused as to why there was nothing actually about Arkham in it, but I guess that has more to do with my lack of video game knowledge than anything else.
it didn't really seem to fit a comic book format that well , or maybe I've just lost my taste for choose your own adventures.
I just wanted to read a good Batman story.
I didn't feel like I was in the middle of the story at all which I believe was supposed to be the point.
having to pick which page to go to next just kept pulling me out of the narrative.
I was also a bit confused as to why there was nothing actually about Arkham in it, but I guess that has more to do with my lack of video game knowledge than anything else.
July 11, 2024
This comic does something I haven’t seen before. It forces you to interact with the story and make decisions for the character (Batman) by telling you to flip to different pages to continue the story.
However, I didn’t really appreciate this and just read everything in order (trying my best to keep track of where I was in the timeline). There are times when the story would simply end (“Dead End”) sometimes resulting in Batman dying, so it makes it clear that this version of events could not have happened.
Aside from this gimmick, the actual plot isn’t particularly interesting and doesn’t really link to the game too much. However, I did like seeing the characters Ratcatcher and Humpty Dumpty, as they haven’t been seen in the Arkham games before.
The art isn’t great and a lot of it is too dark and grey/black.
Also, a lot of Batman’s dialogue and narration does not seem like Batman at all, especially not the Arkham Batman.
Would only recommend to a hardcore Arkham games fan….
However, I didn’t really appreciate this and just read everything in order (trying my best to keep track of where I was in the timeline). There are times when the story would simply end (“Dead End”) sometimes resulting in Batman dying, so it makes it clear that this version of events could not have happened.
Aside from this gimmick, the actual plot isn’t particularly interesting and doesn’t really link to the game too much. However, I did like seeing the characters Ratcatcher and Humpty Dumpty, as they haven’t been seen in the Arkham games before.
The art isn’t great and a lot of it is too dark and grey/black.
Also, a lot of Batman’s dialogue and narration does not seem like Batman at all, especially not the Arkham Batman.
Would only recommend to a hardcore Arkham games fan….
August 28, 2025
Love the vid game so much for its Alice: Madness Returns-like soliloquies. But this ends before Joker. I did want to learn more about Sions but this sheds no light. It’s all explosions and getting shot. It’s chose your own adventure with the lamest writing.
The kind where the villain explains his plans aloud his lackeys would already know. The cheesy rush to hit all the trite points of Bat dialogue that boils downs to “you’ll never take me down,”“no, not my identity revealed!”“mother, father, I’ve failed you…” over too tiny blunders.
It’s lazy to have so many choices be literal dead ends vs other story lines. I’m glad Alfred gets more use as the computer tester but I feel bad for how he’s treated. Penguin seems less Lewis Caroly arrogant and more silly, desperate to use bird puns. I imagine he squeaks like Adventure Time Gunther after every sentence.
The kind where the villain explains his plans aloud his lackeys would already know. The cheesy rush to hit all the trite points of Bat dialogue that boils downs to “you’ll never take me down,”“no, not my identity revealed!”“mother, father, I’ve failed you…” over too tiny blunders.
It’s lazy to have so many choices be literal dead ends vs other story lines. I’m glad Alfred gets more use as the computer tester but I feel bad for how he’s treated. Penguin seems less Lewis Caroly arrogant and more silly, desperate to use bird puns. I imagine he squeaks like Adventure Time Gunther after every sentence.
October 2, 2018
Hmmm … what to make of this?
I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.
I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.
I was wrong.
A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.
It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.
An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.
I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.
I was wrong.
A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.
It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.
An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
March 22, 2020
I thought a Batman Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book would be fun. Nope. This is mostly down to the fact that the story itself is barely coherent, throwing an assortment of villains together for the sake of making it appear exciting. The decision-making points feel random, and even though there are several different paths to get to an ending, all of them feel perfunctory. What's even more annoying is the fact that sometimes the paths overlap and converge, and facts/story points are mentioned which only exist in one of the possible paths, leading to head-scratching moments. If you're gonna make a CYOA book, at least don't lose track of your own plot. (Note: I actually tried out all the different combinations, so that I could give it a fair shot)
November 12, 2017
Like everyone else I didn't realize this was a play long comic book story. I came home with a surprise. At first I thought it was kind of funny because I would be reading & then all of a sudden I would get myself blown up, dead end. After awhile though I got tired of it like everyone else. I read the whole book in order because I didn't want to miss anything & have to read the story a bunch of times. I prefer normal one storyline comic books. This was an eh story with an eh ending. Sad that this is supposed to be the lead up for the game so you get a mini before preview & then want to go out & buy the game to play. This doesn't make me want more but the actual game is much better.
September 2, 2023
Està genial la idea, pero no cuajò muy bien que digamos.
No sè si Ratcatcher sì està presente o solo fue uno de los finales malos; Batman habla de encontrarle armas al Pinguino cuando en mi lectura nunca pasò eso y creo que lleguè al final... pero no es exactamente especifico.
Fuera de eso, morì dos veces. Pero de cierta forma se sintiò mejor que los TellTale que solo tienen como pequeñas diferencias en la continuidad de la historia.
No sè si Ratcatcher sì està presente o solo fue uno de los finales malos; Batman habla de encontrarle armas al Pinguino cuando en mi lectura nunca pasò eso y creo que lleguè al final... pero no es exactamente especifico.
Fuera de eso, morì dos veces. Pero de cierta forma se sintiò mejor que los TellTale que solo tienen como pequeñas diferencias en la continuidad de la historia.
January 15, 2019
This book kinda sucked. I'm not saying it was a very bad idea, it was just an old cliché. I get the whole, choose-your-adventure thing behind it, but frankly, this was just a anti-climatic, and predictable adventure. There is no epic showdown, no fight, no mystery, and barely any plot. The art could have been better. I do not recommend this.
May 23, 2022
*I've read more books than I've had time to review, so... one-sentence-ish knee-jerk reactions.*
I had a lot of fun with this choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel. I, of course, went down all of the paths... and ended up killing Batman more times than I'd care to admit. An engaging, well-written story of Batman's early "amateur" years.
I had a lot of fun with this choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel. I, of course, went down all of the paths... and ended up killing Batman more times than I'd care to admit. An engaging, well-written story of Batman's early "amateur" years.
January 4, 2025
I did not expect a choose-your-own-adventure book but it was somewhat fun, I suppose. Some choices that lead to dead-ends do feel quite random but it was interesting enough to see all the branching paths. The art was well done, and I enjoyed the more amateurish Batman who makes mistakes by either doubting himself or being overconfident. Time to play the game which I suspect will be better.
March 22, 2019
The most fun you'll have seeing how Batman dies.
This is a choose your adventure book and I've had some laughs reading the "dead ends" where Batman usually dies or is unmasked (once).
This is a choose your adventure book and I've had some laughs reading the "dead ends" where Batman usually dies or is unmasked (once).
August 2, 2019
I do not get the hate that this choose your adventure gets. It is a fun variation that generates the game-like feel. It does not over-complicate things and you have three main variations and a few deadends. It was pretty interesting
July 14, 2021
I was admittedly disappointed that it was a Choose Your Own Adventure book. I didn't know this when I borrowed it from the library and it wasn't what I wanted. It is, however, quite a decent story. Please read this if you're interested.
January 3, 2026
An extra star for okay art. But the choose your own adventure style of this book made it insufferable to read. Dnf'd after going back and forth several times. Even tried to follow the road map in the back of the book but the pages didn't line up.
March 27, 2019
2 1/2 🌟
January 22, 2020
This comic book is best directed to kids... Enough said.
June 18, 2020
This was utterly confusing and distracting. If I want to be Batman I'll play one of the games, thank you very much!
August 2, 2022
I didn't like this choose your own journey format lmao..
October 5, 2023
The choose your own adventure aspect was novel, but that was about all it had going for it, and it didn’t work all that well.
August 14, 2019
You start out with 5 stars because it’s Batman.
You take away 2 stars because it’s a choose-your-own-adventure story (in the effort to mimic video game play). I REALLY hate choose-your-own-adventure stories.
And take away another star for the repeated killing of our hero if you make a wrong choice.
Ugh.
You take away 2 stars because it’s a choose-your-own-adventure story (in the effort to mimic video game play). I REALLY hate choose-your-own-adventure stories.
And take away another star for the repeated killing of our hero if you make a wrong choice.
Ugh.
September 6, 2020
The 'create your own adventure' format didn't work for me. Did not enjoy reading this. Least of all the miserable endings.
March 11, 2025
I didn't realize this was a choose-your-own-adventure when I picked it up. It is an interesting premise, but it is difficult to make sure you have found all the different paths.
With the title "Arkham Origins", I thought it might touch on the asylum's beginning or connect with the videogames, but I didn't really see the connection. It does deal with Batman's inexperience and moments of rashness, but so does Batman: Year One.
With the title "Arkham Origins", I thought it might touch on the asylum's beginning or connect with the videogames, but I didn't really see the connection. It does deal with Batman's inexperience and moments of rashness, but so does Batman: Year One.
February 23, 2017
A decently executed Choose Your own Adventure, but the individual pages are not tremendously well written. At least you get a sense of how green this Batman is, and how he is trying to reign himself in at every turn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews