So, to cap off the experience of playing Batman: Arkham Asylum, you might be wondering if there are any Batman stories that are natural follow-ups to the game. Well, try these on for size. They're not necessarily quintessential Batman stories, nor are they the best out there.But if you enjoyed Arkham Asylum, it's a safe bet you'll enjoy these stories too. These are just a good starting point. Where you go after that is up to you!

Joker - Brian Azzarello & Lee Bermajo

This recently released graphic novel isn't strictly Arkham Asylum-based, but given the character's twisted prominence in both The Dark Knight and Batman: Arkham Asylum, it's a safe bet you'll be interested in a story about him.

You probably can't tell from the name, but Azzarello and Bermajo's "Joker" actually follows a grunt in Joker's army as he goes about ingratiating himself in the crook's inner circle, immediately after the man himself is released from Arkham. It gives a rare ‘inside' view of how things work in the Gotham underworld, as well as the mentality of the kind of person who hooks up with the Joker, allowing the character himself to work at his unpredictable best.

The story itself also prominently features some tweaked versions of characters like Killer Croc and Harley Quinn, who also appear in Arkham Asylum, so things are easy to pick up even for new readers.

Since it exists outside of specific continuity, the playing field is level, even for existing bat-fans. That said, it's the Heath Ledger-esque Joker that will keep most readers in familiar territory. The story acts as a definite entry point into Batman's world, even though Batman is barely in it, and as it was released soon after the recent movie, it can still be bought easily in most bookstores. Certainly worth a look.

Batman: The Last Arkham - Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle

Written by notable 2000AD and Judge Dredd writer, Alan Grant, Batman: The Last Arkham was the first story to feature Mr. Zsasz, a villain seen prominently in the Arkham Asylum game. The story was also instrumental in fleshing out the history of the Arkham family and the mythos surrounding them, another element which forms a major part of the game.

The story itself sees Batman voluntarily interring himself within a refitted Arkham to try and prove that Zsasz is escaping to commit crimes while supposedly imprisoned. The asylum's many locations feature throughout the story, including a major scene in the tunnels beneath them.

Although The Last Arkham is currently out of print and hard to find (and expensive when you do find it) the story was originally available in serial form in Shadow Of The Bat issues #1 to #4, and you're in luck - those issues are available cheaply on eBay. The whole storyline shouldn't set you back more than a few quid.

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth - Grant Morrison and Dave McKean

This is the one that appears to have been the main inspiration for the game. Grant Morrison, one of the industry's top writers, teams with Dave McKean, celebrated cover-artist for Sandman, to tell a dark and disturbing story of the inmates running wild in Arkham, and only Batman able to stop them.

This story created much of the history of the Arkham family, specifically Armadeus Arkham, and the administrator Charles Cavendish bears certain similarities with Quincy Sharp, the administrator in the game.

The interpretation of Batman is a particularly unique version, massively at odds with the dark and near-psychopathic version made popular by Frank Miller at the time which, coincidentally, is the one which has influenced the character's recent movie appearances more than others.

 Again, it features many of Batman's rogues gallery and many of the allusions and references seen throughout the game are directly connected to the characters and depictions seen in this story.

A 15th anniversary release was made available in 2004, so plenty of copies should still be floating about.

James writes Alternate Cover every Monday at Den Of Geek. His previous column can be found here.