Results tagged “Grant Morrison” from Modern Mythology

Writer, creator and comic book Maestro Grant Morrison is hitting sunny Southern California next week July 1 for a signing at Meltdown Comics.

I missed Guillermo Del Toro at Meltdown earlier this month when he appeared to promote his co-authored book "The Strain" so you know I'm trying like heck to work my schedule to get to Morrison's appearance.

Some of you may have issues with "Final Crisis" but that's no excuse not to read "Batman and Robin." Even though the story takes off from recent Batman comics continuity it's not the usual fare -- it's better.

Isn't that true for most work done by Morrison and artist Frank Quitely?  

Meltdown Comics is located at 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. And the gig happens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The site is www.meltcomics.com.  

Today is the release of the final issue of "All Star Superman" and I will have to say goodbye to another one of the finer examples of comics storytelling in the last decade.

This Superman comic should not be confused with the other title bearing the "All-Star" title by Frank Miller and Jim Lee, "All-Star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder." Both books harbor big-name talents on the writing and art side.

And that's where the similarities end.

Writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely are known to us from their other works and prior ones (Check out "WE3"). Initially, I was skeptical not of the talents involved in this book, but of picking up a Superman title. Over the years there have been many attempts to better interpret the man of steel in the pages of the character's regular ongoing comics but they eventually left me cold.

My shortlist of bright lights in the Superman tunnel were discussed by me here a few weeks ago and I suggested my favorites among the works were "Superman: Red Son" and "Superman: Birthright." I also mentioned "All Star Superman" as well.

The difficulty in telling a story about a character like Superman, a guy who can shatter boulders with his pinkie finger, and giving him a task that challenges him and his humanity is tough for the writers who take on the job. The key with Superman had been found, in my opinion, in the works mentioned above by writers who challenged Superman by taking him out of his invulnerable comfort zone and letting that experience fuel the story.

Over these twelve issues in "All Star Superman" Morrison gives Superman a short time to live and amazing tasks to accomplish before his life ends. The journey had been as funny as Jimmy Olsen becoming a sensationalist newspaper columnist-star, to touching as Superman ignores his own ills to cure the ones of terminal children.

This is not a slash and burn on the work of comic writers handling Superman in current continuity, because I know they have put up some good stuff here and there, but it had never been enough to keep me consistently buying Superman books until "All-Star."

Hats off to the creators for giving Superman - a character some believe to be outdated - a lot more to say.

My suggestion: Whether by individual issues or the inevitable trade edition, read "All Star Superman."

I don't take it for granted there are certain comics (and we can call them graphic novels too), that have led me to accept many comic characters as archetypal creations... I mean, I titled this place Modern Mythology for goodness sake.

Even more obvious, I agree that this concept doesn't apply to every comic character. (Howard the Duck has his appeal but even I haven't figured out how to work him into a mythology yet.)

Nevertheless, it was good to sit in with a book group club at Geoffrey's Comics in Gardena as they dissected Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's "Arkham Asylum." Published in 1989, an unforgettable story - whether you like it or not - where the inmates of the asylum (Joker, Two-Face, etc.) are free and holding hostages until Batman turns himself in to them.

While he is their prisoner the Joker plans to drive him insane.

The artwork and writing were progressive and aggressive. Both creators turned out to be stars in their own right 15 years later. Morrison is a top writer at DC Comics and McKean directs films and is a well-known collaborator of Neil Gaiman ("Sandman," "Coraline").

I learned a thing or two while listening to the "Comic Book Club" examine the graphic novel's art, pacing and meaning.

"This story is Batman 'Through the Looking Glass,'" said Geoffrey Patterson Jr, who co-manages the store and runs the book club. 

 Some even described the story as Batman's descent into hell. Each ex-enemy he visits he is judged by.

Morrison and McKean play with several pieces of cultural judgment mythology. Even using the image of Anubis over the entrance (the Egyptian trickster figure.) as Joker welcomes Batman into the asylum.

Enough from me, check out some excerpts from the video of the gathering if you haven't already. Hopefully, I'll bring you more insights and discussion from the group in the near future.