Grant Morrison

[Bone-A-Fach-ee]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

[ian_house]

Yep your missing something. I wouldn't say he is revered... but he also isn't overrated. He's had some bad titles, but not that many.

Personally for me his Animal Man series is the best of his work. Recently Batman & Robin was incredibly good, as was Joe the Barbarian.

[xodacia81]

His work on 52 was good, but not everyone agrees. I didn't like Final Crisis, but that was because I've never been big on 4th World stories.

[Cyberstrike]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

He is by far one of the most over-rated writers in comics today. The only 2 books of his that I would consider great are Batman: Arkham Asylum and his run on JLA. Everything else he writes I find either boring, with overly complicated science theories that I doubt even he understands, annoying Silver Age nostalgia, and a being a very bad Philip K. Dick wanna be.

[Burrito Boy]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

He is by far one of the most over-rated writers in comics today. The only 2 books of his that I would consider great are Batman: Arkham Asylum and his run on JLA. Everything else he writes I find either boring, with overly complicated science theories that I doubt even he understands, annoying Silver Age nostalgia, and a being a very bad Philip K. Dick wanna be.

Very bad Philip K. Dick wannabe? Sounds like I should check out his work. I might like it. Besides, us Philip K. Dick wannabes gotta stick together. Valis said so.

Not that I have access to a comic shop at the moment, but what would you say is his Philip K. Dick-iest comic?

[lorddunlow]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

He is by far one of the most over-rated writers in comics today. The only 2 books of his that I would consider great are Batman: Arkham Asylum and his run on JLA. Everything else he writes I find either boring, with overly complicated science theories that I doubt even he understands, annoying Silver Age nostalgia, and a being a very bad Philip K. Dick wanna be.

Very bad Philip K. Dick wannabe? Sounds like I should check out his work. I might like it. Besides, us Philip K. Dick wannabes gotta stick together. Valis said so.

Not that I have access to a comic shop at the moment, but what would you say is his Philip K. Dick-iest comic?

:goes off to read some Philip K. Dick short stories:

[nutflush76]

I think that he can be very good and very bad.

I only like Arkham Asylum a little bit. Couldn't stand his Batman run (HATED Damian Wayne). Loved All Star Superman, kinda liked Batman and Robin (vol 1.) and liked Happy.

So, it's a mixed bag for me. Although, from looking at this post, I like more of his stuff than I hate. His run on Batman was so jumbled and confusing I guess I let that cloud everything else that he has done in my mind.

I haven't read any of his new 52 stuff except Batman Inc. #8 which wasn't half bad.

[Lightning Strike]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

Read his Batman run and Final Crisis. Some people didn't like FC but I loved it

[lorddunlow]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

Read his Batman run and Final Crisis. Some people didn't like FC but I loved it

LightingStrike, stop suggesting books. I'm already bogged down with all of your previous books you've gotten me hooked on. You're comic tastes must be very similar to my own.

[Lightning Strike]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

Read his Batman run and Final Crisis. Some people didn't like FC but I loved it

LightingStrike, stop suggesting books. I'm already bogged down with all of your previous books you've gotten me hooked on. You're comic tastes must be very similar to my own.

[dbngaa]

I've been on a bit of a Morrison run lately and some stuff I really like and some I really don't. Doom Patrol and his recent Batman run have been my favorites. Thought Animal Man was ok, JLA was pretty good (although the art hurt to look at most of the time), Arkham Asylum was fine, Gothic was fine, WE3 had great art,...what am I forgetting?

Still have New X-Men, Seven Soldiers of Victory, Joe the Barbarian and Invisibles to read.

OH! All-Star Superman I really liked as well.

[Lightning Strike]

I've been on a bit of a Morrison run lately and some stuff I really like and some I really don't. Doom Patrol and his recent Batman run have been my favorites. Thought Animal Man was ok, JLA was pretty good (although the art hurt to look at most of the time), Arkham Asylum was fine, Gothic was fine, WE3 had great art,...what am I forgetting?

Still have New X-Men, Seven Soldiers of Victory, Joe the Barbarian and Invisibles to read.

OH! All-Star Superman I really liked as well.

All-Star Superman was awesome

[Spylocke]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

[ian_house]

I've been on a bit of a Morrison run lately and some stuff I really like and some I really don't. Doom Patrol and his recent Batman run have been my favorites. Thought Animal Man was ok, JLA was pretty good (although the art hurt to look at most of the time), Arkham Asylum was fine, Gothic was fine, WE3 had great art,...what am I forgetting?

Still have New X-Men, Seven Soldiers of Victory, Joe the Barbarian and Invisibles to read.

OH! All-Star Superman I really liked as well.

It was good in places but overall didn't really keep me hooked. On the other hand Invisibles and Joe the Barbarian I cannot recommend enough!

[grendeljd]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

[ian_house]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

I didn't really get on with the Filth, probably the only series I couldn't really get into, despite loving Morrison's weirdness.

I would LOVE to be able to read his New X-Men run, but it doesn't seem to be collected that obviously (or maybe I've not just looked enough) and singles are too expensive.

[dbngaa]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

I didn't really get on with the Filth, probably the only series I couldn't really get into, despite loving Morrison's weirdness.

I would LOVE to be able to read his New X-Men run, but it doesn't seem to be collected that obviously (or maybe I've not just looked enough) and singles are too expensive.

I got the New X-men omnibus, and I believe there are 3 "ultimate" collection TPBs and HCs that have everything as well.

The Filth...I knew I was leaving something out.

As for the Invisibles, I also bought the omnibus of that series, and even if I don't like it at least I'll get a solid upper body workout.

[ian_house]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

I didn't really get on with the Filth, probably the only series I couldn't really get into, despite loving Morrison's weirdness.

I would LOVE to be able to read his New X-Men run, but it doesn't seem to be collected that obviously (or maybe I've not just looked enough) and singles are too expensive.

I got the New X-men omnibus, and I believe there are 3 "ultimate" collection TPBs and HCs that have everything as well.

The Filth...I knew I was leaving something out.

As for the Invisibles, I also bought the omnibus of that series, and even if I don't like it at least I'll get a solid upper body workout.

I imagine that is one chunky omnibus! You didn't like though?

[dbngaa]

All-Star Superman was awesome

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

I didn't really get on with the Filth, probably the only series I couldn't really get into, despite loving Morrison's weirdness.

I would LOVE to be able to read his New X-Men run, but it doesn't seem to be collected that obviously (or maybe I've not just looked enough) and singles are too expensive.

I got the New X-men omnibus, and I believe there are 3 "ultimate" collection TPBs and HCs that have everything as well.

The Filth...I knew I was leaving something out.

As for the Invisibles, I also bought the omnibus of that series, and even if I don't like it at least I'll get a solid upper body workout.

I imagine that is one chunky omnibus! You didn't like though?

Haven't read it yet, just saying there will be an upside even if I dont like it.
Yea, it's big - 1200 pages I think. Looks like an unabridged dictionary.

[Dr. Solar]

Grant Morrison's stuff is pretty strange. New X-Men is probably one of the more "normal" things he's written, other than his run on JLA.

Invisibles is probably the most deeply Morrison thing there is.

The Filth and Flex Mentallo get a bit overboard and strange.

My favorite Grant Morrison is his run on Animal Man. Animal Man #26 (Morrison's last issue) is one of my favorite single issues of any comic ever.

[Lightning Strike]

Grant Morrison's stuff is pretty strange. New X-Men is probably one of the more "normal" things he's written, other than his run on JLA.

Invisibles is probably the most deeply Morrison thing there is.

The Filth and Flex Mentallo get a bit overboard and strange.

My favorite Grant Morrison is his run on Animal Man. Animal Man #26 (Morrison's last issue) is one of my favorite single issues of any comic ever.

I agree. I think when Morrison writes your average superhero comic, it's normally pretty darn good, but when he writes the non-typical superhero comics, he tends to delve deep into his psyche to pull out some really crazy stuff.

[ian_house]

Grant Morrison's stuff is pretty strange. New X-Men is probably one of the more "normal" things he's written, other than his run on JLA.

Invisibles is probably the most deeply Morrison thing there is.

The Filth and Flex Mentallo get a bit overboard and strange.

My favorite Grant Morrison is his run on Animal Man. Animal Man #26 (Morrison's last issue) is one of my favorite single issues of any comic ever.

The ending of that run is phenomenal, can't be said enough how in the space of 26 issues the book changes from a light happy reintroduction of a silver age hero with a care for the environment to a huge postmodern crescendo.

[Keith]

So, I read Arkham Asylum and his run on X-Men (new x-men). I did not like either. Is there something that I'm missing? Am I reading the wrong titles by this guy who is so revered in the world of comics? Or is he completely over rated?

Read his Batman run and Final Crisis. Some people didn't like FC but I loved it

Agreed. I was a big fan of his Batman run and how it intersects into Final Crisis, which was just as epic as the name sounds. Taekn as a whole, they combine into a super-huge Batman event, which is pretty insane when you consider the number of story arcs that are involved.

That being said, Final Crisis sometimes felt like a big ol' mess, with many re-reads and reinterpretations required. Like sometimes Grant just said "You guys figure out what I mean" and was satisfied with that.

[nutflush76]

I picked up my old Batman Gothic TPB and whose name should be on the cover? Why it was Grant Morrison!

I have always thought that Gothic was one of the better Batman stories I ever read. I loved the Detective work, the supernatural aspect, and the ties to the middle ages.

So, it kind of further cements my opinion that Morrison is hit and miss. When it comes to stories. He does a great story like Gothic, then something like his Batman run. He does All-Star Superman and then New X-Men.

Although, I'm not sure how I could have missed that he was the writer on this story.

[Xtianhardy]

That was the first Superman comic I read that really interested me. Morrison took this character I thought was too powerful and perfect to be interesting, made him even more so and then made it compelling.

The thing I like best about Morrison isn't his writing it's his enthusiasm. Watching interviews of him and reading Super Gods, the man drips with excitement about what he does. I am a sucker for enthusiasm.

I enjoyed his run on X-Men partially because he introduced ugly mutants. Not everyone can win the good looks/cool powers lottery. Sometimes your x-gene activates and you end up looking like Glob Herman. He introduced the idea of mutant culture and tweaking the idea of code names, making them instead mutant names like they had just entered a new phase of their life like they converted to another religion.

+1 - New X-Men is very nearly my favourite of his work, mainly for what he did to update the concept of the X-men in the modern day, especially with what Spylocke mentioned above. It pulled me back into reading x-men after ignoring the books since around #300 of Uncanny. I only wish that Frank Quitely had drawn more issues of the run, I felt that the art was mostly not very great otherwise [ended on a high note with Sylvestri, though]. Its also a shame that they have tried really hard to largely undo everything he established since then.

I am also a big fan of the WE3 story, as well as Doom Patrol & The Filth. I only just read his Animal Man run this past summer and found it to be top-notch too.

I didn't really get on with the Filth, probably the only series I couldn't really get into, despite loving Morrison's weirdness.

I would LOVE to be able to read his New X-Men run, but it doesn't seem to be collected that obviously (or maybe I've not just looked enough) and singles are too expensive.

I got the New X-men omnibus, and I believe there are 3 "ultimate" collection TPBs and HCs that have everything as well.

The Filth...I knew I was leaving something out.

As for the Invisibles, I also bought the omnibus of that series, and even if I don't like it at least I'll get a solid upper body workout.

I imagine that is one chunky omnibus! You didn't like though?

Haven't read it yet, just saying there will be an upside even if I dont like it.
Yea, it's big - 1200 pages I think. Looks like an unabridged dictionary.

The Invisibles is one of those books that changed the way I thought about the world after I read it, but then, I was 20 years old. 7 years later, I'm a different person now and like most works that meant a lot to me at the time, I doubt it'll have the same resonance. It's a great work, but it's not for everyone.

I really hope DC decides to release a Doom Patrol omnibus at some point. For my money, that book embodies the best combination of Morrison's weird meta-fictional tendencies and his love for the superhero genre. Animal Man is great too, but I find it to be a little too rooted in the Post-Crisis DCU to be completely accessible to readers and I think that overall that connection to crisis hurts Animal Man as a standalone work, even if it is maybe one of the best commentaries on comic book continuity reboots ever written.