“Morning Glories” #27 represents pure escapism. By following these kids down the rabbit hole, readers are taken on a mental journey that will boggle the mind to such an extent that worries about whether or not that girl will call you back, how the dishes are going to get clean or why your boss seems to hate you will be forced out of consciousness. Spencer and Eisma have created a beautiful distraction with this series.
Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Joe Eisma“THERE IS NO BEGINNING”
The double-sized Season 2 premiere! With an astonishing array of covers by some of the hottest artists working today: JENNY FRISON, ROB GUILLORY, SHAWN MARTINBROUGH, JAMIE McKELVIE, EMMA RIOS and MORNING GLORIES’ own JOE EISMA!
The long and winding road that has taken readers from the first day at Morning Glory Academy to the beginning of Season 2 has been paved with good intentions, bad intentions, conflicting intentions, mysterious intentions, misrepresented intentions and maybe unintended intentions. Who can keep up? Why do these cobblestones of intent matter; why must we acknowledge the pavement beneath the sneakers of our heroes? Because the attitude toward the effect of one’s own actions or conduct (read intention) is all we can hope to grasp. We as readers will never be able to get out in front of the methodical and mysterious Mr. Spencer. We will never be able to decode the subtle and cryptic messages left by the hand of Mr. Eisma. We will never know with any degree of certainty what is coming next. However, by leaving a trail of breadcrumbs along this intention laden bee-line, the creative team allows us to piece together the character’s motivations, the driving beliefs behind their mystifying actions. Therefore, reading this title becomes an exercise in reconstructing intention from actions, and interactions that seemed inscrutable earlier in the series.
So, knowing that there will be few realizations (or ‘answers’) doled out, that the mysteries will remain mysteries and that the characters will probably still be in their gym clothes in the woods (at least in this timeline), what is the point of reading? That may be the first easy question ever asked in the history of “Morning Glories”: the book is impeccably written, beautifully illustrated, and contains some of the most realistic and sympathetic characters in the history of the genre. Seriously, you must be new to this whole asking questions about “Morning Glories” thing, that was way too easy.
What sets this series apart, is it’s rigorous commitment to the characters that have been created. The creative team behind “Morning Glories” continually honors the voices, tones and personalities of each member of the cast. Striking and emotive, Eisma’s figures are always a strong component of the book’s success. The dialogue of each character is distinctly recognizable, to such a great degree in fact, readers could probably guess who is speaking from the text alone. These characters’ personalities are as diverse as their dialogue. It’s hard to put them into ‘archetypical’ boxes; they feel like real people, and Spencer’s writing helps build a relationship between those individuals and their audience. That is what pulls us along through the mystery — we care what happens to Casey, the fearless leader we would follow into war; Ike, who we hope will turn himself around; Jade, whose poetry we would tolerate if she let us read her journal; Jun, who we so want to figure out; Hunter, who would totally get our jokes; and Zoe, who will not be calling you back (go read “Morning Glories” and stop worrying about it). Spencer and Eisma have gotten readers invested in these characters, and that investment brings us back to this tempest of befuddlement month after month.
In “Morning Glories” #27 in particular, Spencer’s literary muscle shines. Extended metaphors, allusions and figures of speech that would have Mark Twain blushing with envy illustrate his prowess in this issue. Eisma is also doing his part to prove his mettle in issue #27. He seems to grow more skilled with each passing month. This artist is quickly becoming one of the best working today. An uncompromising eye for detail and strong visual storytelling anchor the work amidst the chaos that he so deftly renders.
Continued belowNever let it be said that the team behind “Morning Glories” does not care for its readers. This issue introduces a shining beacon of clarity (comparatively speaking, of course) in the MGA Study Hall, written by Multiversity EIC, Matthew Meylikhov. Paired with the refreshingly simple “Morning Glory Babies,” drawn by Andrea Penailillo (also written by Meylikhov) the backmatter of the comic become a user friendly, Morning Glories for Dummies of sorts, that is not to be missed.
The creative team has somehow found a way to mimic the experience of reading the book in the characters reaction to the events of the series. Throughout “Morning Glories” 27 the cast echoes the confusion, and need for speculation that the audience feels each time they pick up an issue. In another feat of imagination, the team has managed to harness the sensation of deja vu, communicating that eerie, dreamlike experience perfectly in the series, especially this issue. Spencer and Eisma have somehow caught lightning in a bottle, and each installment of the series releases another jolt of energy that feels familiar and completely new all at once.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Come join the conjecture, confusion and camaraderie that is “Morning Glories,” it’s one hell of a party.
