Supergods, rather, is a sleekly designed tome delivered to us from the future. Grant morrison, the comic book writer and author of supergods, rubbed the magic lantern of my memories and reignited my lifelong love affair with comic books. Supergods, like its author, celebrated comic book writer grant morrison, is a complicated book. He helped me recall being a young boy and placing a dime and two pennies into a. Our world in the age of the superhero grant morrison. In the title of supergods, grant morrison seems to be promising an. A groundbreaking psychohistoric mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. Grant morrison is one of the most popular and acclaimed contemporary writers of any genre. His long list of credits as a comicbook writer include jla, new xmen. In a matter of years, the skies of our imaginations were filled with mutants, aliens and vigilantes. William gibsons zero history, spook country, pattern recognition and distrust that particular flavor. Grant morrisons supergods is all that the summary describes and more. National bestseller what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human superman, batman, wonder woman, iron man, and the xmenthe list of names as. But when he was born in 1960, morrison writes, he joined the continuity, and supergods turns in its second half from fictional superheroes to the.
His long list of credits as a comicbook writer include jla, new xmen, seven soldiers, animal man, doom patrol, the invisibles, we3, the filth, and. Theres nothing cool anymore about acknowledging the coolness of comic books. Comic books secret identity revealed in supergods bounding tall buildings but grounded in the times, superheroes provide a snapshot of human anxiety and aspiration. The current vogue in the world of what used to be known as fourcolour funny. Rolling stone morrison writes with such flair, humor and insight that supergods may be the seasons most winning exploration of pop culture and the. The book most shines when morrison breaks down why superheroes are so appealing, and hypothesizes as to why certain trends in the superhero market develop at certain points in history.
Grant morrison from one of the most acclaimed writers in the world of comics comes a thrilling and provocative exploration of humankinds great modern myth. Supergods is your opportunity to join one of the great figures of modern comics on a mindbending journey into the world of the superheroes. Supergods, by grant morrison, is an impressionistic overview of comic heroes and an attempt to rediscover the magical essence that. He is also an awardwinning playwright and screenwriter. In 2011, his experience and insight into the myths and traditions of comics resulted in the release of the new york times bestseller book, supergods, a groundbreaking psychohistoric mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. Nprs summer high fliers grant morrison is one of the worlds leading experts on comic books, and he draws on his entire body of work in supergods, charting the history of superheroes from the very beginning. Morrison places the figures we all know superman, spiderman, the xmen in a broad cultural context, invoking art. Supergods by grant morrison overdrive rakuten overdrive. Hes also an awardwinning playwright and screenwriter. Supergods, by grant morrison, is an impressionistic overview of comic heroes and an attempt to rediscover the magical essence that inspired nearly 75 years worth of superhero storytelling.
Beginning with schuster and seigels adolescent creation of superman in 1938, grant morrison charts the history of the superheroes to their modern, multiplex incarnations. To ask other readers questions about supergods, please sign up. Arkham asylum, the bestselling original graphic novel of all time. From what seem to be almost arbitrary and even laughable often laughable beginnings, the rise of superheroes in comics speaks deeply of the politics and belief systems of our times. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human, grant morrison sets. This is no primitively rendered golden age superman. Grant morrison books list of books by author grant morrison. Rarely operating as agents of actual literature, the superheroes are instead portrayed as foils, projections, and countercultural symbolsideas, the things that stand for things. Read supergods what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human by grant morrison available from rakuten kobo. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Popular culture is so far beyond that moment when comic. In addition to his extensive chronicle of superhero lore and theory, its a fascinating primer on the industry from one of its most celebrated luminaries as only he could deliver it. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human reprint by morrison, grant isbn. Grant morrison author grant morrison is one of the most popular and acclaimed contemporary writers of any genre.
In this exhilarating book, morrison draws on history, art, mythology, and his own astonishing journeys through this alternate universe to provide the first true. Arkham asylum, jla, new xmen, seven soldiers, animal man, doom patrol, the invisibles, we3, and the filth. Comicbook writer grant morrison on locking himself in a room with 70 years worth of comics. Grant morrison provides a fascinating tour throughout his life in comics. San francisco chronicle a personal and erudite history of the medium by one of its most intelligent and articulate practitioners. Comic book writer grant morrison discusses the human side of the superhuman in his new book, supergods. His long list of credits as a comicbook writer include jla, new xmen, seven. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. Our world in the age of the superhero by morrison, grant isbn. He is currently writing batman and the multiversity for dc comics. Grant morrison loves, knows, and understands superheroes. Grant morrisons supergods explains what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being.
What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human. Grant morrison is a scottish comic book writer and musician, well known for bestselling comics like all star superman, jla justice league of america, batman and robin, experimental comics and, as well see, deeply magical and psychedelic like the invisibles, graphic novels like arkham asylum. In addition to being a top notch writer, grant morrison is incredibly through with his research into the history of superheroes. Supergods by grant morrison penguin books australia. Nor is it some druginduced phantasmagoria from the 60s or 70s. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human 97808129884.
National bestseller what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being h. Morrison writes with such flair, humor and insight that supergods may be the seasons most winning exploration of pop culture and the creative process. From batman to the flash to dr manhattan, supergods looks at every key character, but also takes in unique national strips, and the strange spinoffs and forgotten curios. Supergods what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human by grant morrison. Grant morrison is one of the best comic book writers to have ever held a pen, so naturally i was curious to read his history of the american comics industry. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human 2011 in pdf, epub formats. If you havent read a comic book recently, heres a headsup. Being a superherocomics fan i have read a lot of morrisons work and i find it at best hit and miss. A serious house on serious earth, and the visionary art fueled take on the the myth.
Our world in the age of the superhero by grant morrison. Morrison saw american comics and their heroes as a means of escapse and as a means of stimulating the imagination. For grant morrison, one of the most acclaimed writers in the world of comics. Praise seventy years of superhero history with erudite analysis and autobiography thrown inan account of what its like to plunge your brain into these fictional universes for decades, refusing to come up for air. Troy, from deconstructing comics july 16, 2012 ad, provided some interesting insights into grant morrisons book supergods what masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human troy notes that, grant morrison is a decisive subject in comics. Morrisons supergods is one of the better hero books out there, but its not without its own flaws. Grant morrison grant morrison is one of comics greatest innovators.
In 2012 morrison was awarded an mbe for services to film and literature. Ive just begun reading grant morrisons supergods and wanted to share the introduction with any nonreaders or nonbelievers. What masked vigilantes, miraculous mutants, and a sun god from smallville can teach us about being human is part history of comics, part grant morrisons autobiography, and part grant morrisons opinions on popular comics. He has done some of the truly brilliant, seminal superhero stories but he has also written a lot of selfindulgent mediocrity. Theres that thing we say about great professors of history. Supergods is partly a history and critical analysis of the superhero concept and partly grant morrisons autobiography as an artist.