The Official MORNING GLORIES Thread (With Nick & Joe)

[Supajoe]

the first tp is sold out?because in most sites it's no longer available..........

i want so bad read this series!!!!

I'm endeavoring to find out more info on this. I've been informed by two separate retailers vol. 1 is sold out.

[IAmARobot]

I have finally caught up on Morning Glories through trades and picked up #20. Joe and Nick have quickly become two of my favorite creators. Sadly, I have not read much that either of you are involved with. What else have you guys worked on that I can pick up.

Thanks, and sorry if this is too off topic.

[frostfalls]

Finally was able to pick up the latest issue and I just love it so much. It was great to see more of the sisters' relationship and perhaps a bit more of their motivations. Plato's cave continues to be a favorite locale.

I actually got the first two trades on the nook for my sister as a birthday gift and am impatiently waiting for her to read them so I have someone to talk about it with IRL. Yes, I give selfish gifts on occasion.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

Hey guys! Joe Eisma gave an interview on working on MORNING GLORIES, here.

really worth checking out. There's some neat info on some of the upcoming issues towards the end.

[Marvel_Adam]

Great advice for aspiring artists!

[Chris S.]

I've read this title from the beginning. I'm just wondering: does anyone else find the unending questions to be overly confusing? They leave me feeling like I'm missing something. I get that is part of the intrigue in this book, but after 20 issues something needs to be answered.

I also have a really difficult time following the story. I don't feel any attachment to the characters anymore, and even find it hard to know who is who anymore.

This is a book that desperately needs a recap to start each issue.

[UnravThreads]

I've read this title from the beginning. I'm just wondering: does anyone else find the unending questions to be overly confusing? They leave me feeling like I'm missing something. I get that is part of the intrigue in this book, but after 20 issues something needs to be answered.

I also have a really difficult time following the story. I don't feel any attachment to the characters anymore, and even find it hard to know who is who anymore.

This is a book that desperately needs a recap to start each issue.

From about two weeks ago:

Hey Joe & Nick,

I would ask this over Twitter but it's... gonna require a longer answer, though hopefully not much more.

So, I see we're getting introduced (properly?) to another group of kids. This is great 'n' all, but I'm struggling a bit with the series as it is. I hoped trade two would answer questions I had after trade one, and three would do the same after two, but I must confess my brain is really struggling to get my head around a lot of aspects of the series. Will this next arc (which takes us to ~25% through the series, right? I'm sure I heard that it was possibly going to be a 100 issue series) answer a number of questions or at least partially work towards doing so, and will those four initial arcs work better when read together?

Thanks :)

It's not so much that it needs a recap (I read in trade, however, so maybe it's different for monthly), it's just I'm really beginning to find myself bogged down in loads of details. Sometimes Joe's art can confuse me a little (sorry, Joe, but you do know I love your work) as you see characters who look like others but aren't them but might be them but not them but another version of them like Jade and Jade.

I read all (at the time) nineteen issues in one day and my brain gave up towards the end. I can't even get my head around Jun and Hisao.

[Nick Spencer]

The book is a long-form mystery. I really never have any idea what else to say to this stuff. I don't think most of the narratives are terribly complex, even. And it's not like we don't answer questions. We answer questions in nearly every issue. It's just a lot of those answers will lead to new questions.

Sorry, I don't mean for that answer to sound obtuse, but it's really the best I can give. We're twenty issues in, yes, but that's not that far in a story that's going to run 100, 100+ issues. We've been hearing that since somewhere around 4 issues in.

It's not going to get smaller, or simpler from here, I can say that much. And if it did, frankly, I'm not sure what the book would even be anymore. The entire point of the story structure is for you to not be able to figure it all out at this stage. If you did, the story would just be over-- again, it's a mystery. But you know considerably more than you did at the end of 01, right?

If you're not feeling any attachment for the characters, or can't keep them straight, I dunno... I feel like these are some of the best-defined, most distinctive characters in comics, but I'm biased. There's not one of them that doesn't have some fan shrine out there, so they are registering with some people. But mileage varies. I think the book suffers a bit when read quickly as part of a stack, it's a little more demanding than that, but I really have no idea if that's your chosen method.

As for Jun and Hisao, they're twins. They switched identities when the faculty came to get them. That's it, really. Same with Jade, sort of-- there's a younger one, and an older one. That's really all we know at this stage.

Bottom line, no, we're not anywhere near the point where there aren't new questions coming. You'll get answers to a lot, too, but there's a lot more to discover. Some people enjoy the journey, others decide they can't keep it straight/don't want to wait it out, and I get that. But the book is not on the cusp of becoming something other than the long-form mystery we pitched it as on day one.

Sorry, I am probably not the guy to answer these questions :)

[Marvel_Adam]

Sorry, I am probably not the guy to answer these questions :)

Don't worry Nick, these questions were probably aimed at me. I'll take it from here.

Of course I jest.

Morning Glories wouldn't be Morning Glories without mystery. It would be... a yearbook? I dunno. But keep up the great work. I'm already excited for issue #100 and the 14 variant covers :D.

You and Joe (who is outstanding, and can be found answering some interesting questions here) are awesome, the characters are awesome and the book is awesome. Thank you.

[UnravThreads]

Don't get me wrong Nick, I am enjoying the journey. Jade is great, Casey is constantly blowing my mind, but... I don't know. I feel like I'm missing half of the book, if that makes sense? I read it and a lot is passing me by.

I'll keep getting the trades, I'm a dedicated fan in that way, I just can't help but feel like I'm missing *something* that'll make the book click and then everything'll make sense.

[abysslord]

The eye thing was probably just the angle of the face man - I hesitated to even mention it because I thought I was probably just picking up something that wasn't there and then it would come off like a critique of the art which it was not intended to be. I'm probably reading this book with more hypersensitivity to everything just because I'm trying not to miss out on anything!

It's funny because I noticed the same exact thing. I usually don't look at art too closely either but that eye just shot out at me :) Not a big deal as you said, it's cool to hear Joe just say "Whoops" though. If only another artist that's very popular would do the same thing about his art ... no names mentioned.

The book is a long-form mystery. I really never have any idea what else to say to this stuff. I don't think most of the narratives are terribly complex, even. And it's not like we don't answer questions. We answer questions in nearly every issue. It's just a lot of those answers will lead to new questions.

Sorry, I don't mean for that answer to sound obtuse, but it's really the best I can give. We're twenty issues in, yes, but that's not that far in a story that's going to run 100, 100+ issues. We've been hearing that since somewhere around 4 issues in.

Exactly. Picture this as a mystery novel and we're on page 50 of 200+ .... the clues are still piling up at this point. I think the people complaining about not getting answers are just impatient and want the story to move quicker, but as Stephen King always says it's the journey, not the destination ...otherwise just read the last chapter in a book, right?

Keep up the good work Nick and Joe .... and the rest of the creative team. I really hope everyone stays on board so all 100+ issues have the same look.

[klinton]

I've always been a fan of metaphysic storytelling, so the layers and rug pulling are kind of right up my alley. It's frustrating, but in an enjoyable way. You're scratching your head, but relishing the prolonged "what about..." mulling it provokes. This really is a book that needs to be shared with friends and discussed.

As for recapping, I don't really see how that's necessary. If anything, scenes are revisited too often (albeit to play out the perspectives of oher characters). I've more than once caught myself double checking that I haven't already read the issue before me and forgotten to file it away. The revisiting of events brings the original telling immediately to mind. If my recollection of that event is lacking, I'll take the time to revisit it's original telling (a quick scan is all that you need), and then compare it to what I've just read.

Think of it as a microcosmic example of comics as a genre (where retcons and spin are rampant) and it's easier to swallow the whole. Pay attention to what you're reading, and construct a narrative timeline in your head. When someting is presented that contests your established narrative, go back and compare notes. It's fun, I promise.

I'm not sure if I've posted to this thread before, so I thought I'd say thanks guys for the book. It's def a highlight when it shows up in my pull stack! :D

[Chris S.]

I think the book suffers a bit when read quickly as part of a stack, it's a little more demanding than that, but I really have no idea if that's your chosen method.

I think you hit my problem on the nose right there. I pick up my books in two month spans and, while at the top, Morning Glories is still read in a stack.

And I hate to say this, but often books that confuse me go to the wayside. I enjoy the book each month, but I also feel like I need to do a huge re-read of the series to follow it right now. Its like Hickman's stuff. I love his work, but I have a hard time following it because I am reading so much other stuff.

I'll give the book a few more months, but if things don't start to become more clear it might get dropped. And as Nick said its a mystery book...

Thanks for the reply Nick.

[Supajoe]

Heh, I'd actually also addressed the call for answers on my Tumblr a few weeks ago, http://jeisma.tumblr.com/post/26345044936/answers, but Nick is definitely the one to take charge here.

Abysslord--haha, well my primary goal above anything is to tell the story. If there's anything that takes you out of that, then yeah, I need to correct it. Kathryn--I don't know what to tell you. I mean, I'm dealing with a huge cast of main and supporting characters, and I try to give them as distinct looks as possible. We were very conscious starting out that each of the main three boys and girls all have different hair colors and styles. With that, I never understood how people were mixing them up--but again, large cast. This is why I throw in cameos or ask fans if they want a cameo--so we can have more variety.

But to come back to 'answers,' I think what confounds Nick and I is that we have answered things. To say otherwise is incorrect. The answers more often than not lead to more questions (a consequence of Nick & I being fans of the classic Claremont X-men). I think folks are wanting resolutions to plot threads that we aren't prepared to give just yet. I don't want to repeat what Nick wrote, though--he's spot on! I personally think it's great the book inspires such heated debate.

[UnravThreads]

It wasn't meant to be a criticism on your art, Joe. I understand how many people you have to design, draw and so-on. It's just sometimes a character might look a bit similar to another (as an example, I find Ms. Daramount to look a little like Zoe, and... um.. the Guidance Councillor to look like Casey. When one considers we've seen an Adult Jade, it's not too much of a stretch, IMHO). I think it is possibly due to me reading it in a stack, not giving myself enough time to digest it.

Yeah, you've answered things, but as you've noticed, those answers tend to lead to more questions, so you can probably see why some of us are getting a little confused here and there. I guess my question was more about will we get to a point where some loose ends are tied up before moving forward again - sort of like how TV shows work. After a while they tie-up, explain and then move on again.