On Reading Graphic Novels discussion
The Filth
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Fredstrong
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 02:05PM)
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Dec 02, 2007 12:07AM
I just Finished The Filth, by Grant Morrison. Pretty intense... Are all of Grant Morrison's graphic novels this heady? Does anyone have another favorite of his they would recommend?
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Strangely I would recommend The Filth after recommending any of Morrison's other work. TF was just 'too much' for me.Read The Invisibles. Right now. Break down the door of your local bookstore and steal every available volume.
I'll 2nd the Invisibles. Interesting stuff, and yes, pretty heady. I've never read The Filth so I can't judge accordingly. Just about everything I've ever read of his is pretty good though. The superhero stuff is often pretty constrained (Like his X-men run) but stuff like Arkham Asylum is classic.
If you can get your hands on Viminamrama, I thought it was fantastic as was WE3, both were Vertigo minis
The last Animal Man tpb, Deus ex Machina, seems to be a more lucid and accessible version of The Filth, with the added bonus of actually having a story. I thought The Filth was absolutely brilliant the first time I read it, and then re-read it later and realized it's one of those annoyingly aware po-mo yammerings that do a lot of work to look like they're saying something awfully important while using heavy irony to cover their narrative asses the entire time.
Doom Patrol, first two trades. Some of Morrison's best work, in terms of creating new and wonderous things, working within existing norms, and clever wordplay. They are great!-Rob
I would normally recommend Reading the Filth after the Invisibles... but now that THE FILTH is fresh in your head, reading THE INVISIBLES next would be perfect. You can actually play a game of SPOT THE PANEL IN WHICH THE WHOLE OF "THE FILTH" TAKES PLACE IN.Granted, we're talking about a work that's more than 3x3 times the size of THE FILTH but well worth cracking open.
While I do love GM's Animal Man run, it's very much a collected comic book series rather than a graphic Novel. DOOM PATROL gets away from that almost from the start, shedding comic tropes with each passing chapter.
GM's Post X-men run of Mini-mini-series are all lovely works of art. Sea-guy, Vinmanrama & We3 are each tight and very entertaining.
For a real dissection of the SUPER-HERO mythos I'd say have a look at SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY. But that is a 4 volume set who's ambition outstrips it's successes on some fronts. So again more for those who have a fondness for Superheroes as well as Graphic Novels.
If you can Find it KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND is an amazing one-shot comic. Sebastian O is also quite fun with-out being a super hero tale... but also a light read.
Arkham Asylum is indeed a "classic" and I'd say a valued piece of the BATMAN mythos.
Also worth examining is THE MYSTERY PLAY.
Wow guys, Thanx! You've given me much to think about I think my next Grant Morrison will certainly be the invisibles, but Arkham Asylum is up there as well. Patrick, you should get a job reviwing graphic novels/comic books, you seem to have quite a grasp on the genre!
Ugh, I thought Seven Soldiers was Morrison at his worst--too far reaching, not as clever as he thought it would be, and ending with a crash rather than a bang.Parts of it were interesting, but overall I felt it missed the mark. I may see if it works better collected than it did over a LOT of single issues.
-Rob
For some of the best comic book genre stuff, I would recommend any of Morrison's JLA. They only get better and better, and while strictly, comic books (as opposed to his other, more dissecting of the genre works), they are top notch stuff. The DC One Million graphic novel also ties in well, and expands well.Additionally, if you can find them, Zenith, is a great story (and actually my favorite of all his works), the fight scene between the DC & Marvel clone characters are great, and this work has the Morrison-style foreshadowing that only he can do.
-Kevin.
I didn't particularly like the filth. i'm down with surreal po-mo shit, but like Michael said, it was just too much for me. too heavy on the mind fuck at the detriment of a good story.
I agree with those who think The Filth was a bit on the "seemed weird just for the sake of being weird" side. Never really grabbed me, I guess. But if you can get your hands on Morrison's "Aztek" series that's a fun, layered, ride.
