Morning Glories #3

By Colin Andersen
October 22, 2010 - 10:05

I really have to give credit to Nick Spencer for crafting an amazingly hyped up new comic book that actually lives up to the hype. Honestly, I don’t really know where all the pre-release build-up for Morning Glories came from but it is definitely justified. This may not be the most ground-breaking story in concept, but Spencer really nails the execution and keeps the story consistently entertaining. That doesn’t mean that Morning Glories #3 is perfect, but it certainly is good.
The idea of students being trapped in a private academy is not entirely a new one, but Nick Spencer is able to add some real distinctive character to his stars that make the idea pop. There’s also just enough to the underlying mystery of the Academy’s secret goals that is added in each issue to keep the reader guessing. It all weaves together for some really compelling scenes, even

when there’s no dialogue; the setting and the events going on are enough to carry the books alone (with the help of Joe Eisma’s art) quite strongly. I’ve never seen such a gruesome montage of someone just getting dressed for school. As for that school mystery, there are some new wrinkles introduced this issue that could result in some very interesting plot points in the future even if they make little sense right now. There’s also some pretty blatant hints that the Academy, or at least whoever started the Academy, have been running this operation for quite some time now.
   One of the other pieces that really makes Morning Glories work is Spencer’s stellar characterization. Though only three of the main characters so much as make an appearance this issue, the ones that do are written like such real people it’s almost scary. Even better is that each one of them has a unique personality that actually adds to the story. I especially enjoyed the way Ike gets a little moment to shine this issue but using his character quirks that might normally be a nuisance and giving them a use. It’s a clever way to make the reader identify with and enjoy the character that readers might normally get annoyed with.
   As I said before, none of this means that Morning Glories #3 is the perfect issue. This isn’t the biggest problem, but Spencer somehow makes this series both amazingly surprising and annoyingly predictable. Nearly the entirety of the series so far has been modified ideas taken from other places, though they are all used expertly to move the story along and keep everything interesting. If you can’t see the last page “twist ending” coming though, then you probably haven’t been reading comic books that long. The first few pages suffer from this to an extent as well. While they do add more to the plot (even if it isn’t quite explained yet), these pages are also nothing new and it was kind of distracting for me. Results may vary for the individual reader though.
   A lot of credit is due to Joe Eisma as well for brining Spencer’s plans to life on the page as well. It’s a little stylized and that might not work for everyone but his characters actually look like people that are the age they’re supposed to be and they’re kept proportionally correct throughout the whole issue. That latter point is a big pet peeve of mine that not enough modern artists seem to care about. Some might complain that backgrounds are bland or not-detailed enough, but I personally find that a strength of Eisma’s here. The fact that reader only ever sees same-colored walls or covered windows really adds to the feeling that these kids are really trapped in a dungeon, despite how brightly lit and nice-seeming it is. It’s a great, subtly way to illustrate an important part of the series without having to have the characters constantly state the situation. Credit to colorist Alex Sollazzo for helping add to the feelings of vibrancy and captivity.
   Morning Glories is truly the little comic that could. It built up a huge following in no time at all and I’m pleased to say that it is all well-deserved. If you’re looking for a completely original comic book that has a story you’ve never seen before, then look elsewhere. But if you want an extremely well-written mystery story with some very real characters then do not hesitate to pick up Morning Glories.

Rating: 9 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12

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