by Alan Rapp on April 30, 2013
in Comics
After months of leaving the fate of Casey Blevins up in the air, the latest issue of Morning Glories puts her storyline front and center as the comic kicks off it’s Second Season with a full-sized $1 issue which gives us a few clues as to how Casey has been spending her time since being sent back nearly two decades into the past.
As fans of the series have come to expect, an issue like this raises more questions than it answers. We get a montage of panels from artist Joe Eisma teasing the covert work Casey has been up to since we saw her last as well as a pair of shocking reveals following an odd dinner between Casey and Abraham.
The first big reveal is Casey is secretly Ms. Clarskon, one of Casey’s old high school teachers before being accepted into Morning Glories. And the second, is the scary resemblance to Ms. Daramount, once Casey embraces life as a brunette, and all of the insane implications that come with it. It’s certainly a memorable way to kick off the next arc. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on April 3, 2013
in Comics
Billed as the “Season Finale,” the double-sized Morning Glories #25 fills in several missing scenes, while revisiting others, from the first two dozen issues of the comic’s run. There are no big revelations (except this one), but we do get some clarity on a handful of the characters’ motivations (particularly those of Abraham and Irina).
Hisao (who is really Jun) dies in his brother’s arms, Abraham is forced to reveal more than he’d like to Ike who is holding the current version of Jade hostage, and Irina’s true mission is revealed to the rest of her group when Guillame reveals that Irina isn’t hear to save Abraham but to kill his son (which, according to how she reads the situation, is the only way to save them all).
Hunter is saved by an older version of Jade who gets him to uses his mysterious ability to try and set the events, which are currently spiraling out of control, back on their natural path. However, it’s the one character (Casey) whose story isn’t touched on here who we learn is the key to everything. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on February 17, 2013
in Comics
The latest super-sized issue of Morning Glories centers around Ike‘s relationship with his estranged father Abraham. Over the course of the issue we’re shown several flashbacks of Ike and his father including the first time the young man murdered him.
With Abraham now a prisoner of Mr. Gribbs, the Morning Glories Academy stooge tries to pressure Ike into killing his father again (this time a little more permanently) by threatening the life of Jade should he refuse. By the end of the issue Ike’s cunning wins out, but it also leaves both Jade and his father in a precarious situation as the young man demands the answers to questions that have been kept from him his entire life.
Although Morning Glories #24 doesn’t answer any of the big questions the series has kept under wraps for two years it does provide some background to Ike and one hell of a cliffhanger that should promise real answers whenever the comic returns to this storyline. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on December 3, 2012
in Comics
The sacrifice which has been discussed over the past few issues finally comes to pass as Morning Glories continues the story of Irina and the new group reuniting with Jun (who is really Hisao). Issue #23 also returns the bomb-making Akiko as we see her failed attempt to kill Abraham two years ago and her liberation from the padded room she’s been in ever since she tried to blow up Ms. Daramount a few issues back.
There’s certainly plenty going on here, even if it is a little hard to follow at times (it is a Morning Glories comic after all). With the sacrifice we get what is presumably the end of Hisao (who is really Jun) as well as some infighting between Irina’s group as Jun isn’t willing to let his brother be killed as part of their plan.
The biblical references continue as Akiko tells her liberator that the group should stop trying to target Abraham, but target his son instead. We also get a short scene with Ike and Jade finally making it out of the cave who, as the appearance of the military suggests, apparently have traveled back in time with Casey without realizing it. Confusing? Yeah, but still a good read. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on October 16, 2012
in Comics
Surprisingly the latest issue of Morning Glories doesn’t jump to the storylines of other characters this month (as has been the series’ formula), instead we pick up from last month’s issue as Hunter, Jun (really Hisao) and the new kids attempt to stop an all important sacrifice. At least I think that’s what they are doing because, not surprising at all, the comic gives us scant information or true motivations on what is really happening.
The comic jumps around a bit from the current situation to flashbacks from the Morning Glories Academy two years ago. In the flashbacks we see another student who has had their “eyes opened” as Jade did a few issues back. The current storyline also reinstates the idea that for students at the academy time and space aren’t really an issue as Hunter and his new friends find themselves using Sumerian ruins to travel through time to save Abraham.
We get a tease that we’ll learn what Hunter is actually good at in this issue, but other than an ability to get shot we don’t really get an idea what his special gift might be. For fans.
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by Alan Rapp on September 4, 2012
in Comics
Morning Glories #21 picks up the Hunter storyline that ended with the death of Zoe and the arrival of a new group of students in the final issue of the “P.E.” arc. Over the course of the issue we’re introduced to the various members of the group as reunite with Jun (really Hisao) and get ready to stop a dangerous sacrifice involving his brother Hisao (really Jun).
We’re giving quite a bit of information into the new group’s time in Abraham’s school preparing them for their entrance to Morning Glories. We’re also shown the first few days of their leader, Irina, at Morning Glories Academy and see the motivation of dead and tortured parents is a regular technique to motivate the students, although her reaction is anything but typical.
Even with the death of one of the major characters the support cast is growing a bit unwieldy, especially as some of the young female students drawn by Joe Eisma look very similar and given the fact that the structure of the book means leaving subsets of characters for months while dealing with separate story arcs.
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by Alan Rapp on July 10, 2012
in Comics
The latest issue of Morning Glories gives us a glimpse into the relationship of Ms. Daramount and Miss Hodge and their past together as children without revealing all that much about the broader themes and specifics writer Nick Spencer continues to keep close to the vest.
Although Joe Eisma’s art is beautiful to look at, and Spencer gives us another unexpected (and bloody) twist, the dialogue between characters, especially between the young Miss Hodge and the time traveling Vanessa feels far too intentionally vague (as if the characters themselves knew you were reading the story and didn’t want to give anything important away).
That said, we do get quite a long look at the sibling rivalry of the two sisters for the affections of their (still yet to be shown) father as well as why Hodge is content with her current role. We also get foreshadowing about which of the students Hodge sees as the most dangerous to her plans. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on June 13, 2012
in Comics
“P.E.” concludes as we catch up to Hunter being chased through the woods by a knife-wielding Zoe who is out to kill him just as she has killed the young girl who fancied him moments before. Last issue gave us some insight into Zoe’s motivations, and the final issue of the arc helps fill in some of Hunter’s past as well.
We get flashbacks including more instances of the young man’s trouble with time and the slow death of his mother in a hospital. We’re also given a last second twist and the introductions of new characters who have apparently been searching for one of the Morning Glories students for quite some time.
The issue doesn’t give much away, but it’s certainly memorable as by the final page the first of our original six characters will meet their end. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on May 15, 2012
in Comics
“P.E.” continues, and although we don’t get any answers about the school and its mysterious ways we do learn a little about Abraham‘s group working against Morning Glories Academy. The issue is centered around Jun (really Hisao) who gets into another fight with his brother Hisao (really Jun) but is rescued by a childhood fried, Guillame.
As Guillame and Jun reconnect and kill time in a way that would be sure to make Bill O’Reilly shout down the evil homosexual comic book agenda of Image Comics, we also get flashbacks to Jun and Guillame’s time together as children growing up in Abraham’s compound.
Although the issue doesn’t really move the plot forward it does cement a couple of important points (other than Jun’s sexual preference). One, we know Jun isn’t alone working for Abraham. And two, we discover which other member of the new Morning Glories recruits is not only part of the group but in charge of their mission. It’s not who you expect. Worth a look.
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by Alan Rapp on April 4, 2012
in Comics
This issue returns us to the mysterious cave, this time from the perspective of Jade and Ike who wait and fight over the state of things while waiting for Casey and Ms. Hodge to miraculously disappear.
In terms of action Morning Glories #17 is decidedly lacking. However, in terms of actually allowing two characters to sit down and honestly discuss their views and question the odd occurrences at Morning Glories Academy this is the best issue yet.
We learn a little more about Jade’s past, the death of her mother, and how she views her ability to peer into the future. Despite Ike’s bravado and cynical taunts, he does manage to raise a couple of important points about Jade’s view of herself and the school. We’re also, quite unexpectedly, given a rather large hint at the identity of the mysterious ghost.
A strong issue, and a darn good read, that actually answers some questions as well as continues the mystery. Worth a look.
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