3.5 Razors

• Title: Morning Glories
• wiki: link
• Writer: Nick Spencer
• Artist: Joe Eisma

“Assembly” opens up a new path for Casey Blevins with Morning Glories #39‘s introduction of her old rival Isabel and the idea of running for student president to earn access to the school’s elusive Director. Although initially against the idea, Casey comes to see the wisdom in such a move.

The latest volume of Morning Glories also gives us the arrival of Oliver Simon and Ellen Richmond and begins to define the characters of Vanessa and her brother Ian. Vanessa and Ellen’s story continues to grow in importance in the comic’s most recent issues while Ian’s odd nature suggests he’ll have an important role to play before all is said and done.

We also get the introduction of the school’s unique sport Towerball which another of the students plans, like Casey, to use for his own ends to stand-up to the faculty. Whether or not any of them are successful, this volume begins to see various characters banding together in different ways to fight back against the oppressive authority of the school. But when you’re dealing with fate, gods, and weird mysticism do they really have a chance? Worth a look.

[Image, $12.99]

• Title: Morning Glories #43
• wiki: link
• Writer: Nick Spencer
• Artist: Joe Eisma

The latest issue of Morning Glories returns to the unique relationship of Vanessa and her mother Ellen who, as far as we know, are the only mother-daughter combination allowed within the walls of Morning Glory Academy. Why this is the case remains a mystery, but what the issue is clear about is the faculty’s insistence on breaking, or at least weakening, the ties between mother and daughter despite going to all the trouble to allow their reunion.

Although the issue alludes to the equally odd, but less emotional, relationship between Oliver and Ian, the comic is primarily concerned with mother and daughter and the efforts Ellen took to protect Vanessa from ending up a the Academy before Ms. Clarkson‘s intervention.

Like pretty much every other student in the school Vanessa is a puzzle piece that doesn’t quite yet fit. Why is she important enough to (at least partially) mollify Ellen? And why was it necessary for Casey, under the guise of Clarkson, to make sure both mother and daughter made it safely to the school? Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]