Morning Glories

Morning Glories #38

Morning Glories #38While Abraham awakens halfway around the world in a snake-filled room, safe but still pursued by agents of the Morning Glories Academy, his son faces his own troubles when Gribbs awakes from his coma caused by Ike shooting the teacher in the head.

Still obsessed with finding Abraham, and carving a pound of flesh out of his son, Gribbs wastes no time in drugging Ike with mysterious cocktail in the dungeon cell from where his father disappeared and beating the shit out of the boy forcing a connection between the pair and information about where Abraham has gone and what he is currently up to.

Artist Joe Eisma doesn’t skimp on the violence of Gribbs’ brutal attack on the campus’ smart ass (which is more than a little difficult to watch), but he and writer Nick Spencer do offer a surprise with the unexpected return of one of Abraham’s new companions. How exactly she survived the events of Wood Run (or is this a version of Zoe before those events?) has yet to be established, but obviously she still has a role to play. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.50]

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Morning Glories #37

Morning Glories #37The latest issue of Morning Glories centers around yet another of the Truants as it follows the roaming astral body of the comatose Akiko who, while talking to her comatose body, roams various moments of her past, current unfolding events around the school (and possible future?) including meeting Danielle Clarkson, her days growing up and learning in Abraham’s Camp, a ballet recital for the older Jade, and making it down to the basement to comfort the blinded Fortunato.

Given that all we see in this issue occurs during a dream state, albeit a far looser one than some that we have witnessed in the past, its unclear how much is true and how much (such as the visions the young woman sees when performing in front of an older version of Jade she seems to know but can’t possibly have met yet) is actually true and how much is simply the dream. As to the lessons learned from Akiko’s experiences, even if her dreams are more clear, the meaning behind much of what we see continues to be suggested but largely shrouded in mystery (as fans have come to expect).

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Morning Glories #36

Morning Glories #36The latest issue of Morning Glories turns its attention to Ian, a student of Abraham’s Camp and a member of Irina‘s failed takeover attempt of Morning Glories Academy. Along with showing us Ian’s current activities, Morning Glories #36 gives us a look back at the man who made him and Dainelle Clarkson’s discovery of him years before during Casey‘s time traveling adventures.

Released from holding, Ian returns to his friends who happen to be the would-be newspaper publishers Hunter has been recently spending time with. Although outwardly charming, Ian (like Irina) appears to have a quick temper and dark motives Hunter might not be prepared for (especially after discovering who has just arrived at the Academy).

Rather than being coy, Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma come right out and showcase Ian’s unusual nature although we don’t get an explanation as to why there are so many versions of him running around (clones, copies, astral projections, duplicates?). Whatever the case, it’s obvious he’s someone worth keeping an eye on. Worth a look.

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Morning Glories #35

Morning Glories #35Offering another issue centered around a single student, the latest issue of Morning Glories turns its attention to Fortunato Medeiros who faces danger from the Academy both in the past and present. Luckily for Fortunato, as a child he was lucky enough to have a guardian angel in the time-traveling Casey Blevins. In the present, however, poor Fortunato has to face the wrath of Georgiana Daramount all on his own.

Although the comic gives us Casey kicking some serious ass as Dainelle Clarkson, and has some nice moments between the older Casey and younger Fortunato, Morning Glories #35 is by far one of the darkest issues of the comic’s run featuring an incensed Daramount whipping and even blinding the young man in an attempt to reassert her power and status in the school.

Daramount certainly takes a dark turn here, reverting closer to how she was originally presented, but her the level of her viciousness with Fortunato (someone the Academy obviously prizes) is more than a little perplexing. For fans.

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Morning Glories #34

Morning Glories #34The latest issue of Morning Glories is all about dealing with loss both in the present and the past. The focus of the issue is split between Jade dealing with the loss of her mother in a traffic accident and in the present Jade gathering together with Jun, Guillaume, Casey, Ike, Hunter, and Vanessa to have a secret farewell to the loss of Hisao who sacrificed himself to save his brother’s life.

What stands out about Morning Glories #34 is the chance for present-day Jade to take charge. Although we’ve seen what the older future version of the character is capable of, the version stuck in Morning Glories Academy hasn’t done much to speak-up for herself. Here Jade steps in-between the squabbling Casey and Jun to lead the entire group with a speech containing more words than she’s likely said to anyone at one time since arriving at the school.

It wouldn’t be a Morning Glories comic without a WTF moment and this one comes in the final few panels showing us Hisao wasn’t the only one with limited power over life and death. Worth a look.

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