Something is amiss at the Morning Glory Academy. The question remains, is it a far flung conspiracy that sees children snatched away to be part of a grand experiment or a cliched plot and subpar visuals?
I’ve never read a Nick Spencer (Shuddertown, Forgetless) penned book, and had only the most basic of information about Morning Glories #1. A group of teens are recruited by a newish, but still incredibly prestigious prep school, where a dark, mysterious secret brews. Admittedly, I wasn’t going in expecting much, and after getting through the first few pages, an escape attempt orchestrated by several students, I was about to give up. While the story isn’t exactly paint by numbers, I didn’t see that grab-you-by-the-balls oomph indies need to set them apart and make them special.
I persevered through the next few pages, and damn, I’m glad I did. Six new students are showcased as they prepare for their trip to the new school. Each youth showcases a different background and attitude. One girl fools several boyfriends into giving her gifts, a boy says goodbye to his father, getting little more than a wave as he heads out for the year, a sociopath, an emo chick, a good girl, and a super smart, possible ass kicking asian dude. All of them end up on a solo ride in the back of a limo on their way to school, all of them are gassed and sleep most of the way there, and after a few minutes of orientation, all of them find out they have the same birthday.
I realize this doesn’t sound exciting, and that’s the reason for my own trepidation. What a quick plot rundown can’t possibly communicate is the deft way Mr. Spencer and artist Joe Eisma are able to express the darkness of the situation. Like bump on your balls, readers know something sinister and deadly is at work just underneath the skin, and one can’t help but get excited about what’s coming up in future issues.
You want some cliche? You can cut the tension with a knife! You’ll pay for the whole issue, but only need the edge!
Cover art to MORNING GLORIES #1 by Rodin Esquejo
And the art. Four pages in, I was less than impressed, but whoever put this creative team together nailed it. The sparse art style is jarring, especially after the intensive superhero books I often read. It’s not until the importance of the emotional state of each character becomes clear that I realized how well Joe Eisma nailed it. Each person has a distinct style and look that perfectly represents who they are, at least on the surface. One last big compliment: GREAT use of panels. This doesn’t get talked about enough in the world of comics, but panels can be one of the most effective ways of telling a story, and Eisma puts on a clinic.
Not to say Morning Glories is perfect. Some of the design is bizarre. The writing, while effective, doesn’t always track well, and the biggest sin is readers won’t be grabbed on page 1.
In the end, this student has learned three things; 1) I need to pick up some Nick Spencer back issues, 2) Simpler is almost always better when it comes non-traditional (no tights) storylines, 3) and I will never, ever, complain about a new book being cliched without first reading it, especially not in this industry.
Solid B, check it or wreck it.
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