Double-Sized Issue Reviews!

Grant Morrison is one of the most influential and misunderstood writers in all of comics. They experienced an “alien abduction”, which changed the way they viewed the universe, sowing their absurdist ideologies in their creator-led stories; Flex Mentallo, The Invisibles, and The Filth. These series are often referred to by fans as The Hypersigil Trilogy—a set of stories which deal with affecting the universe with words and sigils.  

Over a decade after Grant Morrison penned the Final Crisis sequel, Multiversity, and DC still relies heavily on Grant’s concepts—in fact, the current wave of DC’s comics are derived from specific works from Grant. From Batman Vs. Robin to Multiversity to Batman Incorporated to Justice League Incarnate, all of these are buds grown from the flora Grant sowed.

Currently, Batman Vs. Robin is a way of retooling concepts by Grant, then using them as a springboard for the next big switch up in DC. Batman Vs. Robin is leading into Lazarus Planet, which is starting the new initiative, “Dawn of DC”. In fact, the whole premise of Batman Vs. Robin derives itself from Batman #666 in which Damian Wayne becomes the “Batman of Bethlehem”, an evil Batman in the future. Damian has to battle his own darkness. 

Keeping the the bat family trend, Batman Incorporated is another ongoing series utilizing and retooling characters created by Grant, yet DC gives little credit.

We see this same condition in Multiversity: Teen Justice and Justice League Incarnate. These were concepts introduced by Grant during their original Multiversity story arc. Nevermind Grant made mention of wanting to write a sequel to Multiversity called “Multiversity Too”, before another writer picked up the idea and made it their own—same with the Justice League Incarnate series, it is a continuation of Grant’s work without Grant helming it. 

Is this simply the tradition of comics? Where once a writer leaves, another writer will pick up the story and make it their own? Or is it an act of spite and an “F U” to Grant Morrison?

Grant assigned heroes and villains to the 52 earths. They created the House of Heroes. They invented The Bleed. All these fixtures of the DC Universe were introduced by Grant Morrison. Why has he not been the creative head of DC?

Fun fact: Grant Morrison was once supposed to take over the DC Universe in 2008 as a creative head, but after the “failure” in sales of Final Crisis, those plans were scrapped. It appears DC is going through with Grant Morrison’s plans over a decade later, but without Grant. It feels wrong, like zombie stories; stories moving as bodies but without the inhabitant who lived. It feels wrong. 

On one hand, Grant has a legacy at DC Comics. On the other hand, Grant deserves to write their own stories. Grant deserves credit from DC for laying the groundwork being utilized over a decade later. Grant deserves public recognition for their efforts in changing the entire landscape of DC Comics. Make Grant visible to an entire new generation of readers, let them indulge in the confusion and frustration, let them seethe with rage and question what everything means. Let Grant Morrison live in DC Comics again as the creator they are. Give Grant Morrison the credit they deserve, DC.