So what would you say if I told you there was a comic book series that was basically the kids of Saved by the Bell being plagued by mysteries and time travel and whatnot like the castaways in Lost while in a school that is sort of like Hogwarts, except, while at Hogwarts there was only one evil professor amongst all the good ones, at this school there is only one good teacher mixed up with all the evil ones?
Mind-boggling, isn't it?
That's basically the premise of the Image Comics series Morning Glories, written by Nick Spencer (whose work I really enjoy), with art by Joe Eisma and covers by Rodin Esquejo.
That's some seriously pretty art.
The series revolves around six new students who have been accepted to the prestigious, mysterious Morning Glories Academy... where they study things like math and literature, plus learn survival skills and experience torture at the hands of their professors Mister Gribbs and Miss Daramount, who work for a shadowy headmaster we have yet to see, who seems to have some seriously sinister goals. Also, they're pretty much never allowed to speak to their parents again. Plus, there's like a monster in the sub-levels... because, you know, all schools have sub-levels... decontamination areas you have to go through to enter the school grounds, time travel, teleportation, and whatever else is going on.
I say whatever else is going on, because one of the beauties of this book is that as much as I've loved every page of every issue so far, I still have no idea what is going on.
There isn't a whole lot I can tell you about what's happened so far in the comics because there's literally a twist and a reveal in every issue, and I have been kept guessing the entire time. What I can do is tell you just a little about the kids. There's the beautiful, brainy blonde Casey, who is sort of the leader of the group and the one most determined to get away from the school and/or destroy it, because... oops, can't tell you why. Spoilers! There's Zoe, the mean-girl cheerleader type, who barely likes any of the other kids and who has some seriously dark skeletons in her closet. Hunter is the comic book nerd who became a fanboy to hide from some harsh realities in his childhood, and who can't read clocks or hear their alarms for some reason. I kid you not. Spoiled rich kid Ike is pretty much hated by everyone else, which is fine with him since he couldn't care less. Jun, the serious Asian student, has so far been the most heroic of the kids in his actions... except for the fact that he knows much more about the Academy than the other kids, but isn't sharing what he knows. Lastly, there's the emo girl Jade, who... well, I honestly can't tell you anything at all about her without spoiling anything.
Click to enlarge. You know, for some seriously pretty art.
The interior art is fantastic, full of great facial expressions and action sequences. The writing of the series is such a high caliber that I've been drawn into every page, analyzing every word because it all means something. There have been times where, after reading the new issue, I had to go back and read the old ones because of the things I missed, or have had to look at in a new way. Morning Glories is like a giant jigsaw puzzle where each new piece makes you have to totally reexamine how all the rest of the pieces fit together, and, sixteen issues in, I still have absolutely no idea what kind of shape the puzzle is forming... and I love every minute of it.
If you enjoy comics and what something new to read, or don't enjoy comics but just want to read a great story as it unfolds, I strongly suggest you enroll in the Morning Glory Academy. You'll thank me for it... if you survive.
