Morrison Books

I read this graphic novel when it originally appeared in the mid90s as a monthly comic series...I recently rediscovered the series as trade paperbacks, and it's still one of the most intellectually challenging, underrated and undiscovered comics to be published in the past two decades.

As the final chapter in Grant Morrison's magnum opus, this book delivers the goods with outstanding art by Bond (and others) and a head-scratching ending, that makes you wish there was a coda published later... unless you go back and re-read the entire tale and you'll see that Morrison wove the story all back together.

Definitely worth the money and the time spent reading.

Although I have some strong reservations about this volume of the series, there's no denying that it is Grant Morrison's totally unadulterated vision. This book has it all.... government conspiracies, black magic, ancient evil, alien mysteries, secret languages, unbridled sexual passion, and a young kid from Liverpool who's destined to be the messiah. This kid, Jack Frost, is forced to fully accept his role as savior as his world literally starts to fall apart around him.

As King Mob, Lord Fanny, and the rest of the Invisibles plan to stop the evil Outer Church one last time, more and more "truths" Morrison fed us from the beginning are revealed as lies. There is no war between the lords of chaos and the sinister agents of control--there is only a difference of opinion.

The volume closes with one of the best single issues (in my opinion) EVER. Drawn by the extraordinary Frank Quitely, who has since collaborated with Morrison on the excellent New X-Men, We3, and All Star Superman, the final issue of The Invisibles shows us what it's all been building to--the end of the world as we know it. Can Jack Frost really save us? Or has he already?

I mentioned some reservations I had with this issue before; here they are: First, the artwork. Although Quitely, Philip Bond, Warren Pleece, and Sean Phillips all offer stellar fare in their respective issues, the penultimate story arc is a "jam session" of artistic styles. Some work, many don't, and it really kills the momentum of the story. Perhaps more concerning is Morrison's tendency in this volume to trade genuine character development for cool snippets of dialogue. While Jack Frost, King Mob, and a few others escape this fate, some, such as new character Helga, do not and end up coming across flat.

The story largely works, however, and is a fitting conclusion to Morrison's greatest work to date. The Invisibles never fails to challenge the minds of its readers and, in the end, that's the best thing you can ask for.

...but it seems like Grant himself, whom I respect, didn't know how to wrap things up. This TPB is the MOST disgusting one , considering splatter put in the story, and, sometimes plain boring. End is unclear, and reminds me of what Arthur Clarke said once : 'I don't explain anything'. Puzzling ending for my fave characters, could it have been better?

The Invisibles is by far the best, and the most original, comic book series out there. Many do not think this a fitting ending, and though the artwork does not compliment Morrison's writing, the dialogue and plot more than make up for it. I fervently believe this has the best ending in any work of fiction (comic, movie, book, TV show, the list goes on and on) ever. Grant Morrison is the most innovative writer in any medium, and the Invisibles is easily his best work. The evolution of Jack's character is worth the price of admission, as well as Bond's artwork in the beginning arc (check out Vimanarama!, his latest collaboration with Grant Morrison). All in all, this is one of my favorite volumes of the Invisibles, and is definately worth multiple reads, especially if you want to understand what the @$%# he's talking about!!! So read the Invisibles, and join the everfilling ranks of those who believe Morrison is a comics god.

Here it is, the final book of creator/writer Grant Morrison's Invisibles series. Books 1-3 collected Volume 1, Books 4-6 collected Volume 2, and Book 7 collects Volume 3 in its entirety. The previous two volumes had been over twenty issues each, but Volume 3 was only 12 issues, something which seems to spark much debate, these days.

I have seen many claims that Volume 3 was only 12 issues due to low sales, that DC/Vertigo requested Morrison to wrap up his series in half the time, to cut costs. This is simply not true. Volume 3 is Morrison's full vision; nothing was cut out due to editorial constraints. Here are Morrison's exact words, shortly before beginning Volume 3: "Volume 3 will appear as three four-part arcs-`Satanstorm'; `Karmageddon' and `The Invisible Kingdom'- in 1999. And then it's all done and I can go off and have my mid-life crisis in Tibet. There are some fears that this may not work and that `sales' will be dealt a permanent blow, but I prefer to have faith in all you wunnerful people out there who've stayed on the bus so far, and I'd like to think you'd rather see The Invisibles completed as intended than have me hack it out to meet a monthly deadline."

As it's the final book in the series, you might expect The Invisible Kingdom to answer questions and end the long journey. Unfortunately, you would be mistaken. In fact, most of Volume 3 doesn't even feel like the Invisibles we know and love. Where Volume 1 was slow-paced and focused on characterization, and Volume 2 was focused on action and metaphysics, Volume 3 seems like a totally different series. The main cause for this is that the Invisibles themselves are relegated to supporting-character status; Mr. Six and his Division X pals and archvillain Sir Miles Delacourt instead get the most "screen time," with King Mob, Jack, and Fanny reduced to small parts.

To make things worse, when Morrison DOES feature the Invisibles, instead of using the characters we already know, he instead tortures us with a new Invisible named Helga, who is probably the most annoying character in the series. Morrison obviously doesn't think so, however, as he gives Helga just about every "cool" line and "outrageous" action he can think of, in an attempt to make her cutting edge. Instead, she comes off as an annoyingly pretentious bore, and it doesn't help that Morrison fails to give her any sort of background or emotional makeup. What makes this all the more frustrating is that he uses this character so much, and totally ignores more interesting female Invisibles Ragged Robin and Boy. It's like Morrison ran out of ideas for the main characters, and had to come up with someone new to carry the plot; the problem is, he couldn't have chosen a worse lead character.

That being said, Book 7 picks up with Mr. Six and Division X, last seen in Book 3: "Entropy in the UK." They're still hot on the trail of Miles Delacourt and the monstrous "future king" of England. Meanwhile, Mr. Six strives to help his teammates remember that they're actually undercover Invisibles agents. In addition to this, Six and Helga attempt to deprogram Sir Miles. While this is going on, Jack Frost is in Africa with Jolly Roger, where he comes closer to realizing his Buddhahood. King Mob is mostly out of the picture, off meditating in India, trying to rid himself of the need to kill.

After laying to rest 99 year-old Invisible Edith, King Mob et al reunite for the final showdown with Miles Delacourt and the demonic Archons he serves. This culminates in a satanic crowning of the monstrous king on August 11, 1999, in a horrific ceremony which entails the butchering of children and homeless victims. Instead of an action scene as in Volume 2, the events play out more along the lines of the mystical denouement of Volume 1, with Jack Frost once again proving he is the most powerful human alive.

The above two paragraphs make the events of Volume 3 sound rather simplistic. This is not the case. As I mentioned, since this is the final volume of the series, one might expect Morrison to answer questions. Instead, he chooses to make Volume 3 as opaque and difficult as possible. Even the dialog doesn't help to sort things out; the characters don't talk to each other, they trade "I'm too cool" banter. What makes this all the more grating is that Morrison so obviously has taken his themes and plots from the works of Robert Anton Wilson and Terrence McKenna; but unlike those authors, who always guide the reader through their labyrinthine visions, Morrison instead tosses everything into a blender and hopes it all comes out "cool." Therefore, the chance for any emotional impact is pretty much lost.

Volume 3 is saved by the final story of the series, "Glitterdammerung." Fully illustrated by Frank Quitely, this is possibly the single best issue of the Invisibles. The previous 11 issues of Volume 3 wrapped up the series storyline, but it was up to "Glitterdammerung" to explain what the series itself was all about. Set in 2012 , the story operates more as a metaphysical look back at the series than as a linear tale. It does tie up several subplots, and also ends the series on a defiantly anarchic note, as Jack Frost frees himself from the confines of the comic itself. This story alone gives Book 7 a 4-star rating.

The secret revealed in Book 7 is this (avoid this paragraph if you hate spoilers, though if you know this, it probably wouldn't "spoil" anything, anyway!): the Invisibles is a game, one that is being played by someone (John A'Dreams? Jack Frost? YOU?). Toward the very end of the series, several characters begin to figure this out, most notably John A'Dreams, a white-suited former Invisible who disappeared before the events in Book 1: "Say You Want a Revolution." The idea is that the Invisibles is a reality-model experienced by those who wish to gain gnosis; hence the many, many times the phrase "Remember. It's just a game" was stated throughout Books 1-6. This entails the characters realizing they are not only works of fiction, but that each of them might even be the same person, only playing different characters, or "suits," as one enlightened character calls them. I've always felt this is Morrison's skewed way of interpreting the gnostic "all are one" belief, that all humans share one collective, unconscious soul - aka "God."

The art in Volume 3 is a mess. Volume 1 of the Invisibles was plagued with a succession of artists, some good, some terrible. Volume 2 corrected this in a big way. Unfortunately Volume 3 goes back to Volume 1 territory, only it's worse. Instead of different artists handling different story arcs, multiple artists work on the SAME story. This was a terrible idea on Morrison's part, and I think it backfired on him, as the art was so underwhelming in some places that DC/Vertigo had to have certain pages re-illustrated for this collection. Book 7 starts off promising enough, with Philip Bond and Warren Pleece's cartoonish art, but then it quickly falls to pieces when the "multiple artist" scenario rears its head. Quitely saves the day at the end however, and his art on "Glitterdammerung" is just as phenomenal as his work on Morrison's "Flex Mentallo." Special mention must also be made of Brian Bolland's cover art for this trade paperback. He's "remixed" the 12 original covers he did for Volume 3; one in particular, a "Sgt Pepper's" send-up, would make for a perfect poster.

Even though this review has been mostly negative, Book 7 is still required reading for all those who have made it this far. Morrison finishes the series in the fashion he intended from the start, and the character arcs are unique and inspiring. For example, what other work of fiction would feature a character like King Mob, who realizes over the course of the series that he's degenerating into a killer? Bruce Willis can kill umpteen terrorists in the "Die Hard" films and not once question if he himself is becoming as murderous as his enemies; King Mob instead gains enlightenment, and realizes that all life is precious. Of course, if something like this happened in a mainstream action film, audiences would write it off as tree-hugging schlock. But here it works, mostly because Morrison aimed for something higher with the Invisibles. And most of the time, he succeeded.

I'm only halfway through 52, having finished the first and now the second volumes of the series. But, the suspense and action of the first seems to take a back seat in the second. There are lengthy Black Adam sequences (which don't go anywhere, really, at least yet), goofy sequences with mad scientists, Lobo and cosmic dolphins, and even Egg-Fu as a character. It seems the authors were really trying to push the envelope a bit and include almost every DCU character, sometimes to the story's detriment.

Still, there are a lot of good things about the story (Question and Renee, Ralph Dibny, etc.) and the included authors' notes. I read it excitedly and am looking forward to volume three, which I hope resolves some of the seemingly unnecessary and odd elements of this one.

It's always a thrill to see Lobo, especially when Keith Giffen is involved--and this collection gets bonus points for featuring the first appearance of the Ambush Bug in almost two decades. The Intergang and Checkmate intrigue steps up, Black Adam is married, and Ralph Dibny goes a little nuts (...or does he?).

I'll repeat what I wrote for Volume 1: These new editions are well worth the wait. They include additional material such as essays and sketches by all of the key talent in the series. "52" is a step above the previous "Infinite Crisis" event that preceded it, and about 52 times better than the "Countdown" disasterpiece.

While the first volume of this series was full of suspense, tight plotting, and revelatory scenes, this volume meanders through a lot of humdrum situations and doesn't really go anywhere. All the story lines barely move along the continuum of storytelling, with Ralph Dibney's tale and that of the space-trio of Animal Man, Adam Strange, and Starfire getting even shorter thrift than the others. The artwork isn't as sharp, either, which puts a supreme damper on some of the activity.

The saving grace of this volume is the John Steele storyline detailing Lex Luthor's plan to enable anyone to become a superhero.

I already have Volume 3, and will read it since I bought it. I hope I like it as much as Volume 1!

DC's 52 was highly ambitious, which made me more than a little nervous, since projects as big as these usually fall flat. With the big three missing, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, DC picks up some acilliary characters and kind of turns them into the modern age superheroes. Really DC is trying to kick start some other books. But they do a good job, especially since there is a book a week. Bravo gentlemen.

The strain of holding together a story written by four people is beginning to show. The art by committee is nothing to brag about either.

At the end of the first volume of The Invisibles, Jack Frost, the next messiah and the Invisibles' newest recruit, threatened to leave the team after being attacked by a demonic agent of the Outer Church, the Invisibles' polar opposites and mortal enemies. In this volume, true to his word, Jack deserts the team, but not before being forced to kill a soldier of the Outer Church. Taking a life has a profound effect on Jack--he breaks down immediately afterwards and is haunted by the action for the rest of the series. Right here, you know that The Invisibles is something different... killing isn't something one does callously and creator Grant Morrison's willingness to show the psychological effects of committing such an act is both unexpected and inspired.

"Apocalipstick" just gets better from there. First, we are introduced to Jim Crow, a voodoo expert/hip hop superstar, as he investigates a series of bizarre murders in Chicago. Then we meet the Moonchild, a horrifying monster kept in a magic mirror by the Outer Church, and Bobby Murray, a soldier killed by King Mob, the Invisibles' chief assassin, in the previous volume. The latter story is perhaps the volume's best issue as it unflinchingly shows the destruction a cold-blooded killer like King Mob leaves behind.

From there, the main story picks up again as the rest of the Invisibles search for Jack Frost. While Lord Fanny, the Invisibles' resident transvestite shaman, searches within the gay community, we are treated to a time-bending look at her past as an orphan and a prostitute in Rio. Morrison's inventive perspective on the nature of time is this volume's most interesting, and its most challenging, aspect.

The volume closes with a look at Jack as he hides out in London. He begins to recall bits and pieces of the alien abduction he experienced in Vol. 1., finally remembering that his abductors told him that he is the next messiah. This revelation only adds to his troubles. After escaping one of the chief agents of the Outer Church, Jack decides to hitchhike back home to Liverpool, ending the volume on a softer note.

"Apocalipstick" is one of the most entertaining Invisibles volumes. Its quick shifts between location and time may be disorienting at first, but multiple reads prove rewarding. Grant Morrison's The Invisibles is a challenging read, but it's worth it!

This is the second collcetion of the Invisibles - and it helps to have read the first a couple of times, as the story and dimensions twist and turn even more in this second outing of Jack Frost, King Mob and the rest of the crew.

As you can judge from the cover - there is a darker undertone in this volume, death in his various incarnations plays a more central role as we are given a broader glimpse into the world of the Invisibles.

Does contain some strong passages, as this is not a mainstream comic book with caped heroes - but a dark tale in the spirit of Alan Moore (Watchmen and V for Vendetta)

...it begins with some one shots, some of them incredibly realistic and humane, and continues into Lord Fanny origin, which is Castaneda meets Morrison. The trade is coherent and not so psychodelic like rest of series is.

If you like this, get Say You Want A Revolution

A few years ago I read a bunch of Invisibles books, but somehow always missed this one. I might have stayed away because of the femme cover/title, and the inside art is all over the place quality-wise.

I'm wishing that I had picked it up sooner, though, because the storylines here are among the best in the series, and maybe in comicdom. One story I loved: yuppies at a pharmaceutical company distribute a crack that kills the bodies of users and leaves them as empty vessels for the yuppies to "joy ride." Another: the back story of Lord Fanny and her psychosexual "spirit quest" to become a transsexual witch.

For those who haven't been exposed to The Invisibles, you need to check this series out. I find it more twisted, more compelling, and more fringe than any of the other series I've read, including Transmetropolitan and Preacher. In fact, this is light-years beyond anything published in drab-text "Literature."

Book 2 of the Invisibles picks right up from Book 1's cliffhanger ending: Dane, one of his fingers chopped off by the sadistic (and demonic) Orlando, has taken flight, and the Invisibles have to find him. Unfortunately, heavily-armed "Myrmidons" have surrounded them, and what follows is the first all-out action scene since the very beginning of Book 1.

After this, things slow down a little, as creator/writer Grant Morrison "opens up" the world of the Invisibles. Even though we still don't know much about our main characters (King Mob, Boy, Ragged Robin, Lord Fanny), Morrison introduces new people to the fold, and we see how the exploits of the Invisibles affect the rest of the world.

First we are introduced to one of the more monstrous creatures ever witnessed in mass media entertainment, something that just might be the next king of England. Then we meet Jim Crow, an Invisible witch doctor who's both a world-famous rapper and a host for sacrifice-hungry voodoo spirits. And finally we are given one of the best single-issue stories in the series, "Best Man Fall," which, despite its seeming insignificance to the larger story, possesses more heart and emotion than any other in the series' history. A nonlinear narrative, this story shows how the "other side" works, and for once we see how our "heroes" (King Mob in particular) could just as easily be seen as "the bad guys." This is a great story, and worth the price of Book 2 alone.

The book closes out with a story arc that revolves around transvestite shaman Lord Fanny, in which we see his/her initiation as a young boy into the world of the supernatural. At the same time, the forces of darkness close in on the Invisibles in the present, and the two storylines merge into a narrative that defies the laws of the time/space continuum.

This arc is the first glimmerings of Morrison's grander scheme with the series; whereas before the Invisibles worked on an us-versus-them mentality, now we slowly begin to see that there are larger ideas at play. The volume ends with a story showing where Jack went, after his escape in the book's opening story, and finalizes his character arc from defiant loner to full-fledged Invisible.

The artwork is again split among various artists, with my favorite being Chris Weston in the Jim Crow story (Weston later became the regular artist, after Phil Jimenez's run on the title). Jill Thompson turns in the first story, capping off her run that began in Book 1, and she returns with the Lord Fanny arc, with a few one-off artists filling in on the other stories. Again, the artwork is nowhere near the level of Morrison's writing, but it's not terrible. In fact, the art takes second place to the writing in the Invisibles, because this isn't "just" a comic book: the Invisibles is subversive literature of the highest order.

The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club is breath of fresh air. Cassie has a plan for her life and one night after finding her fiance in bed with another woman, she gets drunk and throws caution to the wind. She ends up in Buenos Aires and is scared half out of her mind. Something most of us wish we would have done at some point, but never got quite drunk enough to actually do!!
This book is filled with entertaining characters as Cassie tries to find herself in this new and strange environment. Nothing is ever too serious however. This book is refreshing and entertaining. Something funny and crazy to lift your spirits.
Linda C. Wright
Author, One Clown Short
One Clown Short

I could not even finish this book. I hated the heroine so much and just pondered when I was ever going to meet a heroine I could really like. I found her boring, a xenophobe and generally not a nice person.

The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club is a great summer read. I read it while on a cruise and it was perfect. The plot line is easy to follow, and if you stop reading for a while and then come back, it is easy to remember what has happened. Cassie is a great, engaging, fun character. The concept of planning your life out is fascinating, if a little odd. The writing style is also very fun and down-to-earthy.

Poor Cassie Moore... when her life in Seattle goes awry and her perfect life plan is forever altered, she looks for a new life and a new start. Granted, her new start is decided in a drunken stupor, but she braves her decision anyway - to start over in Argentina without a plan at all. Cassie is a newbie traveler, and has never left the US, and she is especially panicked because she doesn't know the Argentine language and customs. But, her decision to stay in Argentina for the full six months is a brave one, and I really enjoyed Cassie's journey. Cassie was a bit `loose' sexually for my liking, but she did seem to be a good friend in the book and was easy to identify with in other ways. The author really did a wonderful job of bringing Argentina/Buenos Aires alive, and her descriptions of the life, colors, and flavors of the city had me wishing I could visit. The book was a travelogue in many ways, and I think a lot of women will enjoy this book. It's better than traditional chick-lit because the setting is unique and interesting, and yet it still has a lot of romance too.

Great summer read! One of those interesting not too deep but really fun books. Perfect for sitting at the beach or having along when you want to dive into a novel and forget everything around you--
It is always interesting to see how a girl handles a REAL bad day, and comes out on top!

I found this book to be an excellent addition to my (growing) collection of books. Morrison has the ability to find a common problem and create a simple spell/empowerment to help with the problem. She has been a sterling example to me about how to keep spells simple, and about how to add new magic into your life. Tarot magic is not something everyone knows much about, and this is a simple guide that can be an excellent jumping off point for delving farther into this type of magic. Some people find the card destruction offensive, but I make color copies of my cards and just use those. It doesn't offend my deck, and still allows me to access the powerful symbolism of the cards. A must read!

I own every single Dorothy Morrison book and I feel as if she has become my mentor. Her books are filled with everything one needs to learn and explore the magic of tarot,the moon and the sun. I have been a fan for a long time and my first book entitled :Everyday Magic" was so detailed with spells, tables and other appropiate information I had to purchase her other books. Anyone can follow her spells,they are accurate,detailed, and comprehensive. What I like most about Ms. Morrison is her positive energy that clearly shines though all of her books. I have referenced all of her books for several years now and I feel as if she has become a gentle mentor. Her books are warm and full of magical intent, easy to read,exciting and a must have for any witch's library! She recently was the guest of honor at the Pagan Pride festival in Lakeville,MA and I was not able to attend. I was very upset at not meeting Ms. Morrison and I hope she will make other visits to this area as well as others. It would be a honor to meet such a wonderful and positive writer.

I absolutely adore Ms Morrison's writing and books, so I was very excited when I finally ordered this and got it in the mail. I was never very familiar with the Tarot before I read this, and after reading this, I feel that I have a much greater grasp of it. Her writing style is to the point and friendly without being too aggressively-friendly, which makes it easy to follow and charming to read. Her meditations with each card are treasured, and the spells are varied and simple to use. She also gives personal stories about her experiences with the Tarot, which help the reader (especially the beginner) to relieve any fears or doubts that they might have. Although it isn't the "most definitive" text on the Tarot out there, it is certainly one not to be missed.

Dorothy Morrison truly is concise and presice with her teaching of the tarot!A book for all..from Novices to the more learned.
Very easy to understand and apply.
I highly recommend this book to all.Way to go Dorothy!

I cannot believe I read through most of this piece of Yule kindling, much less spent money on it! I feel that Ms Morrison is fulfilling a writing contract with Llewellyn. They have some very venerable writers in their midst. Just because a new book can be produced each year, doesnt make it good!

On that note, this little tome contains very little useful and sane information regarding this beloved form of mysticism. I had nightmares after reading the first few chapters regarding spirits following your cards. And the nonsense about reading for oneself is absolute rubbish! How can one one learn the cards? Reading for drunks in a bar seems preferred.

As for the magic, there are many other books out there that provide safe and sane methods for your cards! Janina Renee's Tarot Spells or Terry Donaldson's Tarot Spellcaster are great sources. If there is a spell for using the cards in picking a better author...

This book waltzes through conceptually difficult material for the novice SQL'er. Correlated subqueries are given 3 pages. This is ridiculous! Furthermore, before a SQL novice can digest the conceptual ideas, Rishert presents examples which differ from what the novice is trying to digest. Yes, the examples present true information, but they leave the novice wondering what makes sense. The book needs a re-write if it wants to be presented to the community as a 'learning tool'. I'd recommend it to a novice provided the novice has a tutor on call.

The book informs you of various sql commands, but fails to give you the general syntax. If what you are trying to do has not been explicitely done in the book, it is unlikely to find what you are looking for in the book. The book is truly a workbook, and nothing else, and should not be purchased as an oracle sql refrence book.

I teach college computer classes, although my BA & MA are in linguistics. The only computer course I've actually taken was a non-credit course in Oracle SQL. I was pretty satisfied with it.

I'm only in lab 2 of 16 in this book, and have already learned MANY new things! It's very well written, giving you a little, testing you a little, etc. I strongly recommend it.

Could you master a foreign language with a reference work? If so, then this book is not for you because you're already a guru. Oracle Press books handle that nicely. SQL is analogous to a foreign language, and most people learn foreign languages through extensive exercises that build towards mastery. This book does that, and, as such, there's little out there that compares. If you patiently enter every SQL query in this book and break it down into its constituent parts, examine each query's output, do every exercise even if it means looking at the solution as you solve it, complete every "Test Your Thinking" exercise, redo chapters 4, 5, and 7 at every opportunity, and think, this book will become the most extensive SQL reference work you can imagine--that's right SQL, not simply Oracle's implementation of it. This is because this book shows you how to apply SQL in ways you may not have imagined (my brain still hurts). The drawbacks: (1) Oracle dbase software required for the companion dbase--don't get this book if you don't have access to Oracle because it relies on intimate knowledge of the companion dbase, (2) dizziness from the frequency of your hand smacking your forehead when asking yourself "Why didn't I think of that"? The prose is succinct and elegant in its clarity except for chapter 7, where the need for and role of correlative subqueries, inline views, and scalar subquery expressions and the theory behind them could have been explicated better, particularly where and when they can/should substitute for equijoins. Specifically, a one-stop-shopping set of guidelines as to when these types of subqueries are desirable over their equijoin counterparts would have been very helpful.

I really liked reading and doing the lessons in this book. The hands-on exercises are fantastic. Better yet, there were a few things I didn't understand clearly, and so I e-mail the author and she answers any questions that I might have. There are a few minor glitches in the book, some proof-read errors, which most of them are corrected on their web site which are listed on theot errata page. I've already reported a couple errors that I found and will update their proof-read error page. One annoying thing was having to turn back and forth to the back of the book to see the database schema diagram. The best thing to do is just photo copy the diagram so you don't have to constantly turn to the back of the book while doing the exercises.

I own donkeys and I did not get any useful information. I got the Idea they just visted farms with donkeys and then thew a lot of technicial information that does not help understand the donkey.

A wonderful, warm insightful book on the delightful donkey. I read it shortly after becoming a proud owner of 2 donkeys and LOVED it. More than a how to tend your donkey book but a how to appreciate donkeys (and all other creatures)book. You don't even have to know where to pin the tail on a donkey to appreciate this book - and how donkeys are woven into our history and psyche. Read it and cherish it.

I had been wanting this book for a long time, but was a bit disapointed with it when I finally got it. The writers' hearts were certainly in the right place, but it was very badly edited. Many of the sentences didn't make complete sense and many times beautiful ideas were thrown out but not developed at all. I think a really good editing job would help the authors do justice for these wonderful animals.
I enjoyed "Travels with My Donkey" much more.

There are many great things about the book. The images - photos and artwork are outstanding. There are lots of surprising facts about donkeys, mules, and the history of civilization. There is beautiful writing - weaving between the personal and the universal. There is rigorous, careful scholarship, a treasure trove of careful citations to explore. The book has a majestic sweep and keen attention to detail and accuracy. Any one of these aspects of the book would make it worth the modest price. But The truly wonderful thing about this book and the beast it describes, is that it makes you think. The book nudges the reader into unanticipated realms of philosophical reflection. It is deep and rich and wise, but like the burro, humble, sensually centered and honest. You are, for example, reading along - facts about donkeys - and then, all of a sudden, you get something like this: "What do we really know about animals? What can we say with accuracy about ourselves?" Chew on that a while! The book has dozens of such moments, opportunities to step out of the crazy, violent, acquisitive struggles of our historical moment to consider some fundamentals of the mammalian and human condition. It's a great book about a great animal and our connection to the animal world. I own two burros and have long looked to them for council. This book is utterly accurate in its portrayal of the species. It's affectionate and respectful, happliy missing the kitsch and anthropomorphism that most writers bring to books about their favorite animals. Don't miss it.

When I was young and fragile, I lived in the foothills of central California. Across the street from my trailer lived a donkey. His name was Mr. Sissy and he was pissed all of the time, except for Christmas Eve. Why? I never knew but I have my suspicions. I once tried to feed him a carrot, and a sweet carrot mind you, orange and crisp. He would not accept...I tired again...nope, he backed up...I climbed through the fence...he brayed and ATTACKED. I threw the carrot and it did nothing to phaze him! Why me? Now? Years later I read this book and it did nothing to help me understand Mr. Sissy. He is still out there. Some where.

I liked it! It was fun, it was fast, and (for me) it was free. Don't read too much into the thing - it's a comic book, not a dissertation.

Marvel Boy is Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones twisted re-configuration of the Marvel Universe.

It's not as good as Morrison's best work (such as his stunning work on such titles as Doom Patrol and The Invisibles) but it is a a bizzare, over the top comic book full of daft action and slick, kinetic artwork and as such it's a very entertaining read.

The story really gets going with issue three and the introduction of Hexus, the living corporation. From this point on the story is a blur of great ideas and shiny visuals, and the climax to the whole thing is wonderfully absurd.

All in all it's like a flashy, punk rock superhero comic, and a damn fine one at that...

What if you were an alien stranded on a primitive world, hated and feared by civilizations that,quite simply,suck? Would you fight for their safety, and admiration? Probably not, and neither does Noh-var. Put simply,the first chapter in the Marvel Boy trilogy (if it indeed is still that) seems to be Grant Morrison channeling the imaginations of Jack Kirby and Satan simultaniously, and writing the images he recieves down as words.
As fast-paced, and hallucinogenic as he felt like making it. Morrison crafts what couldn't be deemed a dense tale of charactor driven pathos, however it does out-do The Authority for people with personalities( after all, how many issues of people sitting around for three issues only to hit the world conquering threat of the month into submission- without development of characters can you handle?) the development of the characters takes a passanger-side seat to the plot, with neither truly dominating the other... although the plot does speak with a louder,shinier voice at times. Marvel Boy doesn't really break any new ground, until it's too late, and you realize just what is really going on. That's all i'll say about the story, not that what happens is a major suprise, it's just that I hate thinking i'll ruin someone's fun.
Art-wise, J.G. Jones is definetly hitting strides. The art is a perfect compliment to the story, picking up just enough of certain Kirby-isms without being anything other than an homage, even though Jones' art looks nothing like Kirby's. Weird I know, and when you look at the art you might think i'm crazy, but... Just study the overall flow of the story, and it might come to you. The art brings an unparalleled sense of design to the characters that just plain makes sense. Everything about Marvel Boy clicks in what can only be called "Planned coincedense." Everything looks like its two different styles of comics coming together at a random angle, but it feels like the only thing that makes sense. Noh-varr designed by Joe Maduer...y'know Battle chaser's guy wouldn't FEEL right. As a matter of fact, there are only a handful of artists I feel could have pulled off realism in a world created by a sociopathic God.
Believe me, Marvel Boy is more than "Pop comics", or an experiment of what would Stan Lee do if he were inspired by drugs, but it also isn't. When deconstructur-ism seems to be the leading trend in super-hero comics that mean something, Marvel Boy is just the opposite. Flashy costumes and superpowers for the sake of Flashy costumes and explosions, with out being dubbed "Wide-screen" Comics, which those simpering skin-cells at Wizard(shudder) seem to apply to anything these days.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not giving Marvel Boy hand love for the sake of hand love, a little more time could have been spent on developing Noh-varr and Oubliette, and just why their particular brand of neo-relationship works,(which i'm capable of ignoring: If people can form bonds over chat rooms...). My only major gripe with Marvel Boy comes with tha fact that it is indeed edited. The sting of non-anarchist chaotic rhetoric seems to loses it's edge when edited. Oh the irony of the Comics Code.
A comic about someone changing the government, filtered by the government... if you catch my admitedly vague statements. Hopefully, Marvel Boy2 (which Morrison claims to be already writing) will be released through the less restrictive guise of the Marvel Max imprint. One can only hope. So at least read a friend's copy of Marvel Boy, if for nothing else but to see a "Superhero" eating trash for strength.

Are superhero comics nothing but adolescent power fantasies? Grant Morrison claims that Marvel Boy is the epitome of this possible outlook on the genre. This book is Morrison's attempt to trash nostalgic 'dadcomics' and create something new to suit the tastes of today's readers.

Morrison may have created a character that differs from the standard superhero protagonist but does not give us much background on the character. Noh-Varr may spit deadly saliva in the faces of his enemies and turn his pain into music but it is going to take more than that to make him a compelling character. On the other hand, I found the villainous Mr. Midas and his daughter to be quite a bit more interesting than the title's main character. Besides, Morrison seems to have forgotten the most important ingredient of all: a good plot. Luckily, he does compensate for the story with some great dialogue.

Prepare to feast your eyes on some spectacular art work that will dazzle you from panel to panel. There is a sense of vigor in the pencil work that only a few artists such as Bryan Hitch and Alan Davis have been able to attain. The dynamic layouts really captures the look and feel of a major blockbuster action film. There is plenty of explosions, lens views, and close-ups to thrill art lovers. The fantastic coloring elevates the finished pencils and brings a sense of awe to the finished product.

For all the chest thumping that Morrison may be doing about Marvel Boy, the fact is that this series is a desperate attempt to copy the formula that has brought praise to titles such as Authority and Planetary.

Review by Brian Grindrod

This book really doesnt' get going at full steam until the middle of the story, when the Exterminatrix character enters the tale. Then there is some human romantic tension, in a weird, alternate universe kind of way.

The main problem is that there are so few interesting characters to enjoy, since Marvel Boy is so aloof and unsympathetic. There is a very cool, ... alternate reality version of the original Iron Man, who is a villain here, and then his confused daughter, the Exterminatrix, adds a human element and chemistry to the too aloof Marvel Boy.

If you like J. G. Jones, then this book will not disappoint you. The art is very nicely drawn, but it can't hide the coldness of the characters' hearts.

The writing is strange and unique, and very original in the way that it carelessly expresses main characters who find it impossible to care about anybody, though they crave love and material wealth, or destructive revenge, they are all very shallow and casual about interpersonal relationships. It's an interesting point of view in a comic book novel, but it is not extremely endearing.

A better J. G. Jones read would be the "Black Widow" graphic novel, written by Devin Grayson, which is the high point of J. G. Jones career, as far as beautiful artwork is concerned.

This volume describes X-Men in an ugly future where everything is not what it seems. The change is quite abrupt from the previous issues so i was kind of disoriented reading it fast because i wanted to find out what happened to the original characters (because they are not here anymore apart from wolverine!!), but only a few pages are used for them in the end. So I reread it treating it as a story on its own and was even more impressed. Cool characters and amazing art (it fits with the ugly future background perfectly). The characters do not develop much in a few issues but it's a showoff of Morrison's imagination.

Very good!

I don't necessarily disagree with other reviewers here than this collection expands on, and brings closure to, the excellent themes and ideas Morrison had been developing since his start on New X-Men, but I can't help but feeling robbed by the "Imaginary/Alternate Universe" angle, which I feel is a cop-out. There's no integrity, no ownership, no responsibility for anything as soon as you say "It's an alternate timeline." You can do anything you like with no repercussions. Characters can have sensational and meaningless deaths, future connections that have no bearing on current events can be made, etc, etc, etc. I just feel a little cheated, is all. Sorry, Grant!

Although not the best from Morrison's run in X-Men, this last installment has incredible artwork by comics legend Mark Silvestri, which is incredibly beneficial to the overall work. Second only to Riot At Xavier's, Here Comes Tomorrow is a story of the future, where many headmasters are long gone, and Beast, a non-psi powered mutant, is left to run the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Under pressure to keep things running, he turns to "kick," a mutant power enhancing drug that turns out to have mind-controlling nano-sentinels in it. Controlled by the nano-sentinels, the Beast of the future produces a mutant hybrid, combining the powers of Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Angel, among others, to hunt down all surviving humans.

The story is excellent, and leaves readers dying for more. The major downside is that readers don't get more. As a result of an exclusive contract with DC Comics, Morrison left the X-book after this story, and the entire Morrison run was virtually undone by outdated hack Chris Claremont.

Here Comes Tomorrow is an excellent read, comics at almost its best, but don't read past it, for the follow-up, left unmapped by Morrison and terribly botched by Claremont, will leave you disappointed for dozens of issues to come.

Grant Morrison is the best thing to happen to comics in, well, forever. His sheer imagination and inexhaustive energy explodes from every page. Even when he's been teamed with lesser artists, his comics are always far superior than most that feature flashier (read: pin-up) artists. His scripts bring out the best from most of his artists (one notable exception: some of the art in the last story arc of THE INVISIBLES springs to mind). Take Chas Truog on ANIMAL MAN. No offence, Truog is by no means a Jim Lee or Todd McFarlane-league artist, but his interpretation of Grant's scripts were right on the money! His visuals told the story perfectly.

Now that Grant has hit the big league, he has had the pick of the crop. Pairing him with Marc Silvestri on his final arc is further proof of this. I'll admit, I'm a little biased when it comes to Marc. Having sat in on one of his convention panels some 10 or so years ago, he revealed himself to be one of the true nice guys. Very affable, very down-to-earth and approachable. In short, NO EGO! So anyone who slags his art off, well, it's just not warranted. I admit, some of his line work at times IS overkill, but, when he's paired with a great inker (or doesn't appear to be rushed) , his art shines. Besides, his Wolverine still stands as one of the definitive versions. I love his Beast and Nightcrawlers in this arc as well.

But it is Grant who is the star of this show. As the Grand Finale to his meta-series (begun in "E Is For Exctinction") , "Here Comes Tomorrow" is the gem of the lot. (I will admit, I would have liked Frank Quitely to return, but, alas...)

One really needs to read all of Grant's run (and re-read again and again) to truly appreciate the sum of Grant's saga. "Here Comes Tomorrow" is the pay-off for all of the hints and teases that Grant has been developing. One could argue that there are a couple of things not fully explained or tied-up, but to simply write these off as the work of a bad writer is to miss the point. Ambiguity and mystery are the key (think David Lynch) and I thank Grant for not taking his audience's intelligence for granted (no pun intended!). I mean, is Apollyon revealed as Fantomex (as E.V.A. seems to imply) or, as Silvestri's rendition of his bald unmasked face seems to suggest, is he Charles Xavier?? Ambiguity, indeed, and I love it! And take the Phoenix Phalanx (as I dubbed them) introduced toward the end. Just who is that lad who informs Jean: "And they said I was to tell you to hurry..." None other than Quentin Quire from "Riot At Xavier's". Genius!

Far too many failed to recognise just what it was Grant set out to achieve on his X-run. To return the sense of greatness and majesty and vitality that had been flogged out of the X-books by far too many X-overs and convoluted history that made many soap operas seem straight-forward in comparison. I'd say he succeeded. And then some.

I gave up on the X-Men years ago due to the interminable nature of the (seemingly never-ending) storylines and cheap gimmickry that saw the books become ever-more impenetrable and frustrating. When I heard that Grant Morrison was to write one of the regular series, I knew that I was in for a treat. And what a treat!
Grant's run on "NEW X-MEN" stands as THE definitive Mutant Epic, unrivalled, not even by the mighty Claremont-Byrne run! Big words, I know, but ones I stand behind.

If you have never read an X-Men comic before, do yourself a favor and read Grant's entire "NEW X-MEN" run. And if you have read X-Men comics in the past but not Grant's run, then what are you waiting for? Here comes tomorrow!

Ok one thing needs to be said about this story arc: beauitful art work. Silvestri makes a great come back. The art is similar to Joe Madureira except it has more of an edge. The art work accents the story nicley (as do the colors)

And as far as the writing goes...perfect. Morrison delivers the final blow and wraps up all the lose ends. Ranging from the the Stepford Cuckoos to Cassandra Nova to Ernest to Jean and the Phoenix force. What makes this story so effective is the characters we've been exposed to during Morrison's run and how everything seems to fall into place.

In my opinion, the ones who didn't like the arc are the ones who just couldn't read into Morrison's subplots and symbolism throughout his run.

Def. an A plus and a good lead in for Astonishing X-men

I've been a great fan, since 4 ever, when it comes to Mr. Morrison's work. I've recently purchused The Ivisibles, so coming after the "Anarchy for the Masses" seemed like the right thing to do. It kind of gave me a new perspective, for the things i missed doing my first reading. If you are looking for a great insight job, this is the right book to feed your hunger.
Greetings.

"Anarchy For The Masses swims the living body junk brain universe of a chemical=anthropoid by Grant Morrison's era respiration-byte modem=cardiac. Grant Morrison ill-treats on the digital-chimpanzee's gene archive which was raped by this abolition world with the biocapturing mode." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

If you're a fan of THE INVISIBLES, you have to get this book! It really made sense of the maze that was the series. It's fun seeing the original creators comment on the entire series in the interviews. One of the better series guides I've seen.

This guide is better than no guide at all, given the (probably intentionally) confusing nature of many chapters within Grant Morrison's non-linear magnum opus. However, the page-by-page annotations are repetitive (I don't need *constantly* to be told that "Life as film is a recurring theme") and often assume the readers have spent their entire lives in a cave (I *know* who Ringo Starr and Richard Nixon are, thanks!). At the same time, missing from the annotations is any serious discussion (beyond brief mentions) of chaos magic, anarchist theory or other key themes and influences. The authors' one-paragraph reviews of each issue occasionally contain genuine insight, but more often focus on praising or nitpicking the artists' work, fanboy-style. Surely in such a profound work as *The Invisibles* it's the writing that's of primary importance?

This guide merits two extra stars: one for the helpful, editorially neutral issue-by-issue plot summaries which clear up many ambiguous moments in the series; and one for the engrossing Morrison interview at the end. Interested readers should consult the Invisibles section of Barbelith online and the Grant Morrison pages on Disinformation online; you'll find much more intelligent discussion than found in this guide.

...or almost.

Fact is, this very well-designed book is divided up in small chapters - one for each Invisibles issue. Every chapter is in its turn composed of small interviews (the bulk of them being with artist Jimenez), two separate fan-like comments from the curators and an occasional small quote from Grant Morrison himself.
Finally, in the sidebars of each page, there is a very detailed comment to each relevant panel or phrase. "Very detailed" meaning that the authors even go to the lenghts of reminding the reader that "Marylin Monroe was a big sex symbol in the late Fifties and onward..." etc etc.

I actually liked this "take nothing for granted" approach, but with it come a number of problems. First and foremost, there are no visual references, so you have to keep the orginal Invisibles book at hand to follow the notes. Then, this much detail means lots of text, which in turn had to be printed very small to fit on the sidebars - reading it might be tiring to many.

The final interview with Grant Morrison is priceless, altough it replicates much stuff that you can easily find on the sites devoted to The Invisibles.

So is this book worth the buying? My answer is maybe not if you're already heavily into fringe counterculture, as you'll already know about everything there's to know. In any other case, go for it as it can make your Invisibles reading experience much more layered and interesting.