The Grant Morrison Interview - New York Comic Con 2008

[psykos448]

Grant surely speaks the greatest scottish ever. Even beats Uncle Scrooge.

[Canadionfool2]

So much shaking

[ThatDamnedPirate]

wigs on men....totally distracting

[LongJonBronze]

He always looks so good in those suits

[TenWhoWereTaken]

It's good to see an interview where both parties are obviously passionate about the subject.

[KyrenS64Gotham]

Lex Luthor exists ? Hey, why did anyone tell me about it ?

[VermilionLace]

God, I love his accent.

[kevinajemian]

1:37 what the hell have u been doin bruecee

[maynpayn]

a living legend

[jesperjensen74]

he is lex luther ... shut up about superman allready !!!

[FonedykSosajedi]

Peas sure sound divine.

[natmanprime]

so he puts joker away, knowing damn well that joker doesnt give a fuck, and will get free, and kill some more.

OOPSY DAISY!!!

so batman wants to just continually punish crims, for what he suffered, but won't kill them, because he'll feel empty otherwise. He doesn't give a fuck about citizen safety, he just wants to contoinually take out his anger on individual crims. He can't want crime to stop, it's perverse.

[natmanprime]

I mean OK I get the "fear" thing, but if he's so scary being a big tough bat wandering at night, the crims would just be prepared with more ammo and armour and shit. And they'd move in greater numbers.

I mean the crims'd KNOW its a MAN under there ffs.

And then there's the obvious campness of the whole thing. Muscly rich bachelor, dressed in kinky boots, tight clothes and shiny underpants and mask, having night time drama with his young boy??!?!?

he doesnt even wanna kill the crim, just "play"

[natmanprime]

there's no way to make batman a sane human being. He's like a captain ahab figure, perpetuating the problems he thinks he solves. anyone with his money and drive would find so much more effective ways to combat crime, like undermining the currency of the gangs, drugs, etc, and the need for young kids to join the gangs. What he would NOT do is run around the WHOLE CITY BY HIMSELF or with a teenage BOY (brightly dressed) and fight individual criminals. Dressed as a BAT ffs.

[jburns777]

@Razakage actually I have. And yes it sucks. But that does not mean Frank Miller is a bad writer. Year One and The Dark Knight Returns are the two best reviewed Batman graphic novels ever. Read those first before you start passing judgment on FM. I have and contienue to read Grant Morrison's Batman stories monthly. So I think I can have a opinion on Morrison's work.

[comicelaya]

(2:44)..why he doesn't get fart?" jajjaja about superman

[VengefulCanadian]

Lex Luthor's *cough* ... urgh I mean Grant Morrison's master plan is to take over the DC Universe and slowly begin killing off the heroes or sending them off into ancient history!

[elliottcborders]

Okay, Frank Miller made Batman real. Adam West made Batman a weird psychadelic playboy with a lot of money and strange ways to have fun. Grant Morrison is taking all of Batman's stories and making them all canon. A hundred years from now other people will be doing the same thing that's their job as writers. It's not "camp is stupid" or "down with gritty comics" its just preference.

[jburns777]

I hate Grant Morrison as a writer, in my opinion he has done more than ruined the Batman storyline of the last few years. There are much better Batman writers out there today, such as Judd Winnick and Paul Dini. I have always felt as if Morrison has never really understood who Batman is, and he has never pulled any inspiration from the great Batman writers like Jeph Loeb or Frank Miller. To me his stories or more laughable than dark and more confusing than complex. Batman : the black glove

[jburns777]

and Batman: R.i.P were the two most useless Batman stories I have ever read.

[arngrim12]

@jburns777 Frank Miller? I don't think he's the best example to use considering the travesty that was All-Star Batman and Robin. And yes, Grant isn't the easiest to understand, but that's what makes his writing so brilliant. He draws concepts and ideas from the most obscure influences from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Industrial music or Mesopotamian ideals. Is he perfect? No, probably not, but he's the best damn Batman-scribe of his time.

[jburns777]

@arngrim12 Frank Miller wrote two of the best critically aclaimed Batman graphic novels of all time, The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. He also helped Batman come from the campy foolishness of the 60's and 70's to the dark brooding detective that preys on the injust. And why would anyone want obscure influences like that? Idk. He just seems like a stupid writer who takes his dumbass idea's to seriouslly. Since when did weird and strange story idea's become good?. idk

[arngrim12]

@jburns777 What's wrong with camp? It's actually an integral part of the Batman history and to completely erase it would be foolish. And Grant has actually made several "dark and brooding" versions of the Batman franchise? Haven't you read Batman RIP or Batman:The Black Glove? If they can't be considered dark, I don't know what is. xD Also, Grant is aware that Batman had a history of being campy and he uses it to his advantage like in Batman and Robin:Batman Reborn, which is actually quite good.

[Razakage]

@jburns777 I'm gonna guess you haven't read All-Star Batman and Robin.

[elliottcborders]

@jburns777 Batman was around a whole lot longer before Loeb and Miller came along. I still don't understand why everyone seems to hate Morrison for making Batman the epitome of man. I promise it takes a whole lot more time to write Morrison's stuff than Miller's I mean "I'm the goddamn batman" versus causing batman to become his own creator? Maybe comics just aren't for kids anymore.

[ComicBookGeezer]

@jburns777

Agree,I absolutely hated the whole RIP arc,convoluted pile of shit.

Miller,Loeb,Moore,Snyder,Berme­jo,Winnick,Dini understand Batman far better.

But I will say Arkham Asylum was and still is great.

[DownHavenFilms]

Dont Get Me Wrong, He's Very Good At Twist And hidden Things And Plus Writng So Much Stff Down, I Give Him Props For That But He's Good For Superman And All The Super Powered Hero's Because They are so (too) Powerful, it's Crazy. So You Could do Crazy Writing. Superman Can Go in Space, Go through black holes, Blow up planets, Pick up The Whole universe, Create A Universe, Fart out A Supernova! Whateva! But Batman Is Just a Skilled Man. He'd Be Dead The First Time He Joined The JLA. ALSO...

[elliottcborders]

@DownHavenFilms but Batman has been a member of the JLA for a while????

[DownHavenFilms]

@elliottcborders yeah, That's what i always hated. woulnd't it be cool if Batman had his own universe. instead of darkseid, have hush thought he killed batman or something instead of him fighting through time. ha ha ha. Cuz now it's about the whole world rather than Protecting his territory Gotham City. I'm a Batman geek as you can see. Ahhh, Whateva. I would love to join DC in making my own batman comics. I'd call it... Batman... uh still working on it...

[DownHavenFilms]

Here's How I See It. Read Batman Year one, Long Halloween, And Read Batman Batman And Son, Black Glove, R.I.P. and Final Crisis, And The Return Of Bruce Wayne. To The True Batman Fans, If You Do This, Tell Me If You Think D.C. And Morrison Is Crazy, Lazy, And Out To Get A Quick Buck. Batman Sucks Now! It's Nothing But The 50's Meets, Modern. Batman In Space And Alt Dementions! Earth 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. Don't Even Get Me Started On Batman confidential. Batman vs The Undead? Really? Glad I Stopped!

[pfassett]

I have read the filth about 8 times. One of my favorite comics. I feel like you can get so many meanings out of it, but I always feel "stupid" as you put it, because I always put the book down at the end feeling like I didn't fully understand it, like there is always questions at the end. Does anyone else get that, or am I just missing something really obvious in all the chaos?

[deanasaurs]

@pfassett I am not stupid and I totally know what you mean so don't feel bad. I think that feeling is your subconscious telling you that there's more to get out of it and that's why you keep coming back and finding new things.

[SlimD11]

Geeze I wish I looked good bald like that. Morrison pulls it off perfectly :)

[tommy1gtr]

this interviewer shakes his head alot when he talks.....

[madsdahlc]

I have bad feeling that grant morrison might be leaving batman and robin when return of bruce wayne is over , its just a feeling

[endofsomething]

Thumb up this if you love the Dick/Damian Dynamic Duo!

[tedm1975]

Grant Morrison is the greatest comic book writer since Stan "The Man" Lee!

[deadman00]

I liked his Arkham Aslum. however i did NOT like his batman stuff.R.I.P. and so on. it was like Morrison was on crack when writting it. none of it made sense. basicly i didnt care for it. and im disapointed with how the current batman comics have been going.

[CHIEFSHAMANMORRISON]

@deadman00

maybe they dont make sense to you but if you can understand what happening i think anybody would agree that grant's run on batman easily tops anyone before him

[deadman00]

I know more then one person who was also confused by morrison's batman run.

fact is his Batman R.I.P. was not the event Superman Doomsday was.

I can think of far better writters then Morrison.

[CHIEFSHAMANMORRISON]

@deadman00

well all that means is there are a lot of dummies out there that dont understand good stories with archetypal themes and shamanic ideas that grant puts in all his books along with plenty of violence :) your right about RIP not being the event supes death was... beacuse batmans death is a better story in every way. 

[deadman00]

(rolls eyes) just because someone has a different opinon then u or didnt like a story u did. does NOT mean they are stupid.

I did not like Rip. or what morrison did with batman. i liked his Arkham aslyum thats it.

if u dissagree thats your opinon. but calling me a dummy wont make me change my mind.

good bye.

[CHIEFSHAMANMORRISON]

@deadman00

i just think its funny how "confused" so many people get by grants writing.

wake up already, you stupid fucking wankers!

[cissalanders]

@CHIEFSHAMANMORRISON And I think it's hilarious how many people circle jerk with Morrison. He's a great a writer, but his writing is confusing, stop pretending you GET everything he talks about on his comics and get over yourself.

[DrJohannFaust]

@CHIEFSHAMANMORRISON OK, I like Grant Morrison's work. I really do. But it is confusing and you do need to wrap your head around it. It took me a while to really "get" Final Crisis: Superman Beyond, but once I did everything made sense. Don't call people stupid for getting confused by writing that is very tricksy. For God's sake, have a bit of decorum.

[martinmichalek]

Can we please just have Grant do Batman for the next ten years?

[enjoypolydor]

@martinmichalek I think after Return of Bruce Wayne is over, he is going to have one or two more major arcs that wrap up everything and then he'll be done. So we should be getting at least 2 more years worth of stories.

[HyperReality1]

This series is going great so far.

[DrCyclops1]

Grant Morrison is the man!!!

[CylonFraker]

Anytime ive seen pictures of him he looks like a creepy bastard, but hes actually quite lovely :)

[Methyl10]

To create a new Batman is a crime ! I don´t see a figure who could be Batman !!

Its the same as you try to make another Superman .

I hope Grant has enough respect to see that .

[acemoon]

We know Bruce Wayne is still alive. I hope they don't kill off Dick Grayson when they decide to bring him back. Love Grayson as Batman though. It makes it all brand new again. Seeing him adjust is entertaining.

[TheDarkCrusader1939]

Everybody here READ FINAL CRISIS.

BATMAN IS NOT DEAD just on another plain of reality.

[archer1949]

Batman RIP WAS the Ultimate Batman pulp story. It was  not "Batman as a Superhero" story, but Batman pulled up straight from his pulp roots.

The story shows how the his development was influenced by characters like The Shadow and The Spider. It's something that hadn't been seen in decades. It was brilliant.

[310thegame228]

yup absolutely right man

[AintRealProductions]

People you have to stop CRYING over Batman's "Death"

HE'S NOT REALLY DEAD!

I love people said they read Final Crisis

and still believe he's dead

beside this is a cool take on Batman

as Dick is the New Batman

[ForrestFilms]

why would you "kill" batman, it's just not right to me it's like sorry we just "killed off" one of the greatest characters made in dc comics and comics in general

[doctormarmalade]

Dick Grayson.

Learn him.

Love him.

[ForrestFilms]

@doctormarmalade

Dude, i like Grayson, I respected him as Nightwing, so it was a cool idea for him to Batman respectfully. But most fans grew up with the Bruce Wayne Batman (me as one of them) its just hard to hear that he'll be gone for a while

[TheDarkCrusader1939]

@ForrestFilms

Hes coming back

[ForrestFilms]

hazzah!

[Dousch]

I liked Batman & Robin but I dont like the fact that he killed Bruce Wayne/Batman in Final Crisis. Who would? I grew up watching Batman TAS and I would NEVER want to see the greatest superhero of all time DIE. I hope to see him come back to life soon. If there are 12 volumes like I've heard of Batman & Robin then he should be back in the last one. THEN I can breathe again.

[protoalex1]

he's not dead he's in another plain of reality he's going to return in 2010 so its a year with dick grayson as batman

[dabebop]

yeah that guy needs to get a dictionary and read up on the word fact.

[tbonenglish]

I have a lot of respect for GM, his batman stuff is good I liked R.I.P, but Final Crisis

was almost a complete waste of my time.

[m0rtc1nder]

GM IN SUIT?...

[dannysmicros]

he's a fuckin hack final crisis was a piece of shit.

[bigstevecw]

gm is the man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stewdog91]

Makes you proud to have a fellow scotsman making everyones favourite crimefighter the legend that he is today.

[lynchington]

he should be lex luthor in the new superman lol

[dubcantgetrite]

lol

[elrapido5150]

Grant Morrison is Scottish? WHOA.

[unprofessionalemail]

It blew my mind.

[analogrevolutionary]

morrison can do no wrong!

[anchpio]

In reality Grant Morrison is really Lex Luthor! It aint that hard to see

[syllvor]

@anchpio "You're not foolin anyone with the accent, Lex. WE'RE ONTO YOU!"

[LongJonBronze]

@anchpio i was just thinking that

[EZmoney3000]

LMAO wow what an awesome accent.

[namelessronin]

Final Crisis was genius! Can't wait for the hardcover in June.

[JamboCordoba]

I don't know if I trust you if you hate Grant Morisson. I'm sorry, we can't be friends.

[Neilgram324]

The invisiable kicked ass! It counter culture on steroids!

[goobat1939]

all star superman is incredible best comic i've read since jeph loeb on hush

genius man

[crimsonalchemist12]

i love comic books. it always has sex in it

[ZandiDolly]

You what would be kool.Batman learning to live with his daughter

[SJYNYC]

a comic...

hated it.

[TheDrizzle1212]

is final crisis goin to be a comic or a novel

[grizilyspectre]

I've read the crisis series and thought it was crap. He is much better at the weird stuff.

[archer1949]

I dunno. I thought FInal Crisis was plenty weird.

[RoggBatt]

Why is Lex Luthor talking about killing Superman and Batman in a Glaswegian accent?

[yourverysilly]

lol.

[Marinkorpse]

hahaha!! Thanks RoggBatt

[SadicXXX]

Grant Morrison should get out of DCU and go back to Vertigo, no more superhero carp and go back to the good stuff!!!

[Jblaze189]

Bruce has to stepdown. It's Dick's Turn. To carry the mantle. I think it's realistic and perfect if he does that.

[julianesbri]

it's tim's turn

[czarawesome]

i think its time for me to be BATMAN. ive been training since ive been collecting comics.

:o)

[yourverysilly]

I'll back you. hell it can't be any worse than the ideas morrison and the rest of DC are cooking up!

[hanshotfirst1138]

I did enjoy Morrison's JLA run.

[JiTae365]

It's Bruce Wayne's horrible past and trauma that made the Batman. We speak of Batman being a mantle or a disguise yet Batman IS Wayne. It's who he has become ever since his parents were gunned down. No one can take away that past and rage he has. No one can just "carry the mantle". No one else can be the Bat. You kill off Bruce Wayne, you kill off the Batman.

[pobra17]

i completely agree, i just read final crisis #6 and i'm fuckin pissed what a load of shite! time to drop batman and detective comics.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Isn't Dini on Detective Comics?

[kometman]

He was.

[EZmoney3000]

I know you asked this about 3 months ago but Grant Morrison did Batman the comic book and Detective Comics was Dini...Batman stars in two books.

[hanshotfirst1138]

See, this is a good idea, but I think that Batman Beyond really tried an interesting way of tweaking the concept? Has Batman grown of Bruce's hands? Is he a symbol or something more? I think that it's an interesting concept.

[LICKS2LICKS]

No, he won't be killed off physically, it looks like they'll just end his run as batman. Intriguing but sick. Bruce wayne is batman, no one else can cut it. Pure example, think back to Az-bats in the Knightfall saga

[HeyArnoldsspleen]

It's not DC's intention to replace Bruce long-term, there just telling a good story and taking risks with it. Denny O'Neil and Neil Gaiman are following up "R.I.P" with some arcs, then Morrison takes over again afterwards.

[bakbak5]

this guy better not kill of bruce wayne

[brabon]

the interviewer creeps me out...just let grant speak

[Televisionaer]

London is Luan Dun, The City of Moon!

[fistofthenorthstar89]

Loved Morrison on X-men a true scottsmen

[HotRodakaMadMax]

I don't want Bruce Wayne to die.

[OhhFiddleSticks]

He's not 'dying'... apparently something worse though lol

[HotRodakaMadMax]

huh what do you mean?

[HeyArnoldsspleen]

Well...he ends up addicted to crack, goes insane and think he's from another planet

[HotRodakaMadMax]

all anyone can say is wtf

[Styleshift88]

HE'S SO FREAKIN COOL!!!

[SMan9Billion]

morrison's jla was some of the awesome-est shit of it's time.

[Stepper11]

Like a burring death's head, Morrison looms over DC, plotting its destruction so he can rebuild it to his own liking. It's no coincidence that Morrison looks like Luthor, a megalomaniac w/ designs on reigning over the DCU,re-making it to his own liking.

He has been given DC's number one franchise, Batman, which he clearly has marked for destruction. So, why not give the sorcerer his wish, full reign over the whole thing. Never mind that the chaos magician's megalomania may be the end of DC.

[PenaltyKillah]

Luthor? More like Dr. X. Ah, whatever. There's not going to be any continuum changes, anyway.

[Televisionaer]

In my eyes Morrison looks like Spider Jerusalem XD

[LICKS2LICKS]

I couldn't agree with you more. It'll be pure armageddon

[caderoger]

first time i've ever seen Morrison talking. he seems to be cool. but boy, can he self promote his works more?

[lincolnputnam]

real nice interview,, nice man too

[dorgoron]

GRANT! MORRISON! the pope of chaoS comics! Oh, I fraggin love this guy! Can't wait to read his stuff! Thanks, Stackers, for this wonderful interview!!!!

[andrevrd]

grant is so cool. i'm always afraid to meet the people will spoil it but i'm even more exited to go home and read comics. grant you rock.

[AceComics]

Awesome interview!

[metalheadprime2]

so lex luthor does run dc comics...lol

[seeso]

John is excellent at his job. I hope he continues to guest spot in your shows.

[maxsant74]

hey guys, work with Siuntres more often, he always delivers excellent interviews.

[jorghad6]

Grant talks about Batman as his original dark shadow out to get gotham, but i wonder if he read DKR (maybe thats where he got the idea for Batman RIP

[gallagtor]

I can almost guarantee you he's read DKR before lol

[Bizzy4000]

good stuff

[kublakhan1816]

The Filth is his best work I think.

[Raedan23]

dmitri-9 is my all time favourite monkey.

[Dreadpirate46]

I think his work on the Invisibles was pure brillance. Not to mention his work on Nex X-men.

[calicoboricua83]

I loved his JLA Run..I enjoyed the New X-Men run in the begining but then it just got boring to me IMO..

[eulalius]

The Filth was great, but my fave's still the Invisibles. It was one of those works that spurred to go out and learn more about the ideas that he incorporated into that story.

Plus, how can you not love the brogue?

[kublakhan1816]

I'm still working through the Invisibles. I'm pretty slow with reading trades. The first book was really good. I wish Grant wasn't out there saying that the Matrix was stolen from his plot. I barely see the connection, but I can't help by try to make the comparison.

[eulalius]

There's the whole "what you think you know is wrong" angle that both have. Morrison's also reference a specific scene in vol. 2 as being lifted almost entirely from him. It was the interrogation scene early on in the Matrix, I think.

Having said that, Grant borrowed A LOT from Moorcock and Dick, so it's not as if his work has sprung from his forehead fully formed.

Still, the Invisibles is great stuff. As is the Filth. And his run on JLA, X-Men, the Doom Patrol, and..., lol!

[brabon]

were you aware that copies of the invisibles were kept on the site during the filming of the matrix? they used it as their bible

[alexwinter666]

That's why the Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions sucked dead elephant balls - they didn't rip off Grant Morrison like the first one did.

[thebrainsbehind]

Which Grant Morrison work did Matrix rip off?  I'm out of touch...

[mrstorey89]

the matrix was a movie twist on some of the literal themes from "the invisibles".

[BritishConcept]

How long has Lex Luthor been scottish? O.o

[volumedealer1]

I want to see the Neil Gaiman Interview

[calvin8hobbs]

I totally agree.

[PulpSecret]

It's coming very soon. We're working on getting that up asap.