Morning Glories Volume 1 TP [Paperback]

Nick Spencer (Author), Joe Eisma (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2011 | Series: Morning Glories (Book 1)

Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country... but something sinister and deadly lurks behind its walls. When six gifted, but troubled, students arrive, they find themselves trapped and fighting for their lives as the secrets of the academy reveal themselves! Collects Morning Glories #1-6.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607063077
• ISBN-13: 978-1607063193
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Horror
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Image Comics
  • #55 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Image Comics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new classic?, March 15, 2011

By 

Kid Kyoto (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Morning Glories Volume 1 TP (Paperback)

The one line summary of this would be The Prisoner but set in a boarding school. A longer introduction would be six teens are offered scholarships at the Morning Glory academy, one of the most exclusive schools in America. They soon find their parents have forgotten them, their roommate is out to kill them and the teachers try to drown them. And that's the first day.

It's an engaging book and a real page turner. Nick Spencer's writing ropes you in early and doesn't let go. Joe Eisma's art is strong throughout and he uses things like page layout to give each character a memorable introduction.

But Eisma's art is also a problem. In a book where the main characters are all wearing school uniforms you really an artist who can draw different faces and different body types and do it consistently. But Eisma, like many comic artists, gives everyone the same face, the same body and relies on different hair colors and styles to tell them apart. One character is Japanese, another Indian but I could not tell that from their features, only from dialogue. Hopefully Eisma will be able to do more to differentiate them in later books.

My only other quibble is this book omits the great covers by Rodin Esquejo that the individual issues had. They were very strong and got me interested, I can't imagine why they were left out.

Despite these misgivings I really like this book, I really recommend it and I intend to stay on. It certainly has the potential to be a new classic.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost Meets Runaways, March 14, 2011

By 

Molly Coffee "Molly Coffee" (Valdosta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Morning Glories Volume 1 TP (Paperback)

It is a great time to be Nick Spencer. He has come on the mainstream radar with a vengeance lately with the announcement of his upcoming writing on Secret Avengers. He is also writing Iron Man 2.0, the new War Machine ongoing from Marvel that debuted this February. For someone that had such a hard time getting started, he has had a wealth of success. He took the creator-owned root with quite a few successes published by Image including Forgetless and Shuddertown. His miniseries Existence has even been purchased by Paramount Pictures.

This brings me to Spencer's first on-going series "Morning Glories." Since the first issue came out in in August 2010, I have had a few people recommend it to me. Unfortunately the first time that I have picked it up is now that the Volume 1 Trade Paperback is out.

Morning Glory Academy

"One of the most prestigious prep schools in the country....But behind it's hallowed doors something sinister and deadly lurks. When six brilliant but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and desperately seeking answers...and escape from a place where nothing is what it seems to be!"

Opening the book, right off the bat, you are treated to a huge spread of the main ensemble of characters. Immediately I am impressed by the fact that even though the kids are all dressed in prep school uniforms, the individual personalities of the characters are apparent. This is no small feat accomplished by Joe Eisma (Notorious, Dodge's Bullets). The warm palate and bright highlights of Alex Sollazzo (Marineman) are a nice addition as well.

The first issue of the comic was originally released in a double sized 48-page debut and immediately sold out. The hype might have been in part because of the right out of the gate action sequence that immediately lets the reader know there is something terribly wrong at this school. You have students causing explosions to escape from this prep school, someone with super powers?, and lots of blood and drama (including a dude with his eyeball hanging precariously out of his head. Sweet.). I was pretty immediately hooked. Frames included in the book are meant to make you have questions and it works. Just a few pages into the book, there is deep forboding for the arrival of our main cast. It is quite apparent where the "Runaways Meets Lost" reference to the series comes from. Questions met with more questions.

The rest of the trade was more of the same. A great central mystery that keeps you hooked without offering many answers, funny dialogue with pop culture references, and action and adventure. If the story can stay as intense then I'm in. Already added it to my pull box. Next time however, they should include the covers of the serials in the trade paperback. The only other complaint I might have is I am not a big fan of the name. As a female geek, I don't like to fall into girl stereotypes. And reading a comic called "Morning Glories" seems like one of those.

23 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice concept, disappointing execution, April 6, 2011

By 

Trevor Burnham (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Morning Glories Volume 1 TP (Paperback)

Morning Glories offers a great idea (a sinister academy for talented teens with some Lost-ish mysticism) and some lovely art (especially for those partial to 16-year-old T&A). Unfortunately, the writing--which thinks itself very clever--ranges from vacuous to laughable.

There are lots of PARANORMAL MYSTERIES, the school's staff are INCREDIBLY EVIL, and the kids act like the Breakfast Club cranked up to 11. There are some fun moments to be found here, but the comic fails to create a universe that feels internally consistent. The bad guys repeatedly do things that just don't make any sense, waving these things off as part of the MYSTERIOUS PLAN. I'm happy to suspend my disbelief for the sake of a good story, but when crazy things are happening all the time, there's no coherent story left to care about. In every confrontation, I found myself asking--and failing to answer--the basic question: What are the stakes here?

I had high hopes for Morning Glories. But at some point, I just couldn't bring myself to care.