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CBR TV @ CCI: Grant Morrison on “Action Comics, ” “New X-Men” and Much More

Grant Morrison spent some time on the CBR yacht during Comic-Con International in San Diego where the Scottish superstar discussed designer Chip Kidd’s declaration of the logo for “New X-Men” as being his favorite logo in the history of comics and how Morrison’s design sold Marvel’s then-publisher Bill Jemas on the series title.

Morrison also dives into DC Comics’ New 52, discussing the fact that “Action Comics,” being set five years in the past, isn’t affected by the ret-conning of Superman’s marriage, the pressures of being responsible for re-telling and updating the origins of the Man of Steel and why he took on the challenge of tackling Superman for his part of DC’s massive relaunch initiative.

“Supergods” is also discussed, including how writing the book affected his approach to and stance on the concept of superheroes, whether or not he sees a point in his life where he’ll stop writing superheroes, his love of working with B and C-list characters and the status of his ongoing film project, “Sinatoro.”

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  • Rodimus80

    Morrison is a hack. u00a0Batman RIP was garbage. u00a0The current Batman Incorporated is garbage. u00a0New X-Men was horrible and thankfully forgotten. u00a0He needs to be fired.

    • Guest

      your opinion, shallow as it is…

    • cich

      Morrison is a great writer. Batman RIP was fun. The current Batman Incorporated is refreshing. New X-Men was fantastic and Marvel is publishing new edition of the trades as we write. He needs to stay with us ;) :*

      • Matthew Lane

        Sure its refreshing, but that doesn’t make Morrison a great writer. He’s a hit or miss writer who to often gets painted as brilliant, but more often the not his brain farts destroy characters, then make them better.nnMorrison could be considered “The Horse Man of Death” for essentially any character he writes, as he’s pretty much going to kill off anything fun about that character (which happens a lot when you are a deconstructionalist style writer)u00a0& there are Vegas Odds that the character is going to be completely fucked up by the time he’s finished, if not Dead.

        • Spangle

          Which characters would you say he destroyed? To me, personally, he saved Batman. Bruce Wayne AND Dick Grayson, but Bruce especially. Made him much more interesting and likable.

    • http://twitter.com/IanC1985 Ian Craig

      This is exactly why you don’t work in comics, sir.

      • Matthew Lane

        And this is why you don’t work in comics… Because you get hung up on a writer, instead of the work.

    • http://twitter.com/IanC1985 Ian Craig

      This is exactly why you don’t work in comics, sir.

    • Shomy092

      I dissagree… Batman Inc. isn’t garbage, it’s refreshing and new…. It’s something that should’ve been tried out a long time ago…. The thing that ruined the entire Batman inc. is that we knew that Bruce would become the only Batman again…. He IS one of the BEST writers today, like it or not….

    • Mike

      Go read Archie comics maybe the only comics to your level of reading.u00a0

      • Mike O’Neill

        No need to drag Archie into it!

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IEJYIEMC6JT2RPFUWTYQY765BA Ian Thal

        If Grant Morrison decides to write for Archie, I’ll check it out.

    • J. Sandbags

      Yeah New X-Men is sooooo forgotten. Did you read theu00a0 ‘NEW BIG X-MEN EVENT OF THE DECADE”? Yeah, where did that Quentin Quire come from again? nnWho’s this Fantomex dude in Uncanny X-Force? Jean Grey’s still dead right?…and everyone knows Emma and Scott is just dumb shit that was forgotten the issue after. nnYeah that run was just basically retconned right?

      • Matthew Lane

        I’m sorry, whichu00a0″NEW BIG X-MEN EVENT OF THE DECADE” are we upto now? I’ve lost count, what with marvel releasing a “NEW BIG X-MEN EVENT OF THE DECADE” every 2 issues. I wonder will thisu00a0 ‘NEW BIG X-MEN EVENT OF THE DECADE” having a market stratergy which includes the words “An event which will change everything you thought you knew,” just like evey otheru00a0 “NEW BIG X-MEN EVENT OF THE DECADE.”nnExcelsior

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, Rodimus80′s type enjoyed the complex and engaging writing of One More Day.

      • Gnarlk

        i take him as more of a maximum carnage type of guy actually…

    • Jjsmed

      The last couple of Batman Inc. were some of the greatest comics ever.u00a0 Thank you for setting me up to make this statement.u00a0 Go read Mindless Ones and get your head right.u00a0 Read “Supergods” and learn something, for once.u00a0 Why are you so fucked up?

      • Matthew Lane

        I’m sorry, but since when is having an opinion on a subjective issue, that differs from your own,u00a0″fucked up?” I’ve read Supergods already & just like many of Morrisons other writings i found it unfocused & lacking in many areas. It wasn’t a bad book, but you’d need to be a pretty hardcore Morrison Fanboy to really think it was very good… At best it was average.

        • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TJVLPUCL4A7ZXF5U4FHMHJVA3M Strange

          *Bear with Me now* Actually ‘The Black Glove’ collection (RIP. Prelude – Which should of Collected Batman 664 & 665- Which Isn’t The GRANTS fault) Is simply Brilliant. An when Reading 664 & 665 — After the 667-669 Events– sets up not only The 3prt “Space Medicine” story Beautifully; But brings your RIP.invite to a an Apex of wonder & intrigue that I have Never gotten anywhere in my 28 year history of reading comics..Time & time again ‘The GRANT’ brings Prologues/ preludes/ set-ups whatever ya wanna call’um to a whole new level. Throw in the Batman #156, & DCU #0 framework—- To what i mentioned above & their is NO DENYING the Brilliant Awesomeness 2 His Pre Batman INC. work…. Its complicated but when collected right (just Wikipedia ‘Batman RIP. or wait for an Omnibus)– & even now with the RIP. “Missing Chapter” FIX/ReDo {Batman 701 & 702}– Morrisons “Batman & Son” #655-658 thru his RIP. (Ending In #702) is what Batman Never had before, & maybe will never have again!!! Morrison set the Stage & the Bar for ‘A How to do’ Major Superhero – Dark Detective comic book mystery saga’s.. PERIOD. An if you don’t agree fine; But What your saying essentially is your Brain can’t harness noir process REAL, TRUE On-going, Deep SCI-FI comics.nAn thats just sad… & I suppose All-Star Superman, & ‘The Invisibles’ were just AVG. projects as well. Huh? Seriously you haters need to wake-up & reread his works —- CHRONOLOGICALLY!

    • CantStandYa

      I totally agree with you!u00a0 I’m sou00a0glad that some people are seeing him for what he really is, au00a0hack.u00a0 Somebody needs to put this elitist, full of crap, euro-trash hack in his place.

      • Gnarlk

        fanboys sure love to abuse the word “elitist” don’t they

    • GagGagaGag

      Yup!u00a0 GM is the Lady Gag of comics!

    • Matthew Lane

      Wow, look at all the Morrison fanboys. Batman RIP was in fact garbage & i felt nothing for New X-Men. Frankly Morrisons ideas aren’t nearly as new or fresh as people pretend they are. All Morrisonu00a0does is takes techniques from other mediums & adapts them to comics & thats not exactly a new literary technique.u00a0nnGrant Morrison’s ultimate sin: Final Crisis.nnHe’s not a bad writer but there are significantly better writers out there, ones, who don’t destroy characters like Morrison does.

      • Andsd

        For how grammatically correct you are, and relatively intelligent you sound, what’s all this “Was, in fact, garbage.” This is your opinion as much asu00a0theirsu00a0isu00a0theirs. Don’t be so damn angry about it.

        • Matthew Lane

          Whose angry? Batman RIP was in fact garbage: It was convoluted (even by superhero comic standards), in fact it was so convoluted that more then a year after the story was printed Grant Morrison had to release a “missing chapter” just to make the darn story make any sort of internally logistical sense.nnThats not a sign of poor writing technique, so much as actual poor writing technique.

          • Gnarlk

            Anybody who writes “whose angry?” instead of “who’s angry” should not criticize somebody else’s writing.

          • Matthew Lane

            Ar yes, when all other arguments fail, “You made a spelling mistake, so you must be wrong.”nnSeriously mate, at least try to argue the point before going off on a tangent… And just FYI, you should have a comma where you have a question mark: Looks like should get your own syntax-house in order first, before you try to correct mine.

          • Gnarlk

            oh no, pwned by a self righteous and verbose man child. however shall i go on?

          • Matthew Lane

            An that would be that “Appeal to Motive” thing i mentioned. Certainly write something if you’ve got something to add to the conversation, but frankly, you’ve yet to say anything in any conversation that didn’t include an Ad Homenium Attack or an Appeal to Motive.

          • Gnarlk

            hey, you’re the one who came on here to attack morrison and his fans, so pot meet keettle.

          • Gnarlk

            before you blather on in your usual manner, i meant kettle.

          • Matthew Lane

            An that would be that “Appeal to Motive” thing i mentioned. Certainly write something if you’ve got something to add to the conversation, but frankly, you’ve yet to say anything in any conversation that didn’t include an Ad Homenium Attack or an Appeal to Motive.

      • Anonymous

        I think there is a difference between something not being to your personal liking.. and “garbage”.nnu00a0If you didn’t like it than fine, but there really isn’t the need to insult Morrison or the people that enjoy is work, clearly a lot of people find his stuff enjoyable and are getting things out of his work that you obviously do not. nu00a0Not everyone has the same tastes, even I, someone who loves Morrison’s work, found Final Crisis confusing for the most part.

      • Anonymous

        I think there is a difference between something not being to your personal liking.. and “garbage”.nnu00a0If you didn’t like it than fine, but there really isn’t the need to insult Morrison or the people that enjoy is work, clearly a lot of people find his stuff enjoyable and are getting things out of his work that you obviously do not. nu00a0Not everyone has the same tastes, even I, someone who loves Morrison’s work, found Final Crisis confusing for the most part.

      • Spangle

        I can accept that you usually don’t like Morrison’s work, he’s got a distinctive style and tastes vary. I think it’s wrong to say that people who like his work “pretend” that the ideas are good, though. I don’t see why anyone would be faking when they say they enjoy a comic, that’s just bizarre. I’d also really like specific examples of what other mediums he takes his techniques from (especially since he’s often spoken out AGAINST the cinematic widescreen style popularized by the Authority), and what characters he’s destroyed.nnAlso, Batman RIP was in YOUR OPINION garbage, not “in fact.” :P

      • Spangle

        I can accept that you usually don’t like Morrison’s work, he’s got a distinctive style and tastes vary. I think it’s wrong to say that people who like his work “pretend” that the ideas are good, though. I don’t see why anyone would be faking when they say they enjoy a comic, that’s just bizarre. I’d also really like specific examples of what other mediums he takes his techniques from (especially since he’s often spoken out AGAINST the cinematic widescreen style popularized by the Authority), and what characters he’s destroyed.nnAlso, Batman RIP was in YOUR OPINION garbage, not “in fact.” :P

    • Seth

      I think you are garbage

      • Matthew Lane

        And i think you need to chill out. Your personal view on Morrison is your personal view… We don’t need to share your personal view… thats why its called a “personal” view.

        • Dtr

          And the rest of us don;t need to share your personal view either, so rather than bashing Morrison fans why don;t you just accept that just as you don;t like him there are people who do. Honestly your hypocrisy in terms of people’s right to share opinions is staggering and you really started sounding pompous immediately after your first post. Yeah. You hate Morrison. Great. Stop trolling and say something a little less angry and a lot more constructive. You’ll come off as much less of a douchehammer than you clearly are.

        • Dtr

          And the rest of us don;t need to share your personal view either, so rather than bashing Morrison fans why don;t you just accept that just as you don;t like him there are people who do. Honestly your hypocrisy in terms of people’s right to share opinions is staggering and you really started sounding pompous immediately after your first post. Yeah. You hate Morrison. Great. Stop trolling and say something a little less angry and a lot more constructive. You’ll come off as much less of a douchehammer than you clearly are.

  • italianamerican

    I love Morrison u2013 he’s one of my all-time favorite comic book writers, but can we please get some captioning for what he’s saying or maybe some dubbing with someone who speaks English?u00a0

  • italianamerican

    I love Morrison u2013 he’s one of my all-time favorite comic book writers, but can we please get some captioning for what he’s saying or maybe some dubbing with someone who speaks English?u00a0

  • italianamerican

    Didn’t understand any of his stories, did ya?

    • Booble

      Or maybe he understood them just fine and just didn’t like them.

      • italianamerican

        Or maybe he’s bitter because she didn’t understand them.

      • italianamerican

        Or maybe he’s bitter because she didn’t understand them.

      • J. Sandbags

        Haha, really? Yeah, you know, actually giving you readers the benefit of the doubt and not justassuming that they’re idiots is completely a wrong way of writing comics.u00a0

    • Matthew Lane

      Dude, i’m pretty sure Morrison didn’t understand any of Morrison stories either. But understanding has nothing to do with enjoyment… I understand Algebra, doesn’t mean i enjoy it & i don’t do it recreationally. nnMorrison is a poor writer a good lot of the time. Nowhere is this evidenced as clearly as Final Crisis.u00a0I read Final Crisis & while i understood it, i didn’t care for it. Yet the same story was released in Audio Book format, rewritten (see also: Written without the Morrison-isms) & its was exceptionally enjoyable.nnMorrison can script, but he can’t necassarily write. It also doesn’t help that he’s a solid Deconstructionist.

  • http://twitter.com/thejimg jim gorr

    Restarting Action, and everythingu00a0about this “relaunch”u00a0is just plain ridiculous…

    • Namtab

      u00a0Well at least you gave it a shot….oh wait.

    • Gnarlk

      fanboys like you are plain ridiculous.

  • done

    Morrison is awesome.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Curefreak Daniel Wheeler

    overrated.

  • Tyler

    Yes! u00a0Yes! u00a0The amount of people standing up for Morrison’s intelligent, refreshing writing has filled me with joy.

  • MorrisonIsanElitistHack

    Morrison is an elitist hack.u00a0 His run on New X-Men was nothing more than an idiotic and twisted rehash of the Claremont/Cockrum/Byrne run.u00a0 He doesn’t write for the readers, especially new readers and if you’re confused or lost then you’re dumb.u00a0 Case in point, his boring and assinine Final Crisis.u00a0 nnThe former Yale president’s assessment ofu00a0the Winklevoss twins’ with regard to their attireu00a0can also be applied to this guy.u00a0 Nuff said!

  • MorrisonIsanElitistHack

    Morrison is an elitist hack.u00a0 His run on New X-Men was nothing more than an idiotic and twisted rehash of the Claremont/Cockrum/Byrne run.u00a0 He doesn’t write for the readers, especially new readers and if you’re confused or lost then you’re dumb.u00a0 Case in point, his boring and assinine Final Crisis.u00a0 nnThe former Yale president’s assessment ofu00a0the Winklevoss twins’ with regard to their attireu00a0can also be applied to this guy.u00a0 Nuff said!

    • italianamerican

      “his boring and assinine Final Crisis.”nnThat should read “his thrilling and brilliant Final Crisis.”nnIt’s ok to admit you didn’t understand Final Crisis and don’t understand Morrison’s overall work on Batman. u00a0nnMorrison writes for the intelligent readers, not for the slow adults and the vaguely retarded.u00a0

      • LemmingsRFunnyandSad

        @italianamerican re: …writes for intelligent readers…nnI guess guidos are excluded.u00a0 Being a fan of this elitist, euro-trashu00a0hack will unfortunatelyu00a0notu00a0make you a better than others.n

        • Gnarlk

          very mature you lowlife putz

          • Matthew Lane

            Gnarlk, do you ever actually discus any point, or is your instantaneous reaction to go straight for the Appeal to Motive & the Ad Homenium Attack.

          • Gnarlk

            do you just re-state the same point over and over with different forms of verbal diarrhea?

      • Matthew Lane

        No dude, he got it right the first time. Final Crisis suffered from serious “I’m Grant Morrison so i get to fuck up ever character i touch”-ism. There is a half decent story in Final Crisis, but the only way to get to it, is to get it in a format where Morrison isn’t writing it. I foind the comics dreadful, but the rewritten Audio Book version enjoyable.nnJust because Morrison can script a story, doesn’t mean he can write a story. Morrison is to much of a deconstructionist & shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near an iconic character, ever, under any circumstance, lest he attempt to “grit-ify” it.

    • Gnarlk

      stick with reading deadpool little boy. he’s a badass merc, don’t you know?

  • Anonymous

    Grant morrisson , please speak louder.

    • HyacynthBucket

      He cahn’t. It’s the stiff upper lip, don’t you know, my good fellow? u00a0He’s Grant “bucket” (pronounced bouquette) Morrison, afterall.

  • Kale2470

    I’m so glad there’s a writer like Grant Morrison out there that can weed out all the idiots who read comics and all the people that understand what makes a good comic.

    • Matthew Lane

      Hahahaha, i love how Morrison Fan continually pretend its because Morrisons writing is just to smart, so stupid people don’t like him. nnIn truth alot of us don’t like his writings because a good deal of his writings just aren’t very good. Understanding is not the same as enjoying. I understand algebra, doesn’t mean i go to an algebra shop every Friday (not Wed as i’m not American) & purchase a book of complex algebra.nnFrankly a lot of Morrisons stuff is over-written, plays to much on nostalgia, cliches, symbolism & genre deconstructionism. This idea that Morrison is doing something fresh is just not true, unless of course you consider destroying franchises to be something fresh, that we should be aspiring to.nnAs a writer Morrison is hit or miss & when he does hit it rarely as “brilliant” as Morrison fans claim it to be.

  • http://twitter.com/serpico71 CHris Kaufman

    Is it a fact that all of the Morrison haters just happen to be members of the tea party?

    • Matthew Lane

      I’m not American & while i don’t hate Morrison, i do dislike his tendency to write deconstructionism fiction of classic, iconic character… See also whats happening with Action Comics.nnMorrison is overrated as a writer.

      • Granjepfh Morisjonzs

        ML, I really admire your persistence and fortitude of standingu00a0your ground against these Morrison sympathizing hord of hyenas!u00a0u00a0nnnIf Morrison is so great, why does he keep writing iconic and POPULAR characters?u00a0 Convince me of your brilliance, GM, and write theu00a0Wonder Woman solo series.u00a0 Probably not andu00a0like Jephfff Jhonszz, he’s too afraid to touch unpopular characters.

        • Spangle

          u00a0Animal Man. Doom Patrol. Marvel Boy. Seven Soldiers.nnI also don’t see how writing popular characters makes you a lazy writer or whatever. Shouldn’t those jobs only go to the MOST qualified, since they make DC the most money?

    • Wayne Howlett

      Wow, this has got to be the most insanse and illogical statement I’ve ever heard in cyberspace!u00a0 You make Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann sound like a rocket scientist.u00a0 Are you sure you’re not a member of the tea party?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XQD75BOLLDJJT5GSOLOK5K23DQ Cretien

    Elitist is bad?u00a0nBeing European as an insult?u00a0nIt’s depressing to know that one of the first things that some people who don’t like a certain writeru00a0do is hurl racist epithets.u00a0Just so that you “euro” haters know. If you are white you have European roots.As far as I know its isn’t compulsory to read the works of Grant Morrison. He is not the only writer on Batman. Nor was he the only writer on The X-Men.u00a0As for his writing I enjoy it. It entertains me. If I didn’t, or found it confusing, or it did things to imaginary characters that I wouldn’t want to imagine, I’d find something else to read. However there would be a nagging part of me that would regret not being open minded enough to try the strange and uncomfortable.

  • Str4

    Can we please get a Morrison The Atom issue where he fights monsters in the White House carpet? u00a0PLEASE!!! u00a0Just them talking about it makes me want it.

  • http://twitter.com/whitecrowstudio Gabrielle Regnier

    I can honestly say that Morrison’s work is pretty controversial, some people like it, some people don’t. Personally I didn’t hook on his work for Batman inc. because I didn’t get the point of reviving Bruce Wayne in the first place. But I am usually quite fond of what he does. I wouldn’t go as far as firing him, but to me, it sounds like the incorporate stuff should get kicked out of the Batman’s old original series and get its own title, a bit like the Outsiders, but featuring the new “Batmans” as a team, rather than sprinkling them all over the map. u00a0

  • http://www.facebook.com/brian.marino Brian Marino

    I’d read the shit out of that Atom idea.