Friday, October 22, 2010

Morning Glories #3

Written by Nick Spencer 
Art by Joe Eisma

Morning Glories has been getting a lot of attention, and I feel that it is well-deserved.  The title is weird - it's like Lost, if it was set in a boarding school - but it is most definitely a compelling comic.

In this issue, there is little learned about the Academy, as Spencer prefers to pile up the mysteries.  The issue opens in 1490, with a young Spanish girl imprisoned in some kind of fortress.  She speaks to her neighbour, who had apparently spent some sixteen years in her cell.  This opening also introduces the phrase "The hour of our release draws near", which I suppose is going to be important, as it shows up twice more in the main story.

From this opening, we get Casey in open conflict with her teacher over whether or not she can go and visit the suicidal Jade, while Jade herself explores the rooms beneath the infirmary, where she makes some startling discoveries.

I'm not sure where Spencer is taking all of this, although he's made it clear in this issue that the Academy has something to do with pre-Columbian Spain (when Casey goes to class, the teacher is lecturing on Tomas de Torquemada).  I like the 'Lost' vibe I'm getting off of this series, even if this issue was a little light on character development.  The vaguely psychotic member of the cast (don't remember his name, and it's not provided here) is continuing to be the most interesting and amusing, but the whole book has a lot of strengths.

No comments: