Grant Morrison: The Early Years Re-Released

By John Freeman on July 12, 2008

Publisher Sequart.org has announced that a second edition of its first book, Grant Morrison: The Early Years, is now available exclusively through specialist comic shops via Diamond Previews (order code JUL084473).

If you missed out last year, now is the perfect time to buy The Early Years, because this second edition is revised and includes a newly-added essay about Morrison’s very first story for 2000AD.

Grant Morrison redefined comics in the late 1980s and early 1990s from his trail blazing creation of Zenith, through his metatextual innovations on DC Comics Animal Man, to his Dadaist super-heroics in Doom Patrol. Along the way, he explored the Batman mythos with his multilayered masterpiece Arkham Asylum and the literary Gothic storyline.

Written by Timothy Callahan, Grant Morrison: The Early Years examines these five Morrison works in detail, aiming to expand the reader’s appreciation of their significance and, say Sequart “creating a study accessible to both Grant Morrison aficionados and those new to his work.”

An extended exclusive interview with Morrison on his early career rounds out the volume.

According to the book’s author, Timothy Callahan, “the book explores the unifying themes of Morrison’s early work, providing a close analysis of stylistic and structural techniques.”

“In its limited release, the book has sold well online and at comic book conventions,” says Publisher Julian Darius. “Callahan [also a ComicBookResources.com reviewer] has been repeatedly praised in reviews of the book, and cover artist Kevin Colden has been in the news for receiving – and declining – a Xeric grant. We’re very excited about having this book in Previews and comic book stores for the first time.”

The book is the first in a line of critical books from Sequart Research & Literacy Organization, a non-profit devoted to the study and promotion of comic books as a legitimate art.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.