Hey, let's read Grant Morrison's Marvel Comics
By Zack Quaintance — One of the defining features on this site (and the related Twitter feed) is our reading projects, which date back to the Sandman 75 in the summer of 2018. Essentially, what we do is we read one comic per day (Monday through Friday), and Tweet favorite panels, accompanying thoughts, and other general impressions about the work. For about a year (and change), we’ve been going chronologically through the work of one Grant Morrison, arguably the defining comics writer of this era.
We’ve done Doom Patrol, we’ve done The Invisibles, and we’ve done JLA. This brings us to the era in which Grant Morrison wrote for Marvel Comics, which while brief was nonetheless formative for the characters they touched, especially Marvel Boy and the X-Men. It’s exciting stuff!
As always, anyone anywhere is invited to join along in this reading project, which begins this coming Monday, July 12. Here’s how we’re doing it:
Read one issue per day, Monday - Friday, starting July 12, 2021
Tweet about said issue in the evening (usually within an hour give or take of 8:30 p.m. ET)
Use the reading order below
Tag Tweets with the hashtag, #MorrisonatMarvel
That’s it! It’s going to be a great time, and I’m particuliarly excited to revisit The New X-Men era of comics, which I haven’t read since I was a wee lad…anyway! Without further pre-amble, check out the reading order we’ll be using below…
Grant Morrison’s Marvel Comics Reading Order
Skrull Kill Krew (1995) #1 - #5 (read it digitally / read it physically)
Marvel Boy (2000) #1 - #6 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 1: E is for Extinction (2001) #114 - #117 plus New X-Men Annual #1 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 2: Imperial (2001) #118 - #126 (read it digitally / read it physically)
Fantastic Four: 1 2 3 4 (2001) #1 - #4 (read it digitally / read it physically)
Marvel Knights: Double Shot #2 (included in Fantastic Four: 1 2 3 4 both physically and digitally)
New X-Men, Vol. 3: New Worlds (2001) #127 - #133 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 4: Riot at Xavier’s (2001) #134 - #138 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 5: Assault on Weapon Plus (2001) #139 - #145 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 6: Planet X (2001) #146 - #150 (read it digitally / read it physically)
New X-Men, Vol. 7: Here Comes Tomorrow (2001) #151 - #154 (read it digitally / read it physically)
I should note too that the vast majority of these comics can be accessed digitally with a comiXology unlimited subscription, which I believe is something like $6 a month. Definitely the most cost efficient way to do this.
Grant Morrison’s Marvel Comics
Finally, each week I’ll compile some of the Tweets that use our #MorrisonatMarvel hashtag below…
Week One: Skrull Kill Krew #1 - #5
and we’re back…Skrull Kill Krew #1: This was a pretty fun comic I only read in the name of completionsim for this Morrison project. It’s as simple a concept as the title implies, and worth a read if you can get past some of the very dated content. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/iIMeoezEUO
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 13, 2021
Skrull Kill Krew #2 comes at us from Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Steve Yeowell, Chris Ivy, Chia-Chi Wang, Digital Chameleon, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 13, 2021
The Krew kollude and there are snakes on a plane.#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/M0Yzijxlz9
The ultraviolence continues in Skrull Kill Krew #3 from Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Steve Yeowell, Chris Ivy, Chia-Chi Wang, Chris DeFilippo, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 14, 2021
With an Easy Rider joke on the cover...#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/6ohy1kDWH4
A travelling salesman finds a creepy town, Catwalk might be developing feelings for Ryder, and the Skrulltastic Four attack in Skrull Kill Krew #4 from Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Steve Yeowell, Chris Ivy, Chia-Chi Wang, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 15, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/IJCzN4CjU2
Skrull Kill Krew #5: Well, we had to do this one for completion sake, but now this one is over. I think these characters pop back up again in Secret Invasion, but not with Morrison writing them so they’re really of no concern to us with this project. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/bqmFF0Hyrz
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 17, 2021
Week Two: Marvel Boy #1 - #5
Marvel Boy #1: Okay cool, now we’re getting to the good stuff. This book won me over with its first page and just general madcap sci-fi weirdness. Plus the artwork is (unsurprisingly) excellent, some of the best of its time. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/d4i2EeC8we
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 20, 2021
The fun continues in Marvel Boy #2 as Noh-Varr decides to give New York a black eye for the death of all of his crew mates. Action and excitement from Grant Morrison, JG Jones, Avalon Studios & Matt Milla, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/QG1Lk4wZph
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 20, 2021
Marvel Boy #3: Holy #&@^, this comic invented Amazon! Complete with moving on to another planet when one was drained. I guess back then it was less conceivable that one human could do this, so they just went with living corporation. Oof. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/5SXcsJwdQw
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 22, 2021
Marvel Boy #4: Just a stupendous single issue. There’s a tie-in to the bigger series, but the chase-scene with boy meets girl and her villainous dad hates it plotting makes it pretty satisfying as a standalone. Plus, it looks AMAZING. Stellar work all around. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/DaRvGL3uGD
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 23, 2021
Why did I think this was only 5 issues?
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 23, 2021
Marvel Boy & Exterminatrix get intimate. Doctor Midas tries to breach the ship. In Marvel Boy #5 from Grant Morrison, JG Jones, Sean Parsons, Avalon Studios & Matt Milla, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/h4gzlNWpD2
Week Three: Marvel Boy #6, New X-Men #114 - #116, and New X-Men Annual 2001
The final confrontation between insect lad and golden boy in Marvel Boy #6 from Grant Morrison, JG Jones, Ryan Kelly, Sean Parsons, Avalon Studios & Matt Milla, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 26, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/bsN7xc5WqN
A radical new era for the X-Men begins in New X-Men #114 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Tim Townsend, Brian Haberlin, and Comicraft's Saida Temofonte.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 27, 2021
New costumes. New powers. New enemies. New approach. New creative team. New car smell. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/mAPjsvqJcO
New X-Men #115: The ending of this comic felt like a whole big thing at the time, leaving me just dying for the next one. Feels sort of quaint now, given where things have gone. Great issue though, and I’m amazed all over again at how good these books looked. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/QzTUlj7dXH
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 29, 2021
New X-Men #116: Great end to the arc. It also turns out I don’t remember much of the individual beats of these comics. I didn’t even remember this was the run where Xavier unveiled that to the world. Almost like I’ve lived 20 years since I read this run. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/dYTcRozvkO
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) July 30, 2021
A major new mutant is introduced, along with a horrible threat that feels decidedly Morrisonian, turn it sideways for New X-Men Annual 2001 from Grant Morrison, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Hi-Fi Design, and Comicraft's Saida Temofonte.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) July 30, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/mRUT3w7PCp
Week Four: New X-Men #117 - #121
New X-Men #119: This is a solid issue, though I still miss the Quitely art. This book really leans into the horror elements of what the team are facing, in three separate locales. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/TvyAP4UnAe
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 5, 2021
Jean reminds blind people in Seattle of her Omega-level badass status from Westchester. Also the others do some other stuff. In New X-Men #120 from Grant Morrison, Igor Kordey, Hi-Fi Design, and Comicraft's Saida Temofonte. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/cGbcbUlzOU
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 5, 2021
Jean and Emma go into the mind inhabiting Cassandra Nova's body. But you've got to be quiet, very quiet. In New X-Men #121 from Grant Morrison, Frank "Quietly", Hi-Fi Design, and Richard Starkings.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 6, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/DwiD0QYaq6
Week Five: New X-Men #122 - #126
New X-Men #122: this issue feels a little bit like a reaction to the nuff said issue, in that with the exception of the space stuff, it’s almost entirely talking heads. Still looks good because Quitely art. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/6ak3eIb5K1
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 10, 2021
The Imperial Guard vs. a handful of X-Men. GENOCIDE IS FUN! In New X-Men #124 from Grant Morrison, Igor Kordey, Hi-Fi Design, and Comicraft.#MorrisonAtMarvel
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 11, 2021
The end is near for the X-Men and the Imperial Guard as Cassandra Nova gets closer to her goals. In New X-Men #125 from Grant Morrison, Igor Kordey, Hi-Fi Design, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Saida Temofonte.#MorrisonAtMarvel
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 12, 2021
New X-Men #126: what a consequential issue. Most of the seeds from the first part of this run come to fruition here, along with an ending that is essentially the return of Professor X. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/TvCbrv5qkj
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 14, 2021
Week Six: Fantastic Four 1 2 3 4 #1 - #4, and Marvel Knights Double Shot #2
Fantastic Four 1 2 3 4 #1: I missed this one way back when, but holy cow what a good-looking book. I was especially taken with the page layouts throughout. Really looking forward to (finally!) reading the rest of this book. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/OZZo7M4LDY
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 17, 2021
Sue laments her status as an invisible woman over wine and Thai with Alicia. Ben's not doing so hot. Women just want Johnny's car. In Fantastic Four 1234 #2 from Grant Morrison, Jae Lee, José Villarrubia, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/7M4KlXzRM6
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 17, 2021
Fantastic Four 1 2 3 4 #3: Another great looking issue, and also the one in which the mystery of what’s going on with Doom falls away, leaving us to wonder how Reed has been responding this whole time. Love how this is structured. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/kEwYVBXbOp
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 19, 2021
Fantastic Four 1 2 3 4 #4: the ending is basically all reed vs doom as it seemed destined to be from the start. This was a great series, and a perfect example I think of when disorienting readers serves the plot rather than works against it. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/ddgst54QMz
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 19, 2021
"Nick's World..." in Marvel Knights Double Shot #2 from Grant Morrison, Manuel Gutierrez, Avalon's Jeromy Cox, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott delivers a short tale taking the piss out of an undercover agent trying to impersonate Fury.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 20, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/mIndwB9k7H
Week Seven: New X-Men #127 - #131
New X-Men #127: the art here by John Paul Leon and bill sienkiewicz is beautiful and the plot is simple yet emotionally resonate. Great issue. High point of this run. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/jrzWa1T2Mp
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 24, 2021
X-Corp look for redemption. Xavier experiments on Jean. And Fantomex arrives to cause the proverbial crap to hit the fan. In New X-Men #128 from Grant Morrison, Igor Kordey, Dave McCaig, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Saida Temofonte.#MorrisonAtMarvel
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 24, 2021
New X-Men #129: Lots of good stuff packed into this issue, including building out Fantomex in a fun way that also makes him intriguing. As is usually the case with ,Oder. X-men, the character is never as good as he is in his introduction. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/eNTCMZ5t40
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 26, 2021
From the minds of Grant Morrison, Igor Kordey, Dave McCaig, Chris Chuckry, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Saida Temofonte comes New X-Men #130 as the X-Men face off against Weapon XII with the help of the enigmatic Fantomex. #MorrisonAtMarvel
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 26, 2021
(oops, posted this fri on my other account...) New X-Men #131: it’s late and I may not be all that insightful at the moment but all I have to say about this one is I’ll take all the John Paul Leon (inked here by Bill S.!) x-men comics they’ll give us. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/zNCqqFeAze
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) August 30, 2021
Week Eight: New X-Men #132 - #136
The X-Men discover magnetic ghosts in the graveyard that is Genosha. In New X-Men #132 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Chris Chuckry, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt.#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/1sCcfIzsDq
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) August 30, 2021
New X-Men #134: we meet Quintin Quire in this issue…he bullies another student he is jealous of, talks back to Xavier when he is called out for this bullying, and then goes to get a hair cut. oof #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/tqi260TrkI
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 2, 2021
New X-Men #135: bit of course correction after last issue, which is probably the low point of the entire run. Also, between Quinten Quire and Jack Frost, seems Morrison maybe has some issues with teachers, or they at least think about how cool that would be… #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/4RrcFKRvOT
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 3, 2021
The Omega Gang attack the U-Men. The U-Men attack the Special Class. School! In New X-Men #136 from Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Avalon Studios, Chris Chuckry, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Wes Abbott.#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/R85RUDoPJk
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 3, 2021
Week Nine: New X-Men #137 - #140
Quentin Quire reveals with his riot that he's a petty paper tiger playing at games well past his purview. In Nex X-Men #137 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Avalon Studios, Chris Chuckry, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancour. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/h6h4XJ7FPK
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 7, 2021
Week Nine: New X-Men #137 - #140
Quentin Quire reveals with his riot that he's a petty paper tiger playing at games well past his purview. In Nex X-Men #137 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Avalon Studios, Chris Chuckry, and Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancour. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/h6h4XJ7FPK
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 7, 2021
New X-Men #138: A bit of aftermath following Riot at Xavier’s in this issue, with Quinten Quire ascending to somewhere, the Cuckoos flying away, Xavier stepping down, and Scott and Emma’s telepathic fling coming to Jean’s attention. Drama. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/YtfWgRdcOb
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 9, 2021
New X-Men #139: the Emma-Scott-Jean love triangle starts to boil over here a little bit, although really I don’t care about the Scott part of this at all. In one funny moment he rides away angsty and the professor says, “not the search for cyclops again!” Ha. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/4Z85guQdQC
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 10, 2021
The search for who killed Emma Frost is on as Sage & Bishop arrive at the Mansion, interrogating the staff & students. In New X-Men #140 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Chris Chuckry, and Chris Eliopoulos.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 10, 2021
[My money's on Gideon Stargrave.]#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/ck7Ymbd9cS
Week Ten: New X-Men #141 - #145
One mystery is solved (kind of), but more questions arise. Emma gets put back together again. And a monster mutant army is born. In New X-Men #141 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Chris Chuckry, and Chris Eliopoulos. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/UXHW85cGqT
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 13, 2021
New X-Men #142: the artist here is chris bachalo, who drew so many x-men (and generation x) comics when i was a kid that i will always associate him and his work with these characters. this is a bottle issue in the hellfire club that goes into cyclop’s emotions. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/GmoZrJtXcT
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 14, 2021
Scott, Logan, and Fantomex arrive to infiltrate the World. In New X-Men #143 from Grant Morison, Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Chris Chuckry, and Rus Wooton.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 15, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/Mvfv3BWlJJ
New X-Men #144: I’m really enjoying this arc, which is probably my favorite since the very first arc of the run. There’s a simplicity to it — Cyclops, Logan, and Fantomex battle Weapon XV — but atop that foundation every idea is rich and complex. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/APy5Stpr7e
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 16, 2021
Wolverine finds out his Origin. Weapon Plus is nefarious. Things go BOOM! And more pieces fall into place. In New X-Men #145 by Grant Morrison, Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Aaron Sowd, Chris Chuckry, and Rus Wooton.#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/JACIXPoPT8
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 17, 2021
Week Eleven: New X-Men #146 - #150
New X-Men #146: this is the issue with the big xorn reveal so i guess if you haven’t read this 18-year-old comic yet — surprise! pacing here is superb, though #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/QtgjXgK3OC
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 21, 2021
An impotent old man given in to drug addiction attempts to perform auto-fellatio in public. In New X-Men #147 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Chris Chuckry, and Rus Wooton.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 21, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/5LQPEyb8dr
Jean and Logan get sweaty. Nobody cares about Magneto. In New X-Men #148 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Chris Chuckry, and Rus Wooton. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/QgfY6XCYcE
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 22, 2021
New X-Men #149: Magneto really doesn’t come off well in this arc, maybe at least in some part because he is abusing substances? But hey, Cyclops and Fantomex show up, which is better than what we had when this issue started. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/ZnAzSDWE7U
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 24, 2021
The end to the present day story comes as Magneto gets his ass kicked. In New X-Men #150 from Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Simon Coleby, Chris Chuckry, and Chris Eliopoulos.
— d. emerson eddy (@93418) September 24, 2021
#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/AlacPgSnih
Week Twelve: New X-Men #151 - #154
What's an X-Men run without a jaunt to the future for a "Days of Future Past" riff? Beginning in New X-Men #151 by Grant Morrison, Marc Silvestri, Batt, Joe Weems, Billy Tan, Eric Basaldua, Steve Firchow, and Rus Wooton. #MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/1w15vEgsxb
— d. emerson undeddy (@93418) September 27, 2021
New X-Men #152: after last issue indoctrinated us into this new world with its forces for good and evil, this issue escalates, leading up to a phoenix-heavy last page cliffhanger/reveal with beast assuming a fairly goofy alternate name #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/jrmrTC8boY
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) September 28, 2021
Beast is a bad kitty. Phoenix is a wave a naked destruction. The X-Men are basically fucked. In New X-Men #153 by Grant Morrison, Marc Silvestri, Joe Weems, Tim Townsend, Batt, Steve Firchow, Frank D'Armata, and Rus Wooton.#MorrisonAtMarvel pic.twitter.com/PdRjRY2ERs
— d. emerson undeddy (@93418) September 29, 2021
New X-Men #154: It’s here, the end of this thing. I think @93418 pointed this out in one of his earlier updates, but this arc feels like Morrison finally writing the book they wanted to write all along. Some of the run’s most Morrisonian moments and ideas. #MorrisonatMarvel pic.twitter.com/beA8m9KOvW
— Comics Bookcase (@ComicsBookcase) October 1, 2021
Check out our recent Morrison’s JLA read, too!
Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.