Grant Morrison is among the greatest comic book writers of the modern age. Responsible for numerous ground-breaking comics across several companies, Morrison is constantly pushing boundaries. Their writing is often characterized by complex, trippy, and meta-contextual narratives that offer deep psychological explorations of the nature of existence and humanity. Not only has Morrison provided some of the most important stories about big-name superheroes like Superman, Batman, the Justice League, and the X-Men, but they have also revitalized obscure characters and created fully independent stories. Whether it’s under DC or Marvel, Morrison has written some of the most thought-provoking and impactful stories in comic book history.
Grant Morrison is the definition of a writer who is constantly thinking outside the box. For over 40 years, Morrison has developed incredible characters and nuanced stories that have pushed the comic book genre into unexplored narrative terrain.
10) Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery
Grant Morrison is well-known for taking ideas that shouldn’t work on paper and turning them into masterpieces of meta-storytelling. Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery follows the titular character, who can warp reality by flexing different muscles. Originally a comic book character, Flex was brought to life and is now trying to uncover the sinister schemes of his former comrade, the Fact. Meanwhile, Flex’s creator, Wally Sage, is dealing with his own debilitating mental issues. The miniseries is a love letter to the Silver Age and a parody of both superhero tropes and old Charles Atlas bodybuilding comic ads. Additionally, it holds profound messages about growing up, hope vs. cynicism, responsibility, and becoming your own hero.
9) Multiversity
After the New 52 reboot rewrote the DC Universe, Morrison set out to establish a new and exciting multiverse. The miniseries Multiversity offers one of the most in-depth looks at the 52 universes that comprise DC’s multiverse, featuring several one-shot tales connected by an overarching plot. The series covers everything from a Nazi world to a baby world to a Watchmen-expy world to a pulp-adventure world to a Captain Marvel world, and even a world with a living comic book that talks to the reader. At the same time, heroes from across the multiverse are brought together to face a menacing villain known as the Empty Hand. It’s an incredible journey through the many strange worlds of the DC Multiverse that debuts the awesome multiversal superhero team Justice Incarnate.
8) “E is for Extinction”
One of the greatest and most revolutionary X-Men stories of all time, “E is for Extinction,” is the best story in Morrison’s critically acclaimed New X-Men run. The story introduces Professor X’s evil twin sister, Cassandra Nova, who works with Donald Trask to send an army of Wild Sentinels to massacre the mutant nation of Genosha, killing almost all of its 16 million inhabitants. It was one of the most catastrophic events in X-Men history. The story also debuted Emma Frost’s diamond form as well as have her join the X-Men for the first time. To this day, “E is for Extinction” is one of the defining X-Men events of the 21st century.
7) “Rock of Ages”
Morrison’s JLA series is considered by many to be one of the greatest Justice League runs in history, and “Rock of Ages” was their crowning achievement. In this epic tale, Lex Luthor obtains the reality-warping Philosopher Stone and assembles a new Injustice Gang to battle the Justice League. However, Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman are transported to a nightmarish future that will come to pass if the Justice League defeats the Injustice Gang. In this grim future, Darkseid has obtained the Anti-Life Equation and dominated the Earth. The Justice League is then forced to tackle how it can save the present without dooming the future. Morrison’s story is full of twists and turns that constantly keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next.
6) “Crawling From the Wreckage”
The Doom Patrol were obscure characters for decades until Morrison arrived in 1989 and revitalized the group into the bizarre yet heartfelt superhero team that it is today. “Crawling From the Wreckage” sees the Doom Patrol’s field leader, Robotman, trying to reassemble the team after the last incarnation was destroyed. Along with classic members returning, the storyline also introduces an intersex version of Negative Man named Rebis, and Crazy Jane, a woman with 63 split-personalities that each have their own powers. Together, the Doom Patrol battles the Scissormen, who are cutting people out of reality. The storyline is a fun, high-concept, surrealist, and fourth-wall-breaking adventure that sets the tone for all future Doom Patrol tales.
5) “The Coyote Gospel”
Morrison took Animal Man, a fairly mundane and obscure superhero, and through his run crafted an existential masterpiece that pushed the boundaries of meta-narratives in comics. Easily the best storyline in Morrison’s run of Animal Man was “The Coyote Gospel.” The story revolves around a Wil E. Coyote-type character from a cartoon universe. His existence is one of unending pain as he’s constantly tortured for the sake of comedy. Upon escaping his fictional universe, the Coyote meets Animal Man and questions why he must suffer for the entertainment of readers. Morrison has always been a fan of creating meta-contextual stories that offer deep philosophical themes on the nature of fiction and existence, and this is one of their most thought-provoking works.
4) “Batman: R.I.P.”
Morrison is lauded for having the greatest Batman run of all time, and one of their best storylines during this run was “Batman: R.I.P.” In this dark and twisted tale, the Dark Knight faces off against the evil Black Glove secret society, which enjoys forcing people to partake in life-and-death struggles. Sadistically, they take away all of Batman’s resources and pump his body full of so many drugs that he’s deluded into believing that he’s a homeless man. The storyline brings Batman to his lowest point, financially, physically, and mentally, and he must desperately claw his way back out. With great villains, a trippy plot, and great character study, “Batman: R.I.P.” is one of the Caped Crusader’s best psychological horror-type stories.
3) Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
As if Morrison couldn’t make a more terrifying Batman tale, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is like a waking nightmare. In this chilling graphic novel, the Joker and other Batman rogues have taken over Arkham Asylum, forcing the Dark Knight to plunge into the mental hospital’s halls where danger lurks at every corner. With beautiful artwork by Dave McKean, the story feels like a gothic and psychedelic distortion of reality. On his path to defeating the Joker, Batman must face off against the Asylum’s other inmates, like Killer Croc, Two-Face, Scarecrow, and Clayface. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth masterfully and in terrifying detail explores the twisted psychologies of Batman and his rogues.
2) The Invisibles
Published under DC’s Vertigo imprint, The Invisibles combines conspiracy theories, cosmic horror, chaos magic, and ‘90s comic book tropes to tell a wild and profane story which is a work of art. The series follows the titular Invisibles, who are a cell of freedom fighters and paranormal investigators from the secret organization the Invisible College. The Invisibles are made up of King Mob, Ragged Robin, Lord Fanny, Boy, and Jack Frost. Together, they battle the evil Outer Church, which is a secret society of Lovecraftian alien monsters and their human underlings who rule the Earth from the shadows. With great characters, a unique plot, amazing art, and an anarchist sci-fi/fantasy aesthetic, The Invisibles is among Morrison’s most outlandish and creative stories they have ever written.
1) All-Star Superman
From 2006 to 2008, Grant Morrison created the single greatest Superman story of all time that to this day remains an unquestionable masterpiece. The critically acclaimed All-Star Superman miniseries is an alternate universe tale that centers on the Man of Tomorrow finding out that he only has a year left to live. With his time on Earth finite, Superman must get his affairs in order and help as many people as he can. No other writer has perfectly summarized why Superman has remained such a nuanced icon and symbol of hope for over 80 years. All-Star Superman is the ultimate love letter not just to the Man of Steel, but to the superhero genre as a whole and what it represents to so many people.
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