The InvisiblesVol 1: Say You Want a Revolution
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Steve Yeowell and Jill Thompson et al
1996
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
The InvisiblesVol 2: Apocalipstick
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by various
2001
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
The InvisiblesVol 3: Entropy in the U.K.
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phil Jimenez and John Stokes et al
2001
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
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The InvisiblesVol 4: Bloody Hell in America
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phil Jimenez and John Stokes
1998
Available now from Islington Libraries
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http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
The InvisiblesVol 5: Counting to None
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Phil Jimenez and John Stokes
1999
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
The InvisiblesVol 6: Kissing Mister Quimper
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by various
2000
Available now from Islington Libraries
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The InvisiblesVol 7: The Invisible Kingdom
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by various
2002
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
How many letters are in the alphabet? What's inside Area 51? What's the best way to travel through time? Who's the enemy? Why does the world feel so strange? How long have we got?
For those people with a certain mindset / the right sort of brain: The Invisibles is the comic series of the 1990s. It's like if Radiohead, The Verve and Spiritualized [1] were all the same band: counter-cultural and deep and intellectual and totally utterly cool: the kind of thing that if it gets to you at the right teenage-sort-of-age leaves an imprint that goes deep and never fades away. The kind of thing that means that if you disagree - it's not so much that you're expressing an opposing opinion but more like you're blaspheming against something holy (see: "Yeah - I think Kid A is a bit over-rated").
The Invisibles is Grant Morrison's "big work": and big in all the senses of the word: it's a immense gigantic monster of a comic book series - sprawling out in all and every direction: and it's the thing that arguably most people know/most people love him for. Described as a hypersigil ("an extended work of art with magical meaning and willpower, created using adapted processes of sigilization) its aim was to to jump-start humanity in time for the new millennium. Influenced by the writings of Robert Anton Wilson, Aleister Crowley and William Burroughs it features pretty every science fiction trope tied to every conspiracy theory ever. And - according to Morrison at least: "The Wachowskis nicked The Invisibles and everyone in the know is well aware of this fact but of course they're unlikely to come out and say it." Following the twisted adventures of King Mob (sporting the same bald look as Morrison); Lord Fanny, a Brazilian transsexual shaman; Boy, a former member of the NYPD; Ragged Robin, a telepath with a mysterious past; and Jack Frost, a young hooligan from Liverpool who may be the next Buddha - this is a series that probably won't make much sense the first time you read it (I know that I was left befuddled) - but it's definitely worth having a go.Even if it's just to see what all the fuss is about.
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[1] And if I had to choose one of the three of those - then I would opt for Spiritualized. A band that had massive success with Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space that everyone was like "oh yeah - it's brilliant" yet still had tracks on it like this. (Not that there's anything wrong with jazzy-noise freak outs: but hey - it's an acquired taste - right?)
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Links: Interview with Grant Morrison about The Invisibles, Comics Journal Feature on The Invisibles Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3, Barbelith: Issue by issue annotations, essays, references to conspiracy theories and much more, Hipster Dads Bookshelf Review of Vol 1: Say You Want a Revolution, Comic Book Resources Article on what the Invisibles 'Means', Tearoom of Despair Article: Last Night The Invisibles Saved My Life (One Year To Go Remix) / Tearoom of Despair Article: Last night The Invisibles Saved My Life (24-Month Countdown Remix) / Tearoom of Despair Article: Blog from Another Universe #1:Mark Millar’s Invisibles, The Comics Cube Article: Pop Medicine: Replaying the Invisibles.
Further reading: The Filth, Doom Patrol, Seven Soldiers of Victory, Transmetropolitan, Marvel Boy, Seaguy, Planetary, Flex Mentallo, Supergods, Sebastian O.
Profiles: Grant Morrison.
All comments welcome.
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