The Good
There's twice as much comic in this month's MORNING GLORIES, which means we get to save at least one month's worth of "But what happens NEXT?" (It's fleeting. You'll still want Issue #28 to be out already.)
We're starting to get more context for the complex set of questions that have been building since the beginning (not answers, but enough to fuel some good theories!), and different storylines -- and timelines -- are starting to intersect in more meaningful ways. The ever-present mantras of "For a better future" and "The hour of our release draws near" make a little bit more sense as a part of the larger story (though I'm sure we'll see even more layers as the series progresses!). Small moments from early in the series (like the girl in the monastery) are coming back, and things are shaping up a bit more like lasagna than spaghetti. Of course, there are still plenty of questions -- What exactly did Hunter do? How many timelines are going on? What IS going to happen next?
Nick Spencer's model of time-travel is fascinating (and possibly paradox-free), but perhaps more interesting than the interactions between Casey and her (disguised, future) self is the emotional tension between Casey and her mother. Amidst all of the panicky action and multiple timestreams, there's a simple moment with enough gravity that it catches the seemingly-unstoppable Casey off guard -- something that will inevitably come full circle.
Joe Eisma is joined by Jenny Frison, Rob Guillory, Shawn Martinbrough, Jamie McKelvie, and Emma Rios for a stunning array of covers -- this Season Two thing is starting off on all cylinders! I'm personally partial to the toy- and game-inspired variants, but they're all fantastic, and it's great to see such different interpretations of Eisma's character designs. The interiors are, as always, as layered as Spencer's story -- this is one of those series that begs readers to flip back through previous issues to spot hidden references and subtle visual callbacks.
The Bad
The downside to stories with complex, mystery-centered narratives is that there's really no good place to jump on but the beginning. As much as this issue cleared a few things up for long-time readers, it would be utterly confusing without the entire series so far for context. (That said? Go pick up the first four trades, and then come back here.)
The Verdict
MORNING GLORIES followers will get double the fun in this month's oversized issue -- not only are there extra pages, but certain pieces of the story are finally starting to click together. There's still plenty left to figure out, but it's very gratifying to see this large, complicated world start to feel a little bit smaller.