It's hard to really sum up Supergods as anything you try to identify it as leaves critical bits out. Yes, it's a pop history of superheroes written by someone from the inside and has a more immediately point of view than most superhero comic histories tend to be. Yes it's Grant Morrison's autobiography, more or less, and yes, there's a lot of Morrison's attitudes on superheroes, fans, and various bric-a-brac.
It's also a book wherein, blasted out of his mind of hallucinogens in Kathmandu, he is given the ability to see things in five dimensions and translate what these hyper intelligent pan-dimensional beings have told him. Also, apparently, one must cross dress and do magic effectively. The image of Morrison in latex stockings, a blonde wig, and fire-truck red lipstick (it doesn't say, but really, I'd like to think so) acting all "chaos magician" will sustain me during those times when I find Morrison a bit too pompous and difficult to take.
In short, it is exactly what Grant Morrison would write if Grant Morrison wrote a book, which means it's insightful, pompous, ridiculous, clever, engaging, and every other adjective that leans to mind when one thinks of Morrison's work. I personally enjoyed reading it for no other reason than you can almost smell his neurons burning--there's so much thought at work in its pages that even if you hate one tangent, there'll be another one along in a few seconds. It also explained why his New X-men run ended how and why it did, and confirmed a few things I'd always expected.
I suggest everyone give it a read. You'll find some good food for thought there.
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2 comments:
I'm a longtime Morrison fan but haven't read anything he's done since New X-Men, and haven't finished that series yet either. Not because of Grant- I just haven't read anything that was written or takes place after 1978 for my own strange and mysterious reasons (not so mysterious I guess if you read my blog: http://theqog.blogspot.com/2010/04/fictional-timeline-obsession.html).
I look forward to catching up on his comic stuff someday (Batman..?) and this book as well. Not too many people can get away with ego trips but I'll put up with it for GM.
I re-read his New X-Men stuff in light of what he said about it in the book and it read slightly different this go-round. I don't know that his intentions always lined up with the book's strengths, but it was interesting to go into it this time with the author's intent more clearly in mind.
You blog sounds rather interesting--I'll try to have a look here soon!
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