REVIEW: Morning Glories #9

What happens when the face you look at in the mirror is not really your face? Twin issues arise in the latest issue of Morning Glories from Image Comics.

MORNING GLORIES #9
Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Joe Eisma
Cover Artist: Rodin Edquejo
Colorist: Alex Sollazzo
Letterer: Johnny Lowe
Editor: Jade Dodge
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99

Previously in Morning Glories: The new group of students have their own way of doing things, and that is certainly against the norm among the other brainwashed kids at Morning Glory Academy. The latest to act up is Jun Fukayama, and during his attempt to escape, he comes face to face with… himself.

DUN! DUN! DUUUUUUUUNNNN!

A TALE OF TWO CHILDREN

If pulling the long lost twin seems a bit hackneyed, then you haven’t seen how Nick Spencer spins it in this issue. Here, readers learn the backstory of the Fukayama brothers, twins born 30-minutes apart; one on the destined date, the other, not; one who is an eternal screwup and the other the dutiful son. When Miss Daramount arrives to take the two young children to Morning Glory Academy, and learns of the birth certificate screw up, there’s only one way to make it work to her advantage – kill everyone in the house that she doesn’t need for her master plan.

Of course Jun and brother Hisao have their own brotherly issues they are trying to deal with as they prepare to be taken away, but when stuff goes down, Jun actually steps up to the plate to protect his brother – assuming his identity, and eventually becoming brainwashed into believing the lie. So, Hiaso is really Jun, and Jun is really Hiaso… confused? It’s a great twist to the story and fits perfectly with what Spencer has been doing since this story began.

If I’m up to date on all my reading, we’ve only got one more backstory to get to, and then after that, Spencer should be able to move forward with actually telling us more of what is going on in the present. Like many fans of the series, I want to find out what is going on, I need to know how all the pieces fall in place, and I need some answers.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN

One of my bigger complaints dealing with art has to do with faces looking wonky from page to page and panel to panel, where the artist isn’t able to get features just right, and it throws off the flow of the story. Fortunately, Joe Eisma is able to keep characters looking the same, and when it comes to the Fukayama Twins, Eisma nails it. With all the confusion going on during the flight scene, one might almost forget which twin is which. With the story focusing on two characters who are not who we thought they were, the art needs to be perfect, and Eisma delivers.

BOTTOM LINE: WORTH IT

When it comes to non-capes and tights stories, the list of really great stories is relatively short. Fortunately, Morning Glories lands on that list and is worth checking out. Of course, you probably shouldn’t jump in with this particular issue, but if you have been reading this series as a casual reader, know that you should continue to keep Morning Glories on your pull list. A story that keeps twisting and turning in on itself earns Morning Glories #9, 4 out of 5 Stars.