Grant Morrison Opens Up About Feuding With Alan Moore and Why He Still Doesn't Like Watchmen

[The NZA]

gizmodo

 

Despite coming up in the industry around the same time, moving in similar professional circles, and often being compared to each other, Morrison and Moore’s relationship has vacillated between outright hostility and begrudging respect for the better part of the past 30 years. What’s in the past is very much in the past, but, at least for Morrison, it’s not all that difficult for him to recall what led to his falling out with Moore—and what it was (and continues to be) about Watchmen that doesn’t sit well with him.

 

I’ve read Watchmen many times. The reasons that I hated it when I was 25 are still there, but now I kinda like it because I’m older and I like the structure and I’m quite in awe of the absoluteness of it. But for all the same reasons, I hated it.

The fact that none of the characters were allowed to be smarter than the author, that really drove me nuts. The world’s smartest man is an idiot. He makes a plan all his life that is undone by the end of the book in an instant. The psychiatrist sits with Rorschach for five minutes and Rorschach tells a super banal story of how he became a vigilante and the psychiatrist cracks. If you’re a criminal psychiatrist who deals with men in prison, you’ve heard a million of these stories. It was all to make a specific point about how the real world isn’t like superhero comics,

In my school, I was taught in this Scottish Presbyterian way that structure is hidden: you don’t see the writer’s mechanics. Watchmen, you can’t turn the page without him saying “Look at me, look at me, look at me.” Okay, we get it, man. You got thrown out of school at 16 for dealing acid, you’re clever.

I took potshots at him in the media. I was the first person to say Watchmenwasn’t very good – in fact, the only person to ever say that. And that made him angry so then I would get worse. I said that Watchmen was the 300-page equivalent of a sixth-form poem. That kind of trash talk, I’d brought from being in the band because that’s what you’re like in a band. I’d brought all that across with me to comics and it didn’t go down well. I think it genuinely upset him.

Alan Moore didn’t speak to me after that and would take his own little shots. He called Arkham Asylum a “gilded turd.” Since then, I’ve had nothing to do with him and he’s got nothing to do with me. A lot of comic fans like to think there’s some feud but a feud would actually need to involve people’s interest. I read his stuff, he reads my stuff – he pretends he doesn’t, but he does.

It was the archetypal struggle, and it wasn’t fair, ‘cause I love his work. Well, there’s a lot of it I don’t like, but of course, he’s great. We grew up in a very similar time even though I’m a little bit younger than him. It’s the same influences from ‘60s TV and ‘70s TV and the books we read, sci-fi, all that stuff, same comics. And the fact that he got into magic… it’s two people who are so similar but so utterly different that there has to be a feud.

 

I'm a much bigger fan of Moore, but have love & respect for both - still an interesting read 

[Visitant]

"despite what people think, we're both batshit insane and why else would we hate each other. gloob glorb. fear the magical space eggs"

[Dag]

I find it ironic that they are both magicians in the occult sense of the word.

 

I stopped reading Watchmen halfway through the story. I just wasn't really into it. I do, however, really find Moore's theory of Ideaspace to be fascinating.

 

I read Asylum by Morrison a few years back and I just thought it was okay. I've been planning to read the Invisibles for a few years now, but I haven't gotten around to it. I find his story of inspiration from the Voudon Gnostic Workbook for the Invisibles to be entertaining and the fact that he got the fright of his life from experimenting with the VGW to be amusing. He talked about his experiences with the VGW extensively on Kevin Smith's podcast. It's a good story. He approached the book all wrong though.

[Iambaytor]

I enjoy both of their work but I've never found either one to be talented enough to put up with their weirdo diva bullshit.  They're both pretentious capital a assholes.  I do agree with Grant Morrison's assessment (and re-assessment) of Watchmen.  They're both extremely hit and miss but those hits are soooooo good you can ignore the misses whenever they don't feel the need to speak to the public.

[Visitant]

13 hours ago, The Vagrant said:

I find it ironic that they are both magicians in the occult sense of the word.

 

I stopped reading Watchmen halfway through the story. I just wasn't really into it. I do, however, really find Moore's theory of Ideaspace to be fascinating.

 

I read Asylum by Morrison a few years back and I just thought it was okay. I've been planning to read the Invisibles for a few years now, but I haven't gotten around to it. I find his story of inspiration from the Voudon Gnostic Workbook for the Invisibles to be entertaining and the fact that he got the fright of his life from experimenting with the VGW to be amusing. He talked about his experiences with the VGW extensively on Kevin Smith's podcast. It's a good story. He approached the book all wrong though.

 

Have you read any of his books ON superheroes? According to my Audible, the one I'm specifically talking about is SUPERGODS. It really goes into the mythology of the superhero and if I'm thinking of it right, it goes into his own personal experiences with the occult. 

[Keth]

Alan Moore > Grant Morrison

 

But

 

Batman R.I.P. > Watchmen

[Dag]

4 hours ago, Bindusara said:

 

Have you read any of his books ON superheroes? According to my Audible, the one I'm specifically talking about is SUPERGODS. It really goes into the mythology of the superhero and if I'm thinking of it right, it goes into his own personal experiences with the occult. 

 

I have not. I am interested in reading it now. Thanks, Bindy. 

[The NZA]

yeah, i thought that was just a mini from warren ellis, too - gonna check that one out at some point as well, cheers bindy 

 

and damn, i don't even remeber bats RIP as an event, maybe i should hit that one up 

[Jables]

@The NZA Supergod was an Ellis trilogy of trades published through Black Avatar I wanna say? I just know they were a pain in the arse to get and two of mine are gone.

 

Basically another brutal take on Kingdom Come.

 

I've been wanting to read the Morrison Supergod for a while for the way he explains magic in the conjuring sense and how it interacts with his writing. I mean they're both Maniacs but I've read more of Morrison because the dude writes for the big guys. Aside from Watchmen, Top 10 and Tom Strong, anything else Moore has done has lost me part way in. 

[alive she cried]

What about V for Vendetta, Miracleman and Swamp Thing?

[Jables]

On 12/19/2018 at 1:03 AM, alive she cried said:

What about V for Vendetta, Miracleman and Swamp Thing?

I stuck through V & From Hell because there was a cinematic frame of reference but don't pretend to fully appreciate them as intended.

 

Miracle Man and Swamp thing are on a list of must reads along with titles like Arkham Asylum, the Invisibles, Doom Patrol, etc. Indecision and lack of time are to blame.

[Iambaytor]

I would say that Miracle Man and Swamp Thing (and the unmentioned but also quite great Captain Britain) are all great but there's definitely a barrier for entry because you have to read a few issues before you start to realize why these books are so beloved.

[The NZA]

yeah, having not yet read his animal man run or the invisibles i don't feel right speaking on grant's heights 

[Iambaytor]

Animal Man is fucking great from the jump, it's solid from top to bottom.  Your only barrier to entry is the title.