Supergods

What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human

By: Grant Morrison

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 16 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

From one of the most acclaimed and profound writers in the world of comics comes a thrilling and provocative exploration of humankind's great modern myth: the superhero.

The first superhero comic ever published, Action Comics #1 in 1938, introduced the world to something both unprecedented and timeless: Superman, a caped god for the modern age. In a matter of years, the skies of the imaginary world were filled with strange mutants, aliens, and vigilantes: Batman, Wonder Woman, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and the X-Men - the list of names is as familiar as our own. In less than a century, they've gone from not existing at all to being everywhere we look: on our movie and television screens, in our videogames and dreams. But what are they trying to tell us?

For Grant Morrison, arguably the greatest of contemporary chroniclers of the superworld, these heroes are powerful archetypes whose ongoing, decades-spanning story arcs reflect and predict the course of human existence: Through them we tell the story of ourselves, our troubled history, and our starry aspirations. In this exhilarating work of a lifetime, Morrison draws on art, science, mythology, and his own astonishing journeys through this shadow universe to provide the first true history of the superhero - why they matter, why they will always be with us, and what they tell us about who we are... and what we may yet become.

"Grant Morrison is one of the great comics writers of all time. I wish I didn't have to compete with someone as good as him."
—Stan Lee

©2011 Grant Morrison (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Morrison is ideally suited to the task of chronicling the glorious rise, fall, rise, fall and rise again of comic-book superheroes.... [T]his is as thorough an account of the superhero phenomenon as readers are likely to find, filled with unexpected insights and savvy pop-psych analysis - not to mention the author’s accounts of his own drug-fueled trips to higher planes of existence, which add a colorful element.... [T]hose who dare enter will find the prose equivalent of a Morrison superhero tale: part perplexing, part weird, fully engrossing." ( Kirkus)

"When Mr. Morrison puts care into his close readings, his prose can soar: a philosophical passage in which he breaks ranks with writers he considers to be 'missionaries who attempted to impose their own values and preconceptions on cultures they considered inferior,' and identifies himself with anthropologists who 'surrendered themselves to foreign cultures' and 'weren’t afraid to go native or look foolish,' is among the book’s most engrossing sections." ( The New York Times)

“With a languid and pontificating tone, John Lee narrates Morrison’s long reflection on the history of comic books…From the birth of Superman to the contemporary comic book landscape, Morrison identifies some of the key moments within the world of comics and identifies how the publishers, mainstream culture, and historical events changed the way people think about comics today. Lee’s British accent and cool attitude work in unison to create an image of Morrison that resonates with his public personality.” ( AudioFile)

Grant Morrison ass Grant Morrison book.

What did you love best about Supergods?

It was never boring.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Grant Morrison.

Which scene was your favorite?

When he talked about his trip to Kathmandu

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he talked about his trip to Kathmandu

Any additional comments?

Awesome book if you enjoy comics.

Fantastic history of 90s comics!

This book is clever and fun. The comic history stuff from the 90s to present is amazing. The battles with Lord Alan epic. The early history whacky and fun. A great read.

The chapters are miss numbered on audible & the narration lacks the beatnick enthusiasm Morrison posses--but still fun and in keeping with the story

A fine listen.

A great cultural deep-dive!

Morrison brings insight and his psychedelic sensibilities to this socio-literary analysis of comic book lore and our relation to it.

Great History - Before it Turns into an Autobiography

Grant Morrison is one of my most favorite writers in comics. I love his style and his imagery, and the layers in which he thinks and speaks. I was excited for the idea of Morrison’s take on comics history from the Golden Age to the modern era, charting paths from Schuster to Slott.

But this is ultimately an autobiography of Morrison’s own attempts at living in the shadows of greatness, of superheroes as modern myth. Normally I wouldn’t hate this, but the first third of the book reads like a history, the second is middling about creators he doesn’t like, and the third is a victory lap about his own career.

Part mytho-historical examination of superheroes, part psychedelic autobiography

Grant Morrison is without a doubt one of the best writers in comics. If you’d told me this book was simply his autobiography, I’d have been way into it already. But his stories of personal growth and evolution through the worlds of Cold War Scottish pacifism, chaos magic, punk rock, and more are grounded in an epic mythological examination of the potency and relevance of superhero comic adventure stories. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Morrison takes us though each era of comics’ evolution in the trademark epic style that he’s known for. He describes each major tale as a new layer that builds on top of the old in a never-ending line of modern myth making. As such, superheroes are now the pantheon of modern Western civilization. As someone who grew up on superhero comics, I can’t help but agree and have my mind ignited by the infinite possibilities this idea ignited in my mind.

As for the narrator, Mr. Lee was perfectly suited to tell this story. He slips in and out of a refined English dialect and into superheroic bombast so organically and seamlessly that it’s almost as if these archetypes were possessing him to speak their lines. Absolutely top notch.

Part Comic book history - Part Morrison memoir

Grant Morrison starts by analyzing comics from the beginnings of Action and Detective Comics to his (and other's) modern comics. In the meantime, you get to hear Grant Morrison's childhood, his coming of age antics, and his interesting theories on culture and society. Not a book for everyone, but definitely one that a comic fan would be interested in. I found myself bookmarking and making lists of comics that Morrison had written or found noteworthy so I could peruse my local comic shop for some gems that I had lately missed.

Comic Book Biography

I loved this book! Partly an autobiography, partly a high-level comic book history lesson, partly a series of in-depth critical reviews and essays about various iconic comic book works from the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. Intelligent, articulate, and meaningful observations on an often under appreciated art form from one of it’s most daring auteurs. Highly recommended to classic and modern comic book aficionados.

How I Became a Great Comics Writer, Nay, a God!

What I expected: I don't like to write reviews based on my dashed expectations of a book, but I feel like I was led on a little bit here. Look at the very long title. I cannot be faulted in expecting a book that examines the cultural relevance of superheroes and how they have enriched the world.

What I got: While I did get a little bit of cultural history, everything seemed to be based on how they related to the author. The book is mostly autobiography: how the great comics of the past made Grant Morrison a great writer, and how Grant Morrison's great writing made the comics of today great.

Morrison's writing is indeed very good, and I know he believes all of his ideas will change the world. Still, I'd rather marvel at the miraculous feats of imaginary heroes.

essential reading for Grant Morrison fans.

this is a kind of personal history of comics. on the whole, it is a fun trip down memory lane (for us older comic book fans). in parts funny, personal and insightful,, but you'll also have to forgive Morrison for his occasional self promotion and polemic.

Awesome Insight

Grant Morrison is a legend. This book is the summation, in his own words, of his years of hard earned wisdom in the comic book storytelling field. He's delightfully engaging and his book is a must read for all those serious about comics fandom.