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Curing the Postmodern Blues: Reading Grant Morrison and Chris Weston's The Filth in the 21st Century
Published in 2002-2003, Grant Morrison and Chris Weston’s THE FILTH is disgusting, deeply disturbing, and a comic-book masterpiece that inoculates readers against the problems of the postmodern condition.
So says Tom Shapira, who also explores THE FILTH‘s relationship to Morrison’s THE INVISIBLES, to the 1999 film THE MATRIX, and to the work of Alan Moore. The book also includes interviews with Grant Morrison, Chris Weston, and inker Gary Erskine, plus art from Weston illuminating the design of the series and containing imagery censored in the printed comic.
So says Tom Shapira, who also explores THE FILTH‘s relationship to Morrison’s THE INVISIBLES, to the 1999 film THE MATRIX, and to the work of Alan Moore. The book also includes interviews with Grant Morrison, Chris Weston, and inker Gary Erskine, plus art from Weston illuminating the design of the series and containing imagery censored in the printed comic.
186 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2013
12 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Tom Shapira
8 books9 followersTom Shapira is non-fiction writer and a scholar of of comic-books and graphic novels; he is Israel's #1 comics critic (#347 globally).
Tom writes for pretty much everywhere including Sequart, Multiversity, Shelfdust, The comics Journal and Haaretz
Tom writes for pretty much everywhere including Sequart, Multiversity, Shelfdust, The comics Journal and Haaretz
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 1, 2019
This is a fantastic, in-depth analysis of Morrison’s work. I would highly recommend using it for a close reading of The Filth; there were treasures of detail revealed here that I’ve managed to miss during my many readings.
October 15, 2013
Published by Sequart Research & Literacy Organization - whose stated purpose is to advance Comics as an art - and written by Tom Shapira, this is not so much a companion piece to Grant Morrison & Chris Weston's 13-issue series The Filth, but rather a look at what's *behind* it, philosophically.
The book's content is very interesting and continued to impress me throughout. The formula is this: it introduces a concept and explains this concept sufficiently, before showing how it is applied in The Filth. Some of the concepts covered are functionalism, recursive realities, and meme theory.
It also discusses parallels & differences with Morrison's The Invisibles, as well as comparisons with Alan Moore's work. The last section of the book features interviews with Grant Morrison, Chris Weston, and Gary Erskine. These are okay, but it's only Morrison's segment that helps shed more light on the story & its "meaning". Weston & Erskine's interviews focus mainly on the illustrated art and some techniques they used.
In conclusion, it's informative and compelling reading AND it will help me get more out of The Filth when I re-read it - so yay! for me. Shapira stresses that this book is not the definitive interpretation of The Filth, but rather his own conclusions.
If you are not familiar with Sequart yet, maybe you could check them out & see if they have books you might like, books that can help you get more out of some of your favourite comics.
There were a few typos - and maybe once or twice a missing word - but that did not impede my enjoyment of the book.
The book's content is very interesting and continued to impress me throughout. The formula is this: it introduces a concept and explains this concept sufficiently, before showing how it is applied in The Filth. Some of the concepts covered are functionalism, recursive realities, and meme theory.
It also discusses parallels & differences with Morrison's The Invisibles, as well as comparisons with Alan Moore's work. The last section of the book features interviews with Grant Morrison, Chris Weston, and Gary Erskine. These are okay, but it's only Morrison's segment that helps shed more light on the story & its "meaning". Weston & Erskine's interviews focus mainly on the illustrated art and some techniques they used.
In conclusion, it's informative and compelling reading AND it will help me get more out of The Filth when I re-read it - so yay! for me. Shapira stresses that this book is not the definitive interpretation of The Filth, but rather his own conclusions.
If you are not familiar with Sequart yet, maybe you could check them out & see if they have books you might like, books that can help you get more out of some of your favourite comics.
There were a few typos - and maybe once or twice a missing word - but that did not impede my enjoyment of the book.
October 4, 2013
As is almost always the case with books from Sequart this one is indispensable.
If you're a fan of "The Filth" you need to read this book. It not only breaks down and explains concepts of a work that can be dense the first time you read it, but also touts interviews with the creators involved, compares the work to other work and creators, and enhances what you're going to take away from the original comic.
A must read for all fans of "The Filth" and those really wanting to dig into the work.
If you're a fan of "The Filth" you need to read this book. It not only breaks down and explains concepts of a work that can be dense the first time you read it, but also touts interviews with the creators involved, compares the work to other work and creators, and enhances what you're going to take away from the original comic.
A must read for all fans of "The Filth" and those really wanting to dig into the work.
May 20, 2013
Excellent companion piece to a dense and difficult mini-series.
July 4, 2015
Very insightful, approaching the text from all angles.
December 2, 2013
must read for any fan of the book, of Morrison's
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews