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Morrison Hotel: Graphic Novel

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The Morrison Hotel anthology written by Leah Moore, in collaboration with the surviving members of the legendary rock band and drawn by artists from around the comic book world, will weave the band’s influence into some of the lore that led to their status as the architects of counterculture, influencing artists, poets, and outsiders for generations to come, set against the backdrop of the close of the free spirit of the 1960s into the tumultuous 1970s. A decade in which women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays, lesbians and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality, and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

3 people are currently reading
125 people want to read

About the author

Leah Moore

241 books91 followers
LEAH MOORE is an author born in Northampton, England in 1978.

Leah's comic writing career began in 2002 with stories for America's Best Comics. Most recently her solo comics scripting has appeared as part of Dynamite Entertainment's Gail Simone masterminded crossover series Swords of Sorrow (2015, with Francesco Manna).

In 2006 Leah wrote the story and copy to accompany The Royal Mail's 40th anniversary Christmas Stamps. She has written columns and articles for The Big Issue, Lifetime TV online, and Comic Heroes Magazine.

In 2013 Leah was the Project Manager of digital comics reading platform Electricomics. She was also the contributing editor of Electricomics flagship release, co-writing the sci-fi story Sway, with art by Nicola Scott.

Leah and her husband, John Reppion, have been scripting comics together since 2003, writing for the likes of 2000 AD, Channel 4 Education, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Electricomics, IDW, and Self Made Hero.

They have written established characters such as Doctor Who (The Whispering Gallery, 2008 with Ben Templesmith) and Sherlock Holmes (The Trial of Sherlock Holmes, 2009 with Aaron Campbell, and The Liverpool Demon, 2012 with Matt Triano), as well as creating their own including Brit-Cit Psi Division, Judge Lillian Storm (Storm Warning, 2015 with Tom Foster).

Together they have faithfully adapted notable works by Lewis Carroll (The Complete Alice, 2010), H. P. Lovecraft (The Shadow Over Innsmouth, 2012), Bram Stoker (The Complete Dracula, 2009), and M. R. James (Ghost Stories of an Antiquary Vol 1, and 2) into comics and graphic novels.

Most recently she wrote an adaptation of The Doors Morrison Hotel album , and Motley Crue, The Dirt Declassified, for Z2 comics, as well as stories for their Joan Jett Anthology and the Tori Amos Little Earthquakes Anthology. She is currently working on The Tarot Circle for Liminal 11, as well as several other books yet to be announced.

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5 stars
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44 (30%)
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54 (38%)
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13 (9%)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Vallin.
40 reviews6 followers
March 17, 2021
Well OF COURSE this is in *MAXIMUM SEX-AND-ROCK-AND-ROLL*! I just ordered a copy for my bookstore which I will free-read/devour on my breaks, and quite possibly purchase.
JIM-BO is my Moral Compass.
Profile Image for Tim Orfanos.
353 reviews42 followers
June 12, 2023
Πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιδέα για κόμικ με βάση το άλμπουμ των Doors του 1970, ωστόσο, πολλές σελίδες περιέχουν μόνο στίχους από τραγούδια του άλμπουμ, και σκίτσα με το συγκρότημα. Επίσης, υπάρχουν κάποια λάθη στην επιμέλεια της έκδοσης, όπως και μια ψυχεδελική ασάφεια σε κεφάλαια του βιβλίου, τα οποία όλα έχουν τον τίτλο ενός από τα τραγούδια του άλμπουμ.

Πέρα από αυτό, όμως, να υπογραμμίσω την λειτουργικότητα των περισσότερων έγχρωμων σκίτσων που σε μεταφέρουν στα τέλη της δεκαετίας του '60 με αρχές του '70, και η πολύ έξυπνη αναφορά στη σημεία των καιρών π.χ. στο πόλεμο του Βιετνάμ, στο φιλοσοφικό πνεύμα της εποχής , στο πνεύμα ελευθερίας και την πολιτικοποίηση των κοινωνικών ομάδων, τα οποία όλα επιτυγχάνονται εδώ, μέσα από τους στίχους γνωστών τραγουδιών του 'Morrison Hotel'.

Να μην ξεχάσω να πω ότι το εξώφυλλο του μουσικού άλμπουμ είναι από φωτογράφηση των Doors στο καφέ του ξενοδοχείου 'Morrison Hotel' στο Los Angeles.
Profile Image for David Cain.
496 reviews16 followers
November 22, 2021
Sure to be enjoyed by any fan of The Doors! This graphic novel features 12 chapters, 11 corresponding to the track listing from the namesake album plus an "interlude" included between chapters 1 & 2. Each section is drawn by a different artist, but the entire book is written by one person (Leah Moore) so there's narrative consistency even with the variety in artistic style. Some sections focus on the band, others on general social movements and events of the late 1960s. A great tribute to a classic album from one of the all-time great bands.
Profile Image for Michael J..
1,079 reviews38 followers
August 1, 2022
The Goodreads summary/promotional blurb provides a good synopsis of what's being offered here. Writer Leah Moore writes short stories either about The Doors, or themes influenced by their music.IT provides a brief and incomplete time capsule of this point in the Doors history.Each section is illustrated by a different artist, with varying degrees of quality and complexity.
The presentation, especially the deluxe hardcover edition with slipcase and art prints, is nice. I'm a fan of the band's music, but didn't feel this did anything to increase or enhance my appreciation for their art. Still, this is something that avid Doors aficionados should check out and consider whether they want to add it to their memories. None of the stories really stood out. Kind of a ho hum for me.
Profile Image for Alice.
Author 39 books52 followers
February 3, 2022
Morrison Hotel has always been my least favourite Doors album, but I might be reconsidering that. I'll certainly never listen to it in the same way again.

There's a story for each track, each by a different illustrator (I don't know much about graphic novels so I was pleased to recognise one name, Jill Thompson of Beasts of Burden). Tales of Jim and the band, some more grounded in reality than others; stories about student protests, music festivals and the Vietnamese war, soundtracked by the Doors. My standouts were both war stories: the desperately sad Land Ho! and brutal Maggie M'Gill, with blazing red panels in contrast with greyscale.
296 reviews4 followers
March 17, 2022
Μπορείτε να διαβάσετε την παρουσίασή μου και στη στήλη deBlog του deBop.gr
https://www.debop.gr/deBlog

Η αλήθεια είναι πως μεγάλωσα ακούγοντας Doors! Έχω φτάσει ακόμα και στο μνήμα του Jim Morrison στο Παρίσι ως φόρο τιμής! Είναι μια παράλογη και παράλληλα λογική επιθυμία που έχουν οι fans που θαυμάζουν κάποιο επιφανές πρόσωπο.

Όταν διάβασα, λοιπόν, αυτό το βιβλίο, ξανασκέφτηκα γιατί αγαπώ τόσο τη μουσική τους. Δεν έγινα ξανά 15 χρονών, όταν έβαλα το «Morrison Hotel» και είχα τον ίδιο ενθουσιασμό αλλά διαφορετική ανατριχίλα σε κάθε κομμάτι. Είδα τα πράγματα από διαφορετική σκοπιά και κατάλαβα γιατί οι Doors ήταν τόσο ξεχωριστοί στην τότε δισκοθήκη μου!

Σε αυτό το εγχείρημα, η συγγραφέας Leah Moore, προσπαθεί να αποδόσει την ιστορία κάθε κομματιού μέσα από τα ιστορικά γεγονότα αλλά και τη δική της σκοπιά, σε συνεργασία με τα εναπομείναντα μέλη Robby Krieger, John Densmore και τη δύναμη της ζωγραφικής.

Τα σκίτσα μας πηγαίνουν πίσω, στο 1970. Μιλάμε για το «Morrison Hotel», το πέμπτο άλμπουμ του γκρουπ, το οποίο και κυκλοφόρησε τότε. Μιλάμε για μια εποχή που ο Morrison αναζητούσε τον εαυτό του μέσα από πολλές καταχρήσεις, σεξ και μουσική. Παρ' όλα αυτά, επιχειρούσε πάντα να ακροβατεί ανάμεσα στο Απολλώνιο και το Διονυσιακό στοιχειο. Αναμφίβολα, μιλάμε για μια μικρή εικονική αναβίωση της γενιάς των μπιτ και του τρίπτυχου Sex - drugs - rock n' roll. Μιλάμε για την εποχή που ξεκινούσαν οι πρώτες απελευθερώσεις του δυτικού κόσμου, όπως τον ξέρουμε από τον δεύτερο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο και έπειτα. Μιλάμε για το Woodstock, στο οποίο οι Doors δεν έλαβαν μέρος. Μιλάμε για την έξαρση της ροκ μουσικής.

Η ιστορία άλλοτε αναφέρεται σε γνωστά γεγονότα, όπως η σκηνική παρουσία του Jim στη σκηνή και το κυνήγι με την αστυνομία, η αδυναμία του στο γυναικείο φύλο χωρίς να χάνει όμως την αγάπη του προς την Pamela Courson, το χάος και η σύγχυση που επιζητούσε μέσω της μουσικής και των καταχρήσεων, η αγάπη του για την ποίηση.

Από την άλλη, στο βιβλίο υπάρχουν και ιστορίες λιγότερο γνωστές στους ακολούθους του συγκροτήματος, όπως το πώς αποφασίστηκε να είναι αυτό το εξώφυλλο του δίσκου, τι έγινε και το Indian Summer ήταν το παλιότερο κομμάτι του άλμπουμ, αλλά υπάρχουν και αρκετές σε αναφορές σε άλλους καλλιτέχνες όπως οι Beatles, ο Little Richard, o Jimi Hendrix και ο Alice Cooper.

Νομίζω ότι πράγματι, οι Doors κατάφεραν να ακούσουν το πέταγμα της πεταλούδας. Θα το καταλάβετε διαβάζοντάς το...
Profile Image for Duncan.
281 reviews8 followers
March 27, 2022
I got it for a $1 online. It took me awhile to read it, not because it's hard but the art on the first story is pretty not-great so it didn't give me encouragement. The art gets better for most of the stories, but the fantasy narration by the author is pretty much a bullshit rehash of all the 60's cliches anyone familiar w/the era is well aware of. Sometimes the vignettes attached w/each song from the album Morrison Hotel has some vague attachment to the song's lyrics but mostly not. One song, Peace Frog, the classic about the rioting throughout the nation which references several American cities in the lyrics, scenes of violent anti-war and race riots - Chicago, New Haven, L.A. but the author chooses to narrate the events of People's Park rioting in Berkely which was a dispute between the Univ of California's admin & local radicals & students but according to the author was all Ronny Reagan's fault. Not only is it wrong history but it's got nothing to do with that great song. Oh well, consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Plus, Morrison Hotel isn't even one of the Doors' best albums. It's okay, got some great songs on it, but ain't a classic of Rock or even in the Doors' top 3. I'm glad I only paid a buck.
Profile Image for Tecnopriest.
27 reviews
February 14, 2025
Hay que entenderlo como lo que es, una obra derivada de un fan de los Doors, que ha escrito relatos inspirados por las canciones del álbum Morrison Hotel. La temática de los relatos no es necesariamente la inspiración original que motivó la canción... Y eso no tiene nada de malo (hay reseñas que critican este punto, a mí no me parece criticable, es la obra derivada de un fan). La parte gráfica está bien, es variada (son varios dibujantes) y no hay nada que me haya chirriado para mal.
Me ha hecho gracia una reseña que dice algo así como "ni siquiera es el mejor álbum de los Doors"... ¿Y qué tendrá que ver, suponiendo que pueda afirmarse eso en términos absolutos? Aparte de que este álbum tiene canciones como "Waiting for the Sun" que es de mis favoritas del grupo.
Profile Image for Matt.
1,457 reviews14 followers
November 22, 2021
Not just a retelling of events, the different artists balanced the different styles of the chapters.
I started to listen to the album but it kind of went too fast and there were other songs included.
I definitely want to see of there are any recordings of the '69 Toronto music festival.
Profile Image for Jukka Häkkinen.
Author 5 books6 followers
December 27, 2021
Morrison Hotel-levyn kappaleiden ympärille rakennettu sarjakuvakirja on suunnattu tosifaneille, itse en tuosta niin paljon saanut irti. Kiinnostavaa oli Jim Morrisonin idealisoitu kuvaaminen eräänlaisena jumalhahmona.
Profile Image for Leon Quinn.
38 reviews
July 23, 2023
As a massive Doors fan I had to buy and read this. The chapters are songs from the album with song lyrics mixed in with events of the time. Some class illustrations and a great comic book interpretation of probably my favourite Doors album..
Profile Image for Rob McMonigal.
Author 1 book35 followers
April 3, 2022
One of my favorite books of 2021, Moore and her many collaborators (highlighted by Ryan Kelly and Michael Avon Oeming) envision Morrison's words in so many different, yet extremely appropriate ways.
Profile Image for Mark.
444 reviews3 followers
March 16, 2023
A graphic novel based on The Doors album of the same name, each chapter taking its name from an song from the record.

Some great stories and artwork, some mediocre examples of both.

Worth a read for fans of the band.
Profile Image for Flora.
107 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2023
Some really powerful moments and great art throughout. A really interesting exploration from each artist. Reminded me just how much I love The Doors.
Profile Image for Anamarija.
508 reviews32 followers
October 21, 2023
Neke su epizode genijalne, a neke od mene imaju tek prolaznu ocjenu. No, budući da sam ovaj album slušala do iznemoglosti, jednostavno nije bilo izbora nego da pročitam i strip.
Profile Image for Jim.
1,215 reviews
December 23, 2023
Short stories based on the Doors and their songs from the album Morrison Hotel. Being a huge Doors fan, I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews