GRANT MORRISON
SFX UK|October 2022
Shifting identities: the comics star tells us about their debut novel
Jonathan Wright
GRANT MORRISON

THE LAST TIME GRANT MORRISON completed a novel - at least until Covid-19 hit they were 18 years old. Set in Glastonbury, and imagining the Arthurian world colliding with the present day, it was, says Morrison, "super [Alan] Garner-esque". Nothing wrong with that - most novelists have juvenilia locked in a drawer. Yet, despite enjoying a glittering career in comics, it has taken Morrison over 40 years to finish another, Luda.

In part, it seems, this gap is down to Dennis Potter. "He had this amazing withering quote," says Morrison. "He said, 'The novel, it's just 'he said, she said and descriptions of the sky!' I was like, 'Oh my god!' And that kind of described my writing, frankly. So that's why I was much happier to work in comics and media that had pictures, where I wasn't actually responsible for descriptions of the sky."

Morrison's laughing as they say this, but an interest in the form endured. The problem was that they would embark on novels that would "get to page 250 and then die on the vine". What was different about Luda? The pandemic for one thing. Where usually Morrison spends time travelling for work, they found themselves at home, "focused". And while Morrison is careful to acknowledge the horrors of the pandemic, and the scale of loss, a part of them nonetheless enjoyed the weirdness of lockdown: "It was like being in an eclipse. Something was edited out of the world."

UNDER THE GLAMOUR

This story is from the October 2022 edition of SFX UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2022 edition of SFX UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SFX UKView All
ANCER MAHAGEMENT
SFX UK

ANCER MAHAGEMENT

WITH A NEW TRILOGY IN SIGHT, WE SPEAK TO THE DIRECTOR OF 28 WEEKS LATER THE ORIGINAL CHILLING SEQUEL TO DANNY BOYLE'S SEMINAL SURVIVAL HORROR

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
WHO YA CONNA CALL?
SFX UK

WHO YA CONNA CALL?

BEHIND THE SCENES AT HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS FOR GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL
SFX UK

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

THE DEVIL'S HOUR STRIKES TWICE AS THE GENREDEFYING DRAMA RETURNS

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
SCARRY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
SFX UK

SCARRY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

FROM THE RETURN OF EC COMICS TO SCREAM!, THIS YEAR'S HALLOWEEN OFFERS UP HORROR COMICS FOR ALL THE AGES

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024
UNDEADS REFLECTIONS
SFX UK

UNDEADS REFLECTIONS

NEIL JORDAN ON BRINGING ANNE RICE'S MODERN VAMPIRE CLASSIC TO SCREEN, 30 YEARS ON

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
MUNSTER MASH!
SFX UK

MUNSTER MASH!

PRODUCTION HELL, SHOCK RECASTING AND HOTLY CONTESTED AUTHORSHIP. AS THE MUNSTERS CELEBRATE THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY, WE UNCOVER HOW THE SPOOKY SITCOM WAS ALMOST DEAD ON ARRIVAL

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
COMING TO AMERICA
SFX UK

COMING TO AMERICA

THE MOGWAI LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THEIR SECOND CHAPTER, GREMLINS: THE WILD BATCH

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
BEING HUMAN EVOLUTION
SFX UK

BEING HUMAN EVOLUTION

IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN INSTANT HIT, BUT BBC THREE'S DARKLY COMIC DRAMA ABOUT A HOUSE-SHARING VAMPIRE/WEREWOLF/GHOST TRIO HAD A STRANGE JOURNEY TO THE SCREEN, SERIES CREATOR TOBY WHITHOUSE TELLS SFX

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
THE MAINE EVENT
SFX UK

THE MAINE EVENT

THE DARK IS RISING IN SALEM'S LOT AS STEPHEN KING'S DEATHLESS TALE RETURNS TO THE SCREEN

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
WHY DON'T YOU STAY FOR A BITE?
SFX UK

WHY DON'T YOU STAY FOR A BITE?

THE VAMPIRE COMES HOME AS DIRECTOR EUROS LYN WELCOMES SFX TO HIS NEW DARK COMEDY THE RADLEYS

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024