Kid Eternity: The Deluxe Edition (Graphic Novel Review)

The thing about Grant Morrison's works is, they are always confusing and difficult to understand. I believe the writer does this on purpose. Some, I imagine, might just give up on the materials. I, on the other hand, like to put in the effort figuring out how to read his stories, usually told in a way that can only be spun in the comic or graphic novel media.

There's a sense of achievement when you finally discover the hidden mechanics of the storytelling and another of satisfaction once you've completed the read. (For example, I didn't understand the cover of this graphic novel until the protagonist was introduced.) Sometimes, you would want to read a whole story again as little things revealed towards the end makes the second read a different experience

Kid Eternity is not a new character. He first appeared on a 1940s comic. I didn't know about this until I saw a reprint of the cover of said comic as part of the bonus content of this Deluxe edition.

Morrison's Kid Eternity is a re-imagining of that character on the Vertigo comic imprint (Vertigo is DC Comics' brand for darker stories tailored for more mature readers). In this story, Morrison takes us on a journey to heaven's gate and then straight down to a hell, according to his imagination.

 

Well, I guess not only his. This graphic novel is also skillfully illustrated by Duncan Fegredo. I don't know how much Morrison's script influenced the art but the latter did well in conveying the story Morrison's trying to tell. Fegredo's art was familiar to me, a quick Google and I realized that I've read a comic series he drawn before: The Enigma, another horror-like story. Each section (or Canto) of the book has a stand-up comedy sequence by the protagonist's companion in the story setting up narrative backgrounds for every part of the book.

Vertigo's Kid Eternity is a master work by Grant Morrison and Duncan Fegredo. A material that I would definitely reread and revisit in the future just for the experience.