Hey folks, I posted this on Reddit but I'm more familiar with you guys and I'm not sure I even put it in the right place over there. Without further ado.
This should be obvious but in case it isn't--SPOILERS INBOUND.
Hey everyone, begrudging fan of the pleasantly bonkers comic book writer, Grant Morrison here. Though Morrison has a reputation for being archaic and borderline unintelligible in his work throughout comic book fandom, I think this is largely not the case. I say "largely" because I think there is one big exception to that rule, in the form of his six-issue sci-fi horror story, "Nameless."
I've read Nameless three complete times, occasionally picked at individual issues and have given thought to the story intermittently since it was first published in 2015. I've read some interpretations and understandings online, and frankly I've thought them all rubbish. I've boiled my interpretation and subsequent summary down to a few paragraphs, and I was wondering what other fans of the work might think about it. It might also serve to get some folks interested in the comic who might not have heard about it before, and that's cool. It's definitely worth reading even if it makes no goddamn sense the first time through, particularly if you are a fan of the awesome Chris Burnham, who does some of the best work of his career on the covers and interiors.
Speaking of the interiors, they are not safe for work. I repeat, if you are at work or somewhere public, you probably shouldn't Google image search Nameless on your phone. It is a horror story and the imagery is at times breathtakingly grotesque. Anyhoo, without further ado.
Nameless was an expert in the occult who was called to Razor House thirteen years ago by Paul Darius to participate in a ritual through which it was theorized they could make contact with an ancient alien consciousness (known henceforth as the Outsider). However, Nameless broke the circle of protection during the ritual and became possessed by the Outsider. He killed the thirteen other people at Razor House before being apprehended by Sofia Darius and two security professionals. At some point shortly thereafter, Nameless escaped custody and went on the lamb until being captured and killed by Sofia Darius.
Everything else in the book is a prophetic fever dream taking place in the mind of Nameless, where he sees what may come to pass if the Outsider is allowed to continue to exert its influence and bring Xibalba down on earth. He never goes to space, nor does Sofia, nor does Paul Darius (long dead) nor does anyone else in the book. It all happens in his head, as his consciousness battles (and ultimately loses to) the Outsider and processes his own guilt over murdering the thirteen other people (who all have prominent roles in his dreams and all of whom are killed by the Outsider/Nameless) at Razor House. The book ends with Sofia Darius blowing Nameless' brains out all over the wall and stepping outside to see Xibalba has inexorably changed course and will no longer strike earth. Ta-da, the end, them's the bare bones of Nameless.
Also, if this was a shit place to host this, someone tell me and I'll delete/repost elsewhere. I just had to get it off my chest.
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