PAUL GRAVETT: My question concerned how to create works of depth in work that consciously and continuously embraces the surfaces of things.
GRANT MORRISON: Hmm. Well, I think I find my depth, paradoxically, in the surface of things. I like playing with the pure sound of word on word in my writing, or concerning myself with surface glamour. But I believe, say, The Invisibles to be a work of great emotional depths. You can read it as an action-filled philosophical wank book, or you can read it for King Mob's attempt to get over the loss of his girlfriend and the death of his cats by turning himself into a pop god with a gun.
PAUL GRAVETT: Hmm. So, on one level, The Invisibles is about a man trying to get over the death of his cats.
GRANT MORRISON: That’s right, yes. About 60% of The Invisibles was autobiographical.
PAUL GRAVETT: Now, as I recall, don’t you appear in your last issue on Animal Man and discuss the death of one of your cats?
GRANT MORRISON: Yes, in fact.
PAUL GRAVETT: I see. And isn’t The Filth, on one level, about Greg Feely possibly losing his mind while trying to care for his dying cat?
GRANT MORRISON: On one level, yes.
PAUL GRAVETT: Now, I forget. Does a cat die in Flex Mentallo?
GRANT MORRISON: No, no. I don’t have to have a cat die in order to produce a good work, Paul.
PAUL GRAVETT: So it wasn’t written after a cat had died?
GRANT MORRISON: Absolutely not.
PAUL GRAVETT: Loss of a girlfriend?
*pause*
GRANT MORRISON: Well, yes, in fact. I wrote Flex Mentallo after a bad break-up with a girlfriend.
PAUL GRAVETT: And Marvel Boy?
GRANT MORRISON: Bad break-up with a girlfriend.
PAUL GRAVETT: Your Fantastic Four miniseries? Cat or girlfriend?
GRANT MORRISON: Caring for a sick girlfriend.
PAUL GRAVETT: Did she die?
GRANT MORRISON: No, she recovered. That’s why it’s only four issues.
PAUL GRAVETT: Doom Patrol?
GRANT MORRISON: A bad break-up.
PAUL GRAVETT: With a girlfriend?
GRANT MORRISON: With a cat. It was very painful.
PAUL GRAVETT: Now, this isn’t a magic thing, is it? You’re not sacrificing your cats, or anything?
GRANT MORRISON: No, no, not at all. I love cats, Paul.
PAUL GRAVETT: As do I. As do I.