The Invisibles Vol 1- The Invisible College Book Club

[@rohantherevolution]

One of the best videos, feels like a great conversation.

[@ImperiusRex]

Thank you Rohan- I'm really TRYING with this series!

[@marcovier6239]

i can percibe the love you emit for morrion's work, it goes beyond the screen

[@ImperiusRex]

Flowing beyond the borders of known and unknown reality!

[@FoKisx]

Was looking forward to this! Great job guys, I usually enjoy your casual show but being very prepared really pays off. I love this laser focus approach for the invisibles. Reading along with ya! Keep up the good work 🧘‍♂️❤️

[@ImperiusRex]

Thanks Fokion! There was a lot to cover in this first arc in order to lay all the groundwork for what's to come. I hope it didn't get too dry!

[@WACKYWALLY666]

That was the back cover to John and Yoko's Two Virgins album. The Front side is just as Naked. The 3rd arc is where they get really rolling.

[@myconiusmaximus1022]

Troy, I completely feel your frustration. I was in the same boat on my first read of The Invisibles. It was a real struggle to get through the story, and I was so relieved once I was finally done with it. After time passed, I decided to give it a second read, and found I was enjoying it a lot more. It wasn’t until my third time reading that I finally understood the philosophical commentaries being presented by scenes like with the poets. It’s a very heady book, so don’t get discouraged if a lot of it doesn’t make sense at first. Dave will definiltey be able to help clarify some of the perplexing areas for you.

[@ApocryphonwithJon]

Barbelith is heavily referring to the Gnostic concept of The Barbelo which is the first emenation of the all encompassing one God, also referred too as Sophia and is the feminine aspect of God which is the Holy Spirit. Also heavily inspired by Philip K Dicks three part series VALIS (Vast Active Living Intelligence System) which is Dicks interpretation of The Gnostic God which he claimed to encounter telepathic messages about the nature of life.

[@ImperiusRex]

Wow- those seem like direct inspirations. I had heard of the PK Dick similarities, but didn't realize how heavily the concept of Barbelo plated a role. Might need to do a little more research on that and mention it in a future ep. Thanks for the heads up!

[@dinoovukoidni3227]

Well this is my first book club experience in my life and I enjoy it atmost! Can't wait to hear rest of the Invisibles, you guys are quite a team, keep up the good work

[@ImperiusRex]

Thank you Dinoo- and glad you could join us on your first Book Club voyage!

[@ThroatJunk]

I can already tell that TMax is gonna be a treat during this whole thing

[@ThroatJunk]

Hell yeah!!! MORE REX

[@myconiusmaximus1022]

28:38 - The crazy guy preaching on the street was one of the many brilliant Invisible cameos. On the surface it looks like just some random nut. When you look closer at his features, it’s King Mob in a bad wig and mustache. While Dane is living homeless on the street, The Invisibles are keeping a close eye on him. We have King Mob posing as a crazy street preacher. Then in a few pages we see Boy having a hot beverage in a diner across the street from Dane begging for change in the alley. The page after that, Ragged Robin passes by Dane giving him a pound coin. Then several pages later, Lord Fanny buys a copy of The Big Issue paper off Dane, telling his to keep the change and buy a smile. The more I re-read this series, the more awesome little details I find.

[@JamesHaney]

Well Done, Gentlemen! Round One is done and we're all still standing. Another excellent resource is ANARCHY FOR THE MASSES, a book from Disinfo Press that breaks down each issue and highlights minute details that add to the SpaceTime Sigil initiated by Grant & Co. "Arcadia" was a major challenge, but truly worth it as the backbone of THE INVISIBLES is contained therein. We all want a Perfect World, but wanting is never the same as having. "You've gotta Love the Enemy. Love 'em till they beg for mercy." Be Seeing You. 🖖♾⚪ ps: Keep that Imperius Rexiness a'comin!

[@ImperiusRex]

Thank you James! I've heard Anarchy for the Masses is another great companion piece. I'll have to call it out next ep! And I'm in full agreement (as you probably gathered from the ep) that Arcadia is sooo important to the overall story. It literally tells you everything you need to know before you know you need to know it.

[@johnnieriot13]

Bravo guys. Really interesting and fun episode. I’ve been waiting to read Invisible for a long time. Glad I could read it with you guys. Especially because now I understand a lot more than I probably would have.

[@ImperiusRex]

Glad to have you with us John. Love hearing how many folks are joining us on this read after years of apprehension. I hope we can do the series justice!

[@monitor-mindtheover-void6712]

I love this comic, thanks for covering it guys.

[@ImperiusRex]

Our pleasure! Stay tuned- there's a lot more on the horizon!

[@monitor-mindtheover-void6712]

@@ImperiusRex sure

[@VerticalEdge]

Let's gooo 🎉

[@Liveforfilms]

What a wild ride this comic was. I've read it a few times, but will read it again. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

[@ImperiusRex]

Let us know if any of your opinions change as you re-read it. Always interested in hearing people's thoughts upon multiple reads! Glad you're along for the ride!

[@PhillipRaymondGoodman]

I actually really like the first 8 issues, though i understand why people don't, i like unlikable characters but dane is such a nasty peice of work that i can understand why people don't want to read about him. But theres this bit where he screams at big malky his teacher "it was Kropotkin, and you'll never understand me" i feel that so much, dane is more intelligent than anyone around him and just absolutely filled with a level of rage that even he doesn't understand. Then there's shelly and byron and desade, i already knew about those guys, im a fan in various ways or at least i find them fascinating, so i was kinda able to be into it. Interestingly Byron did die while taking part in the greek revolution, he did put his money where his mouth with, he may has well have been an invisible agent.

[@deckarde4919]

Hey guys, I don't know how to contact you but is there any chance you'll ever talk about Cerebus - or at least as much of Cerebus that you could potentially stomach? Every time I look at just a few pages of it, it's so amazing, and would like to hear your takes on it.

[@ImperiusRex]

Any recommendations on what to check out? I’m assuming start at #1, but considering it’s length, what are some highlights?

[@deckarde4919]

@@ImperiusRex It's complicated. By general consensus, I think the second phonebook High Society (#25-50) is a good start, and to be honest the only part I've read in full. Church and State 1 and 2 (#53-110 I think) is also generally held in high regard. Jaka's Story and Melmoth (as i understand 111-150) is usually considered good but kind of tangential to the main story. And then Sim goes off the deep end of misogony and conspiratorial thinking that it's hard to enjoy even if it's got good stuff. The first phonebook is fairly primitive, Sim learning his craft, and growing from a 70's Conan comics parody into ... Cerebus. That's a simple rundown. I read somewhere that you should read until you read two trades in a row that you don't like. But I'd start with High Society, go on with Church and State 1 and 2, and then try out the first phonebook. Lastly, Jaka's Story and Melmoth. Even without having read it, I can't in good concious recommend anything past that.

[@ImperiusRex]

@@deckarde4919 You're not exactly selling me on it... ;)

[@deckarde4919]

@@ImperiusRex Very simply: about the first half is deffo worth it, especially the four first trades. But that doesnt make it justice imo. Its a big and complicated work.

[@sergiorivera1656]

Wow!!!! This is gonna be spectacular. Regarding 'Flex Mentallo' have you all ever 'Pink Floyd: The Wall'? I saw it a couple of weeks ago and couldn't help but notice the sort of similarities between Wally Sage and Pinky. Also regarding music a song that kind of goes with ' The Invisibles' is Tool's 'Third Eye' and maybe Rage Against the Machine's 'Wake Up' ( which yes was played at the end of 'The Matrix') and perhaps also 'Calm like a Bomb'. Thanks guys for a thought provoking video. Take care.

[@ImperiusRex]

Thank YOU Sergio! I have a massive blindspot on Pink Floyd, but I should check out more of their stuff. In terms of Tool, I am a HUGE Tool fan, and so many of their songs relate to concepts in this book. Third Eye's a big one. Lateralus is perhaps the most pertinent in my opinion. Nine Inch Nails' entire album Year Zero is almost a pitch perfect soundtrack to this whole series as well. But in terms of songs that pair most perfectly with the reading, look no further than Morrison's own recommended theme song for The Invisibles: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHOlfHmEgpigd9U

[@rutilioenriquez-jt5tk]

Would love to see a kid eternity episode

[@ImperiusRex]

Been looking for an excuse to read that one! Might need to keep the Morrison-train a chugging between the Invisibles eps!

[@gagemartin7207]

Are you guys ever gonna do the filth

[@ImperiusRex]

Planning on capping off the Invisibles book club with it actually. Stay tuned!

[@jordanthomas4379]

It’ll probably never happen, but I’d like to see you guys have a field day with Crossed.

[@ImperiusRex]

Jordan, I would love to revisit Crossed, if only to put Troy completely over the edge. Outside of the initial Ennis arc, what would you recommend? I feel like it's gone on so long with so many different spinoff series I don't even know where to start.

[@jordanthomas4379]

@@ImperiusRex honestly I never read past the second volume (Family Values), definitely start with the first original story though. From everything I have heard, the first 4-5 volumes are basically all that really matter, past that I’m not sure. 😁

[@ImperiusRex]

Yeah, we've read the first arc, which I felt is strangely uneven and dare I say, poorly paced and plotted. It would make for an interesting episode because I have a lot to say on it, aside from the shock value. I would be interested in reading another arc of it too though, like the Alan Moore-penned issue, or something else notable.

[@jordanthomas4379]

@@ImperiusRex hey Dave, are you guys going to do an alien day episode this April?

[@ImperiusRex]

@@jordanthomas4379 Nah- blew our Xeno-wads last year. I don't think I've read any Aliens books since.

[@VerticalEdge]

this song goes hard

[@alexleadbetter]

it's a meme(hypersgil) about the dance of culture/counter culture

[@paulpeterson]

Hello!

[@iaingill4879]

Put a top on mate fk sake

[@GitShiddy]

Will I say that watching this episode was more enjoyable than reading this book? Yes. But I will also say, a lot of the concepts and important bits are fairly well stated in the text (except that dude being the Devil, I thought he was Death or "The author" however you read that, Morrison, or the thing behind all things whatever). Admittedly most of that text is in Ol' Tom's gibberish or Byron & Shelley's pompous musings...but it's there and pretty clear. It's just Marge Simpson make-up shotgun blasted into your face whilst trying to tolerate the dickhead protagonists of Dane & Mob.

[@ImperiusRex]

Yeah- on this re-read I was surprised how much those side characters literally SPELL OUT the entire plot of the story. But I fully admit that on my first read, I completely bypassed it in favor of getting back to "what the team was up to." I think it helps to have read some other high concept comics like Sandman or other Morrison works to know what to look for, and how minor things on first glance may actually be telling you the most important bits of the entire read.

[@GitShiddy]

@@ImperiusRex That's a great point about the Sandman read sort of conditioning to look for meaning in asides. Presumably that is part of why Vertigo was attracted to publishing this. Also, for me on this first time read, I don't give a shit about most of The Invisibles themselves. Robin I find most intrigued by but, I don't like Dane, I don't like Mob, Boy is fine I guess but her characterization (knowing she's written by a white person) feels a little...off, Fanny has a similar thing (that "half the woman I was" line after Orlando fucked up her fake tits doesn't hold up in 2023). I also (apparently) read ahead & uhhh that issue with Papa Dueche...is uh....a hard sell now. Troy's gonna hate it.

[@ImperiusRex]

@@GitShiddy The Voodoo priest issue is certainly... something. I think you'll enjoy the She-Man arc that goes into Fanny's backstory in the next batch though. Gives her character much more personality, despite- of course- being written at a time when trans characters were less... I don't know- accepted and fully realized as individuals?

[@GitShiddy]

@@ImperiusRex Definitely. However I am going to subconsciously make the comparison to the high water mark that is Wanda in Sandman. Which...like that's still good now. It's a high bar.

[@ImperiusRex]

Yeah- Wanda is Queen. But I would say that Lord Fanny is fucking spectacular in this series. Possibly the best character- and you can tell she's a Morrison fav.

[@allanswegard2620]

I must be in the minority but I literally hate this series.

[@ImperiusRex]

Follow your truth... but you probably won't like the next handful of episodes...

[@allanswegard2620]

I'll always support you guys, even when your reading trash. Lol

[@ImperiusRex]

@@allanswegard2620 hahahaha!

[@ImperiusRex]

We appreciate your tenacity and support! :)