The Unseen Grant Morrison - Intensive Care

Post date: Jan 04, 2014 8:35:53 PM

Bit of an odd one this, a Morrison/Quitely collaboration that probably netted them a ton of money and was seen by many millions more eyes than even the most successful of their comic book work, but isn't very well known in comics circles and probably never will be.

Back in 2005, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely designed the artwork for UK pop star Robbie Williams' album Intensive Care, including a number of custom tarot images seen below. These were included in the CD booklet of the album (and inner sleeve of the double LP) and in a pack of promo only tarot cards put out by the record company in order to promote the record upon it's release. The album would go on to sell more than 6 million copies around the world.

For the benefit of American readers who likely have no idea who he is, Robbie Williams is (or was) a very big deal here in the UK (and in Europe), selling millions and millions of records in the noughties on the back of a hugely successful turn in boy-band Take That. After releasing a greatest hits album in 2004, this collaboration with Morrison and Quitely coincided with a newfound interest in UFO's, contact experiences, even sigil magick, and an all-round much weirder Robbie Williams who's still with us today.

Though it may be remiss of me to give Frank and Grant credit for inspiring Robbie's esoteric awakening, it's probably worth noting that Bryan Talbot almost included a tall tale of Morrison, Quitely and Williams' Bacchanalian hijinks in the digital version of his 2007 comics industry gossip book The Naked Artist, but GM asked very nicely for it to be removed, as detailed here at Bleeding Cool.

Make of that what you will...