Absolute V for Vendetta (Hardback)

I would say, as an assumption that people who buy expensive DC Absolute Editions because they want to do a definitive edition, printed on good quality paper in an enlarged hard cover and slide case, and extras such as introductions, no unused seen art etc, their favorite comics. I know I can do and see from where I sit writing, complete editions of "Crisis on Infinite Earths ',' The New Frontier", Dark Knight, Batman: Hush, the four volumes of Sandman, Ronin, and now V for Vendetta . I shall return to this in the second half of the review.


V for Vendetta is, along with Marvelman / Miracleman, the first of the great works of Alan Moore in the field of comics. Its construction began at the time of Moore's initial feelings of discomfort in the decision of the United Kingdom Conservative Party, and ended when the feelings were merged into outright disgust. Like the best science fiction, the best comics reflect the concerns of the time they were written-and, yes, I am aware that I am gathering a genre and medium and V for Vendetta is political science fiction . In his introduction, written in 1988, Moore is concerned about the immediate future to become a Conservative-led right-wing intolerance as Margaret Thatcher envisaged a British Conservative in the next millennium, and mentions that she is considering leaving the country. In the event, the Conservatives only lasted until the mid-90s and Britain is in the pride, with all its flaws, as one of the most liberal and open. and tolerant of Western societies. If you just limit this to England, I would say, evidence that this is the most liberal, open and tolerant of Western societies. And Alan Moore is still happily installed in Northampton, which he said is located in central England.


However, perhaps surprisingly, V has not really dated at all, and his fear of fascism remains eternally valid. If you doubt that, then I refer you to the effusions racist British National Party. V remains one of the true masterpieces of Moore, erudite, compassionate, deep, obsessive, all enhanced by sympathetic distinctive "realistic David Lloyd's work of art (with its echoes of British black and white comics weekly adventure for children), which is endowed with great clarity and a more subdued color palette. Perhaps even more surprising is that in the era of Ronald Regan, DC published a comic book hero is a psychotic anarchist whose intention is to destroy the existing social order.


Now, as to this issue, inevitably, given the widely publicized dispute between Moore and DC, there is no further contribution of Alan Moore. A pity, since it would be fascinating to read, but, as I said, inevitable. In comparison with other editions Absolute Sandman volumes four are full of them, Crisis on Infinite Earths requires additional books is relatively small, some sketches, a couple of pieces reprinted from Moore, including material and minor printed magazine only Warrior, full-page panels blown pieces, all very nice, but doing little to improve the original material. Not that it matters since this is a beautiful edition of the Alan Moore masterpiece of the greatest comic writer ever. How could resist?

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1: The Absolute Edition

I knew it would never be a sequel to the classic comic series by Alan Moore "The Watchmen" (and wish Frank Miller had let well enough alone with "The Dark Knight Returns"), but certainly "The League of Men Extraordinary "is a kindred spirit in all major aspects. If the guards were supposed to be superheroes that we recognized, even though he had never seen before, then the League offers up recognizable fictional characters we have ever seen together before. Going back a century for inspiration, Moore creates a Pax Britannia around 1898 where superheroes "are fictional characters that had been created by this particular point in time, namely: Mina Murray (Harker) of" Dracula Bram Stoker, "Captain Nemo Jules Verne's 20,000" Leagues Under the Sea, "Alan Quatermain from" H. Rider Haggard King Solomon's Mines "and the title character of" Robert Louis Stevenson Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Dr. "and" HG Wells The Invisible Man. "There is also reason to believe that the" M ", the dark figure on ordering the League could in fact be Mycroft Holmes (and if you do not know what is the literary series from then just totally forget to enjoy this series).

If this, in itself, is not enough of a hook to get your interest in testing this collection first comic adventure of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen let me remind you that Alan Moore is doing the writing. The work of art by Kevin O'Neill is certainly evocative of the turn of last century, or rather, not seen as a modern superhero comics. Moore and O'Neill also maintain a wonderful concept in the whole series of presentation of the comics as published at the time of history, full of wonderful "ads" that are often as interesting as the story (one of which actually require the implementation of an initial impression of the topics to be destroyed, a story you will have to find other sites related, patient reader.)

Moore's intention was to address a group of superheroes before all the clichés were established (again, similar to how "The Watchmen" was in a different reality unencumbered by the DC and Marvel universes). Seeing an obvious parallel between the Hulk and Jekyll / Hyde, Moore let his imagination roam in his alternate version, most technically advanced of Victorian London. The more you know about the literary history of this period (for example, Emile Zola's Nana is killed in the Rue Morgue "by Hyde), the more you enjoy this work. But this first adventure of the League still works if the fiction in the late 19th century is not his forte. British intelligence has discovered that cavorite, a material that allows flying machines, has been stolen by a mysterious Chinese figure (Oh, come on, take a wild guess that has to be). Campion Bond of MI5 has been ordered to assemble a team of adventurers to retrieve the cavorite, which is crucial for the race to the moon.

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is much more fun than we usually associate with Moore's work. Indeed, the language has never been greater in the cheeks with this series. The first three issues of Volume 2 have seen the light of day so far this year and if you read through this original effort can quickly get up to date with the current adventure. You just have to remember is 1898 and Britannia waives the rules ...