Alan Moore...

rowlandbrowner

I recently read my first comic, Watchmen. I decided to read it after seeing some interviews with Alan Moore and becoming intrigued with him as a person (his belief in the reality of ideas in particular), anyway, It blew me away, and I would really like to investigate this medium further, I went to a comic shop in town and found a whole section on him, I felt like a fish out of water with the words "I know nothing of comics" printed on my head, so I left....
So im asking from the safety of the computer screen, can anyone recommend me another piece of work by him? I know of the two that have been adapted to cinema (from hell and v for vendetta) but something that Hollywood have yet to spoil would be preferable.

Fysh

Moore has a lot of work out there, so it's really down to what sort of thing you're looking for. There is an extensive bibliography on Wikipedia, but my personal recommendations would be:

DC Universe : The Stories of Alan Moore
League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen vols 1 & 2
A Small Killing
V For Vendetta
The Courtyard

While I have enjoyed everything of his that I've read, I have by no means an extensive knowledge of his work. If you liked Watchmen it's unlikely you'll go very far wrong with anything he's written though.

bryan philips

There is also a wonderful book called " A disease Of Language" which collects " The Birth Caul" and Snakes And Ladders" The art is by a guy called Eddie Campbell who is amazing.

Spastafarian

rowlandbrowner wrote: »

I recently read my first comic, Watchmen. I decided to read it after seeing some interviews with Alan Moore and becoming intrigued with him as a person (his belief in the reality of ideas in particular), anyway, It blew me away, and I would really like to investigate this medium further, I went to a comic shop in town and found a whole section on him, I felt like a fish out of water with the words "I know nothing of comics" printed on my head, so I left....
So im asking from the safety of the computer screen, can anyone recommend me another piece of work by him? I know of the two that have been adapted to cinema (from hell and v for vendetta) but something that Hollywood have yet to spoil would be preferable.

Swamp Thing is by far my favorite Alan Moore series. Just be sure to get the Alan Moore version cos the original is pretty crap.

rowlandbrowner

thanks for the recommendations, they have all been very helpful

I think Swamp thing will be my next read. I like what he does on the first issue, its interesting how he realised that any character chasing his humanity (or anything) was clearly never going to find it, as that would effectively end the story, hence killing off the search for humanity was the only logical choice to make.

I definitely need to check out the League of extraordinary gentlemen too, I loved what the film could have been, I'm sure the idea is realised better in the comics.

Jack B. Badd

rowlandbrowner wrote: »

I definitely need to check out the League of extraordinary gentlemen too, I loved what the film could have been, I'm sure the idea is realised better in the comics.

Tbh, the film was a hideous realisation of The League (concept wasn't the problem, but the execution didn't do the story justice at all). Definitely read the comic. Read all the comics!

Mr. K

His DC works are excellent, particularly the Batman story The Killing Joke and the Superman story Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. Christopher Nolan gave Heath Ledger a copy of The Killing Joke to prepare for his role in The Dark Knight, so it's certainly still relevant.

Conveniently, both of these stories are collecting in DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore, so I must second Fysh's recommendation on that!

Fysh

That Superman story in particular is very good; I've never really been all that interested in Superman as a character but Whatever Happened... was very well-written and engaging, even for someone with a limited awareness of DC history.

navin.r.johnson

Keep in mind that Alan Moore has famously distanced himself from any of the movie adaptations of his work('Contantine' anyone??) But Watchmen is the perfect introduction, I was completely hooked after reading it myself. 'Future Shocks' is a compilation of the short stories that he did for 2000AD that is well worth checking out. But I'd have say Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in that order.

Spastafarian

rowlandbrowner wrote:

I recently read my first comic, Watchmen. I decided to read it after seeing some interviews with Alan Moore and becoming intrigued with him as a person (his belief in the reality of ideas in particular)

If you're interested in the reality of ideas you should read Promethea. That's pretty much what it's about. It's no Swamp Thing though.

Buttes, Le Mao

I got my hands on the complete dc works. Really loved his story in which he introduced mogo the planet.
I have not read v for vendetta yet but I intend to get my hands on it some time in the future.

bryan philips

Just read the Black Dossier, I reckon this is the best one so far. My only complaint being its a bit bulky in places, although that could just be laziness on my part!

partholon

slightly off topic but am i the only one amazed he did a stint on the simpsons with art speiglman?

i wouldve sworn it was just one of the regs doing an impression till i read the credits.

fair play to the guy

earth unit 5376

In no particular order:

Swamp Thing: EC horror, head trip and love story all rolled into one. Brilliant re-imagining of a pre-existing DC character by Moore, plus the added bonus of John Constantine's first appearance.

From Hell: Forget the lame-o Depp movie, this is a masterpiece, perfectly refracted through Eddie Campbell's scratchy inky cross-hatchy penny-dreadful art. A whodunnint where we know exactly who dunnit, but that's not the journey Moore wants to take us on. The end-of-the-century malaise/doom he creates is stunningly effective.

Watchmen: Pretty much essential reading for anyone into comics, and not just from Moore's end - Dave Gibbons' artwork is amazing, don't let the apparent formal constraints of his gridlike panels fool you, this is rich, layered stuff.

The Killing Joke: The Joker story all Joker stories want to be.

V for Vendetta: The film wasn't that bad, but it doesn't hold a candle to the original. Great art from David Lloyd too.

The League of Extraordinary Grntlemen: Vol.s 1 and 2 and The Black Dossier. Stone cold classics all.

The Ballad of Halo Jones: Earlier 2000AD sci-fi stuff, now collected into a trade.

Top Ten: Lighter than a lot of Moore's more famous work, this superhero precinct series was just wonderfully conceived and executed. The spinoffs Smax and The Forty Niners are worth checking out too.

Lost Girls: Moore goes hardcore in his homage to Victorian erotica. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I found it fascinating, compelling, and ultimately touching. Features a similar end-of-an-era vibe to From Hell. Just hide it from your ma!

Honourable mentions:
Tom Strong: Pulpy Doc Bronzey goodness
Promethea: Heavy on the magic(k?) for some, fascinating for others - Wonder Woman filtered through Crowley et al.
Supreme: Take one ho-hum Liefeld Superman knock off, and make it into a brilliant love letter to the Man of Steel himself. More alchemy - not as left of field a reinvention as Swamp Thing, but in its own way just as great a turnaroud. BTW his DC Superman stories mentioned in earlier posts are pretty cool too.
Greyshirt: Moore does a Shadow/Spirit type thing. Good fun. Part of his Tomorrow's Stories, which also features the delicously cheesecake heroines Jonni Future and Cobweb

johnny_ultimate

Haven't read too many comics, but after being blown away by Watchmen, I read From Hell and found it a fascinating work. Has the depth of some of the best novels, plus a damn good thriller to boot. It is quite disturbing and sexually / violently explicit, but worth the effort it takes to consume that multi-layered masterpiece.

Must check out this Swamp Thing - have meant to read more Moore, but never know what to choose.

earth unit 5376

BTW a lot of Moore's non League ABC titles are pretty cheap as trades collections in Chapters on Parnell Street, for anyone out there interested...