Let me begin by saying I think Alan Moore is overrated.
That doesn't mean I don't find some of his work fascinating and even fun, but the adoration the comics fans have heaped on him over the decades seems wildly out of kilter relative to the work he's produced. That said, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a whopper of a read. Kevin O'Neill's artwork is crazy distinctive and gives this story a cantankerous quality which helps it alternate universe bloom. (I read that Moore wanted Simon Bisley originally for this story -- a huge mistake that.)
It's been many years since I sat down and read TLoEG through, and since then the movie has appeared and I've seen it several times. I'd forgotten how comparatively vicious the comic is relative to the more polished and benign film.
This origin story is a compelling read, offering up glimpses of a literary universe brimming with weirdly familiar characters. The organization of the League is hair-brained and always seemed poorly motivated, but necessary for plot reasons. As we learn on the last page of the last issue, the League was assembled for potentially other reasons.
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Correction: It's Kevin (Kev) O'Neill, not Paul.
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts on the prose story that was serialized in the back of these issues/the trade paperback? As with your review of LoEG Black Dosier, I felt that became more focused on referencing/mimicking a style rather than the story content.
Yikes! How the heck did I confuse Kevin with the former Reds and Yankees outfielder! Sheesh! Thanks for the catch. I'll correct that snafu.
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I totally agree with your assessment of Alan Moore, Dean. I tried to read LOEG but I found the art TOO distracting to keep reading or even enjoy it. The premise is wonderful. So all I have to go on is the movie, which I enjoyed.
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