I really enoy War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and I re-read periodically, so I was a sucker for the second volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which has that intrepid group struggling against the invasion. One of the beauties of this second yarn is that we already know our protagonists (calling them heroes seems a bit off base) so we are all ready for the story to heat up. But Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill do a clever switch in that the story begins on Mars.
Once again there be spoilers below Maties, so tread with care.
The first issue of this second volume is set on Mars and features John Carter (from Princess of Mars and many other books by Edgar Rice Burroughs), Gullivar Jones (from Lieut. Gullivar Jones: His Vacation by Edwin Lester Jones), and assorted Martians from various literary sources. The story begins with Gullivar using his flying carpet to attend a rendezvous with John Carter and his Thark forces. They are in the midst of a military assault against the aliens who are scheming to attack Earth. The invasion comes from Mars but the aliens who inhabit the tripods are not from there. The Sorns (from Out the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis) show up to assist but it's too late and the invasion of Earth is underway by the end of the story.
The League is sent to the site of the first landing where they see the great shell unscrew and witness the devastating heat ray at work. The superiority of the invaders causes the Invisible Man to betray his mankid and the world and try to make a deal with them.
Mina discovers Griffin stealing war plans and he gives her a savage beating. The full nature of the threat is soon made obvious to everyone when another shell lands. The deadly tripods appear and begin to wreak havoc. The other League members are enraged when they find Mina beaten and bloody on the floor and Hyde swears vengeance.
The League is divided. Nemo and Hyde stay to fight the invading tripods using the resources of the Nautilus while Mina and Alan head to Africa to find a mysterious fellow who Mycroft says can help save the planet. The two of them make an attempt to find some affection in the midst of the suffering and Mina reveals for the first time the savage scars around her neck.
The two reconcile and while in the midst of further lovemaking are confronted by strange hybrid creatures who take them to their master, Dr. Moreau (from The Island of Dr. Moreau by Wells). He shows them his creations and gives them a secret hybrid which is contained in a chest for them to transport to London. Hyde locates Griffen and wreaks a horrible vengeance for his attack on Mina.
Mina and Alan return to England and Moreau's creation is unleashed. It's a hybrid strain of anthrax and streptococcus which in short order invades the immune systems of the aliens and kills them. Edward Hyde goes forth to battle the tripods and is ultimately burned to death by their weapons. Horrified by the use of diseases to end the threat Nemo rejects the League and leaves. Mina says goodbye to Alan and heads to a commune for women in Scotland. The story ends with Alan Quatermain sitting alone on a bench.
The text item which ran through this series was The New Traveller's Almanac, an insanely detailed faux tavelogue from 1931 which details many of the more bizarre locations in the world of the League. It begins with the British Isles and then moves to Europe and then America and then across the globe. Moore has done an incredible job of smashing together just about every fantasy location from legend, myth or literature I could imagine. Many I recognize, many I've never heard of. Bizarre creatures abound and even stranger people. The information in his almanac was gleaned from the reports of many folks including members of the League from years past. We have many entries from Mina Murray and in this way, we are witness in some respects to her further adventures as well as the final adventures of Alan Quatermain. We also encounter Orlando for the first time, and he/she will be an important player as the series continues. This is a heady read which requires time, a good deal of patience and really good eyes.
In addition to the Almanac there are also included several little games, coloring pages and whatnots. They are clever is not exceedingly practical.
And that's the second installment of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The series becomes even more compelling in what feels like its finale as we lose significant members of the cast. But this is not the end by any means. There is much more to come from the bedazzled minds of Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill when we encounter a raft of new characters in The Black Dossier. That's next week.
Rip Off
No comments:
Post a Comment