Moore, Alan Books - Page 4

Terra Obscura: Volume 2 (Terra Obscura)

Alan Moore, Peter Hogan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Heroes are Back! Now What? 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 8 people found this review helpful.

Terra Obscura is a world almost identical to Earth. It was discovered by Tom Strong. In Tom Strong Vol. 2, Tom was enlisted by Tom Strange to help Terra Obscura from an extraterrestrial threat that was destroying his world. This volume takes place several years later.

Now that the alien threat is gone, the members of SMASH (Society of Major American Science Heroes) are having to deal with a world that is much different from the one before they were frozen for thirty years. Tom Strange has disappeared and SMASH is pretty much defunct. One member has been killed and his old partner is out to solve his murder.

But during the investigation, strange things begin to happen in the Grand Canyon and a zone where nothing scientific works is slowly growing. Soon it starts to spread faster and the existing members of SMASH must reunite and fight this new menace as more and more of the country falls under the zone.

An interesting world, mystery, and storyline. Definitely an enjoyable read although it would be a good idea to read the pre-story in Tom Strong Vol. 2. I look forward to more from these characters and their world.

Editorial Review:

Bestselling comics writer Alan Moore (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) spins a brand new graphic novel from the cosmos of his fantastical retro-futuristic science-hero Tom Strong. As security firm Terror Inc. prepare to seize back America's cities from the grip of crime and chaos, a field capable of nullifying electricity is spreading out from the Grand Canyon. From it spring monsters and demons. Are the two events related? A motley array of science heroes hurl themselves into the growing anarchy to find out! With its alternate realities and universal themes, Terro Obscura shows once again why Alan Moore is the leading light in comics writing!

HEARTBURST and other Pleasures

Rick Veitch, Alan Moore, Steve Bissette

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Editorial Review:

On far off Epsilon Bootis, young Sunoco Firestone falls under the musky spell of a native Green Girl only to be branded a deviant criminal. Rick Veitch's legendary sci-fi saga of forbidden inter-species love is finally back in gorgeous re-mastered color along with half a dozen never-before collected shorter Veitch delights including the original "Mirror Of Love" with Alan Moore and S.R. Bissette.

Miracleman: The Red King Syndrome, Book Two

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Breaks the mold and then kicks its puppy 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Second volume in Moore's Miracleman series, The Red King syndrome is an almost mythic superhero adventure, but as in all things Moore, with as many twists and turnabouts as feasibly possible.

Begin with a Miracleman rendered utterly powerless by his arch-foe, Dr. Gargunza. He's been led there because his wife's been kidnapped. Too pedestrian? Add to it a genetically altered dog that's sent to hunt down the now-powerless superhero. Still not impressed?

Now have the dog eat Miracleman's companion and bite off two of our hero's fingers. Couple that with the hero's subsequent killing of the supervillain...and then a graphic (censored in many, many stores) representation of childbirth, and then the seeds of a story that will change a world, and then...and then...

Well, who am I to spoil it? It's a phenomenal read, deserving of space on anyone's shelf. If you can find a copy, treasure it; we're not likely to see another story of this caliber in a long while.

Graphic SF Reader 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

There are those that are not big fans of Miracleman's return. Your evil mad scientist supervillain being one of these. They want to find a way of dealing with him, and losing the current control that they have over the world.

Their problems get far worse when Miracleman's child is born.

Alan Moore: Wild Worlds

Alan Moore

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

A mixed bag 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Novice readers that pick up Alan Moore's Wild Worlds may have a hard time believing that these collected stories were written by the same legendary author that crafted Watchmen, V For Vendetta, and Saga of the Swamp Thing; but believe this that indeed he did. Back before Wildstorm was bought out by DC Comics, it was an imprint of the newly born Image Comics, which explains the appearance of Todd McFarlane's Spawn in the opening Wild C.A.T.S. story, which finds the team and Spawn teamed up together as they travel into the future to alter the timeline. This is followed by a Voodoo mini-series entitled Dancing in the Dark, and glances at Majestic, Deathblow, and another take on Wild C.A.T.S. as well. Because Moore wasn't given complete creativity on his stories, his voice doesn't always shine through (the Wild C.A.T.S./Spawn team-up in particular is loaded with uber-testosterone and is the worst of the bunch), but when it does, you can tell. The Majestic and Deathblow stories are great, while the Voodoo story is take it or leave it. The art throughout ranges from the over-muscled, mid-90's, Rob Liefeld-esque creations that caused many to look down at the comic book medium, mixed together with some solid moments. If you recall and enjoyed the early days of the Wildstorm imprint, and love everything Alan Moore, Wild Worlds is worth picking up. That being said, be sure you know what you're getting with Alan Moore's Wild Worlds before you lay down the cash.

Tomorrow Stories (Book 2)

Alan Moore, Kevin Nowlan, Melinda Gebbie

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Tomorrow Stories: A refreshing new anthology by Alan Moore 4 out of 5 stars.
14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

If you ask most people who read Alan Moore's America's Best Comics line, they'd probably tell you that "Tomorrow Stories" is at the very bottom of their list of favorites. For myself, however, I'd place it pretty near to the top. (Other titles under the ABC banner include "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Promethea", Tom Strong" and "Top Ten".) The thing is that "Tomorrow Stories" is an anthology, and, typically speaking, readers (American readers especially) don't like anthologies as much as they would a comic that contains just a single ongoing story with characters and plot that flow in the traditional way that most comics do.
Reading "Tomorrow Stories", I get a nice blend of Alan Moore's different writing styles every month: "Greyshirt" and "The Cobweb" fall under the category of basic superhero/crimefighter, "Jack B. Quick" is a science fiction tale about a boy inventor experimenting with the most bizarre laws of science. "Splash Brannigan" is a funny little strip to do with making comic books, and my personal favorite and possibly the funniest, "First American", a hilarious superhuman satire mixed with just a little good old American patriotism.
I've read almost everything that Moore has written for comics in the past two decades, and I've found him to be very, very versatile as a writer. The genres he explores in his work are vast. For mystery, there was "Watchmen", obviously, historical fiction: "From Hell", for horror, you have his incredible run on "Swamp Thing", "V For Vendetta" is a frightening political thriller, in Sci-Fi there's "The Ballad of Halo Jones", if you prefer superheroes, you can't forget his revision of "Marvelman" and later "Supreme", philosophy and fantasy with "Promethea", insane humor with "D.R. & Quinch" and "The Bojeffries Saga", his lyrics and poetry in "Songbook" and "Magic Words", the autobiographical "The Birth Caul", and even "Lost Girls", which falls in the category of erotic fiction. He writes everything! And with very few exceptions, he does it all amazingly well. I have yet to find something of his that I would consider just out-and-out terrible.
That's why I believe that "Tomorrow Stories" is majorly overlooked, especially among members of his fanbase. To my knowledge, its the only ABC title besides "Promethea" to win an Eisner. It showcases his many unique writing talents, but particularly his humor. If you'd seen a picture of the guy, you probably wouldn't think he have much of a sense of it. But,as the cliche goes: "You can't judge a book by its cover."

Vertigo: First Taste (DC Comics Vertigo)

Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Brian Azzarello, Brian K. Vaughan, Si Spencer

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An excellent start off point for new Vertigo readers 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

In an attempt to lure in new readers, DC Comics' mature readers imprint Vertigo assembled this TPB featuring six first issues of six of their best series'. There's no Hellblazer, Sandman, or Preacher featured here (although they are all amazing series that are more than worth checking out for new readers), but what you do get are the first issues of Neil Gaiman's Death: The High Cost of Living mini-series, Brian K. Vaughan's modern day classic Y: The Last Man, Warren Ellis' classic Transmetropolitan, Brian Azzarello's crime opus 100 Bullets, and the recently launched Books of Magick: Life During Wartime by Si Spencer. Also here is comic god Alan Moore's legendary first issue of Swamp Thing, which began one of the greatest and most epic sagas in the history of the medium. All in all, Vertigo: First Taste is a great starting point for new readers and those interested in the imprint, and at the cheap price this TPB is hard not to pass up.

Editorial Review:

You've heard about Vertigo - now it's time to take the plunge. This specially priced collection invites readers into the first issues of six different critically-acclaimed series: Y: THE LAST MAN, 100 BULLETS, THE BOOKS OF MAGIK: LIFE DURING WARTIME, SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING, TRANSMETROPOLITAN and DEATH: THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.

The Complete D. R. and Quinch (D.R. and Quinch)

Alan Moore, Alan Davis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Violent, Demented and Funny 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.

D. R. and Quinch originally appeared in a British comic book/magazine called "2000 AD". (The same publication that spawned "Judge Dredd", among others.) It was written by Alan Moore, one of the better comic book writers of all time. (He is known for such comics as "From Hell" and "League of Extrordinary Gentlemen" (both made into films), as well as "The Watchmen", making "Swamp Thing" into an interesting comic, among others.

This is one of his lesser known works.

D. R. and Quinch are a couple of alien juvenile delinquents that make anyone out of the "Wild Bunch" look like Prozac munching vegitarians. They maim and kill entire civilizations just for the fun of it. However, the destruction is so over the top and the targets of satire so broad that it is not just mayhem for the sake of mayhem.

Alan Davis' art adds to the atmosphere. His aliens are all bizzare creatures that have traits that you will still recognize. (There is a pretty savage parody of Marlin Brando in one of the stories.)

Highly recommended. I am glad these stories are still in print.

Editorial Review:

From the subterrean depths of comics' most innovative mind comes a supremely deranged duo. Alan Moore (Watchmen, Promethea) and Alan Davis (Captain Britain, X-Men) are proud (and should be ashamed) to present D.R. & Quinch. Outrageous, unrestrained and heavily armed, college students D.R. & Quinch gleefully provide irredeemably poor role-modelling for today's youth. Comes complete with tips on death, extremely painful death and the art of total destruction. Wildly offensive tales of alien slime wars, deranged disaster movies, psychotic girlfriends and warped war veterans make for a volatile mix of malicious mayhem and deeply dark humour. Totally intense, manl

The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases

Jeff Vandermeer, Tim Lebbon, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, Michael Moorcock, Kage Baker, Mark Roberts, Stepan Chapman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It just might save your life! 5 out of 5 stars.
43 of 43 people found this review helpful.

Normally, when a person reviews a book, they aren't actually reviewing "the book" but the ideas contained therein. And normally, such a semantic quibble would be absurd, but in the case of "The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases" it holds some merit. Because not only does it contain a fascinating selection of the bizarre from a remarkably talented group of authors, but it compiles their writings in a visually stunning collection that beautifully mimics the style, and rather drolly the content, of a Victorian Era monograph.

The basic premise of the Guide is that it is the long running publication of the eponymous Dr. Lambshead, who specializes in bizarre diseases. Moreover, the esteemed Dr. Lambshead is 102 years old, and his guide focuses on diseases that are, shall we say, beyond the pale of modern medicine. From Bone Leprosy to Wife Blindness there isn't an eccentric or discredited disease uncovered by such medical luminaries as Jeff Vandermeer, Paul Di Fillipo, China Mieville and K. J. Bishop (to name a few).

The book begins with two introductions, one from Lambshead and one from the editors, both of which are hilarious. The book concludes with entries from past guides, as well as remembrances from Lambshead's associates, a history of the guide and biographies of each of the contributors (in doctor manifestation, of course). However, the obvious reason to read the Guide is the meat between these two pieces of bread: the diseases. Each author spends anywhere from two to four pages detailing the history, cause and treatment of their own particular disease.

It would be impossible to consider each contribution here, and would spoil the fun of the book for other readers, but there are a few highlights worth mentioning just to offer the flavor of the Guide. First up is Michael Barry's "Ballistic Organ Syndrome" which should be self-explanatory, and which nicely sets the tone for the rest of the Guide. China Mieville's "Buscard's Murrain" is the first (and best) of several literary, or word based, diseases; it's characterized by his dry wit and excellent use of language and tone. Michael Cisco's "Clear Rice Syndrome" has an almost Lovecraft-ian feel, and is one of several contributions that could easily be fleshed out into something longer. John Coulthart's "Printer's Evil" is cleverly placed within historical context and is superbly printed (more on this later). Finally, there is "Tian Shan-Gobi Assimilation" by Jeff Vandermeer; not only is it another disease that could easily turn into something bigger, but it echoes numerous themes in his Ambergris work (without explicitly tying back to them) and will thus be a particular treat for fans of his work. These are just a few of the many great contributions to the Guide, and my failure to mention others shouldn't be treated as an indictment, but rather as an acknowledgement of the consistently high standard of writing displayed throughout the guide.

As one can discern, the writing more than justifies the purchase price of the Guide, but what clinches it is the superb quality of the presentation. Liberal use is made of different fonts to denote different periods in the Guide's history, and occasionally (as in the case of the aforementioned "Printer's Evil") to lend a period effect to a given disease. However, the superb illustrations are what set the guide apart. First, each disease is provided with an illustration, in the style of an 18th century illustrated book or newspaper (or the Wall Street Journal today). Some are grotesque, some hilariously subtle, but they all nicely capture the disease in one snapshot. Secondly, there are photographs of "old" copies of the guide and various locations and personalities, all of which are beautifully presented such that they actually look like a sixty year old book or a team of doctors working to contain a vicious outbreak of venereal disease or what have you.

Finally, the editors brought a real sense of historical weight to the Guide by creating "characters" and texts that appear repeatedly throughout the Guide. Not only does this link together what would otherwise be largely unrelated vignettes, but it also deepens the satire by creating a comprehensive sense of realism around an entirely absurd creation.

Clever in its conception and execution, contributed to by an astonishingly talented pool of authors, and beautifully produced, "The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases" is an absolute joy to read and a must have for anyone who appreciates books as works of art. Its mind-bending amalgam of genres and influences is all the more intriguing for their smooth integration into one truly original work; the Guide was an enormously ambitious project that the contributors, and especially the editors, pulled off in spades.

Enjoy!

Jake Mohlman

Editorial Review:

From Delusions of Universal Grandeur to Twentieth Century Chronoshock, this amusing pocket guide to concocted diseases - designed and illustrated by John Coulthart - features an anthology of slightly morbid, darkly humorous ailments and prognosis srved up by such renowned luminaries as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Michael Moorcock, Gahan Wilson, Brian Stableford, and Michael Bishop.

Miracleman Book One: A Dream of Flying

Alan Moore

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Brilliant portrayal of a superhero in the "real" world 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

In "MiracleMan" (UK vt. "MarvelMan") Alan Moore places a classic superhero type in the "real" world - a world very much like this one, in which people who see a man in tights are not going to think "super".

During a terrorist hijacking at a nuclear plant news photographer Michael Moran suffers a debilitating headache and mutters a word he sees from the wrong side of a glass door. And is transformed.

But people don't know what to make of a man who is invulnerable and can fly, and that includes Moran's wife. She asks why she'd never heard of MiracleMan and his now-remembered superfriends, and he has no answer. And the truth of the matter is world-shaking, literally.

This is just an outstanding book. The series hit a very dark spot in a later volume, one which I found personally distasteful, and it seemed to lose its focus by the time Neil Gaiman took it over; unfortunately it was never finished. Nonetheless, an excellent and enduring deconstruction of the idea of the superhero.

I'd recommend Moore's "V for Vendetta" to those who like this book.

One point: the graphic novel edition (the one that I have anyway), is missing several pages which were included at the beginning of the original comic. The comic began with a deliberately cheesy Captain Marvel-style story about time travel, but suddenly froze at the end of the story and zoomed in on MiracleMan's face, panel by panel. "Behold I teach you the superman: he is this lightning, he is this madness!" -Nietzsche, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra". The next page was the beginning of the graphic novel, with a far more realistic art and writing style. A very effective demonstration of what Moore planned to do to the cliches of the superhero genre. I don't know why it was eliminated.

Mr. Majestic

Joe Casey, Alan Moore

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Unbelievable!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

To start this if you like Superman and Supreme then you should be right at home with Mr. Majestic. This guy has it all enough strength to rearrange a solar system move and destroy planets using either his physical strength or his other powers. Majestic maybe the most powerful Superman copycat to date. The story is good art is also pretty good. Majestic takes Superman to new levels in everyway possible. Read it for yourself you will see what I am talking about.

Mr Majestic, an unashamed Superhero... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book.

No, it isn't Alan Moore's Supreme, but it is a Super-Hero book in the way that, sadly, Superman is not...

If that makes sense.

It's a Super-Hero book about a character that's actually NOT afraid of being one. You know, a guy who actually enjoys being able to change the course of mighty rivers and bending steel in his bare hands.

In other words Casey and McGuinness give us a SMART, CONFIDENT, SECURE Superman... er Mr. Majestic.

There isn't much time spent on alter-egos or supporting casts & there's no Peter Parker angst to this character. That's not to say there isn't any pathos, but for the most part Mr. Majestic is just straight forward heroics in a proactive, positive and unrestricted way that Superman can only now dream of.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the Superhero genre and of a time that has sadly passed by...