Has any comic been as lauded as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns but Watchmen remains the critics' favourite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller's fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre's finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and recently From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to garner praise since.

The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore's characterisation is as sophisticated as any novel's. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling, rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control--indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making "adult" comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD's Rogue Trooper and DC's Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore's paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other "works" and "studies" on Moore's characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the fine pace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up--it retains its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. --Mark Thwaite

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

V for Vendetta is, like its author's later Watchmen, a landmark in comic-book writing. Alan Moore has led the field in intelligent, politically astute (if slightly paranoid), complex adult comic-book writing since the early 1980s. He began V back in 1981 and it constituted one of his first attempts (along with the criminally neglected but equally superb Miracleman) at writing an ongoing series. It is 1998 (which was the future back then!) and a Fascist government has taken over the UK. The only blot on its particular landscape is a lone terrorist who is systematically killing all the government personnel associated with a now destroyed secret concentration camp. Codename V is out for vengeance ... and an awful lot more. V feels slightly dated like all past premonitions do. The original series was black and white and that added to the grittiness of the feel while the colouring here in the graphic novel sometimes blurs David Lloyd's fine drawing. But these are small concerns. Skilfully plotted, V is an essential read for all those who love comics and the freedom, as a medium, they allow a writer as skilled as Moore. The graphic novel contains all the V series plus two additional stories concerning V that were originally considered "interludes". This edition also contains an essay from Moore dating from 1983 explaining the creation process. For any comic fan it's a must-have. --Mark Thwaite

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

Infinitely preferable to the film, 19 Aug 2008
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

Good work, but totally spoiled..., 14 Aug 2008
A potentially excellent work of graphic fiction, but totally spoiled by the worst attempt at phonetically transcribing a Scottish accent I've ever read--when you read it out loud it sounds it a bit like Russ Abbott's "See You Jimmy" character. Embarrassing and unnecessary when there are so many great Scottish comic book writers who could have assisted.

The V-effekt of V for Vendetta , 27 Jul 2008
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's aesthetic seems almost Brechtian. With a sci-fi motif it distances the reader from the universal political issues being addressed; amusingly, V for Vendetta could be said to use Brecht's V-effekt. There is a strong dialectic that runs throughout, a sense of determinism layered symbolism. All V's Larkhill targets personify aspects of the state. Science is embodied by Delia Surridge, military and media by Lewis Prothero and religion by Anthony Lilliman. Each takes an attitude of opposition; so Lilliman is the unrepentant leader of an institution of salvation, whilst Surridge seeks repentance from the opposed standpoint of a scientist. Prothero, by representing the military become media, is in himself a synthesis between the power of rhetoric and that of violence, which ultimately spawns a new antithesis resulting in V - anarchy personified.

The secret police are represented by Peter Creedy and the figurehead by Adam Susan; Creedy seeks power as an end in itself, whilst Susan is a deranged idealist who believes in his superiority to the extent that he becomes solipsistic, disconnected from humanity and infatuated with the super computer `fate'. With all of this madness Moore knows how to offer grounding and realism; investigator Eric Finch and orphan Evey Hammond take on the roles of the everyman and everywoman respectively. They offer the audience characters to follow, to empathize with. They are a thread of sanity weaved through this excellent narrative.

Moore's story is also full of intertextual allusion; from Shakespeare to Goethe and from Crowley to Fawkes, this is intelligent writing. The dialogue (replete with convincing phonetic spellings, character ticks and vernacular language) flows beautifully and the absence of thought bubbles or sound bubbles lends this book both a maturity and minimalism. Lloyd is given room by this minimalism to show of his artistic capabilities, which are not at all lacking; this is a gritty, dystopic kind of realism that takes you to the action. Each panel demands your attention.

Overall V for Vendetta is faultless; I love the film as well, but the original is on a different level. This is a comic book that shows you how far the medium can be pushed when it is backed by enough raw creative talent.

Wicked, 22 Jun 2008
I love this graphic novel, I read it a long time before I saw the film, and I still think the novel is better! If you have never read a comic/ graphic novel before, I highly recommend this one.

ESSENTIAL READING just as good as all these 5 star reviews make out, 10 Apr 2008
Just thought I'd add my own opinion to the pile of customer reviews praising this graphic novel through the roof. I've come to comics fairly late and I find comic book mile stones to be funny things. I find that some of them leave me scratching my head and wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place. Others age like wine and reward careful re-reading. V for Vendetta is definitley the latter. The story does miss a beat, the art work is top notch and even the recent medicore movie adaptation doesn't detract from it's power to shock, move and inspire the reader.
This is a book that doesn't require any previous appreciation of comics to get totally lost in. Best of all it's as quintessentially English as tea, Dad's Army and the Queen's speech. Absoluely essential reading!

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

Infinitely preferable to the film, 19 Aug 2008
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

Good work, but totally spoiled..., 14 Aug 2008
A potentially excellent work of graphic fiction, but totally spoiled by the worst attempt at phonetically transcribing a Scottish accent I've ever read--when you read it out loud it sounds it a bit like Russ Abbott's "See You Jimmy" character. Embarrassing and unnecessary when there are so many great Scottish comic book writers who could have assisted.

The V-effekt of V for Vendetta , 27 Jul 2008
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's aesthetic seems almost Brechtian. With a sci-fi motif it distances the reader from the universal political issues being addressed; amusingly, V for Vendetta could be said to use Brecht's V-effekt. There is a strong dialectic that runs throughout, a sense of determinism layered symbolism. All V's Larkhill targets personify aspects of the state. Science is embodied by Delia Surridge, military and media by Lewis Prothero and religion by Anthony Lilliman. Each takes an attitude of opposition; so Lilliman is the unrepentant leader of an institution of salvation, whilst Surridge seeks repentance from the opposed standpoint of a scientist. Prothero, by representing the military become media, is in himself a synthesis between the power of rhetoric and that of violence, which ultimately spawns a new antithesis resulting in V - anarchy personified.

The secret police are represented by Peter Creedy and the figurehead by Adam Susan; Creedy seeks power as an end in itself, whilst Susan is a deranged idealist who believes in his superiority to the extent that he becomes solipsistic, disconnected from humanity and infatuated with the super computer `fate'. With all of this madness Moore knows how to offer grounding and realism; investigator Eric Finch and orphan Evey Hammond take on the roles of the everyman and everywoman respectively. They offer the audience characters to follow, to empathize with. They are a thread of sanity weaved through this excellent narrative.

Moore's story is also full of intertextual allusion; from Shakespeare to Goethe and from Crowley to Fawkes, this is intelligent writing. The dialogue (replete with convincing phonetic spellings, character ticks and vernacular language) flows beautifully and the absence of thought bubbles or sound bubbles lends this book both a maturity and minimalism. Lloyd is given room by this minimalism to show of his artistic capabilities, which are not at all lacking; this is a gritty, dystopic kind of realism that takes you to the action. Each panel demands your attention.

Overall V for Vendetta is faultless; I love the film as well, but the original is on a different level. This is a comic book that shows you how far the medium can be pushed when it is backed by enough raw creative talent.

Wicked, 22 Jun 2008
I love this graphic novel, I read it a long time before I saw the film, and I still think the novel is better! If you have never read a comic/ graphic novel before, I highly recommend this one.

ESSENTIAL READING just as good as all these 5 star reviews make out, 10 Apr 2008
Just thought I'd add my own opinion to the pile of customer reviews praising this graphic novel through the roof. I've come to comics fairly late and I find comic book mile stones to be funny things. I find that some of them leave me scratching my head and wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place. Others age like wine and reward careful re-reading. V for Vendetta is definitley the latter. The story does miss a beat, the art work is top notch and even the recent medicore movie adaptation doesn't detract from it's power to shock, move and inspire the reader.
This is a book that doesn't require any previous appreciation of comics to get totally lost in. Best of all it's as quintessentially English as tea, Dad's Army and the Queen's speech. Absoluely essential reading!

Are you trying to avoid it?, 25 May 2008
I had known of this book for about a year when i finally decided to buy it. I was put off by the slightly dodgy artwork and the very serious nature of the plot which to me is not what comics are about. Anyway,I wanted to read it so i could come on hear and rant about how it is an over-rated waste of time but I cant. The art isnt perfect i agree but it has its charms and as you read the story you really do get into the simplistic nature of it,it works for this,it doesnt distract from the story which over stylised art would. The story is VERY well written and everything i read totally shocked and moved me.
The jist of my review is - if you are put off by the art but you liked schindlers list or have a fascination with hearing about the holocaust from a personal perspective then you have to read this book. It would get 5 stars from me if I genuinely felt that everyone would like the artwork but I know thats not gonna happen but everyone who isnt an anti-semite must read this story!

Masterpiece, 11 Apr 2008
Only graphic novel to date to win the Pulitzer Price.

That should be compelling enough to endear anyone to this masterwork.

The drawing isn't perhaps as expressive as that of Sacco, but the novelty in Maus not only comes from the controversial bestialization of the characters (Poles are pigs, Jews are mice, Germans are cats, etc) but also from the timeline jumps that mix the chilling tale of Vladek's survival of Auschwitz and the author's process of discovery and acceptance of his father's personality as he is retold the survivor's tale.

So while we are presented with the horror's faced by Vladek, the book also deals with the strained relationship between the author and his father, his father's second wife and the author's converted wife.

One can only praise Spiegelman's honesty at the less than perfect portray of the old age Vladek and his own insecurities.


Searing honesty, 31 Mar 2008
"Maus" is an amazing accomplishment and a rightly revered classic. What I admire most about its narrative is its honesty. If Spielberg ever adapted this book as a film, it would become a simplistic, black-and-white affair: one-dimensional Nazi aggressors stamping on one-dimensional Jewish victims. Instead, Spiegelman has opted to respect our intelligence and throw the doors wide open on this repellent slice of human history. He pulls no punches and tells his father's story with abject truth - even when sometimes portraying the Jewish community in a less than flattering light.

In the unflinching pages of "Maus", Jews betray Jews. Jews steal from Jews. Jews discriminate against non-Jews. I sat up with a shock when Vladek, the tale's central holocaust survivor, displays unbelievable racism towards a black man. Having lived through unspeakable persecution, he speaks of African-Americans in the same way that a Nazi would speak of a Jew. Also, in his old age, Vladek has come to resemble the Nazi stereotype of the "miserly old Jew". This adds incredible power and depth to this already complex story, throwing up countless questions on morality, racial identity and the grey area between good and evil.

It is a staggeringly brave book and its courage has sealed its success. I only wish more artists out would get some guts and show the world some work that really matters.


Rupert in Nazi germany, 10 Mar 2008
I have respect for the author in that it was brave to explore the subject of the holocaust in comic book form- quite an original thing to do. His story is an important one to tell. However, this does not take away the fact that Spiegelman can't draw. The art is in black and white with no rendering and Spiegelman's style is flat and bland.
In this comic book, the jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. The people have animal heads and human bodies-like Rupert bear! That is the last thing you want to think about when reading a book about the holocaust.
And as a person who has experienced having mice in my house (mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer is not pleasant) I find it hard to sympathise with any cartoon mouse.

More Important Than Mickey, 14 May 2007
I cannot be the only person who had become jaded by Hollywood's over use of the "Holocaust" button as a short circuit to character depth and motivation. Then I read this and was moved much more than all those movies and TV dramas could ever manage.

As has been said elsewhere, overcome your reluctance to read and comic book/graphic novel and this book rewards with lifelong meaning and resonance. Clever, funny and desperately sad all at once.

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

Infinitely preferable to the film, 19 Aug 2008
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

Good work, but totally spoiled..., 14 Aug 2008
A potentially excellent work of graphic fiction, but totally spoiled by the worst attempt at phonetically transcribing a Scottish accent I've ever read--when you read it out loud it sounds it a bit like Russ Abbott's "See You Jimmy" character. Embarrassing and unnecessary when there are so many great Scottish comic book writers who could have assisted.

The V-effekt of V for Vendetta , 27 Jul 2008
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's aesthetic seems almost Brechtian. With a sci-fi motif it distances the reader from the universal political issues being addressed; amusingly, V for Vendetta could be said to use Brecht's V-effekt. There is a strong dialectic that runs throughout, a sense of determinism layered symbolism. All V's Larkhill targets personify aspects of the state. Science is embodied by Delia Surridge, military and media by Lewis Prothero and religion by Anthony Lilliman. Each takes an attitude of opposition; so Lilliman is the unrepentant leader of an institution of salvation, whilst Surridge seeks repentance from the opposed standpoint of a scientist. Prothero, by representing the military become media, is in himself a synthesis between the power of rhetoric and that of violence, which ultimately spawns a new antithesis resulting in V - anarchy personified.

The secret police are represented by Peter Creedy and the figurehead by Adam Susan; Creedy seeks power as an end in itself, whilst Susan is a deranged idealist who believes in his superiority to the extent that he becomes solipsistic, disconnected from humanity and infatuated with the super computer `fate'. With all of this madness Moore knows how to offer grounding and realism; investigator Eric Finch and orphan Evey Hammond take on the roles of the everyman and everywoman respectively. They offer the audience characters to follow, to empathize with. They are a thread of sanity weaved through this excellent narrative.

Moore's story is also full of intertextual allusion; from Shakespeare to Goethe and from Crowley to Fawkes, this is intelligent writing. The dialogue (replete with convincing phonetic spellings, character ticks and vernacular language) flows beautifully and the absence of thought bubbles or sound bubbles lends this book both a maturity and minimalism. Lloyd is given room by this minimalism to show of his artistic capabilities, which are not at all lacking; this is a gritty, dystopic kind of realism that takes you to the action. Each panel demands your attention.

Overall V for Vendetta is faultless; I love the film as well, but the original is on a different level. This is a comic book that shows you how far the medium can be pushed when it is backed by enough raw creative talent.

Wicked, 22 Jun 2008
I love this graphic novel, I read it a long time before I saw the film, and I still think the novel is better! If you have never read a comic/ graphic novel before, I highly recommend this one.

ESSENTIAL READING just as good as all these 5 star reviews make out, 10 Apr 2008
Just thought I'd add my own opinion to the pile of customer reviews praising this graphic novel through the roof. I've come to comics fairly late and I find comic book mile stones to be funny things. I find that some of them leave me scratching my head and wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place. Others age like wine and reward careful re-reading. V for Vendetta is definitley the latter. The story does miss a beat, the art work is top notch and even the recent medicore movie adaptation doesn't detract from it's power to shock, move and inspire the reader.
This is a book that doesn't require any previous appreciation of comics to get totally lost in. Best of all it's as quintessentially English as tea, Dad's Army and the Queen's speech. Absoluely essential reading!

Are you trying to avoid it?, 25 May 2008
I had known of this book for about a year when i finally decided to buy it. I was put off by the slightly dodgy artwork and the very serious nature of the plot which to me is not what comics are about. Anyway,I wanted to read it so i could come on hear and rant about how it is an over-rated waste of time but I cant. The art isnt perfect i agree but it has its charms and as you read the story you really do get into the simplistic nature of it,it works for this,it doesnt distract from the story which over stylised art would. The story is VERY well written and everything i read totally shocked and moved me.
The jist of my review is - if you are put off by the art but you liked schindlers list or have a fascination with hearing about the holocaust from a personal perspective then you have to read this book. It would get 5 stars from me if I genuinely felt that everyone would like the artwork but I know thats not gonna happen but everyone who isnt an anti-semite must read this story!

Masterpiece, 11 Apr 2008
Only graphic novel to date to win the Pulitzer Price.

That should be compelling enough to endear anyone to this masterwork.

The drawing isn't perhaps as expressive as that of Sacco, but the novelty in Maus not only comes from the controversial bestialization of the characters (Poles are pigs, Jews are mice, Germans are cats, etc) but also from the timeline jumps that mix the chilling tale of Vladek's survival of Auschwitz and the author's process of discovery and acceptance of his father's personality as he is retold the survivor's tale.

So while we are presented with the horror's faced by Vladek, the book also deals with the strained relationship between the author and his father, his father's second wife and the author's converted wife.

One can only praise Spiegelman's honesty at the less than perfect portray of the old age Vladek and his own insecurities.


Searing honesty, 31 Mar 2008
"Maus" is an amazing accomplishment and a rightly revered classic. What I admire most about its narrative is its honesty. If Spielberg ever adapted this book as a film, it would become a simplistic, black-and-white affair: one-dimensional Nazi aggressors stamping on one-dimensional Jewish victims. Instead, Spiegelman has opted to respect our intelligence and throw the doors wide open on this repellent slice of human history. He pulls no punches and tells his father's story with abject truth - even when sometimes portraying the Jewish community in a less than flattering light.

In the unflinching pages of "Maus", Jews betray Jews. Jews steal from Jews. Jews discriminate against non-Jews. I sat up with a shock when Vladek, the tale's central holocaust survivor, displays unbelievable racism towards a black man. Having lived through unspeakable persecution, he speaks of African-Americans in the same way that a Nazi would speak of a Jew. Also, in his old age, Vladek has come to resemble the Nazi stereotype of the "miserly old Jew". This adds incredible power and depth to this already complex story, throwing up countless questions on morality, racial identity and the grey area between good and evil.

It is a staggeringly brave book and its courage has sealed its success. I only wish more artists out would get some guts and show the world some work that really matters.


Rupert in Nazi germany, 10 Mar 2008
I have respect for the author in that it was brave to explore the subject of the holocaust in comic book form- quite an original thing to do. His story is an important one to tell. However, this does not take away the fact that Spiegelman can't draw. The art is in black and white with no rendering and Spiegelman's style is flat and bland.
In this comic book, the jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. The people have animal heads and human bodies-like Rupert bear! That is the last thing you want to think about when reading a book about the holocaust.
And as a person who has experienced having mice in my house (mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer is not pleasant) I find it hard to sympathise with any cartoon mouse.

More Important Than Mickey, 14 May 2007
I cannot be the only person who had become jaded by Hollywood's over use of the "Holocaust" button as a short circuit to character depth and motivation. Then I read this and was moved much more than all those movies and TV dramas could ever manage.

As has been said elsewhere, overcome your reluctance to read and comic book/graphic novel and this book rewards with lifelong meaning and resonance. Clever, funny and desperately sad all at once.


Decent collection, crappy cover, 03 Oct 2008
Another decent addition to the Complete Judge Dredd collection - OZ was never one of my favourite storylines but it's still pretty entertaining. However, I must agree with the previous review, the cover is awful. Gone are the classy, simple, 2-tone covers of the previous 10 volumes. It it's place is this gaudy mess. What's a matter Rebellion, can't your art director choose more than 10 colours without running out of ideas? Do us a favour, buy him a Pantone book and go back to the earlier style.


Another great volume, almost, 02 Oct 2008

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Volume 11 is another excellent addition to the series, most notably for the 'Chopper in Oz' storyline.

But why oh why did they choose to change the cover design?!? The first ten volumes look lovely on my shelf, and now this book is about to upset the equilibrium with inverted colours and a Dredd shield in place of the 'U'!

Bah. I guess I'm just far too picky...

"I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." Having proved himself peerless in the arena of reinterpreting superheroes, Alan Moore turned his ever-incisive eye to the squalid, enigmatic world of Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders of 1888. Weighing in at 576 pages, From Hell is certainly the most epic of Moore's works and remarkably and is possibly his finest effort yet in a career punctuated by such glorious highlights as Watchmen and V for Vendetta . Going beyond the myriad existing theories, which range from the sublime to the ridiculous, Moore presents an ingenious take on the slaughter. His Ripper's brutal activities are the epicentre of a conspiracy involving the very heart of the British Establishment, including the Freemasons and The Royal Family. A popular claim, which is transformed through Moore's exquisite and thoroughly gripping vision, of the Ripper crimes being the womb from which the 20th century, so enmeshed in the celebrity culture of violence, received its shocking, visceral birth. Bolstered by meticulous research that encompasses a wide spectrum of Ripper studies and myths and coupled with his ability to evoke sympathies in such monstrous characters, Moore has created perhaps the finest examination of the Ripper legacy, observing far beyond society's obsessive need to expose Evil's visage. Ultimately, as Moore observes, Jack's identity and his actions are inconsequential to the manner in which society embraced the Fear: "It's about us. It's about our minds and how they dance. Jack mirrors our hysterias. Faceless, he is the receptacle for each new social panic." Eddie Campbell's stunning black and white artwork, replete with a scratchy, dirty sheen, is perfectly matched to the often-unshakeable intensity of Moore's writing. Between them, each murder is rendered in horrifying detail, providing the book's most unnerving scenes, made more so in uncomfortable, yet lyrical moments as when the villain embraces an eviscerated corpse, craving understanding; pleading that they "are wed in legend, inextricable within eternity". Though technically a comic, the term hardly begins to describe From Hell's inimitable grandeur and finesse, as it takes the medium to fresh heights of ingenuity and craftsmanship. Moore and Campbell's autopsy on the emaciated corpse of the Ripper myth has divulged a deeply disturbing yet undeniably captivating masterpiece. --Danny Graydon

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

Infinitely preferable to the film, 19 Aug 2008
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

Good work, but totally spoiled..., 14 Aug 2008
A potentially excellent work of graphic fiction, but totally spoiled by the worst attempt at phonetically transcribing a Scottish accent I've ever read--when you read it out loud it sounds it a bit like Russ Abbott's "See You Jimmy" character. Embarrassing and unnecessary when there are so many great Scottish comic book writers who could have assisted.

The V-effekt of V for Vendetta , 27 Jul 2008
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's aesthetic seems almost Brechtian. With a sci-fi motif it distances the reader from the universal political issues being addressed; amusingly, V for Vendetta could be said to use Brecht's V-effekt. There is a strong dialectic that runs throughout, a sense of determinism layered symbolism. All V's Larkhill targets personify aspects of the state. Science is embodied by Delia Surridge, military and media by Lewis Prothero and religion by Anthony Lilliman. Each takes an attitude of opposition; so Lilliman is the unrepentant leader of an institution of salvation, whilst Surridge seeks repentance from the opposed standpoint of a scientist. Prothero, by representing the military become media, is in himself a synthesis between the power of rhetoric and that of violence, which ultimately spawns a new antithesis resulting in V - anarchy personified.

The secret police are represented by Peter Creedy and the figurehead by Adam Susan; Creedy seeks power as an end in itself, whilst Susan is a deranged idealist who believes in his superiority to the extent that he becomes solipsistic, disconnected from humanity and infatuated with the super computer `fate'. With all of this madness Moore knows how to offer grounding and realism; investigator Eric Finch and orphan Evey Hammond take on the roles of the everyman and everywoman respectively. They offer the audience characters to follow, to empathize with. They are a thread of sanity weaved through this excellent narrative.

Moore's story is also full of intertextual allusion; from Shakespeare to Goethe and from Crowley to Fawkes, this is intelligent writing. The dialogue (replete with convincing phonetic spellings, character ticks and vernacular language) flows beautifully and the absence of thought bubbles or sound bubbles lends this book both a maturity and minimalism. Lloyd is given room by this minimalism to show of his artistic capabilities, which are not at all lacking; this is a gritty, dystopic kind of realism that takes you to the action. Each panel demands your attention.

Overall V for Vendetta is faultless; I love the film as well, but the original is on a different level. This is a comic book that shows you how far the medium can be pushed when it is backed by enough raw creative talent.

Wicked, 22 Jun 2008
I love this graphic novel, I read it a long time before I saw the film, and I still think the novel is better! If you have never read a comic/ graphic novel before, I highly recommend this one.

ESSENTIAL READING just as good as all these 5 star reviews make out, 10 Apr 2008
Just thought I'd add my own opinion to the pile of customer reviews praising this graphic novel through the roof. I've come to comics fairly late and I find comic book mile stones to be funny things. I find that some of them leave me scratching my head and wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place. Others age like wine and reward careful re-reading. V for Vendetta is definitley the latter. The story does miss a beat, the art work is top notch and even the recent medicore movie adaptation doesn't detract from it's power to shock, move and inspire the reader.
This is a book that doesn't require any previous appreciation of comics to get totally lost in. Best of all it's as quintessentially English as tea, Dad's Army and the Queen's speech. Absoluely essential reading!

Are you trying to avoid it?, 25 May 2008
I had known of this book for about a year when i finally decided to buy it. I was put off by the slightly dodgy artwork and the very serious nature of the plot which to me is not what comics are about. Anyway,I wanted to read it so i could come on hear and rant about how it is an over-rated waste of time but I cant. The art isnt perfect i agree but it has its charms and as you read the story you really do get into the simplistic nature of it,it works for this,it doesnt distract from the story which over stylised art would. The story is VERY well written and everything i read totally shocked and moved me.
The jist of my review is - if you are put off by the art but you liked schindlers list or have a fascination with hearing about the holocaust from a personal perspective then you have to read this book. It would get 5 stars from me if I genuinely felt that everyone would like the artwork but I know thats not gonna happen but everyone who isnt an anti-semite must read this story!

Masterpiece, 11 Apr 2008
Only graphic novel to date to win the Pulitzer Price.

That should be compelling enough to endear anyone to this masterwork.

The drawing isn't perhaps as expressive as that of Sacco, but the novelty in Maus not only comes from the controversial bestialization of the characters (Poles are pigs, Jews are mice, Germans are cats, etc) but also from the timeline jumps that mix the chilling tale of Vladek's survival of Auschwitz and the author's process of discovery and acceptance of his father's personality as he is retold the survivor's tale.

So while we are presented with the horror's faced by Vladek, the book also deals with the strained relationship between the author and his father, his father's second wife and the author's converted wife.

One can only praise Spiegelman's honesty at the less than perfect portray of the old age Vladek and his own insecurities.


Searing honesty, 31 Mar 2008
"Maus" is an amazing accomplishment and a rightly revered classic. What I admire most about its narrative is its honesty. If Spielberg ever adapted this book as a film, it would become a simplistic, black-and-white affair: one-dimensional Nazi aggressors stamping on one-dimensional Jewish victims. Instead, Spiegelman has opted to respect our intelligence and throw the doors wide open on this repellent slice of human history. He pulls no punches and tells his father's story with abject truth - even when sometimes portraying the Jewish community in a less than flattering light.

In the unflinching pages of "Maus", Jews betray Jews. Jews steal from Jews. Jews discriminate against non-Jews. I sat up with a shock when Vladek, the tale's central holocaust survivor, displays unbelievable racism towards a black man. Having lived through unspeakable persecution, he speaks of African-Americans in the same way that a Nazi would speak of a Jew. Also, in his old age, Vladek has come to resemble the Nazi stereotype of the "miserly old Jew". This adds incredible power and depth to this already complex story, throwing up countless questions on morality, racial identity and the grey area between good and evil.

It is a staggeringly brave book and its courage has sealed its success. I only wish more artists out would get some guts and show the world some work that really matters.


Rupert in Nazi germany, 10 Mar 2008
I have respect for the author in that it was brave to explore the subject of the holocaust in comic book form- quite an original thing to do. His story is an important one to tell. However, this does not take away the fact that Spiegelman can't draw. The art is in black and white with no rendering and Spiegelman's style is flat and bland.
In this comic book, the jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. The people have animal heads and human bodies-like Rupert bear! That is the last thing you want to think about when reading a book about the holocaust.
And as a person who has experienced having mice in my house (mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer is not pleasant) I find it hard to sympathise with any cartoon mouse.

More Important Than Mickey, 14 May 2007
I cannot be the only person who had become jaded by Hollywood's over use of the "Holocaust" button as a short circuit to character depth and motivation. Then I read this and was moved much more than all those movies and TV dramas could ever manage.

As has been said elsewhere, overcome your reluctance to read and comic book/graphic novel and this book rewards with lifelong meaning and resonance. Clever, funny and desperately sad all at once.


Decent collection, crappy cover, 03 Oct 2008
Another decent addition to the Complete Judge Dredd collection - OZ was never one of my favourite storylines but it's still pretty entertaining. However, I must agree with the previous review, the cover is awful. Gone are the classy, simple, 2-tone covers of the previous 10 volumes. It it's place is this gaudy mess. What's a matter Rebellion, can't your art director choose more than 10 colours without running out of ideas? Do us a favour, buy him a Pantone book and go back to the earlier style.


Another great volume, almost, 02 Oct 2008

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Volume 11 is another excellent addition to the series, most notably for the 'Chopper in Oz' storyline.

But why oh why did they choose to change the cover design?!? The first ten volumes look lovely on my shelf, and now this book is about to upset the equilibrium with inverted colours and a Dredd shield in place of the 'U'!

Bah. I guess I'm just far too picky...

Good..., 05 Jul 2008
I read this book over the course of one week,yes it was gripping,yes it was good but lets not get too excited it wasnt great. 2 chapters were so dialogue heavy that I wondered why moore bothered making this a comic and didnt just write a novel. Waaaaaay to much of the book requires you to read the appendix at the back to make any sense of and I'm sorry but I find that both irratating and unimpressive,if the book was really well written I wouldnt need clarification of anyhting. Moore has an obsession with making people see comics as art and make them respected like any great novel or film and it causes him to forget why people read comics in the first place,fun! The art is good,very fitting to the period piece nature of the book. I would recommend this book to try but try and sneak a read in a book shop or borrow a friends before investing,its not for everyone.

Excellent, 28 May 2008
Heavy on craft jargon and historic detail. This is good and bad. Footnotes necessary. Disturbing subject matter unsuitable for youngsters.
An interesting story. Quality of the artwork is not the best at times.

Monumental, 06 Feb 2008
Alan Moore's stated aim was to solve in fiction, that which could not be answered by conventional analysis or enquiry and my word, did he succeed.

A giant tower house of a thing, it must be one the most engrossing reads ever - part examination of the crimes, part critique of Victorian society, part history lesson and part mythical analysis. In some instances even one page can take ages to properly read and understand, but in each an every case it is well worth it. The epilogue `Dance of the Gull Catchers' should be required reading for anyone even remotely interested in history of any sort.

Eddie Campbell's black and white ink-style is wonderfully complimentary to the narrative; you simply couldn't imagine it any other way.

Well done to Topshelf for going all out with this edition - good quality paper (unlike other versions) and a good size and well bound. The only sadness for me was the lack of inclusion of Campbell's cover-paintings for each issue, but no doubt it was the financial consideration - I recommend seeking out the individual editions if you can, or have a look at Eddie Campbell's blog spot for more background and info.

Everyone always talks about `Watchmen' but this powerhouse beast of a thing must rank among Moore's best work, if only because it transcends it's own medium and genre to become something of real relevance way, way beyond what it's initial appearance suggests. I'm not even that curious about the case, but that is almost irrelevant because of the amount of insight this work has in a broader context.

I strongly urge anyone with even a passing interest to check this out - you are unlikely to be disappointed. And if you can, treat yourself to the hardback edition.


From Hell The Compleat Scripts, 27 Jul 2007
All the other reviews are for From Hell the Graphic Novel whilst this book is From Hell the Compleat scripts . This is a book that prints Alan moores Scripts for the comic book series and gives the reader an idea of the detail that alan moore invests into his work. A great book for potential script writers or like myself an admirer of this authors work who is much under rated in the modern literary world. Comics is still regarded as a substandard art form by those who are unfortunately in control of weak minded fools.

A WORK OF ART, 13 Jul 2007
What makes FROM HELL such an extraordinary example of sequential art is the fact that both the script and the art work are faultless and fantastic on their own but even better when combined. Moore's superb story and Campbell's incredible black and white are a match made in heaven. The novel is essentially a piece of "Victoriana" peppered with artistic, historical and literary references to the period creating an overall reality effect ( the voices of the characters sound real and genuine) that contrasts greatly with the fantastic aspects of the work ( the masonic conspiracy and the introduction of a whole cast of period personalities such as Wilde, the Elephant man and Queen Victoria herself). The art work is sensational and so appropriate that it makes one wonder if Moore and Campbell are not twins separated at birth. Campbell's style is sketchy (I believe that he worked in the fashion industry) which allows him to create a whole world of characters and urban landscapes in an energetic and very dynamic way. The characters are so well defined and yet on occasion they are nothing more than impressionist etchings. And Campbell's visual representation of Victorian London and its architecture is simply formidable.

Frank Miller's Sin City is visually quite astonishing. A brutal adult noir set in the fictional Basin City, Miller's black and white artwork realises the atmosphere of some weird Depression-era-style future superbly well. Our principal character, Marv, is a giant, as large as he is ugly, who has found some peace, some kindness, some shelter in the arms of a prostitute called Goldie. Goldie, running from someone, scared as hell, needs protection as much as Marv needs a little human kindness. Hauling himself out of the depths of a huge hangover Marv wakes to find Goldie murdered. And revenge is one of the things Marv does best. While the artwork is undeniably fine the story is rather thin in places, and the sound effects come a little too thick and fast. Although not a great comic it is a very good one and, as the first part of the classic Sin City series, the beginning chapter in what has become an essential addition to the adult graphic novel collector's list. --Mark Thwaite

spend your money on frank miller instead, 11 Oct 2008
best graphic novel ever written, superb ivestigation of a heroes psyche, amazginly written. This is why i bought this book. What reviewers forgot to inform me though was the total lack of entertainment!! Over elaborate story, unnecassary comic within in a comic pirate story line and total disregard for what a comic book is supposed to be - entertaining!

I felt this comic was hugely self important, almost pretentious.

Trust me just get frank millers back catalogue instead!

AN AQUIRED TASTE, 23 Sep 2008
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received and the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.

The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing and exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developments in the main story take an age to develop.

Some of the characters in Watchmen are brilliantly realised and in the case of Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting and are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero and as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it is in some areas a weakness with pacing and plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever and self-indulgent in places.

Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developments in the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich and well developed with none of the baggage and a more exciting and involving story.



WATCHMEN, 16 Sep 2008
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic and I was really intrested in finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!

Hasn't aged well..., 09 Sep 2008
Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining and influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation and documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activity in the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.

Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links and overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticated in the world of comics now seems very arch and even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.

Watchmen's place in the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, but in comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, and European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.

It's a classic for a reason, 05 Sep 2008
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated and rings even more true in today's current environment. Well inked as well.

It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.

Infinitely preferable to the film, 19 Aug 2008
Great. This deserves the hype but not the butchering it received on film at the hands of the Wachowksi brothers. This is really about Thatcher's Britain and nuclear winters and the social control of 'deviant' minorities and the power of dissent. So it has something to say about today. But don't read it as a proxy for political critique. It is a joy for many a reason, of which its anarchist politics is one, but our present predicaments require something less wedded to Cold War models. V for Vendetta is of its time, by which I mean also that it is a classic.

Good work, but totally spoiled..., 14 Aug 2008
A potentially excellent work of graphic fiction, but totally spoiled by the worst attempt at phonetically transcribing a Scottish accent I've ever read--when you read it out loud it sounds it a bit like Russ Abbott's "See You Jimmy" character. Embarrassing and unnecessary when there are so many great Scottish comic book writers who could have assisted.

The V-effekt of V for Vendetta , 27 Jul 2008
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's aesthetic seems almost Brechtian. With a sci-fi motif it distances the reader from the universal political issues being addressed; amusingly, V for Vendetta could be said to use Brecht's V-effekt. There is a strong dialectic that runs throughout, a sense of determinism layered symbolism. All V's Larkhill targets personify aspects of the state. Science is embodied by Delia Surridge, military and media by Lewis Prothero and religion by Anthony Lilliman. Each takes an attitude of opposition; so Lilliman is the unrepentant leader of an institution of salvation, whilst Surridge seeks repentance from the opposed standpoint of a scientist. Prothero, by representing the military become media, is in himself a synthesis between the power of rhetoric and that of violence, which ultimately spawns a new antithesis resulting in V - anarchy personified.

The secret police are represented by Peter Creedy and the figurehead by Adam Susan; Creedy seeks power as an end in itself, whilst Susan is a deranged idealist who believes in his superiority to the extent that he becomes solipsistic, disconnected from humanity and infatuated with the super computer `fate'. With all of this madness Moore knows how to offer grounding and realism; investigator Eric Finch and orphan Evey Hammond take on the roles of the everyman and everywoman respectively. They offer the audience characters to follow, to empathize with. They are a thread of sanity weaved through this excellent narrative.

Moore's story is also full of intertextual allusion; from Shakespeare to Goethe and from Crowley to Fawkes, this is intelligent writing. The dialogue (replete with convincing phonetic spellings, character ticks and vernacular language) flows beautifully and the absence of thought bubbles or sound bubbles lends this book both a maturity and minimalism. Lloyd is given room by this minimalism to show of his artistic capabilities, which are not at all lacking; this is a gritty, dystopic kind of realism that takes you to the action. Each panel demands your attention.

Overall V for Vendetta is faultless; I love the film as well, but the original is on a different level. This is a comic book that shows you how far the medium can be pushed when it is backed by enough raw creative talent.

Wicked, 22 Jun 2008
I love this graphic novel, I read it a long time before I saw the film, and I still think the novel is better! If you have never read a comic/ graphic novel before, I highly recommend this one.

ESSENTIAL READING just as good as all these 5 star reviews make out, 10 Apr 2008
Just thought I'd add my own opinion to the pile of customer reviews praising this graphic novel through the roof. I've come to comics fairly late and I find comic book mile stones to be funny things. I find that some of them leave me scratching my head and wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place. Others age like wine and reward careful re-reading. V for Vendetta is definitley the latter. The story does miss a beat, the art work is top notch and even the recent medicore movie adaptation doesn't detract from it's power to shock, move and inspire the reader.
This is a book that doesn't require any previous appreciation of comics to get totally lost in. Best of all it's as quintessentially English as tea, Dad's Army and the Queen's speech. Absoluely essential reading!

Are you trying to avoid it?, 25 May 2008
I had known of this book for about a year when i finally decided to buy it. I was put off by the slightly dodgy artwork and the very serious nature of the plot which to me is not what comics are about. Anyway,I wanted to read it so i could come on hear and rant about how it is an over-rated waste of time but I cant. The art isnt perfect i agree but it has its charms and as you read the story you really do get into the simplistic nature of it,it works for this,it doesnt distract from the story which over stylised art would. The story is VERY well written and everything i read totally shocked and moved me.
The jist of my review is - if you are put off by the art but you liked schindlers list or have a fascination with hearing about the holocaust from a personal perspective then you have to read this book. It would get 5 stars from me if I genuinely felt that everyone would like the artwork but I know thats not gonna happen but everyone who isnt an anti-semite must read this story!

Masterpiece, 11 Apr 2008
Only graphic novel to date to win the Pulitzer Price.

That should be compelling enough to endear anyone to this masterwork.

The drawing isn't perhaps as expressive as that of Sacco, but the novelty in Maus not only comes from the controversial bestialization of the characters (Poles are pigs, Jews are mice, Germans are cats, etc) but also from the timeline jumps that mix the chilling tale of Vladek's survival of Auschwitz and the author's process of discovery and acceptance of his father's personality as he is retold the survivor's tale.

So while we are presented with the horror's faced by Vladek, the book also deals with the strained relationship between the author and his father, his father's second wife and the author's converted wife.

One can only praise Spiegelman's honesty at the less than perfect portray of the old age Vladek and his own insecurities.


Searing honesty, 31 Mar 2008
"Maus" is an amazing accomplishment and a rightly revered classic. What I admire most about its narrative is its honesty. If Spielberg ever adapted this book as a film, it would become a simplistic, black-and-white affair: one-dimensional Nazi aggressors stamping on one-dimensional Jewish victims. Instead, Spiegelman has opted to respect our intelligence and throw the doors wide open on this repellent slice of human history. He pulls no punches and tells his father's story with abject truth - even when sometimes portraying the Jewish community in a less than flattering light.

In the unflinching pages of "Maus", Jews betray Jews. Jews steal from Jews. Jews discriminate against non-Jews. I sat up with a shock when Vladek, the tale's central holocaust survivor, displays unbelievable racism towards a black man. Having lived through unspeakable persecution, he speaks of African-Americans in the same way that a Nazi would speak of a Jew. Also, in his old age, Vladek has come to resemble the Nazi stereotype of the "miserly old Jew". This adds incredible power and depth to this already complex story, throwing up countless questions on morality, racial identity and the grey area between good and evil.

It is a staggeringly brave book and its courage has sealed its success. I only wish more artists out would get some guts and show the world some work that really matters.


Rupert in Nazi germany, 10 Mar 2008
I have respect for the author in that it was brave to explore the subject of the holocaust in comic book form- quite an original thing to do. His story is an important one to tell. However, this does not take away the fact that Spiegelman can't draw. The art is in black and white with no rendering and Spiegelman's style is flat and bland.
In this comic book, the jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. The people have animal heads and human bodies-like Rupert bear! That is the last thing you want to think about when reading a book about the holocaust.
And as a person who has experienced having mice in my house (mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer is not pleasant) I find it hard to sympathise with any cartoon mouse.

More Important Than Mickey, 14 May 2007
I cannot be the only person who had become jaded by Hollywood's over use of the "Holocaust" button as a short circuit to character depth and motivation. Then I read this and was moved much more than all those movies and TV dramas could ever manage.

As has been said elsewhere, overcome your reluctance to read and comic book/graphic novel and this book rewards with lifelong meaning and resonance. Clever, funny and desperately sad all at once.


Decent collection, crappy cover, 03 Oct 2008
Another decent addition to the Complete Judge Dredd collection - OZ was never one of my favourite storylines but it's still pretty entertaining. However, I must agree with the previous review, the cover is awful. Gone are the classy, simple, 2-tone covers of the previous 10 volumes. It it's place is this gaudy mess. What's a matter Rebellion, can't your art director choose more than 10 colours without running out of ideas? Do us a favour, buy him a Pantone book and go back to the earlier style.


Another great volume, almost, 02 Oct 2008

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Volume 11 is another excellent addition to the series, most notably for the 'Chopper in Oz' storyline.

But why oh why did they choose to change the cover design?!? The first ten volumes look lovely on my shelf, and now this book is about to upset the equilibrium with inverted colours and a Dredd shield in place of the 'U'!

Bah. I guess I'm just far too picky...

Good..., 05 Jul 2008
I read this book over the course of one week,yes it was gripping,yes it was good but lets not get too excited it wasnt great. 2 chapters were so dialogue heavy that I wondered why moore bothered making this a comic and didnt just write a novel. Waaaaaay to much of the book requires you to read the appendix at the back to make any sense of and I'm sorry but I find that both irratating and unimpressive,if the book was really well written I wouldnt need clarification of anyhting. Moore has an obsession with making people see comics as art and make them respected like any great novel or film and it causes him to forget why people read comics in the first place,fun! The art is good,very fitting to the period piece nature of the book. I would recommend this book to try but try and sneak a read in a book shop or borrow a friends before investing,its not for everyone.

Excellent, 28 May 2008
Heavy on craft jargon and historic detail. This is good and bad. Footnotes necessary. Disturbing subject matter unsuitable for youngsters.
An interesting story. Quality of the artwork is not the best at times.

Monumental, 06 Feb 2008
Alan Moore's stated aim was to solve in fiction, that which could not be answered by conventional analysis or enquiry and my word, did he succeed.

A giant tower house of a thing, it must be one the most engrossing reads ever - part examination of the crimes, part critique of Victorian society, part history lesson and part mythical analysis. In some instances even one page can take ages to properly read and understand, but in each an every case it is well worth it. The epilogue `Dance of the Gull Catchers' should be required reading for anyone even remotely interested in history of any sort.

Eddie Campbell's black and white ink-style is wonderfully complimentary to the narrative; you simply couldn't imagine it any other way.

Well done to Topshelf for going all out with this edition - good quality paper (unlike other versions) and a good size and well bound. The only sadness for me was the lack of inclusion of Campbell's cover-paintings for each issue, but no doubt it was the financial consideration - I recommend seeking out the individual editions if you can, or have a look at Eddie Campbell's blog spot for more background and info.

Everyone always talks about `Watchmen' but this powerhouse beast of a thing must rank among Moore's best work, if only because it transcends it's own medium and genre to become something of real relevance way, way beyond what it's initial appearance suggests. I'm not even that curious about the case, but that is almost irrelevant because of the amount of insight this work has in a broader context.

I strongly urge anyone with even a passing interest to check this out - you are unlikely to be disappointed. And if you can, treat yourself to the hardback edition.


From Hell The Compleat Scripts, 27 Jul 2007
All the other reviews are for From Hell the Graphic Novel whilst this book is From Hell the Compleat scripts . This is a book that prints Alan moores Scripts for the comic book series and gives the reader an idea of the detail that alan moore invests into his work. A great book for potential script writers or like myself an admirer of this authors work who is much under rated in the modern literary world. Comics is still regarded as a substandard art form by those who are unfortunately in control of weak minded fools.

A WORK OF ART, 13 Jul 2007
What makes FROM HELL such an extraordinary example of sequential art is the fact that both the script and the art work are faultless and fantastic on their own but even better when combined. Moore's superb story and Campbell's incredible black and white are a match made in heaven. The novel is essentially a piece of "Victoriana" peppered with artistic, historical and literary references to the period creating an overall reality effect ( the voices of the characters sound real and genuine) that contrasts greatly with the fantastic aspects of the work ( the masonic conspiracy and the introduction of a whole cast of period personalities such as Wilde, the Elephant man and Queen Victoria herself). The art work is sensational and so appropriate that it makes one wonder if Moore and Campbell are not twins separated at birth. Campbell's style is sketchy (I believe that he worked in the fashion industry) which allows him to create a whole world of characters and urban landscapes in an energetic and very dynamic way. The characters are so well defined and yet on occasion they are nothing more than impressionist etchings. And Campbell's visual representation of Victorian London and its architecture is simply formidable.



Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 29 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

As all good card-carrying comic-book fans know, their sheer passion will never overcome narrow-minded critics and their baying cries