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

Watchmen forever!, 17 Nov 2008
I have always been a graphic novel buff ever since buying Hitman & Preacher in my late teens. And now in my early 30's I came across an old box containing my old graphic novels, I felt that I struck gold! I loved the V for Vendetta movie and decided to purchase the V for Vendetta graphic novel and found it gripping, intense and incredible (not that I'm a non-conformist!). Thus leading me to Watchmen. What can I say, WOW! This is my second read of Watchmen within a month. It's definately better reading it again & again! It is imperative to read Watchmen before the movie. So, what are you waiting for.....go & buy it!!!!!

!!!!!!GREAT!!!!!!!!, 15 Nov 2008
I didn't really know what to expect from this book.I bought V for Vendeta {by the same author Alan Moore} because of it's positive feedback but after reading it for a couple of hous I knew that I would be giving it negative.So as you can imagine I was a little bit wary of buying Watchmen but boy am I glad I did.Right away from the fdirst page I was hooked by its compelling story and often had to fight with myself to put it down.The characters are ingaging (Rosoach especially) and are all totaly different.The art (Dave Gibbons) is amsing and fits so well with Moores story tellig.I could go on for hours about all the good things this book has to over but basiclliy !!!JUST BY IT!!!!!

Surprisingly great, 30 Oct 2008
Recently, I have reached a part in my life in which I have gone back to reading comics. This is not a comic.

This is one of the finist pieces of literature I have ever read.

Alan Moore is is a very good writer, getting across the themes of this book, and has defined how good books should be written in the graphic novel form.

A very good book. NOT A COMIC.

The Most Depressing Story Ever Told, 24 Oct 2008
Alan Moore is a genius of the very worst kind. He produces work which you have to read, because frankly it's brilliant, but which you really don't want to, because fundamentally it's horrible.

Well, except Voice Of The Fire. Even an endorsement by Neil Gaiman couldn't put a shine on that.

Watchmen, however, is fantastic. I don't want to give it five stars, but it pries them from my begrudging hands. I have never come across a work of art so good which left me feeling so bleak and hopeless. If you're questioning your faith in humanity, or feeling at all bummed about the world, you might want to wait a bit before picking this up.

Don't say I didn't warn you. I did. This is me, warning you.

Still a good vintage, 22 Oct 2008
I hadn't read this since it was first out, and boy it has still got what it takes to be a classic.

I will agree some points of the book have dated but then again hasn't dickens? its a book of its time, but should be read and remembered always

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

Watchmen forever!, 17 Nov 2008
I have always been a graphic novel buff ever since buying Hitman & Preacher in my late teens. And now in my early 30's I came across an old box containing my old graphic novels, I felt that I struck gold! I loved the V for Vendetta movie and decided to purchase the V for Vendetta graphic novel and found it gripping, intense and incredible (not that I'm a non-conformist!). Thus leading me to Watchmen. What can I say, WOW! This is my second read of Watchmen within a month. It's definately better reading it again & again! It is imperative to read Watchmen before the movie. So, what are you waiting for.....go & buy it!!!!!

!!!!!!GREAT!!!!!!!!, 15 Nov 2008
I didn't really know what to expect from this book.I bought V for Vendeta {by the same author Alan Moore} because of it's positive feedback but after reading it for a couple of hous I knew that I would be giving it negative.So as you can imagine I was a little bit wary of buying Watchmen but boy am I glad I did.Right away from the fdirst page I was hooked by its compelling story and often had to fight with myself to put it down.The characters are ingaging (Rosoach especially) and are all totaly different.The art (Dave Gibbons) is amsing and fits so well with Moores story tellig.I could go on for hours about all the good things this book has to over but basiclliy !!!JUST BY IT!!!!!

Surprisingly great, 30 Oct 2008
Recently, I have reached a part in my life in which I have gone back to reading comics. This is not a comic.

This is one of the finist pieces of literature I have ever read.

Alan Moore is is a very good writer, getting across the themes of this book, and has defined how good books should be written in the graphic novel form.

A very good book. NOT A COMIC.

The Most Depressing Story Ever Told, 24 Oct 2008
Alan Moore is a genius of the very worst kind. He produces work which you have to read, because frankly it's brilliant, but which you really don't want to, because fundamentally it's horrible.

Well, except Voice Of The Fire. Even an endorsement by Neil Gaiman couldn't put a shine on that.

Watchmen, however, is fantastic. I don't want to give it five stars, but it pries them from my begrudging hands. I have never come across a work of art so good which left me feeling so bleak and hopeless. If you're questioning your faith in humanity, or feeling at all bummed about the world, you might want to wait a bit before picking this up.

Don't say I didn't warn you. I did. This is me, warning you.

Still a good vintage, 22 Oct 2008
I hadn't read this since it was first out, and boy it has still got what it takes to be a classic.

I will agree some points of the book have dated but then again hasn't dickens? its a book of its time, but should be read and remembered always

Fantastic read, 21 Nov 2008
I watched the film before reading the book and I loved it, I thought the entire thing was brilliant and loved V (Hugo Weaving was fantastic) and I was always intending to read the book. A work colleague told me that the book is a lot different from the film (as is usually the case) so not too long ago I brought the book and had finished it two days later.

Alan Moore has written an amazing piece. The entire idea of England becoming one of the only countries that survived a massive war and the political party that took over are fascist and its basically a Big Brother moment where they watching everything you do. Evey unlike in the film is just a sixteen year old girl who doest have enough money to live so she becomes a prostitute. Unlike in the film Evey is a lot less self reliant and is happy to live out her life in V's shadow gallery but it shows a great deal about her growing up from the scared little girl into what she becomes later.

The book was a great read and didn't disappoint giving you a disturbing outlook to a dark future and I love David Lloyd's little note dedicating the book to people who don't switch off the news and choose not to live in blissful ignorance.

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.

"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

Watchmen forever!, 17 Nov 2008
I have always been a graphic novel buff ever since buying Hitman & Preacher in my late teens. And now in my early 30's I came across an old box containing my old graphic novels, I felt that I struck gold! I loved the V for Vendetta movie and decided to purchase the V for Vendetta graphic novel and found it gripping, intense and incredible (not that I'm a non-conformist!). Thus leading me to Watchmen. What can I say, WOW! This is my second read of Watchmen within a month. It's definately better reading it again & again! It is imperative to read Watchmen before the movie. So, what are you waiting for.....go & buy it!!!!!

!!!!!!GREAT!!!!!!!!, 15 Nov 2008
I didn't really know what to expect from this book.I bought V for Vendeta {by the same author Alan Moore} because of it's positive feedback but after reading it for a couple of hous I knew that I would be giving it negative.So as you can imagine I was a little bit wary of buying Watchmen but boy am I glad I did.Right away from the fdirst page I was hooked by its compelling story and often had to fight with myself to put it down.The characters are ingaging (Rosoach especially) and are all totaly different.The art (Dave Gibbons) is amsing and fits so well with Moores story tellig.I could go on for hours about all the good things this book has to over but basiclliy !!!JUST BY IT!!!!!

Surprisingly great, 30 Oct 2008
Recently, I have reached a part in my life in which I have gone back to reading comics. This is not a comic.

This is one of the finist pieces of literature I have ever read.

Alan Moore is is a very good writer, getting across the themes of this book, and has defined how good books should be written in the graphic novel form.

A very good book. NOT A COMIC.

The Most Depressing Story Ever Told, 24 Oct 2008
Alan Moore is a genius of the very worst kind. He produces work which you have to read, because frankly it's brilliant, but which you really don't want to, because fundamentally it's horrible.

Well, except Voice Of The Fire. Even an endorsement by Neil Gaiman couldn't put a shine on that.

Watchmen, however, is fantastic. I don't want to give it five stars, but it pries them from my begrudging hands. I have never come across a work of art so good which left me feeling so bleak and hopeless. If you're questioning your faith in humanity, or feeling at all bummed about the world, you might want to wait a bit before picking this up.

Don't say I didn't warn you. I did. This is me, warning you.

Still a good vintage, 22 Oct 2008
I hadn't read this since it was first out, and boy it has still got what it takes to be a classic.

I will agree some points of the book have dated but then again hasn't dickens? its a book of its time, but should be read and remembered always

Fantastic read, 21 Nov 2008
I watched the film before reading the book and I loved it, I thought the entire thing was brilliant and loved V (Hugo Weaving was fantastic) and I was always intending to read the book. A work colleague told me that the book is a lot different from the film (as is usually the case) so not too long ago I brought the book and had finished it two days later.

Alan Moore has written an amazing piece. The entire idea of England becoming one of the only countries that survived a massive war and the political party that took over are fascist and its basically a Big Brother moment where they watching everything you do. Evey unlike in the film is just a sixteen year old girl who doest have enough money to live so she becomes a prostitute. Unlike in the film Evey is a lot less self reliant and is happy to live out her life in V's shadow gallery but it shows a great deal about her growing up from the scared little girl into what she becomes later.

The book was a great read and didn't disappoint giving you a disturbing outlook to a dark future and I love David Lloyd's little note dedicating the book to people who don't switch off the news and choose not to live in blissful ignorance.

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.

A graphic masterpiece, 07 Nov 2008
Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell have excelled themselves with this excellent graphic novel telling the story of Jack the Ripper, who needs no introduction. The artwork is primarily pen and ink and blends well with the subject of this story. While the text can look a little spidery at times, it actually works well with the illustrations and so I think this is an excellent testament to the professionalism of Eddie Campbell.
The story itself is a very complex study of the Ripper murders and Alan Moore calls upon some of the greatest Ripperologists to weave the known facts with situations he sees as fiction but, nevertheless, events which could have taken place at the time. Once again, the mood depicted in the artwork captures Alan Moore's writing perfectly.
This is a book which cannot be read within a day or two. It has to read carefully and the artwork appreciated panel by panel. Furthermore, I strongly suggest reading a chapter and then turning to the back of the book and reading the annotations to the chapters. The explanations of the pages are excellent and 'From Hell' cannot fail to make sense, though it will inevitably open up more questions.
Who was Jack the Ripper? Personally I hope we never find out. He is an enigma of London, an East End setting which is fast disappearing under the hand of redevelopment. Alan Moore tells us right from the start who the book considers to be the identity of Jack the Ripper and I think he will convince many readers of the true identity. I, however, prefer to remain open-minded.
A highly recommended book for Ripper fans and graphic novelists alike!

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.

There is a way into Faerie, beyond the fields we know, and it lies in a village called Wall, somewhere in the early Victorian era. Every nine years there is a fair on the other side of the wall, where Faerie sells its wares to the mundane. Farmer Duncan Thorne had his moment of mad love with a witch's bondservant; Tristan, his son, turned up in a basket nine months later. Now Tristan is old enough to fall in love, and promises Victoria a falling star... This is a fairy story in the tradition of George MacDonald and Hope Mirlees; a book of passion and terror and wit which reminds us that Faerie is not a safe place, or a fair one. And at its edges there lurk other stories--Neil Gaiman's work in comics and television has previously shown his capacity to evoke mystery and glorious magic by telling us just enough and no more, but he excels himself here. Charles Vess's illustrations, (Vess collaborated with Gaiman on key episodes of The Sandman), have charm and occasionally more--the stars dance, Pan looms from the forest, a witch queen rides a chariot driven by goats and Tristan journeys by candlelight leagues at a step. --Roz Kaveney

Watchmen forever!, 17 Nov 2008
I have always been a graphic novel buff ever since buying Hitman & Preacher in my late teens. And now in my early 30's I came across an old box containing my old graphic novels, I felt that I struck gold! I loved the V for Vendetta movie and decided to purchase the V for Vendetta graphic novel and found it gripping, intense and incredible (not that I'm a non-conformist!). Thus leading me to Watchmen. What can I say, WOW! This is my second read of Watchmen within a month. It's definately better reading it again & again! It is imperative to read Watchmen before the movie. So, what are you waiting for.....go & buy it!!!!!

!!!!!!GREAT!!!!!!!!, 15 Nov 2008
I didn't really know what to expect from this book.I bought V for Vendeta {by the same author Alan Moore} because of it's positive feedback but after reading it for a couple of hous I knew that I would be giving it negative.So as you can imagine I was a little bit wary of buying Watchmen but boy am I glad I did.Right away from the fdirst page I was hooked by its compelling story and often had to fight with myself to put it down.The characters are ingaging (Rosoach especially) and are all totaly different.The art (Dave Gibbons) is amsing and fits so well with Moores story tellig.I could go on for hours about all the good things this book has to over but basiclliy !!!JUST BY IT!!!!!

Surprisingly great, 30 Oct 2008
Recently, I have reached a part in my life in which I have gone back to reading comics. This is not a comic.

This is one of the finist pieces of literature I have ever read.

Alan Moore is is a very good writer, getting across the themes of this book, and has defined how good books should be written in the graphic novel form.

A very good book. NOT A COMIC.

The Most Depressing Story Ever Told, 24 Oct 2008
Alan Moore is a genius of the very worst kind. He produces work which you have to read, because frankly it's brilliant, but which you really don't want to, because fundamentally it's horrible.

Well, except Voice Of The Fire. Even an endorsement by Neil Gaiman couldn't put a shine on that.

Watchmen, however, is fantastic. I don't want to give it five stars, but it pries them from my begrudging hands. I have never come across a work of art so good which left me feeling so bleak and hopeless. If you're questioning your faith in humanity, or feeling at all bummed about the world, you might want to wait a bit before picking this up.

Don't say I didn't warn you. I did. This is me, warning you.

Still a good vintage, 22 Oct 2008
I hadn't read this since it was first out, and boy it has still got what it takes to be a classic.

I will agree some points of the book have dated but then again hasn't dickens? its a book of its time, but should be read and remembered always

Fantastic read, 21 Nov 2008
I watched the film before reading the book and I loved it, I thought the entire thing was brilliant and loved V (Hugo Weaving was fantastic) and I was always intending to read the book. A work colleague told me that the book is a lot different from the film (as is usually the case) so not too long ago I brought the book and had finished it two days later.

Alan Moore has written an amazing piece. The entire idea of England becoming one of the only countries that survived a massive war and the political party that took over are fascist and its basically a Big Brother moment where they watching everything you do. Evey unlike in the film is just a sixteen year old girl who doest have enough money to live so she becomes a prostitute. Unlike in the film Evey is a lot less self reliant and is happy to live out her life in V's shadow gallery but it shows a great deal about her growing up from the scared little girl into what she becomes later.

The book was a great read and didn't disappoint giving you a disturbing outlook to a dark future and I love David Lloyd's little note dedicating the book to people who don't switch off the news and choose not to live in blissful ignorance.

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.

A graphic masterpiece, 07 Nov 2008
Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell have excelled themselves with this excellent graphic novel telling the story of Jack the Ripper, who needs no introduction. The artwork is primarily pen and ink and blends well with the subject of this story. While the text can look a little spidery at times, it actually works well with the illustrations and so I think this is an excellent testament to the professionalism of Eddie Campbell.
The story itself is a very complex study of the Ripper murders and Alan Moore calls upon some of the greatest Ripperologists to weave the known facts with situations he sees as fiction but, nevertheless, events which could have taken place at the time. Once again, the mood depicted in the artwork captures Alan Moore's writing perfectly.
This is a book which cannot be read within a day or two. It has to read carefully and the artwork appreciated panel by panel. Furthermore, I strongly suggest reading a chapter and then turning to the back of the book and reading the annotations to the chapters. The explanations of the pages are excellent and 'From Hell' cannot fail to make sense, though it will inevitably open up more questions.
Who was Jack the Ripper? Personally I hope we never find out. He is an enigma of London, an East End setting which is fast disappearing under the hand of redevelopment. Alan Moore tells us right from the start who the book considers to be the identity of Jack the Ripper and I think he will convince many readers of the true identity. I, however, prefer to remain open-minded.
A highly recommended book for Ripper fans and graphic novelists alike!

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.

Enchanting, 04 Oct 2008
Fantasy quests can often outstay their welcome, but Gaiman paces this just about right; more than a novella but the right side of epic. Reminiscent of several of his Sandman stories, this is lovingly told if a little predictable in its structure. Inventive and always entertaining, never overly whimsical. The resolution's all a bit too tidy, but I recommend it for those who enjoy the author's lighter work in other media.

Spellbinding and magical tale...., 22 Aug 2008
This was the first Neil Gaiman book I had read and I found it to be a wonderful, enchanting adult fairy tale.

The novel opens with magical descriptions of the village called Wall, and introduces us to the main character Tristan Thorn. One day, during the fair that they hold every 9 years, Tristan Thorn goes through the wall into the land of faerie to search for a falling star and bring it back so that his one true love will grant him his heart's desire. The story unravels from here and proves to be a book of traditional love and passion, mixed with the magic and macabre that Gaiman does so well. The darker side of the novel does prove to be a good balance to the love and 'fairydust' side, and there is a mediocre amount of sex and passion which definitely reminds you that this is an adult fairy tale! I think teenagers would be just fine reading this too though.

Gaiman describes the characters so vividly I almost felt that I was there, you can really imagine the stars dancing, Tristan's journey by candlelight through the wild forests, the funny little man he meets along the way.....

This book is so spellbinding that I am planning to read other Gaiman novels and hope they will be just as good. Pat on the back to him for this one though!

Disappointing, 04 Aug 2008
I admit, I saw the film first. Normally I'm a firm beleiver in reading a book before seeing a film but for once I got it the wrong way round. But I'm rather glad I did because, despite its insanely cheesy and cutesy Hollywood touch, I actually enjoyed the film and in comparison was bored by the book.

Its true Gaimon was a nack which makes prose flow unlike any author I've ever read before but I found the story deeply unimpressive. It was very short and highly anticlimatic. I realise Gaimon has quite the following and he's probably just not my thing (which is a pity cos fantasy is my favourite genre) but in my opinion, if you enjoyed the film, you'll be deeply disappointed by the book.

Into the Land of Faerie, 14 Jul 2008
I only recently discovered the writings of Neil Gaiman and am glad to add him to my list of favorite modern fantasy authors. I listened to the audio version of Stardust, which was narrated by Gaiman himself. While I'm a fan of audio books in general, I think a tale like this is especially appropriate to listen to, as it evokes the distant past of folk tales that predate the widespread use of written language. I have not seen the movie which recently came out, and, from what I've heard, am not anxious to see it. It sounds like a typical Hollywood approach. I read in a review of the movie that Robert Deniro plays the captain of a pirate ship who likes to dress in women's clothes. While the novel does have the pirate ship, this eccentricity on the captain's part is not in the book. This may not be very important, but the fact that they invented this for the film seems to imply that the novel is not sufficiently interesting on its own, which is far from the case.

Stardust is a fantasy that quite openly draws on many older tales, including traditional fairy tales, Celtic tales of faery, and even Shakespeare. In the audio version, there is a quite interesting interview with Gaiman, where he mentions the early, not very well known fantasy author Lord Dunsany. I actually recognized a passage in Stardust that was taken in tribute to this older author -referring to "the fields we know" (an often repeated expression in Dunsany's King of Elfland's Daughter), which denotes the everyday world as opposed to the lands of faery. This division between worlds is an important part of Stardust. The tale starts in the town of Wall, a rather ordinary town except for the fact that it is surrounded by an actual wall -on the other side are the magical lands. This idea of crossing into the Otherworld is a common theme is older tales, especially in the British Isles. What I like about Stardust is that Gaiman evokes many familiar themes from these traditions and still comes up with a very original story.

The hero of Stardust is a young man named Tristan who, it turns out, has faery blood himself. He ventures to the other side of the wall to fetch a falling star in order to win the love of a young woman named Victoria. The star turns out to be another young woman, named Yvaine, who does not appreciate Tristan's plan to capture her. Further complicating matters is the fact that others are also looking for Yvaine for their own purposes -a particularly unpleasant witch and a group of brothers who are seeking a charm the star possesses. Tristan must win Yvaine's love and also protect her from these others. Along the way, they meet various magical creatures, including a unicorn, and overcome a myriad of life-threatening dangers, as you might expect in such a tale.

Neil Gaiman has a diverse writing background; he has done comic books, short stories and what are usually categorized as urban fantasies (e.g. Neverwhere). Stardust is not quite a traditional fairy tale. It is not set in the distant past or in a completely mythical world, but in Victorian England. Early in the novel, Gaiman mentions that Wall still exists, which implies that the faery world does as well. Neil Gaiman makes an excellent guide to magical lands.

truly enchanting, 12 Jul 2008
As a devotee of Gaiman I have to say that this novel does not disappoint. Though not as dark as Neverwhere or Coraline it still has that neat, macabre edge that makes what would otherwise be a children's fairy tale into something splendid. If you are buying this for children because you have seen the film, be aware that this has some sex in it, and though not graphic, it is not necessarily kid friendly.

Tristan Thorn goes through the wall into the land of faerie to search for a falling star and bring it back so that his one true love will grant him his heart's desire. It is a real, old fashioned adventure story with great villains, a totally non-soppy heroine (Gaiman's heroines are always fantastic) and a rip snorting plot with lots of wonderful twists and turns.

It is definitely worth reading the book and seeing the film. The book came first and has its own special magic, and the film is just as wonderful in its own way. It's one of those rare times when the two complement and enrich each other. A fantastic story.