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Sat Dec 19
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You know, I know this post is several months old, and I know it's not cool to rag on the writers in the comments, but howzabout you remove the GIANT-ASS SPOILER from the end of the Promethea rec? Please? Some people haven't read the series and they don't KNOW how the story turns out.
My friend thought Harrison was bonkers for this list. I like that he includes not just books and movies but comics, music, and video games. I think there are some breakfast foods and a species of fern on here. Interesting that Tom Waits makes both his SF and Fantasy lists.
I really liked the first volume of _Promethea_ , its heroine and her life and her fine universe, and then I became progressively more bored with the exposition of ceremonial magic(K) and Kabbalah. I have nothing against occultists but I get fed up when WONDERFUL art and plot are put to the service of exposition of hidden knowledge I already know. The plot and characters I had cared about got blown into Cosmic catnip. Big whoop.
I wouldn't sound so miffed if I hadn't been so hopeful.
@Laura Eleanor Jefferson: yeah... honestly the first 12 issues are my favorite comics ever, anywhere. And then.... you can pretty much skip straight to issue 29 and read the last couple issues, without missing anything in between.
Halo Jones for, as the kids say, the Win. Probably heavily influenced by Haldeman's Forever War in the third act, but hey, it really is a powerful piece.
I feel that his tales of the Green Lantern Corps deserve an entry of their own on this list. but then again i never read 1963 and only have fuzzy memories of his run on Captain Britain. There can be only ten.
Excellent list, Charlie. I might quibble or play "What about...", but the rules of 10 Best Things clearly state there can only be ten. That's a rough field to hoe with so much Moore-y goodness to choose from.
Let's hope movies get made out of every single one of them!
@Grey_Area: If we had 11 things on a top 10 list we would open a pocket dimension of sex magic and Melinda Gebbie would probably come tumbling out and follow us around. Wait, why is that bad?
@Grey_Area: Considering the track record of adaptations of Moore's comics, I'd prefer they stop making movies. The problem seems to be that he wrote most of these things as postmodern commentary and they try to make straight-up movies, missing the point.
@Charlie Jane Anders: Is no bad. I just wish Mr. Moore got to meet Krystine Kryttre, who I worshiped from afar. a truly kick-ass SF Underground Comix babe who was taken from us far too early.
Also, I would have tried to include the Bojeffries Saga into the list. but whutev.
@jbq: SarcaSam is new character in the beginning upcoming Supermax film. He acts as the audience's point of view as he gets processed into the super-duper-ultra-mondo-mega-superprison.
Warden: For you and the rest of these depraved freaks, this is your life. Some of my charges have threatened entire nations but there can be no escape from...Supermax.
The Killing Joke is a less essential Alan Moore work than 1963? Captain Britain is better than Voice of the Fire? I'd recommend his brilliant scifi Culture Shocks collection over Captain Britain. I own pretty much everything Alan Moore owns, and even as a Moore diehard I'd admit Captain Britain a lesser work. If someone seeks out Captain Britain as a result of this article looking for something on the caliber of Watchmen, they're going to be sorely disappointed. Meanwhile, Miracleman, which IS on the caliber of Watchmen, is NOT on this list, and you haven't even read.
This list seems like a struggle to even FIND ten items, because each series represents such an enormous body of work. It might have benefited from breaking up the individual series more, telling us WHICH of the six Swamp Thing volumes is the one to read -- you mention Top 10, for instance, but not the Forty-Niners, a brilliant companion novel that's arguably better than its source material. Saying "Go read League" doesn't account for the fact that the first volume is a fantastic page-turner, but that Black Dossier is impenetrable to a casual fan.
@faustmonkey: Hi there! You obviously skimmed my post and didn't read it properly, but I'll answer your objections anyway.
Let's see... First of all, the list represents my favorites, and those of the other io9 writers I talked to. These are the works I feel happy about recommending, and the ones that I think represent the diversity of Moore's work in an interesting way.
I do mention "The Killing Joke" and I recommend a volume that includes it. See above, re: the diversity of Moore's work. Also, see my comments below about why "The Killing Joke" has sunk in my estimation in recent years. (And in Moore's estimation as well, from what I've heard.)
I've never read Miracleman because it's not in print and it's impossible to find. I'm not recommending it to our readers for the same reason.
Also, I state clearly that my favorite Swamp Thing volume is the first. I mention the Forty Niners. And I mention that "The Black Dossier" is a bit of a letdown, after the first two volumes.
Where does one find these "comics torrents" I hear you young'uns talking about? For the out of print stuff only, of course, I would NEVER pirate something that's still available, oh no.
08/13/09
07/21/09
05/14/09
Delaney, Catigan, Gibson, sure. But "Flatliners"? If it weren't for Baby Kiefer, who'd care to watch?
05/14/09
05/14/09
05/14/09
02/28/09
02/28/09
I wouldn't sound so miffed if I hadn't been so hopeful.
02/28/09
02/27/09
I feel that his tales of the Green Lantern Corps deserve an entry of their own on this list. but then again i never read 1963 and only have fuzzy memories of his run on Captain Britain. There can be only ten.
02/27/09
Let's hope movies get made out of every single one of them!
heh heh heh
02/27/09
02/27/09
02/27/09
Also, I would have tried to include the Bojeffries Saga into the list. but whutev.
02/27/09
Sheesh.
02/27/09
02/28/09
02/28/09
Warden: For you and the rest of these depraved freaks, this is your life. Some of my charges have threatened entire nations but there can be no escape from...Supermax.
SarcaSam: *ppbt!* Uh, yeah. Whatever.
02/27/09
02/27/09
02/27/09
This list seems like a struggle to even FIND ten items, because each series represents such an enormous body of work. It might have benefited from breaking up the individual series more, telling us WHICH of the six Swamp Thing volumes is the one to read -- you mention Top 10, for instance, but not the Forty-Niners, a brilliant companion novel that's arguably better than its source material. Saying "Go read League" doesn't account for the fact that the first volume is a fantastic page-turner, but that Black Dossier is impenetrable to a casual fan.
02/27/09
Let's see... First of all, the list represents my favorites, and those of the other io9 writers I talked to. These are the works I feel happy about recommending, and the ones that I think represent the diversity of Moore's work in an interesting way.
I do mention "The Killing Joke" and I recommend a volume that includes it. See above, re: the diversity of Moore's work. Also, see my comments below about why "The Killing Joke" has sunk in my estimation in recent years. (And in Moore's estimation as well, from what I've heard.)
I've never read Miracleman because it's not in print and it's impossible to find. I'm not recommending it to our readers for the same reason.
Also, I state clearly that my favorite Swamp Thing volume is the first. I mention the Forty Niners. And I mention that "The Black Dossier" is a bit of a letdown, after the first two volumes.
Thanks for your input!
02/27/09
1963 and Top 10 sound very entertaining to me.
02/27/09
02/27/09
02/27/09
If by "reboot" you mean "explosive, chunky vomiting."
02/27/09
02/27/09
02/27/09
At least until he puts out his magic grimoire in graphic novel form sometime in the next decade.
02/28/09