V for Vendetta

An original, timeless tale full of symbolism that ties itself together like a poetic noir. The original book was a social commentary for the Thatcher era and what-could-be. Yet, its message still remains ever relevant in today’s world. Quick disclaimer: I am one of the many who saw the movie before reading the comic. Both are beautiful works of art that don't take away too much from the other. For this review, I will strictly focus on the book. V for Vendetta is a 10-part comic series broken into 3 books that twists and turns into a fantastic read. The setting is based in a near-“future”/post-apocalyptic 1997 fascist Great Britain. David Lloyd does a good job illustrating this bleak and gloomy dystopian future. Characters are complex, well thought out, and flawed. We understand their inspirations, fears, and motivations behind what they do. Each has their own philosophies that they act upon. Each, by their own motivations, go through deep changes based by their interactions. ‘V,’ the protagonist, acts as anarchism incarnate. He acts both as the protagonist and a symbol of rebellion against an unjust system. V’s philosophy of anarchism isn’t the strongest-takes-all chaotic anarchism that is commonly believed. His theory follows more of an idea of classical justice and western freedoms. And like the rest of the characters, even V can be as flawed as others in the story. Through the book, V's ends-justify-means approach throws his justness into doubt. The debate over V’s actions can be seen in any review website about this comic. The reader is placed into the shoes of Evey, a subtle hint at Eve from the book of Genesis. We follow Evey in her transformation. We see Evey grow from a naive girl to the next living symbol of anarchism. We also are seen the point-of-view of many other characters in the book but I’ll leave them out for the sake of brevity. Another great concept the book covers is tying the importance of symbols in maintaining the social order. Alan Moore goes into great depth into exploring the complacency that allows people to submit themselves to such order. Even characters of V are representative of anarchism himself. His “V” symbol is reminiscent of the classic anarchy symbol that we’re all familiar with. One fun thing I enjoyed about this book is the many subtle references between the panels. Pop culture and real world references hide themselves. These are fun little Easter eggs that serves as hidden backdrops of larger events. But this comic isn’t without problems. One principal problem I had was the illustration. Most of the comic is dark and painted with LOTS of black. The task of distinguishing the characters from each other is amplified by the use of heavy black and light pastels. Though the use of black adds to the setting, it can deprive the reader from comprehending which character is who. Another problem I had was with V’s actions. Much of the work done by V is to destroy the old social order but no alternative is offered. Nothing is stopping people from recreating the social order of old in the end. When viewing scenes of V’s shadow realm, one wonders if there is truly a way to break the cycle of oppression. The final problem I had with the book was that it spends a lot of time following tangents without focusing on the main plot points. Though expanding on the world of V for Vendetta, this method leaves the book unfocused in some areas and dilutes the final climax and denouement. I’m not sure I can completely agree with how the comic ended. Final rating? I’ll leave this at a 3.5/5. Rounded up to a 4. V for Vendetta provides an original and fun read tied with some political and social commentary. Though some plots and subplots can trail the readers along, it adds to the real-world “feel” of the unorganized world that we live in. Fans of the movie that want to explore more of V’s world should pick up this book. People who disliked the movie should stay away.

Truly an ESSENTIAL for all book shelves; this graphic novel is necessary reading for any book-lover. I'm sure that the majority of you reading this have seen the film version, so I'm not going to go into the plot. I will say that the book is FAR MORE in-depth, poignant, detailed, and painstakingly plotted & written than the movie. --Not to mention gorgeously illustrated. This book should be on everyone's shelf.

Got a "Like New" copy for 6 bucks, and I got what they promised. No regrets or complaints, and surprised by the quality since shipping would have probably destroyed this thing.

If you ask most people who the greatest living writer in comics is, they'll reply without hesitation Alan Moore for his role in taking comics beyond their ordinary roots and single-handedly expanding the potential of an entire medium. If you then ask what work of Moore's best exemplifies this contribution, most will again not waver before responding that Watchmen is not only Moore's greatest work but quite possibly the best comic book ever produced. And in the case of Moore's gift to comics, these people would be one hundred percent correct. It is not possible to laud this man and his genius enough. However, in naming his best work, they have fallen short. Yes Watchmen is brilliant, and yes it is quite possibly the best exploration of the superhero that has been or can ever be written. But Moore's best work? Not by a long shot. And no, his best work is not either of his tenures on Miracleman or Swamp Thing, as groundbreaking and innovative as those runs were. Nor can it be found in painstakingly researched books like From Hell and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which are crafted with such time and care that they require extensive notes to fully grasp all the details dropped in by this master craftsman and his collaborators. Rather, Moore's best work comes in the form of a novel about the fascist government in the England of the future and the man who rebels against the system, a man named only V. The book is V for Vendetta, reprinted today by DC from their ten-part series of 1988, which in turn was made up of reprints of work originally seen in England in the early 1980s in the magazine Warrior as well as new material to close the story out. It is not only my favorite graphic novel but quite possibly also the best work written to date in this medium. Now admittedly, I am quite biased in claiming it is the best comic ever written, because my love for it is so deep. V for Vendetta marked a first for my collection, as it was the first book I owned as both individual issues and in trade paperback form. I have given away my trade paperback before, only to buy a new copy when I missed it so much. I hope to someday own the original Warrior issues and I would be more than happy, should DC ever decide to release a hardcover version, I would pay top dollar for that as well. It is also the only comic book I read repeatedly. I have probably read V for Vendetta at least ten times if not more, and I know that I shall read it again. Very few books I read in any form are deemed worthy of repeat perusals. Breakfast of Champions is one, A Prayer for Owen Meany another, Catch-22 yet another-these are all books that I come back to many times to read again and again, gaining new perspectives on both the text and myself each time we cross paths. And V for Vendetta is among them, a book I cannot go more than a year without opening anew. Shall I give you tons of reasons why I think it's so brilliant? Shall I tell you of the deep philosophical mind of the main charac

It is perhaps simplistic to declare that "V for Vendetta" is Alan Moore's version of George Orwell's "1984." Orwell came up with his "prophetic" title by reversing the last two digits of the year in which he wrote his book. Moore began his story in 1982, picturing a future that was around the corner and setting his tale in then late 1990s in a Britain that had become a fascist state. Moore worked from the assumption that in 1983 the Conservatives would lose the elections and that the Labour Party would remove American missiles from the British Isles, which meant that England would no longer be a target during a nuclear war. In the post-holocaust Britain of the 1990s, Moore posited a Fascist takeover. The title character of V is a one time victim of a concentration camp medical experiment who is now an enigmatic hero wearing a grinning Guy Fawkes mask; Fawkes was one of the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot that was an attempt to assassinate King James I of England. In the opening chapter V sets his sights on The Voice of Fate, the official voice of the government's propagandistic lies. From that small but significant initial victory, the battle continues. There is something decidedly "English" about "V for Vendetta," and not simply because of the setting. Moore can talk about Harlan Ellison's "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" and "Fahrenheit 451" being among the elements he drew upon to create his own brave new world, but it is clear that he owes more to Orwell and Huxley, to Robin Hood and "The Prisoner," than American manifestations of the same impulse to freedom. V is not a superhero, even if the medical experiments have somehow made him more than human. Sometimes we forget that a lot of our heritage, both culturally as well as politically, comes from England, and on one level this work reminds us of our English roots.It is ironic that Moore tells his story as a graphic novel because traditionally your comic book superhero is essentially a fascist vigilante. However, Moore succeeds in finding the perfect context to turn the traditional approach on its head. Most people have no conception of what is meant by the term "Fascism." They equate the idea with Hitler, although it was coined by Mussolini, and Hitler means Nazis, Anti-Semitism and Concentration Camps. Of course, Moore knows better. Fascism is based on the "struggle" for "order" wherein the ends justify all sorts of means. This dynamic clearly runs counter to the democratic ideals of "liberty" and "property." Historically, then, we are confronted with the monumental irony that although the Fascists lost World War II, the Cold War was on one level the triumph of Fascism, a period where we allowed all sorts of travesties, from the McCarthy witch hunts to Nixon's executive orders in the name of "national security." Moore brings the idea of fascism home. If you cannot recognize it in England's green and pleasant fields then you are never going to recognize it

British writer Alan Moore earned his place in the comic book writers' pantheon with his seminal turn on Swamp Thing in the 80s, part of the triumvirate of Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, and Moore who transformed lowly comic books into a respectable artistic medium. And, like Miller and Gaiman before him, Moore found that the only way to carry on once you've thoroughly changed your industry is to do do it again and again in new and novel fashion. Thus, I give you "V for Vendetta," the absolute furthest thing from "Swamp Thing" and "Watchmen" imaginable. Moore almost singlehandedly restored the creepy cool of EC horror comics with his run on "Swamp Thing." He redefined the superhero genre with "Watchmen." With "V", Moore abandoned the conventions of both genres and embraced gritty Orwellian scifi. "V" is set in a Britain which has embraced Fascism following a nuclear conflict which left the nation intact but badly bruised. Mirroring Hitler's ascent over the ashes of the Weimar Republic, the Norsefire party seizes power in Britain and restores order at a horrible price. That is, until a stylish terrorist in a Guy Fawkes mask codenamed "V" appears on the scene to tear the new order down. "V for Vendetta" marks a major departure from comic book style. David Lloyd's cinematic style plays like a storyboard for a film; gone are the motion lines and Batman-esque sound effects so familiar to comic readers. Lloyd also dispenses with one of the comic writer's main crutches for exposition---the thought balloon. The story is thus relayed entirely by motion and dialogue, deepening the inherent mystery of the plot as we try to comprehend the master plan of the inscrutable antihero "V". As with "Watchmen", Moore has layered his tale with enormous depth, making subsequent readings a must to truly comprehend all that's going on within the plot. If you're interested in seeing what the comic art form is capable of when geared toward an adult audience, rush out and grab a copy of "V for Vendetta" today.