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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1: The Absolute Edition
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Description
Proving that mainstream comics could be infused with past literary/cultural ideals and still be bestsellers, the America's Best Comics imprint took the dilapidated superhero genre and created three vastly entertaining hybrids with Tom Strong, Promethea and Top Ten. Now, a stunning coup de grace is delivered with this masterful pairing of Victorian adventure fiction's greatest characters and the old war-horse of the super-group. With the stunning The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, it would be no exaggeration to say that Alan Moore has produced a near-perfect piece of adventure fiction that is clever, literate, rich with excitement and hard to put down.It's 1898 and at the behest of M, the mysterious head of the secret Service, Campion Bond is dispatched to procure the services of Miss Mina Murray (nee Harker), adventurer Allan Quartermain, "Science-Pirate" Captain Nemo, Henry Jekyll (and his monstrous alter ego) and Hawley Griffin (a.k.a. the Invisible Man). Together, they must combat an insidious threat that will decide supremacy of the London skies, but their success may unleash a far greater threat. With no shortage of action, Moore and O' Neill sustain a high level of suspense, intrigue, mystery and terrific wit that all contribute to an indispensable read. O'Neill's art, so memorable in Marshal Law, produces a London filled with vivid, magnificent architecture and a malevolent atmosphere ripe with thrills and danger. An unmitigated triumph--pure and simple. --Danny Graydon
Description
Proving that mainstream comics could be infused with past literary/cultural ideals and still be bestsellers, the America's Best Comics imprint took the dilapidated superhero genre and created three vastly entertaining hybrids with Tom Strong, Promethea and Top Ten. Now, a stunning coup de grace is delivered with this masterful pairing of Victorian adventure fiction's greatest characters and the old war-horse of the super-group. With the stunning The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, it would be no exaggeration to say that Alan Moore has produced a near-perfect piece of adventure fiction that is clever, literate, rich with excitement and hard to put down. It's 1898 and at the behest of M, the mysterious head of the secret Service, Campion Bond is dispatched to procure the services of Miss Mina Murray (nee Harker), adventurer Allan Quartermain, "Science-Pirate" Captain Nemo, Henry Jekyll (and his monstrous alter ego) and Hawley Griffin (a.k.a. the Invisible Man). Together, they must combat an insidious threat that will decide supremacy of the London skies, but their success may unleash a far greater threat. With no shortage of action, Moore and O' Neill sustain a high level of suspense, intrigue, mystery and terrific wit that all contribute to an indispensable read. O'Neill's art, so memorable in Marshal Law, produces a London filled with vivid, magnificent architecture and a malevolent atmosphere ripe with thrills and danger. An unmitigated triumph--pure and simple. --Danny Graydon
Yes, it is extraordinary.
Date: 2008-11-25 Rating: 8 out of 10
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen takes the idea of a crossover to a new level. It takes a group of British literary heroes, including Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, and Captain Nemo, and puts them together in a superhero group fighting against Victorian-era perils. The idea is intriguing, but what really makes it sing is how carefully researched the subject matter is. From minor details like Mr. Hyde originally being smaller than Dr. Jekyll to flourishes like incorporating the tales of Sherlock Holmes and Auguste Dupin into the story, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen presents a unique world that combines some of the best literary characters of the 19th century. More importantly, Alan Moore makes sure that the characters used feel like they just stepped out of the pages of their respective literary works. To see what a product looks like when such care is not taken, look no further than this comic's awful film adaptation.
Kevin O'Neill's art is unique, with very angular characters and realism passed up in exchange for extraordinary action and exaggerated movements. He captures facial expression particularly well, but overall it's the type of art that will hit or miss with readers. You'll either love it or hate it, although the story is still worth reading even if you don't fully embrace the art style.
I won't spoil the contents of the actual story, but suffice it to say that this first volume naturally deals with the organization of the group and their first adventure together. You won't find a lot in terms of character development this time around -- this volume is focused more on laying the groundwork for the series. Future stories advance the characters dramatically, however, making this volume an excellent first step. Overall, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is an entertaining read that establishes what has to potential to become a long-term comic classic.
BewertungenExcellentDatum 2008-10-26 Rang: 10 von 10I'll be honest. I saw the movie before I read the book. But the movie doesn't hold a candle to the book. I did like Wilhelmina Harker's portrayal in the movie, but in all cases, the book was far superior to the movie. I really enjoyed the art and storylines, and am sad there are only two books to this series, aside the Black Dossier.Victoriana, Intertextuality and SmutDatum 2008-09-30 Rang: 10 von 10Lighter in weight and tone than From Hell or Watchmen, League appears on the surface to be more rompy fan fiction than reinventing the comic. It was while reading the net's wiki 'Notes on League of Gentlemen' that I began to appreciate each panel's detail and 'mass culture references', to quote TMBG. Three words - a friggin' joy. Now, if I could just summon the moxy to delve into 'Lost Girls'.Moore is at it againDatum 2008-08-27 Rang: 10 von 10It seems that each new read of Alan Moore makes me realize once again that D.C. had no idea what they had in Alan Moore. To call him pure genius may be the most accurate way of describing his work. It's not writing -- it's art. In League, I found myself unable to grasp onto the characters at first -- I expected serious and grim and my mind was demanding that feel. I had no idea Moore had such a terrific sense of humor. He's having fun with the material while at the same time evoking the time honored idea "there is no good, just shades of evil".
In this plot a series of literary characters from the Victorian era pop on the screen. If you had to read 20,000 Leagues you know of Jules Verne and Captain Nimo. You might also know of the Invisible Man or Jeckle and Hyde. In short, we have quite a spicy mixture of characters out to stop a takeover plot. There are hints of James Bond with characters such as (James, M, and Bond). We have a reference to Moby Dick and it goes on and on. Moore spins a tale that on the surface seems racist but what he's really trying to show is that our own racism against others is our glass house since we are selves can be far worse through our own inability to not realize our vial flaws.
I loved the book. It's a great read. My only regret was that the main villain was someone far too often used and of course I won't reveal it. Moore could have been more imaginative but so what -- he's still a genius and I stand by that statement. A Jolly Good ShowDatum 2008-08-08 Rang: 10 von 10I very rarely give the first volume of anything a perfect rating, but to give the works of Alan Moore anything less seems more likely of readers who are simply turned off by his dark, grisly style. And my "creased and dog-eared copy" of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (illustrated by Kevin O'Neill) tells such a tale, which isn't any less fascinating. Five of the most legendary figures in Victorian literature are assembled to save 1890's England from both external and internal threats. Suffice to say that Moore favors less than reputable characters in his work. From the drug-addicted Allan Quatermain to the anti-social Invisible Man to Dr. Jekyll's murderous alter ego Mr. Hyde, don't expect to find a favorite among these not-so-fab five. What you should expect, however, is an intriguing action story that will put you on an emotional rollercoaster. Moore also throws in the written six-chapter prologue "Allan and the Sundered Veil" while O'Neil adds a gallery of covers from the original graphic novels among other features.
This comic is unrated: Graphic Violence, Nudity, Adult Language, Adult Situations.
Produkt InformationAutor:
Alan Moore
Recording label: Wildstorm Hersteller: WildstormEAN: 9781401200527Format: HardcoverDewey decimal number: 741ISBN: 1401200524Artikelzahl: 1Seitenzahl: 416Erscheinungsdatum: 2003-07-01Erscheinungdatum: 2003-07-01Sprache: English (Original Language)
Sprache: English (Unknown)
Sprache: English (Published)
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