Customer Reviews

Alan Moore: Portrait Of An Extraordinary Gentleman

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Ladies and gentlemen, this is the funniest and most beautiful tribute ever made to an author! I have never seen anything like this in centuries! I think that the basic idea of the whole project is strongly related with being an Alan Moore fan, which is a thing that a lot of the autohrs involved in the book share. But there's more to it: that means that even though every contribution is not perfect, neat and amazing, love, respect and passion are always granted in every inch of this work. Every artist/writer that has participated has done its best, even in a simple way, to say: Happy birthday Mr. Moore.

If you're expecting me to cite my favourite contributions you are wrong: too many and too beautiful, and right now I can only remeber one of those that Moore will appreciate more: Will Eisner's one!

In a few words: a must-read for all Moore's fan over the globe, buy it and you won't be disappointed.

P.S.: I was almost forgetting to say that in the end of the volume there is a complete bibliography, which can be considered a stand-alone motivation to buy it.

...but not for others. I do feel that the book was a little too long--a few too many single page tributes that just seemed the same ("I first read Alan Moore when I...;" "Alan Moore changed the way I...;" etc., etc.). I feel like this book would have been a better service if the articles had been kept down to people with some legitimate statement on Moore's work or their personal involvement. An excellent example of this is Steve Bissette's essay in which he outlines his dealings with Moore from the Swamp Thing run, on through Taboo, into their falling out over a hornets' nest of problems in the early nineties. The article is not entirely "in tribute," but it does good service to the fans by being informative on a subject frought with rumor and speculation. I'm sure Moore was probably surprised, if not chagrined, to read it.

The Dave Sim article is excellent (I'm working on reading that right now as a matter of fact). It's daunting but highly rewarding: Sim is easily the most undervalued comics interviewer, for a multiplicity of reasons that aren't worth going into here. The more scholastic articles by Jose Alaniz, in my book you can take them or leave them. There doesn't seem to be much appreciable about what he's written about that a cursory reading of the same texts (especially the "Best of all Tailors" chapter of From Hell) couldn't provide. I'm sure they're of some value to someone, but that doesn't really include me.

Also, the book is co-produced by Italian, English and American people/companies, hence the inclusion of a lot of nameless Italian artists (and a couple of writers). I'm sure that's of massive significance to the Italian comics community, but it's pretty far removed from everywhere else. Still, it doesn't muddle up the book too much...and the pictures are nice...

Altogether, I would neither characterize the book as entirely without merit, save the interviews, nor would I characterize it as a 100% tour de force production. It's a good book for hardcore Moore fans (or wanna-be hardcore fans, with a decent but incomplete bibliography in the back). My advice, if you don't have a copy of Watchmen (which you SHOULD), From Hell, V for Vendetta, and a good Swamp Thing or two, buy those first and then enjoy this book.

Alan Moore is one of the greatest writers of our time. With Comic book titles, graphic novels, book titles and movies under his belt, it can easily be said that he will go down in history as one of the greats. Now, inside this volume, Alan Moore's friends, co-workers, associates and confidants give their side of what they feel Alan Moore represents to them. How many people have been inspired to create their life's work because of him? How has he influenced other outstanding authors? What kind of person is he and does he realy practice magick? All of these questions and more are addressed in this excellently penned and highly Visual edition of "Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman" by Spencer Millidge. This one is definately a keeper!!!

This is a strange book. On the one hand, it's packed with art from a long list of talented illustrators. On the other, I don't know who these illustrators are; they all seem to be European. So, although I like their artwork, the fact that they are doing two-page tributes to Alan Moore means nothing to me.

And then there's the text. If the text isn't an interview with Alan Moore, it's not worth reading. 99% of it is just forgettable. There are three essays by one person (who shall remain nameless) that are memorable because they are so horrible. These essays are 'post modern' --- which means that they are full of silly jargon and obscure references to Derrida and that sort of thing. If you don't know what post-modern writing is, consider yourself blessed.

The one really worthwile part of the book is at the end, in an exchange of letters between the cranky Canadian cartoonist, Dave Sim, and Alan Moore. Moore takes the time to describe why he's interested in occultism and how his research in the last ten years has enriched his life. It's a unique story from a brilliant man. He seems to be spelunking his own psyche and then writing about his discoveries.

I can't recommend this book. It looks nice and the end is good, but it's not really worth the time.

This was a delightful and strange experience for me. The editor, Gary Spencer Millidge, has a deserved cult following for his charmingly weird STRANGEHAVEN comic. I believe we exchanged email once, he in Britain, I in New York. My main contact was with THE SMOKY MAN!

Smoky is a fantastic soul who lives in Sardinia. Smoky is his nickname due to some pun on Turkish tabacco and his name, I believe.

In poetic English, which sadly, has been improving over the years, Smoky had originally asked me to contribute to his website ULTRAZINE. If you haven't seen this bilingual site, you must. I believe I wrote two or three. And each was translated into Italian. I have to admit that being translated was an exciting experience for me. Even more exciting was Smoky apologetic payment for my work: 10 lbs. of Italian comics! Yes, he mailed me a big beautiful STACK of comics. And they were GREAT. Oh, just wonderful. That was the first time I ever saw DYLAN DOG. Wow and double-wow.

Then Smoky began a special Alan Moore tribute issue of Ultrazine. The list of contributors grew rapidly. Soon major players were jumping on board. AND AN IDEA FLICKERED.

...or at least that is how I understood the genesis of the project, in my interpretation of Smoky enthusiastic poetic English.

I think I had been the only English-language writer on the project at first, but THAT soon changed! MAN, did it change!
But Smoky was a gentleman and included me in the project even tho my one-book authorship dimmed in the shadow of these giants.
Bless Smoky. And bless Gary, who by then had graciously taken on the Herculean task of editing the project. Without him etc.

And the result is a polished lovely book that I am truly proud to be part of.

It was a fantastic experience that I shall treasure to the very end of my journey.