Customer Reviews

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The: The Absolute Edition - Volume 2

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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I'm assuming most people reading this review already have the original comics, the trade paperback, or hardback, that you've read the series already. So I won't speak about the story. Suffice it to say, that it's a brilliant reinvention of nineteenth-century characters that you thought you knew, perhaps so well that you didn't think that could have current relevance. Well, Moore's a magician, and he performs some serious alchemy to create a fascinating story. To speak to the price: I had severe buyer's remorse about purchasing this until I received it. This is an astounding reproduction of the comic series. It is wonderfully oversized and slim rather than bulky, and the high-gloss pages bring out a brilliance that makes O'Neill's entire artwork look wonderfully brand new, as if seen for the first time or finally published on a deserving background or, in this case, paper stock. Todd Klein has created a wonderful cover and slipcase design of cryptic letters that you'll having wondering just what clues to the story are hidden in the design. The second volume has a great tongue-in-cheek illustration of Moore with a hooka. And his scripts are extremely smart, literate, and a testament to how deserving he is of all the praise that's been thrown his way. For those of you who feel Moore is more pretense than power, these scripts counter such notions. I honestly enjoyed reading Moore's scripts as much if not more than the comic itself. You'll also get a much better appreciation of O'Neill after reading these scripts, because he has captured much of what seemed too abstract and practically impossible to pull out of Moore's prose. It's a very revealing look into the comics-creative process. This production truly sets a new standard for absolute editions.

And why wouldn't it? One of our best writers along with one of comics' most distinctive stylists once again combine their considerable talent into a package of gorgeous story telling. As I've stated in an earlier review of LOEG Vol. 1, which has the scripts, are for my money, worth purchasing the entire set. Unfortunately, Kevin O'Neil did not grace us with an essay like he did in the scripts to vol. 1, but still it's more than worth the time (and money) to get it. Let's hope DC will continue this with LOEG: The Black Dossier as well.