Colorist Tatjana Wood passed away last week. The Comics Journal has yet to publish an obituary, but I expect one to appear soon as her contributions to comics are phenomenal. I often don't name or tag colorists. I tell myself it's because I only have so many hours in a day, but I should rethink this. No matter the quality of Swamp Thing reprints I've bought over the years, the quality and beauty of her work stands out. A page from Swamp Thing #23 colored by Wood.
A critic for The Comics Journal was hard on this page from Top Ten: The Forty-Niners because they pointed out how no Nazi-run paper would run a headline like "Nazis Run USA." Nowadays I'm not so sure. From the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Gene Ha.
A congressman just called to end gay marriage. This is no surprise to anyone paying attention. More relevant than ever, here is a page from the 1988 anthology AARGH (Artists Against Rampant Government Homophobia) put out by Alan Moore and his short lived publishing venture Mad Love.
"The Mirror of Love" was the anthology's lead story, written by Moore with artwork by Stephen Bissette and Rick Veitch.
I'm in the middle of reviewing a fantasy comic that reminds me of Smax, the fantasy send up by writer Alan Moore and artist Zander Cannon, who got to let loose after working for so long with Gene Ha's pencils on Top Ten (also written by Moore and featuring Smax). This page is from Smax #3 from Wildstorm/Americas Best Comics. "How...many...dwarves?" always cracks me up.
Even at the turn of the century, superheroes took apart Nazi ideologies between punches to actual Nazis. And of course, the proto alt-right were trying to move the goal posts even then ("Our purity is an ideal...") Incidentally, this is a page from Tom Strong #4. Written by Alan Moore, penciled by Chris Srpouse and inked by Al Gordon.
I always loved he poetry Alan Moore made the demon Etrigan spout. From the previously discussed Saga of the Swamp Thing #26 by Moore, Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben. Hope you all enjoyed the selections for National Poetry Month.
I've been on a Rick Veitch kick lately. He wrote once about how he envisioned his early one page dream comics as a form of haiku. Here's one of those dreams set to actual poetry and starring collaborators Alan Moore and Stephen R. Bissette from the first issue of Roarin Rick s Rare Bit Fiends, a comic I missed terribly. Check out his recent dream collection Azoth.
In solidarity with trans lives, let's reprint that scene from Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century where Mary Poppins is about to turn Harry Potter into a puddle.
I posted this page once on a Facebook group, but it's worthy of repeat posting. Alan Moore knew something was amiss with J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter before almost anybody else spoke up. To Moore, her wizard's school reeked too much of old systems of education. This page comes from Smax #3, written by Moore with art by Zander Cannon.
Here's Kyle Kallgren's video take on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
RIP Kevin O'Neil. An amazing artist both revered and underrated. Here's a page from Volume 1 of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Before the climax, Wilhelmina Murray stares down Mister Hyde. Scripted by Alan Moore, the page might have lost half its power if anyone but O'Neil had drawn it. After years of drawing various monstrosities, In LOEG, O'Neil excels at portraying both monsters and human beings. It is no doubt his greatest work.
True horror only America can inspire. From "Shadowplay-The Secret Team," the first chapter of the Brought to Light book from Eclipse.
Continuing the Halloween/Horror theme for October. Here's an early high point from Saga of the Swamp Thing #26 by writer Alan Moore and artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben (also co-plotters for this storyline, I believe). The supernatural Monkey King terrorizes a home for troubled children by taking the form of one girl's greatest fear: their sexually abusive father.
I wish I had bought the Brought to Light CD when I had the chance so many years ago. By Alan Moore and Gary Lloyd. Based on the graphic novel of the same name. An important and overlooked work that should be reprinted today. Past/prologue and all.
I usually don't post audio poetry in this segment, but this Alan Moore video is new. Yes, I'm also featuring him musically this week on the blog. Sue me. If you want to read the poem, it was adapted to comics by artist Lloyd Thatcher. Consider it a bonus Moment of Comics.
