Comments on: Alternate Current: Black Dossier

By: literary submissions

literary submissions — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:51:11 +0000

literary submissions…

The term is used colloquially for any kind of Linkback.It has since been implemented in most other blogging tools. Some weblog software…

By: jakejakejake

jakejakejake — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:44:30 +0000

What a great review. I waited so long for this book. Minus the beat generation and the excessive cartoon nudity it was kinda cool (the 3D section was kind of a throwaway, is anyone still impressed by this?)

By: Cap White

Cap White — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:21:11 +0000

This was quite a smarmy review with plenty of assumptions. And “Moore’s problem?” His problem is awful reviewers.

By: Adan Jimenez

Adan Jimenez — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:52:54 +0000

"But how many of Moore’s readership are sufficiently familiar with either Shakespeare or Kerouac to truly appreciate how well Moore has managed to mimic their voices?" Most, I would think. You must remember that Moore's readership is not equal to the superhero readership. Sure, there is crossover (and not all superhero readers are trolls), but by and large, Moore's readership is an educated bunch. Why would they put up with the first two League volumes otherwise? Promethea? From Hell? Watchmen even? These books aren't for just anybody as a certain level of knowledge is required to fully enjoy and understand them. (Full disclosure: I am an English major, and I did appreciate how well Moore aped the literary figures he did... except for Kerouac. I hate Kerouac.) I am also not sure what you are implying in regards to Tom Strong, as it was a phenomenal re-interpretation of pulp heroes. And even if one didn't or couldn't get that aspect of the text, it was still a very enjoyable action-adventure story about a science hero and his adventuring family.

By: mkayal future writer

mkayal future writer — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:47:40 +0000

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is not something an eight year old or a thirteen year old I think would appreciate. But an eighteen year old going into college or a twenty three year old getting out of college should have an appreciation for on some level be it the bond reference, the 1984 sections, the Shakespeare, the Kerouac, and if the 4th dimension isn’t clever than I don’t know what is. I was entertained by the way Moore took all these characters and made them fresh.

Frank Miller does use cliches but if we give him grief for it then we have to give everyone else who uses them grief. Half of the best books on the shelves are cliches. It’s HOW WELL you use them that makes him good. I will say that he is more popular because of his politics than his work but his work is very good at what he does.

By: Stu Shiffman

Stu Shiffman — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:47:54 +0000

I’m sorry that you didn’t get the same enjoyment from Black Dossier that I did. That’s OK, “your mileage may differ” as the saying goes, but I did think that you’re just missing the way the parts come together to say something, not always subtly, about imagination and the fictional worlds that real people build around themselves.

OK, plus it was cool to have another Wodehouse/Lovecraft crossover pastiche and weird Brit science fiction comics fun. Devil is in the details and so was the fun.

By: Dyfrig

Dyfrig — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:35:31 +0000

“I’m curious what your opinion of Frank Miller is.”

Frank Miller’s enduring popularity is a complete mystery to me. He is a writer who lives by stringing together cliches, and I’ve never enjoyed any of his books, Dark Knight included.

By: Dyfrig

Dyfrig — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:30:28 +0000

“Write a ten part saga about Green Lanterns having a fight that’s just a dreary spelling out of a throwaway line in a twenty-year old GLC Annual back up story and Geoff Johns is a genius; mention a character from one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays and suddenly Moore’s some weirdo obscurantist.”

Like you, I look for comics that are smart. But my point is that they still need to be entertaining. Black Dossier doesn’t just “mention a character from one of Shakespeare’s plays”. The book includes a 5 page verse parody of Shakespeare, which you need to be an English scholar to fully appreciate.

By: Obi Wan Quixote

Obi Wan Quixote — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:05:16 +0000

‘But how many of Moore’s readership are sufficiently familiar with either Shakespeare or Kerouac to truly appreciate how well Moore has managed to mimic their voices?’

That might be the single most depressing line I’ve ever read in a review.

This is the problem with comics. Write a ten part saga about Green Lanterns having a fight that’s just a dreary spelling out of a throwaway line in a twenty-year old GLC Annual back up story and Geoff Johns is a genius; mention a character from one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays and suddenly Moore’s some weirdo obscurantist.

That back up story was, of course, by Alan Moore. And that’s the talent ratio involved: twenty years ago in one panel, Alan Moore was demonstrating enough imagination and verve to fuel ten Geoff Johns comics now.

And that’s roughly what Black Dossier is like. The audience for comics is smart and well-read. It’s nice to have at least a few comics that are the same.

By: M Kayal future writer

M Kayal future writer — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:24:26 +0000

Sir, I am an American. I may be intelligent, I’m not sure because I get conflicting reports between my teachers and friends and family. But I do think that Alan Moore has created something here that is enjoyable from the main plot to the Dossier sections. Also, I’m curious if you have the copy that included Moore’s vinyl. I’m curious what your opinion of Frank Miller is. But I do think that what Moore has provided us with with the invaluable help of Kevin Oneil is for almost anyone. It’s not perfect but it’s good.