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zare_i's review
4.0
So this collection is a weird one. Story "The Courtyard" is pretty much what you be expecting from the Lovecraft story. There is horror element, bizarre people uttering incomprehensible words and a detective hunting down mysterious murderers that seem completely unconnected, independent from each other but commencing gruesome murders in a same way. And then detective makes the mistake.
Story is full of tension, you do not see much of actual bloodshed - everything is right there but somewhere in the periphery of your vision. As I said very Lovecraftian.
Then we get to "Neonomicon" story arc. It is basically continuation of Courtyard but now detective from that story is arrested and committed to mental institution after events in "The Courtyard". Nobody knows what happened to the man - he speaks same gibberish language as those he initially hunted himself - but everything points to the same location where he sought the murderers. Two agents (male and female, where female has certain sexual addiction problems) are sent to investigate and then situation escalates rather quickly - very soon horrendous creatures start popping out. It ends on a rather strange (and rather depressing) note for the humanity itself because in the end everything hints to birth (and thus invasion or awakening) of ancient monsters bent on destroying humanity. Are we but a dream of a monster or do we all exist on separate astral planes and monsters are thinning the borders between the planes thus endangering us? Is what we see the past or the future - are the monsters yet to be born in the first place? Are Lovecraft's works basis for the strange cults or are they inspired by true stories buried down by authorities? Again, very interesting and very Lovecraftian.
And then we get to most conflicting part of this story - monster raping above mentioned female agent. Is it disturbing, oh believe me it is. Following contains spoilers so proceed at your own risk. That aside in regard to the topic of monster rape... As I said this is very disturbing scene and as far as I can see it is main reason why people don't like this collection. Again very understandable. With all of that keep in mind that sexual attack was always present in Lovecraft stories - never the detailed act itself but in hints and general neurosis and madness of the events. Also do note that in art first step for shock is always through sex and nudity. It must be something in us that drives us that way but I am yet to see representation of decadent society that does not include some sexual perversion or other (just look at Metabarons and latest [and even rather good [but using same approach]] Elric of Melninbone series of graphic novels).
In many aspects this story seems very much like Warhammer40k story - especially time warping and establishment of monster portals through living beings. But again W40K has many common elements with unspeakable terrors from Lovecraft.
So to sum it up - pretty much what you would expect from Lovecraft is present here: depression, madness, hints of horrors and no happy ending.
This is not for underage readers due to rather traumatic part of the story - it is prolonged sequence, that indirectly shows all the horror, fear and despair (there are no explicit scenes in here) and maybe this is what makes it more horrifying. If you cannot stomach it then I would not advise you to go through this comic collection.
Recommended to all fans of Lovecraft and horror stories.
Story is full of tension, you do not see much of actual bloodshed - everything is right there but somewhere in the periphery of your vision. As I said very Lovecraftian.
Then we get to "Neonomicon" story arc. It is basically continuation of Courtyard but now detective from that story is arrested and committed to mental institution after events in "The Courtyard". Nobody knows what happened to the man - he speaks same gibberish language as those he initially hunted himself - but everything points to the same location where he sought the murderers. Two agents (male and female, where female has certain sexual addiction problems) are sent to investigate and then situation escalates rather quickly - very soon horrendous creatures start popping out. It ends on a rather strange (and rather depressing) note for the humanity itself because in the end everything hints to birth (and thus invasion or awakening) of ancient monsters bent on destroying humanity. Are we but a dream of a monster or do we all exist on separate astral planes and monsters are thinning the borders between the planes thus endangering us? Is what we see the past or the future - are the monsters yet to be born in the first place? Are Lovecraft's works basis for the strange cults or are they inspired by true stories buried down by authorities? Again, very interesting and very Lovecraftian.
And then we get to most conflicting part of this story - monster raping above mentioned female agent. Is it disturbing, oh believe me it is. Following contains spoilers so proceed at your own risk.
Spoiler
Captured by the cult and offered to the unspeakable monstrosity of the deep as a sex toy agent barely survives and at the end is even offered help by that very same monster because it sensed something in her that makes her very special for its kind. After police rescues her and kills the monster in the process, strange language and images become more regular and soon she finds out that she is actually a portal for this horrendous creatures into our own reality. When she meets the detective from "The Courtyard" and starts talking the strange language she gets the confirmation that she is living portal that will enable monsters takeover of the planet and rise of their civilization. Crazed detective calls her a Chosen and even raises her to the level of deity - all of this just shows how dangerous she is to human civilization.In many aspects this story seems very much like Warhammer40k story - especially time warping and establishment of monster portals through living beings. But again W40K has many common elements with unspeakable terrors from Lovecraft.
So to sum it up - pretty much what you would expect from Lovecraft is present here: depression, madness, hints of horrors and no happy ending.
This is not for underage readers due to rather traumatic part of the story - it is prolonged sequence, that indirectly shows all the horror, fear and despair (there are no explicit scenes in here) and maybe this is what makes it more horrifying. If you cannot stomach it then I would not advise you to go through this comic collection.
Recommended to all fans of Lovecraft and horror stories.
theskyisnew's review
3.0
Ummm. I really don't even know what to say. It was interesting? I liked the art okay? Alan Moore has some serious issues with women and sex. I think Lovecraft deserved a lot better than this, but it wasn't the worst thing so. Eh.
jeremygoodjob's review
3.0
More than any other Moore book, this one’s violence is the most shocking and the most untethered from discernible meaning. I suspect a lot of people’s response to the book will hinge on how they feel about its sexual violence, in large part because the book suggests that that violence is central to its point. My sense is that Moore sees a sexual violence in Lovecraft’s work, and that’s what’s being explored here. If that’s right, Neonomicon does not do a good job of making the connection. If anything, it shows Moore at his most sadistic and unsympathetic, all while re-treading ideas that are better explored in his other work.
dantastic's review
3.0
The Courtyard: When federal agent Aldo Sax goes deep undercover to find a mysterious drug called Aklo, he gets snared in net of Lovecraftian craziness with Johnny Carcosa at the center.
Aside from being peppered with racial slurs, I thought this was a pretty good tale. Aldo Sax encounters cosmic horrors and flips his shit. Moore seeded the text with plenty of Lovecraftian references, like The Shadow over Innsmouth, The Horror at Red Hook, Zothique (actually a Clark Ashton Smith), and Randolph Carter.
I like the direction Moore is going with this one.
The Neonomicon: After visiting Aldo Sax at the sanitarium, Agents Lamper and Brears pick up where he left off and head to Salem.
There was some sick shit in this, much more extreme than Lovecraft but still true to the spirit of the mythos. I had a feeling things would go the way they did with Brears. This one was definitely not for the squeamish.
Moore's take on the Cthulhu mythos in Neonomicon makes me anxious to read his next Lovecraftian offering, [b:Providence|29966349|Providence|Alan Moore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1461171798s/29966349.jpg|50360997]. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Aside from being peppered with racial slurs, I thought this was a pretty good tale. Aldo Sax encounters cosmic horrors and flips his shit. Moore seeded the text with plenty of Lovecraftian references, like The Shadow over Innsmouth, The Horror at Red Hook, Zothique (actually a Clark Ashton Smith), and Randolph Carter.
I like the direction Moore is going with this one.
The Neonomicon: After visiting Aldo Sax at the sanitarium, Agents Lamper and Brears pick up where he left off and head to Salem.
There was some sick shit in this, much more extreme than Lovecraft but still true to the spirit of the mythos. I had a feeling things would go the way they did with Brears. This one was definitely not for the squeamish.
Moore's take on the Cthulhu mythos in Neonomicon makes me anxious to read his next Lovecraftian offering, [b:Providence|29966349|Providence|Alan Moore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1461171798s/29966349.jpg|50360997]. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
davidchanza's review
5.0
El previo de Providence y que aquí se editó con la mini historia Courtyard es un cómic oscuro que te adentra en el mundo de la mitología de Lovecraft con una serie de hechos a cada cual más macabro.
Muy molona historia, con un final que te deja con ganas de mucho más por saber la historia que sigue (o empieza).
Muy molona historia, con un final que te deja con ganas de mucho más por saber la historia que sigue (o empieza).
ajengg's review
5.0
As far as comic books go, this was pretty stellar. I found it a good read after Call of Cthulhu. It uses the Lovecraft universe as a solid backdrop allowing this comic to quickly grab the reader's attention. I feel this is a good example of a comic book meant for adults. Not just because there's violence and sex, but because there is such a wide breadth of information to process. From the art and scenes being able to depict emotions, especially isolation, to the dialogue sounding heavy and foreboding. I would highly recommend this as a great example of an elevated comic book.
fossen's review
1.0
This is an interesting reconceptualization of the Cthulhu Mythos, particularly The Courtyard. Yes, the main character is a racist anti-semitic monster, but he is just that: a character. It's a strong plot with good buildup to a well-earned "ah-ha" moment.
Then we get to The Neonomicon, which squanders so much promise and devolves into Moore's favorite trope: rape and abuse of women. Even more than deconstructing superheroes, Alan Moore loves using violent rape as a plot device. The main difference here is that what was hinted at in other works is now explored in excruciating, detailed, lurid, sexual detail. Not that those details ultimately matter too much, but it fills the bulk of multiple issues.
However, for all the exploration of the physical details, the emotional life of a rape victim is completely ignored. Moore builds himself an "out" by establishing the victim is a sex addict, almost literally "asking for it" and ultimately accepting it.
There is so much of interest here, so many smart contextualizations, so clear a vision of Lovecraft's world ... all wasted by Moore's misogyny which becomes more apparent over time.
Then we get to The Neonomicon, which squanders so much promise and devolves into Moore's favorite trope: rape and abuse of women. Even more than deconstructing superheroes, Alan Moore loves using violent rape as a plot device. The main difference here is that what was hinted at in other works is now explored in excruciating, detailed, lurid, sexual detail. Not that those details ultimately matter too much, but it fills the bulk of multiple issues.
However, for all the exploration of the physical details, the emotional life of a rape victim is completely ignored. Moore builds himself an "out" by establishing the victim is a sex addict, almost literally "asking for it" and ultimately accepting it.
There is so much of interest here, so many smart contextualizations, so clear a vision of Lovecraft's world ... all wasted by Moore's misogyny which becomes more apparent over time.
reedmorebooks's review
1.0
So one day Alan Moore smoked an eight ball, while reading Lovecraft and having at himself and thought..."I've a great idea for a story! I'll put a woman, who's only personality trait is being a nymphomanic, in the middle of a modern Lovecraft tale, and have her raped by cultists and fishmen until she's not anymore.!" Then giggled to himself like a school boy in his magic cave all the night long.
To be perfectly transparent, I find the pedestal Moore is often held on quite overblown, and more than a little fanatical, however, there are some key works of his I quite like, and alot of ones that, even if I don't, I can very much appreciate for their import and/or the clear talent behind. This? This, quite frankly, retroactively hurts all his other work simply by association, and goes a long way to support the impression he's so completely off his tit.
It's rare to read something that manages to makes you feel both offended and dumber for having been exposed to it at the same time, purely by virtue of it's existence, but if that was the purpose here....mission accomplished I guess?
To be perfectly transparent, I find the pedestal Moore is often held on quite overblown, and more than a little fanatical, however, there are some key works of his I quite like, and alot of ones that, even if I don't, I can very much appreciate for their import and/or the clear talent behind. This? This, quite frankly, retroactively hurts all his other work simply by association, and goes a long way to support the impression he's so completely off his tit.
It's rare to read something that manages to makes you feel both offended and dumber for having been exposed to it at the same time, purely by virtue of it's existence, but if that was the purpose here....mission accomplished I guess?