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A review by rebelbelle13
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 by Alan Moore
4.0
I've been a fan of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen since the movie came out in the late 90's. I know most folks didn't like it, but I found it exciting, intriguing and different. I enjoyed all the literary references of the Victorian and Edwardian age; Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Dorian Grey, Captain Nemo, and the Invisible Man. I was unaware that a graphic novel existed of the team, and I was thrilled to stumble across this one. The art style is a little dark and gritty, but as you read you get used to it rather quickly. Each member of the team has their strengths and weaknesses, and the narrative weaves them well in equal measure. I was also pleased to see that the authors were true to the time period they were writing about. The story takes place in 1898, and it reads that way. History and language is not changed for modern sensibilities. What you read is how society was; both in how they spoke and how they acted. It feels much more immersive this way.
I also really enjoyed most of the extras at the back of the book.
There's a few downsides. There is a lot of violence and gore, particularly in the scenes that involve Mr Hyde, so be forewarned. Secondly, to my chagrin, Dorian Grey does not make an appearance in this bind-up. Perhaps he's in future stories? Thirdly, Miss Murray's true identity and reason she is on the team is not revealed. I was hoping we'd see it in this collection, but I was sadly disappointed. In this particular collection, there's a short story about Allen Quartermain at the end of the graphic novel. I read the first two chapters and found it incredibly convoluted and uninteresting, so I gave the rest of the story a pass.
If you really enjoyed the movie with Sean Connery, I highly recommend giving this graphic novel a try. I had a great time with it, and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes from here!
I also really enjoyed most of the extras at the back of the book.
There's a few downsides. There is a lot of violence and gore, particularly in the scenes that involve Mr Hyde, so be forewarned. Secondly, to my chagrin, Dorian Grey does not make an appearance in this bind-up. Perhaps he's in future stories? Thirdly, Miss Murray's true identity and reason she is on the team is not revealed. I was hoping we'd see it in this collection, but I was sadly disappointed. In this particular collection, there's a short story about Allen Quartermain at the end of the graphic novel. I read the first two chapters and found it incredibly convoluted and uninteresting, so I gave the rest of the story a pass.
If you really enjoyed the movie with Sean Connery, I highly recommend giving this graphic novel a try. I had a great time with it, and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes from here!