baileeparkes 's review for:

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 3: Century by Alan Moore

4.0

challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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This was a good return to form for the League series, setting forward a whole new phase in the universe. The first two volumes are great, but one thing is that they are very self-contained to Victorian era England. We get a final breath of that in 1910 before it all falls apart and things move forward. The occult angle feels very Alan Moore and the horniness increases exponentially alongside that. I guess when you’re immortal you’ve got not much else to do, is the logic. You’ll either hate it or not mind it, honestly. The convoluted nature of the world could also be a barrier as, along with being self-contained, the first two volumes are also much simpler. The whole Blazing World is almost comical in how little it matters beyond this plot motivation side. There is a hopeless feeling when they’ve been cut off from it after Mina’s disappearance, I will say, as well as a swell of hope when he sends them on that final mission. Which leads me to one thing this has over the first volumes: I actually like the characters. Orlando goes from this warrior full of bravado and stories, to someone broken by war and senseless violence in search of a purpose. Alan remains committed to Mina to the point losing her sends him back into addiction before her surprise return inspires him to give his life. Mina valiantly holds on to this team and attempts to continue the fight even when facing forces that far outmatch her, almost to her destruction. These are much more compelling arcs than the Invisible Man’s double cross or Hyde’s pseudo-sexual relationship with Mina. Behind all the references and world-building and Alan Moore-isms, it’s these basic things that make this story really readable, not to mention the fantastic panelling. I really noticed the panel structure here, how every scene is perfectly fitted into these two pages, it keeps the pace relatively swift despite the convoluted narrative and weaving narratives. The 1969 and 2009 sections are especially fast paced, and I found myself almost breathless at points. I mean, overall, the creativity of this world and story speak for itself so if that gets you creatively energised like it does me, you’re golden.