Absolute V for Vendetta [Hardcover]

This is an excellent reprinting of V. I do have some thoughts as to how this edition could have been improved, however. First of all, the artwork suffers from being enlarged: it doesn't look crisp, but rather a bit blurry. There's a loss of the detail and clarity in comparison to the smaller printing. This may also be a function of the paper and printing process used in this edition, which on a matte paper. Perhaps the artwork could have been retouched by Mr. Lloyd to add clarity for this larger edition?

The color is another issue. I've always thought that the original coloring of the work was poorly done, and it looks even worse in this edition. It just looks like whole pages were arbitrarily washed with randomly chosen water-colors. If this is some concious attempt to imitate or parody a particular style of older comics art, someone let me know. Perhaps it was originally meant to be in B&W? I honestly think this work would be well-served by being completely recolored.

My other complaint is about the "extras." All the introductions and essays included in the book are simply reprints of material that V fans have already had access to. This work would have benefited from some fresh analysis and introduction by a critic or editor, perhaps to put the work in perspective and give some history on the publication, sales, and critical reception it has received through the years, as well as its place in Mr. Moore's career output, how it relates to the development of his work overall.

This edition is well worth buying for those who don't already have it in printed format. If you already have the smaller hardcover edition, however, you may think seriously about whether you need to buy this. It doesn't really reveal the work in any new way, either in visual presentation or through extra material and analysis, so in my opinion this edition is not essential. In contrast, as an example, Watchmen IS essential in Absolute format: the artwork is much more enjoyable in the larger size and the extras are pretty substantive.

I would say, as an assumption, that people who buy DC's expensive Absolute editions do so because they want a definitive edition, printed on good quality paper, in an enlarged hardcover with dustjacket and slip-case, and extras such as introductions, unused unseen art etc, of their favourite comic books. I know I do and can see, from where I'm sitting typing, Absolute editions of 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', 'The New Frontier', Dark Knight, Batman: Hush, the four Sandman volumes, Ronin, and now V for Vendetta. I'll get back to this in the second half of the review.

V for Vendetta is, along with Marvelman/Miracleman, the first of Alan Moore's major works in the field of comics. It was begun at the time of Moore's early feelings of unease at the UK's ruling Conservative Party and concluded when those feelings had coalesced into outright disgust. Like the best Science Fiction, the best comics reflect concerns of the time in which they were written -and, yes, I'm aware I'm bringing together a genre and a medium- and V for Vendetta is political Science Fiction. In his introduction, written in 1988, Moore expresses his anxiety for the immediate future becoming a Conservative-led right wing intolerance as Margaret Thatcher forsaw a Conservative Britain into the next millenium and mentions that he's considering leaving the country. In the event, the Conservatives barely lasted until the middle of the 90's and Britain stands proudly, for all its flaws, as one of the most liberal, open. and tolerant of western societies. If you just limit this to England, I would argue, on evidence, that this is the most liberal, open, and tolerant of western societies. And Alan Moore is still ensconced happily in Northampton which, he argues, is located in the very centre of England.

Yet, perhaps surprisingly, V hasn't really dated at all and its fear of fascism remains eternally valid. If you doubt that, then I refer you to the racist outpourings of the British National Party. V remains one of Moore's genuine masterpieces, erudite, compassionate, insightful, obsessive; all enhanced by David Lloyd's sympathetic distinctive 'realistic' artwork (with its echoes of British black and white weekly kids adventure comics) which is possessed of a great clarity and enhanced by a subdued colour palette. Perhaps what is even more amazing is that in the era of Ronald Regan, DC published a comic in which the hero is a psychotic anarchist whose intention is to destroy the existing social order.

Now, as for this edition, inevitably given the widely known dispute between Moore and DC, there is no new contribution by Alan Moore. A shame as it would be fascinating to read but, as I said, inevitable. Compared to other Absolute editions -the four Sandman volumes are packed with them, Crisis on Infinite Earths required an additional book- there is relatively little; a few sketches, a couple of reprint pieces by Moore, the inclusion of minor material previously printed in only Warrior magazine, panels blown up to full page pieces, all very nice but doing little to enhance the original material. Not that it matters as this is a beautiful edition of one of the masterpieces by Alan Moore the greatest comic book writer ever. How could you resist?

300 pages, heavyweight paper, brilliant colors, hardcover, slipcase. Simply a beautiful presentation for Alan Moore's most overtly political graphic novel. I own an old paperback copy whose illustrations look positively bleached away by comparison to this new edition.

But it's expensive. The local store has it for the list price, here on amazon you can get it for a lot less, but is it worth it? You have to answer that for yourself I'm afraid. Is the larger format and the collector-grade packaging enough for you to spend the money? There are also sketches and work-in-progress, sort of behind the scenes, features much like the collector multidisk DVD packages. All of the back cover art and the silent art pages from the original comic are all here as well.

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