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Alan Moore (born November 18, 1953) is a British writer and co-creator of comic books such as Watchmen and V for Vendetta.
Beginning his career writing strips for publications such as Doctor Who Monthly (or Weekly as it was then), Moore went on to work on influential UK comics such as 2000 AD (including strips such as The Ballad of Halo Jones, Skizz, D.R. and Quinch and Time Twisters) and Warrior) (including Marvelman (known as Miracleman in the US) and V for Vendetta). Having achieved a reputation for producing ground-breaking material in a largely formulaic medium, Moore was later hired by DC Comics to work on the fairly unknown comic book Saga of the Swamp Thing, in which he laid the groundwork for what was to become the Vertigo Universe. In 1986 he wrote the dark superhero miniseries Watchmen (illustrated by Dave Gibbons), which, together with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, redefined the medium of the comic book and raised it to a new level of graphic literature.
Moore's style of writing stretched the boundaries of the comic book medium, putting it to use in ways that are quite unlike other forms of storytelling. His stories often contained adult themes and touched on subjects that had never been approached in mainstream comic books before (issue #9 of Miracleman included a graphic depiction of a natural childbirth, something that had been strictly taboo in comics before then). He experimented with symbolism in the medium through placement of comic strip panels and text, an increased emphasis on backgrounds and detail, while attempting to cut down and eventually eliminate the use of "sound effects", thought balloons, and captions; he worked in the same way that film editors use the medium of motion pictures to manipulate the audience.
Moore stated that he wanted to expand the medium of the comic book, so that readers could experience more than endless rehashes of costume-clad superhero battles. To this end, he began such projects as Lost Girls (an adults-only comics reinvention of Victorian era characters), From Hell (a story about Jack the Ripper), and Big Numbers. He spent the early 1990s attempting to finish these projects, but only From Hell reached completion, with the final chapter of the novel published in 1999. However, after several years work, Lost Girls is soon to be released by Top Shelf, probably aided by the fact that Mr Moore's artist on this work is Melinda Gebbie, now his partner.
Moore converted to Gnosticism in the mid-1990s. His later writings reflect his renewed interest in consciousness, mysticism, and magick.
Moore returned to 'superhero' comics in the late 1990s, founding the ABC (America's Best Comics) titles The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories, and Top 10. These are more lighthearted than his earlier work. In part they are an attempt at a Pulp revival, but both League and Promethea explore serious dimensions as well.
From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen have both been made into Hollywood movies.
A tribute and in depth biography of Alan Moore in his Fiftieth Year entitled Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman is available from most comics stores. All proceeds of this publication will go to charity.
Alan Moore is blind in one eye, and deaf in one ear.
Moore resurrected Marvelman, an obscure British comic which was a thinly disguised ripoff of the American superhero Captain Marvel. The strip, which ran from 1953- 1963, followed the adventures of Micky Moran, a young boy who was given the power to become a full grown superhero by a recluse astro-scientist who discovered "the key word to the universe." The strip, which maintained a childish innocence and purity, has the distinction of being the first British superhero comic.
Moore's revival, which began in 1982, is parhaps the first example of postmodernism is comics, featuring a strong loss of innocence theme. Micky is now an adult, entangled in the problems of everyday life, who forgot he was ever the superhero Marvelman. Caught in the middle of a hostage situation, he remembers the key word "Kimota" and becomes Marvelman once more.
Mickey soon realizes that the memories of his youth do not match up with reality. There is no record of his time as Marvelman, the world has no memory of his existence. Living in a world far more complicated than his "four color memories" Mickey begins a search for the answers to his past.
Due to a trademark conflict, Moore's Marvelman was published as Miracleman in the United States.
Possibly worried about the mature elements of Moore's work, (an issue of Marvelman graphically depicted childbirth) DC hired Moore to work on a fairly unpopular character distanced from their Superhero line.
Swamp Thing, a title starring man turned into a vegetable monster by an experimental plant growth formula, was soon given an Alan Moore twist.
In Moore's second issue, 'The Anatomy Lesson,' the title character is shot and dissected by a scientist hoping to profit by studying him. The scientist soon realises that Swamp Thing is a superficial imitation of a man, his lungs cannot pump air, his brain does not contain neurons. He realises that the swamp creature is a plant which has absorbed and imitated the life of a man; Swamp Thing was never human.
A strong arc in the series is Swamp Thing's search for identity. Swamp Thing, who revives and reads the scientist's report, looses his sense of self. Most of Moore's plotlines deal with social ills as seen through horror metaphors. Sexual discrimination, racism, violance, and pollution are all themes addressed in his work.
Moore's Swamp Thing was enormously influential in showing a larger audience that genre comics could address serious issues have take on literary pretentions.
Many of the storylines in Neil Gaiman's World Fantasy winning series, The Sandman, were influenced by Alan Moore's Swamp Thing work.
Moore's most popular comic work, Watchmen, is about Superheroes who have been affected by real world politics. McCarthyism, The Vietnam War, and the Cold War have unhinged many of America's superheroes.
Watchmen deconstructed the superhero, looking at the moral, psychological, and sexual implications of their activities. His most pretentious work to that date, Watchmen addressed such issues as free will, the nature of time, human psychology, global politics, and moral relativism.
Watchmen incorporated cinema style transitions and voice overs. It avoided the then typically used comic book thought bubble.
Watchmen is the only comic to be granted an honorary Hugo award. Moore said that it was his final statement on superheroes, and, upon completing his committment of Miracleman, retired from mainstream comics.
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