The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic book series written by legendary Alan Moore (Watchman, V for Vendetta, From Hell) and illustrated by Kevin O’Neill best known as the co-creator of (Nemesis the Warlock, Marshall Law). Publication of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen began in 1999. Originally released as a 6 issue series, it has since been released as two trade paperback collections and a beautiful hardcover edition, all under the imprint of America’s Best Comics.

Moore creates a world full of monsters and demons but with sparks of human sensitivity and kindness. O’Neill’s detail art work is impressive, he is able to create beautifully moody and subtle images and then switches suddenly to portray appalling violence and disaster.

Courtesy of ABC/Wildstorm/DC Comics

Set in the late 1890′s, the first volume introduced us to a series of various characters in Victorian literature such as a shadowy British government agent Mina Murray, one of Dracula’s victims in Bram Stoker‘s novel; Captain Nemo of Jules Vernes’ 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea; an Opium addicted Allan Quatermain, (H. Rider Haggard); a beast like Doctor Hyde (of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde) and H.G. Wells the Invisible Man. As you can imagine each characters carrying it’s own luggage of valor.

Courtesy of ABC/Wildstorm/DC Comics

The second series starts with a prequel set on Mars, in which we are introduced to two key figures in the history of Martian literature; John Carter of Mars, the creation of Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ and Edwin L. Arnold’s Gullivar Jones.  Moore and O’Neill go on to craft a gloriously re-imagined War of the Worlds.

Together, they have produced a masterpiece, one of the very best Anglo-American comic books ever made.

Max Romano

Christophe Chanel