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comment by kleinbl00
kleinbl00  ·  3694 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Hubski Book Club: Watchmen Discussion Part 1 [final discussion March 1st]

    "To my mind, this embracing of what were unambiguously children's characters at their mid-20th century inception seems to indicate a retreat from the admittedly overwhelming complexities of modern existence," he wrote to Ó Méalóid. "It looks to me very much like a significant section of the public, having given up on attempting to understand the reality they are actually living in, have instead reasoned that they might at least be able to comprehend the sprawling, meaningless, but at-least-still-finite 'universes' presented by DC or Marvel Comics. I would also observe that it is, potentially, culturally catastrophic to have the ephemera of a previous century squatting possessively on the cultural stage and refusing to allow this surely unprecedented era to develop a culture of its own, relevant and sufficient to its times."

The Guardian, January 2014

    “I haven’t read any superhero comics since I finished with ‘Watchmen.’ I hate superheroes,” Moore told the Guardian in an interview published late last week. “I think they’re abominations. They don’t mean what they used to mean. They were originally in the hands of writers who would actively expand the imagination of their nine- to 13-year-old audience. That was completely what they were meant to do and they were doing it excellently. These days, superhero comics think the audience is certainly not nine to 13, it’s nothing to do with them. It’s an audience largely of 30-, 40-, 50-, 60-year old men, usually men.”

The Guardian, December 2013

He's said other stuff for 30 years, but it's all been buried of late because of the gonzo shit he's said lately.





_refugee_  ·  3693 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I am still reading Swamp Thing (onto book 3!) and what strikes me about it is that it is overwhelmingly sad more than anything else. Although I suppose you could argue ST is not a typical superhero perhaps? He is almost like Captain Planet - but a million times cooler.

Do you relate to Alan Moore, kb?

kleinbl00  ·  3693 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I don't know that I relate to Alan Moore, but the first time I was faced with The Monkey King I was all

Holy shit.

I think Alan Moore Is the Swamp Thing. I think DC blew him up and he's been trying to protect the swamp from interlopers ever since.

briandmyers  ·  3692 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Swamp Thing is now on my to-read list. Should I begin with "Saga of the Swamp Thing" ? Or do I need to go further back?

kleinbl00  ·  3692 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Saga of the Swamp Thing volume 1. Good stuff.

briandmyers  ·  3689 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Saw this billboard this morning - coincidence ???

kleinbl00  ·  3689 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No, I booked that so you'd see it on your commute.

I'm that good.

_refugee_  ·  3690 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What kb said. I think you might eventually decide to read the earlier stuff if you really like Swamp Thing (and Moore's is quality) but the earlier stuff sounds a bit dicier in terms of story quality and the continuity, of course, gets all fucked up.

humanodon  ·  3693 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Alan Moore made me believe in magic again. In a crazy way . . .

user-inactivated  ·  3693 days ago  ·  link  ·  

He does claim to have met John Constantine.

kleinbl00  ·  3693 days ago  ·  link  ·  

That is so totally awesome.

Complexity  ·  3692 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Friends who are producing a new theatrical version of Robert Anton Wilson's 'Cosmic Trigger' just conducted an interview with Moore where he talks art, magick and his decision to become a magician. I get to edit. I'll link the results when they can be made public.

kleinbl00  ·  2500 days ago  ·  link  ·  

bump

Complexity  ·  2499 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Ah yes, it's been long enough for them to have revived the play this year in London. Will add a link to the video shortly.

kleinbl00  ·  3692 days ago  ·  link  ·  

That's totally awesome! Looking forward to it!