The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – Vols I & II – by Alan Moore & Kevin O’Neill

Kicking off the 2009 book log, these graphic novels were a bit different than I expected.

I had expected a turn of the last century equivalent of a Justice League or X-men, meaning set in a universe that would later have those groups or their equivalent. But these stories exist in a universe that is wholly different, where virtually all fictional characters of our universe are real. In short, the concept is more literature-based than… whatever typical superhero comics are based on.

Which is not to say this is not a good premise. It’s very enjoyable, and most of that fun is in trying to catch the literary references (not unlike Jasper Fforde’s stuff). There is a gentleman, a professor in a college somewhere, who has extensively researched the tomes and identified all the references to literature and history, from subtle background objects to main characters. I read a little of his website and grew exhausted with the scope of his research, which must mirror the research of the original authors.

The almanac at the back of Vol. II is good reading, and packed with detail on this universe they’ve created. It’s essentially a travel guide, detailing where you can find the hole Alice fell down and other interesting attractions in post-Victorian England.

There is one more LoEG novel (The Black Dossier) and a new one due out this year (Vol. III: Century). I look forward to reading them.

I’m told to skip the movie adaptation.