|
| DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore | 
 enlarge | Author: Alan Moore
Publisher: DC Comics
Category: Book
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $10.00 (50%)
New (35) Used (15) from $8.36
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 28526
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 6.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 1401209270
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.56973
EAN: 9781401209278
ASIN: 1401209270
Publication Date: January 11, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Worlds Greatest Super-Heroes as interpreted by one of the most acclaimed authors in comics today.The work of Alan Moore (WATCHMEN, V FOR VENDETTA, LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN) in the DC Universe during the 1980s is now considered a benchmark for great stories with fresh approaches to iconic characters.This volume collects such well-known classics as The Killing Joke and Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 DC's Collections Dept. Screws Up Again February 6, 2006
27 out of 35 found this review helpful
It hasn't received much publicity, but DC screwed up big time with this TPB. It's a combination of the earlier Accross the niverse TPB with the PF format "What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" collection and the Killing Joke one shot. well, when DC put this together someone forgot to restore the famous opening paragraph of WHttMoT which for the original collection was placed on the back in leiu of an original text piece.
Now normally this might not be that big a deal, but that paragraph is famous and a powerful piece of writing. It might be corrected in future collections, but for now I'd recommend picking of the original Accross the Universe TPB instead and the seperate releases of WHttMoT and Killing Joke.
SOLID, BUT NOT MOORE'S BEST WORK January 26, 2006
26 out of 29 found this review helpful
Over the past 20 years Alan Moore has become one of the most celebrated and enigmatic writers in the comic book industry. He has written such books as the critically acclaimed "Watchmen", "V for Vendetta", as well as reviving the failing "Swamp Thing" series, all for DC Comics. In addition to these runs, Moore wrote a number of "guest stories" for various DC characters in the mid-1980's and that is the subject of this new trade paperback. The book doesn't represent Moore's best comic writing and unfortunately none of the great stories he did for Swamp Thing are included in the book. Rather, these are a series of stories written for 16 issues of various titles between 1985 and 1988. They are all super hero tales and thus Moore did not have the kind of free reign that he did (mostly) on Swamp Thing but you can still get a great sense of his talent, even in stories for mundane and relatively forgotten characters like the Omega Men and The Vigilante.
In Superman Annual #11, Superman has been attacked in his fortress of solitude by Mongul who has attached a strange symbiotic life form to Superman's chest. He stands unmoving as Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman arrive to see him. The creature puts Superman into a world where his greatest heart's wishes come true...he is back on Krypton which was not destroyed and has his own family including a son...a son who he has to painfully tell good bye to in order to fight off the effects of the creature.
DC Comics Presents #85 has a similar story. This time Superman has been infected by a Krptonian fungus that is causing him to experience fever, loss of powers, and delusions. After studying the fungus for twenty minutes, his microscopic vision gets out and he heads south...by car...resigned to die, but is eventually aided by Swamp Thing. Good story but I cannot ever imagine Superman simply giving up so easily, especially with the resources of brilliant minds like Ray Palmer, Batman, and the Martain Manhunter to call on for aid.
A two-part story from Superman #423 and Action Comics #583 tells the "last" Superman story. This was a bit of a sendoff before John Byrne revamped the character in Man of Steel #1. This future "what if' story tells the final fate of Superman, Lois, Jimmy Olsen as well as villains Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Bizarro and more. Done in 60's style with art by Curt Swan, this remains a highlight for me.
One of my favorite stories was the Phantom Strange story Moore did for Secret Origins #10. In this issue, four difference writers gave their own version of the Stranger's mysterious origin. In Moore's story, the Stranger is an angel who remained neutral in the battle between Heaven and the rebellious angels. Because he took no side, he was outcast from both Heaven and Hell and walks the world as a stranger. Powerful story.
Finally there is the one-shot special "Batman: the Killing Joke" in which the escaped Joker is at his most sadistic in what he does to both Commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara. Still a classic.
With Moore's messy split from DC several years ago due to disagreements over re-print and movie rights it's doubtful we'll ever see Moore work for DC again, but fans will always have the stories in this book to read and treasure at his incredible gift for telling a story.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Good to Great stories - but not Alan Moore's best work March 19, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
While this is a great collection of comics, it certainly isn't Alan Moore's best work. His best work was done outside of DC Comics. Further, his best work for DC Comics is represented by Watchmen and Swamp Thing, both of which provided him with quite a bit of creative freedom. This trade paperback collects all of the filler stories he wrote for DC in the later part of the 1980's. The stories are quite good given what they are (guest writing, filler stories, staple characters with strict editorial guidelines) - but they fail to compare to much of Moore's other work.
The highlights of this collection are definitely the Superman stories - notably "For The Man Who Has Everything" and "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow". I really like the later, as it is drawn by Curt Swan who gives it a very classic look, and inked by George Perez who gives it a modern finish. Both are great and rank among my favorite Superman stories (which is admittedly a short list).
There is another Superman story from DC Comics Presents featuring Swamp Thing, but it falls flat for me. Moore's Superman doesn't act as Superman should. Another entry in the 'average' ranking is a two issue Vigilante story which reads well enough, but in the end lacks anything particularly special.
There are a few Green Lantern stories; most of which are quite short. And yet, while being short, they are quite enjoyable and are some of the Green Lantern stories I remember the best.
The Green Arrow/Black Canary story is short but good. A short origin story for Phantom Stranger is included, which I might have liked if I could get myself to care about The Phantom Stranger in the least bit - but I can't. And there is a short Omega Men story which I rather liked.
Finally, this collection includes "The Killing Joke". I really liked this when it came out, but I've come to think that it is a bit overrated. While I'm sure it deserves some credit for giving some new life to The Joker, in the end it is just a good, solid Batman story. Other writers have done better, and didn't need to destroy a character to do so. (Although, without Batgirl's crippling, Ostrander would not have been able to create Oracle. So it did work out well in the end.)
 Alan Moore...what else needs to be said? January 29, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
From the new cover art provided so generously by Brian Bolland to the commentaries between books this is easily worth the money you pay for it. Alan Moore's stories for DC are always good, and this book just compiles them leaving you to feel like a kid in a candy store.
Get your fix of "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" and the greatest Green Lantern comic ever "Mogo Doesn't Socialize". The compilation now includes the controversial graphic novel "The Killing Joke" and so much more.
As mentioned previously, who knows if he will ever write for DC ever again? So if you consider yourself a fan of Alan Moore's work, you owe it to yourself to buy this!
For the casual & dvoted comic fan.... March 26, 2006
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
For the casual fan who like to sample Alan Moore's writing without investing in his major works (Watchmen,Swamp Thing) pick up this volume. It features the well known Batman,Superman but also the lesser known Green Arrow,Phantom Stranger etc. After reading this graphic novel,you will want to read his longer works V for Vendetta
Watchmen. One only hope that Mr Moore will decide sooner in the future to pick up his typewriter or laptop.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
