My 20th Century
"Once there was a league of extraordinary adventurers. Then there came a hundred years of a relentless modern world... and then there were none."
Alan Moore made it clear. He won't collaborate with a movie studio that would want to adapt his comic book to the big screen. A faithful adaptation of a written material is a rarity, but it's a different case with Moore's works. It would seem impossible.
Moore, who hails from Northampton, England, is an occultist. His political views lean towards anarchy. And readers would be fooled by his rugged appearance. Those pair of eyes were gleaming with humor and mischief. For instance, the premise of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" saw literary characters from Victorian literature ending up as members of the military intelligence. It was the Justice League of Victorian England, but Moore thought this comic book could be much more. This limited series would illustrate the richness of culture in Europe during the turn of the 20th century. As Charles Dickens would put it, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times as well. And artists would draw from it. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" evolved through the decades, as they were influenced by the chain of events. The final years of the 20th century would be relatively peaceful, but readers couldn't grasp the cultural landscape. It was like a barren field.
What keeps mankind alive?
The events in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume III: Century", which was published between 2009 and 2012, would trace back to 1910. Thomas Carnacki, William Hope Hodgson's unforgettable occult detective, had nightmarish visions of events in the distant future. (Some readers would guess the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the London bombings on July 7, 2005.) Mina Harker, who once fell under Dracula's spell, had jitters. She sensed Armageddon, and she must consult an occultist about it. Orlando, the nobleman who undergone a transformation of sex in Virginia Woolf's historical romp, couldn't be relied on. He was the new member of the league, and Mina rather not see him changed into a lady. The league had success in the past, but they might let Her Majesty down on this one.
Moore would point out that readers must not be distracted by the literary and historical references in this limited series, as he made fun of it. Orlando had mental lapses, while on assignment, which could refer to Woolf's (mental) state of mind. The less-glamorous side of London narrated Janni Dakkar's coming of age. She was Captain Nemo's daughter, who refused to inherit the Nautilus. She opted to scrub floors in a dingy pub, only to be gang-raped by drunk men. Her strong desire for vengeance changed the course of events in the book. Some readers might not have the stomach for it, and Moore could allude to an unpleasant aspect of Britain's colonial past. And Janni's unexpected meeting with Mina wasn't a coincidence at all.
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume III: Century" depicted events in 1969 and 2009, which seemed remote from the tumultuous happenings in London in 1910. But read again. Could history be repeated until the lessons would be learned? No doubt about it. The next one could polarize readers. Artists from antiquity have reached their full potential during those peaceful moments. Authors from Victorian fiction, and Modern literature to the extent, would tell otherwise. Moore rather not remind readers of the mistakes from the past, opting to shroud the disturbing chain of events in flair and mystery. And you could count on that British sense of humor. (The comic book might be dull otherwise.) There won't be any way out of it, so better enjoy the ride. Moreover, a occultist must have informed them of their good fortune. It might be their last one.
How did Swinging London change the league? Stay tuned.
