Alan Moore: V for Vendetta review

At first I have to say I saw the movie first. Then read the comic. But no harm done. Both are excellent in their own field.

Moore's V for Vendetta (text by Moore, illustration by David Lloyd) is a dystopian comic novel situating in the future of the Great Britain. The country has changed to a totalitarian nightmare, where people are being watched constantly and manipulated by the government's information. But someone calling himself only V objects the acts of the governement and little by little is killing the major names in big places.

Compared to the movie, the comic book is more slow-paced and things happen in another order. The movie is quite loyal to the book, but I understand the changes that had to be made so that movie would work.

Lloyd's imagery is brilliant. The shadowing, the looks on the character's faces... it tells more than words, which are used in a plain way. The character V looks awesome in his cape and Guy Fawkes mask.
The only minus was that many male side characters got mixed up, because I couldn't tell the difference between them by just looking at their faces.

The story is tough and makes you think: how far would governement go to maintain order in a messed up world?

This should be read in English. That's how the original text would get all of the appreciation it deserves. I read it in Finnish, so all the magnificent lyric artwork V uses in his speech, got lost in the translation.

"Remember, remember the 5th of November..."
/ [Caterin S.]

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