Books: Promethea

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Promethea
Book One
Written by Alan Moore
Art by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray
2001



Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Promethea
Book Two
Written by Alan Moore
Art by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray
2003



Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Promethea
Book Three
Written by Alan Moore
Art by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray
2003



Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Promethea
Book Four
Written by Alan Moore
Art by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray
2005



Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Promethea
Book Five
Written by Alan Moore
Art by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray
2006



Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Alan Moore is best known for Watchmen. That makes sense. It's the comic that catapulted into the world of superstardom (or as much superstardom as a writer of a comic book could ever have) and the one that first showed the world that blah blah blah "comics weren't just for kids anymore." Plus - you know it's got superheroes in: and everyone loves superheroes - they're the spoonful of sugar that helps all the ever-so-clever-cleverness go down (and I wonder what the ratio is between the people who love the Slaughterhouse-Five-style perception of time gymnastics in Chapter 4 with Dr Manhattan on Mars and those that love Rorschach because - dude - he is such a badass).

I'd say tho that maybe - in a hundred years or so - when people look back at Alan Moore the comic series that most people will associate with him: in that it's the series where he cuts back the most and just lets loose the most completely is Promethea.

Ironically - in a way that undercuts the my superhero comment above - when it starts off it wears the face of being just another superhero thing - Wonder Woman retold with a "wonderful world of the imagination" twist: Sophie Bangs is just a normal college student from New York 1999 until one day... etc etc etc. But if you're willing and able to press through and on past those first few volumes then - well - you're going to be for a few surprises - up to and including a complete anatomical breakdown on the nature of the universe, magic and human experience told with some of the most experimental and messed-up and drop-deap beautiful comic panels ever created (hyperbole much?). Or - as Alan Moore himself has put it: It's a "magical rant seemingly disguised as a superheroine comic (see here)."

And I defy anyone to name an artist that can do more and reach further into seeming every single type of art-style than the almost shaman-like J. H. Williams III (one of my comic heroes).

Going back to the Watchmen ratio: for those that just liked the way that Rorschach beat up all those people and etc: this isn't going to be the comic for you. But - for those that say "bring it on" to a masterclass in all the infinite possibilities hiding within the confines of the comics page (and who would have thought that the careful application of words and pictures would be able to do so much?): then you need to read this book because it will make your life richer, fuller and better in ways that you can't yet understand. Because if you thought that other Alan Moore books were good - then - well... this is the place where he takes it to a whole other level.

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Links: Jog The Blog Article, Promethea article on Full. Body. Transplant., Interview with J.H. Williams III on Phantasmaphile, PopMatters Review, Comics Cube Article.

Further reading: Habibi, Neonomicon, Desolation Jones, The Filth, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Seven Soliders of Victory, Joe The Barbarian, Logicomix, Swamp Thing, Tom Strong, The Unwritten, Batwoman: Elegy, Animal Man.

Profiles: Alan Moore, J. H. Williams III.

All comments welcome.