i have been a big fan of allan moore for the longest time ever since i read watchmen. the places he takes his characters and the storyline is one of the best i have been exposed to in a long time. i asure you that you will injoy it

D. R. and Quinch originally appeared in a British comic book/magazine called "2000 AD". (The same publication that spawned "Judge Dredd", among others.) It was written by Alan Moore, one of the better comic book writers of all time. (He is known for such comics as "From Hell" and "League of Extrordinary Gentlemen" (both made into films), as well as "The Watchmen", making "Swamp Thing" into an interesting comic, among others.

This is one of his lesser known works.

D. R. and Quinch are a couple of alien juvenile delinquents that make anyone out of the "Wild Bunch" look like Prozac munching vegitarians. They maim and kill entire civilizations just for the fun of it. However, the destruction is so over the top and the targets of satire so broad that it is not just mayhem for the sake of mayhem.

Alan Davis' art adds to the atmosphere. His aliens are all bizzare creatures that have traits that you will still recognize. (There is a pretty savage parody of Marlin Brando in one of the stories.)

Highly recommended. I am glad these stories are still in print.

This book is a visual and literary masterpiece. Matt Wagner took a novel approach to the comic book format and created the poetic dark story of Hunter Rose aka Grendel, the most sadistic and romantic killer in comic book history. It chronicles the birth and death of Grendel in a smoothly flowing pictorial, with text inserts. This book is a must read if you are a fan of the dark and twisted. This is not a children's book by any means

The second issue of Lost Girls is better than the first, mainly because it is longer! Moore and Gebbie really flush out the characters and bring them to life. Lost Girls is erotica that is intended to be appreciated equally by both men and women, and I think it is succesful in achieving this goal. Reading ths comic, and looking at Gebbie's art will turn a lot of people on, but it definitely isn't degrading to women or men. Also, there is more to this book then just sex - if you are simply looking for cheap thrills, go watch a porno movie, but if you are in the mood for quality erotica, this is the book for you. Lost Girls is definitely a highpoint for the careers of Moore and Gebbie, and show that the comic book is an excellent format to create works of art. I just wish Lost Girls could come out with a little more regularity; I've been waiting for the next issue for over four years!

Second volume in Moore's Miracleman series, The Red King syndrome is an almost mythic superhero adventure, but as in all things Moore, with as many twists and turnabouts as feasibly possible.

Begin with a Miracleman rendered utterly powerless by his arch-foe, Dr. Gargunza. He's been led there because his wife's been kidnapped. Too pedestrian? Add to it a genetically altered dog that's sent to hunt down the now-powerless superhero. Still not impressed?

Now have the dog eat Miracleman's companion and bite off two of our hero's fingers. Couple that with the hero's subsequent killing of the supervillain...and then a graphic (censored in many, many stores) representation of childbirth, and then the seeds of a story that will change a world, and then...and then...

Well, who am I to spoil it? It's a phenomenal read, deserving of space on anyone's shelf. If you can find a copy, treasure it; we're not likely to see another story of this caliber in a long while.

Alan Moore rights very good poety. He the best rider in the world. Watchmen rule!

Stories about "real people" are common enough in your average grocery store paperback section, but in comic books, they're something of a rarity. When you're going that route, it definitely takes somebody with the talent and genius of Alan Moore to pull it off not only successfully, but brilliantly.

Moore has an off-putting sense of mysticism that fills the book, all the while leaving the reader in complete suspense the entire time, even at such mundane things as the main character waiting to use the bathroom. Moore's characterization is so powerful, so twisted, that even without a detailed plot backing them up, they'd be worth a good story in and of themselves.

Winner of a whole shebang of awards, this is a "comic book" that is definitely written for adults; and for once, not because of gratuitous sex or violence, but because it will challenge every erg of intellect you have to spare.

Despite being a comic fan for many years, I had never read "The Watchmen" until recently. It's routinely called one of the best stories ever published in the comic book genre. For those of us who didn't fall in love with it all those years ago, does it live up to the hype? Not quite in my eyes, but it's an excellent story that is well worth buying, reading, and re-reading.

"The Watchmen" is set in a unique universe where superheroes have been banned and the world is on the brink of nuclear war. The story starts off as a murder mystery and grows into a tale of truly epic proportions. Alan Moore paints a largely dark picture of humanity and weaves a story that is so intricate it absolutely demands your full attention. The characters are far from stereotypical or shallow. Everyone from the heroes to a street vendor seems real and three-dimensional.

At the same time, what was very edgy and groundbreaking in the 80's isn't quite as revolutionary today. It's thought provoking and an excellent story that runs much deeper than almost anything else you can find in comics today. Just don't buy it thinking this is the ultimate thing you could ever read... it's "only" excellent.

Of all the books in my collection this ranks as my favourite. Yes, that's right, I said 'books'. The Watchmen, although released as a series of comic books, still tells one of the most inventive and intriguing stories of any I have ever read. To describe the plot completely would detract from the pleasure of reading it for oneself but, in a nutshell, it concerns the loves and lives of a group of non-superpowered superheroes struggling to come to terms with a world that no longer wants their help. This and other plot threads are told against a backdrop of one mans insane quest for world peace. The artwork and rhetoric blend together to form a seemless collage of story-telling genius and with characters that are so alive you'll want to start again from the beginning when you've finished, this is a book I defy you to dislike. I must have read The Watchmen over 10 times and still I find subtle nuances in the storyline and artwork that I hadn't noticed on previous readings. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

For anyone to ever argue the point that comics should be seen as actual literature should use this as their only example. Alan Moore crafted an unflinching, highly intelligent, and unbelieveably haunting story with this original 12 issue maxi-series (originally published in 1985) that is considered Moore's best. In a world where super heroes are no longer fantasy, we see a society torn apart by cold war paranoia, and an uncertain future. When a retired super hero is mysteriously murdered, an almost fascist hero named Rorshach is trying to find the killer, which leads him to convincing his old partner Nite Owl to come out of retirement to help. What is uncovered is more than either could have ever imagined, and what develops is nearly beyond comprehension. Moore's explosive, compelling storytelling and Dave Gibbons' great artwork make Watchmen an unforgettable read whether your a fan of comics or not. Everything about this collected story is exquisite; from the interludes to hero interviews and autobiography excerpts to the complex yet riveting story all make Watchmen truly one of a kind. All in all, this is an essential book to be in your comic collection, or even in your book collection as well, it is just that ... good.

Batman: The Killing Joke is simply the finest superhero story ever told. Although the concept looks traditional (Joker escaping and Batman trying to capture him), it focuses very little on action and more on the tortured psychological profile of this famous villain. The Joker here is perhaps in his vilest appearance, but later on, as the story unfolds, the reader almost feels pity for him, as his tragic origin is revealled. The book also contains some very controversial aspects that make it have a really very adult feel. And the art is equally brilliant with the story. This guy (sorry I don't remember his name) drew one of the best Batmans I have seen in comic form. All in all, I strongly believe that this book should be listed in the top-10 of the best comics of all time.

The Killing Joke is, without a doubt, the finest work that involves Batman.

The story goes like this - The Joker, in a desperate attempt to get someone to see things from his point of view, shoots Barbara Gordon (daughter of police Commissioner Gordon), paralyzing her. Then, he takes the Commisstioner and tries to turn him insane. And, as usual, it's up to the Batman to stop him.

Maybe the most entertaining aspect of the book is the backstory it weaves. It shows the Joker, pre-accident, as a stuggling comedian unwittingly brought into a robbery. Using elements from the famous 1950's Joker origin story, 'The Man behind the Red Hood', Moore and Bolland make the Joker seem tragic, in a maniacal sort of way.

The dark story Moore writes meshes well with Brian Bolland's detailed, linear artwork. Bolland makes every character look remarkable, and his rendition of the Joker on the cover has become one of the most famous Joker images in history.

You can't call yourself a Batman fan if you don't own this. Heck, you aren't much of a comics fan at all if you haven't at least read the story. This is ESSENTIAL for EVERYONE'S collection.

A comic nearing perfection in both its graphic and story construction. The art, empasising sickly greens, oranges and reds (especially during Gordon's torture sequence) works brilliantly at evoking a sense of the deranged and desperate mind of the Joker. That this tale is only one brutal cycle in the continuing, and perhaps endless, Joker/Batman confrontation is made all-too clear by the same, full-page panel of rain falling in muddy water being shown at both the beginning and the end. The story itself is also spectacular, from Batman's initial attampt to reason with his archnemesis ("There once were two guys in a lunatic asylum...")Joker's merciless attack and humiliation of Barbara Gordon, to Joker's hideous claim that the only difference between him and the rest of the world is "one bad day." One of the most bizarre and horrifying moments in Batman history must be achieved in the two foes final confrontation...that one brief moment when the Joker turns-halfway to Batman...is he considering accepting the Dark Night's help?...to the final scene when both men laugh uncontollably in the killing rain; a single moment when the both the Batman and Joker get the same Joke: that they are together, forever, until they destroy each other. Perhaps this is the "Killing Joke" of the title?

Bram Stoker's tale of the vampire Count Dracula, and related stories of vampires and other demons, have so saturated our culture that reading the originals of the genre is essential to any dedicated student of either literature or popular mythology. Fortunately, "Dracula" is not the dusty, overwrought tale one might expect from its length and age. Instead, it is intense, exciting, and usually difficult to put down. Stoker had a talent for writing engaging prose that is at once meditative and action-filled.

But "Dracula" is neither flawless nor innocuous. It's a scary read, and sometimes a dense one - as the book progresses, the excitement is increasingly broken up by literally pages of speechmaking and other nineteenth-century affectations. While these may be interesting to a student of literature or history, they're static to the modern thrillseeker, and I found myself confused as to whether the author meant the characters' extreme statements of love, hate, allegience, etc. to be taken seriously.

This is the dilemma of "Dracula". It's a good scare and an interesting read, but the length and breadth of the book convinced me that there must be more to it. The characters seem too obviously stereotyped - the men in their valiant, unselfish approach to villainy and the women in their purity - to be serious, and the plot proceeds along a course so obvious that it seems the author must be mocking himself. But that's the problem with reading a classic after you've seen the rip-offs: the classic seems old and overdone, a cheap parody of itself.

Still, classics have a lot to offer. Beyond the fantasy element, "Dracula" offers a mixture of the traditional epic tale of man against the evil beast without, and the modern introspection of man against the evil beast within. Despite its flaws, it is a worthwhile read.

Bram Stoker's tale of terror, 'Dracula,' is just as chilling today as it must have been to readers a hundred years ago. Stoker's original story, which has been told many times since in film and book, is the tale of Johnathen Harker, his love, and his friends, and their horrific experiences at the hands of Count Dracula. The book begins with Harker traveling to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Dracula. Aquainting him with English customs and traditions when the Count buys land all over London from his firm, Harker soons learns of Dracula's true nature- that of an unnatural fiend who causes destruction wherever he goes. When Dracula travels to England Harker's friends enlist the aide of Dr. Van Helsing, the only man who understands just what evil the Count is capable of. The story that follows is one of love, hate, maddness, and adventure as Dracula seeks to destroy Harker and his friends. As well as being a great work of literature, 'Dracula' is a wonderful tale of horror that modern readers are sure to enjoy!

The book that I read on Dracula was the unabridged version and it's not this one. However, I strongly recommend reading Dracula because it really scares you. It is told by a series of notes, journals, diaries, and letters. At first, i thought it was very boring because there's a lot of dialogue and everything is descibed in great detail. Fortunately, that's exactly what kept me hooked on the book. I would not put it down and I would stay up until 1:00 am reading it.So,here's a quick summary. Jonathan Harker travels to Romania to help a strange count buy an estate in Britain. He stays in the count's house only to slowly realize that he was a prisoner. After many horrifing and intimidating experiences as the count's "guest", he decides to enbark in a daring and frightning escape from the castle, to return to his loving fiancee, Mina. However,when Count Dracula is in the city, Jonathan sets out with a band of brave souls to destroy the evil count. There's a lot more in the story because it's 414 pages long. I really reccomend the book because it's 20 times better than the movie. I really think anyone can give it a try, and even though at first it's boring, you should make an effort to read it to get to the really good parts.