Collection: Alan Moore

Alan Moore is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the history of comics — a towering, singular figure whose work didn't just push the boundaries of the medium but permanently expanded what it was capable of. Born in Northampton, England in 1953, Moore grew up in working-class circumstances and came up through the British underground comics scene before crossing over to American publishers in the early 1980s. What followed was one of the most extraordinary creative runs any writer has produced in any medium.

His American debut at DC Comics produced work that still defines the benchmark for superhero storytelling. His run on Swamp Thing (1984) transformed a B-list horror character into a vehicle for literary, ecological, and philosophical exploration — and signaled that comics could be written with the ambition of serious literature. Then came Watchmen (1986), co-created with artist Dave Gibbons, a twelve-issue deconstruction of the superhero genre that remains one of the most analyzed works of fiction of the 20th century. Published the same year, Batman: The Killing Joke with Brian Bolland cemented the Joker as the definitive agent of chaos and is one of the best-selling graphic novels ever printed. His work for DC also included For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? — both considered among the finest Superman stories ever told.

Away from superheroes, Moore continued to redefine what comics could be. From Hell (with Eddie Campbell) is a meticulous, decades-in-the-making graphic novel dissecting the Jack the Ripper murders as a window into the soul of Victorian England. V for Vendetta (with David Lloyd) is a prescient anarchist thriller set in a fascist Britain that has only grown more culturally relevant with time. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen reimagined Victorian literary characters as a shared universe years before that concept dominated Hollywood. Promethea, Tom Strong, and the broader America's Best Comics line showcased his range as a world-builder and genre experimentalist.

Moore has always been as famous for his principles as his prose. He has consistently refused film and television royalties and demanded his name be removed from adaptations of his work — including V for Vendetta, From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Watchmen, and Constantine — citing creative and contractual disputes with publishers and studios. He has been outspoken in his criticism of the comics industry, corporate ownership of creator work, and what he sees as the infantilization of popular culture through superhero dominance. He officially retired from comics in 2019.

On screen, his work has been adapted extensively — entirely without his blessing. V for Vendetta (2005), directed by James McTeigue and produced by the Wachowskis, gave the world the Guy Fawkes mask as a global protest symbol. Zack Snyder's Watchmen (2009) remains a divisive but visually faithful adaptation. HBO's Watchmen series (2019), created by Damon Lindelof as a sequel rather than a remake, was critically acclaimed — and also made without Moore's involvement or endorsement. Despite his total withdrawal from the process, his work continues to generate major screen adaptations, a testament to how deeply his stories are embedded in the culture.

Alan Moore has written no ongoing series, no franchise work, and no Hollywood partnerships. Every book in this collection exists entirely on its own terms — and that's precisely what makes them essential.