League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century: 1910

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“Mankind Is Kept Alive By Monstrous Deeds” From Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill comes the fourth graphic novel in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series. If your only knowledge of this series is derived from that silly little bit of celluloid starring Sean Connery and Stuart Townsend, first, accept our deepest and most sincere condolences, and second, get out there and buy The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen's Century: 1910! While my favorite volume so far has been the last, the so-called Black Dossier, not one has failed to titillate, thrill, shock, and otherwise entertain, and 1910 is no exception. Chock full of references, historical, literary, and otherwise, for those in the know, this latest story of Wilhelmina Murray, Alan Quartermain and their ever-changing roster of cohorts is a rollicking ride of invisibles, apocalypses, serial killers, magicks most sinister, pirates, and, well, we'll leave the rest for you to discover. A warning, though: if you haven't read the rest of the series, the way this one ends may seem somewhat lackluster. So, really your best bet is to just buy them all and start at square one. Anyone who's read one of Moore's comics (V for Vendetta, Watchmen) already knows that not only the story, but also the dialogue are top notch. The reader can also expect to be more than a little pleased by O'Neill's simple, yet beautifully detailed pencils. The entire affair is infused with a sense of intelligence, humor, and good old fashioned adventure of which the comics medium is always in great need. Do yourself a favor and follow Jenny Diver's (Oh, lord, just wait and see) example and dive head first into one of the best stories you are likely to read this year.

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- Dave Conkey / MOVEMENT North