The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, published under the America's Best Comics imprint of DC Comics. As of 2004 it comprises two six-issue mini-series (both collected as graphic novels), as well as a film adaptation.The title could well be a play upon that of The League of Gentlemen, which was a novel, film, radio series, and television series, the Justice League of America comic books, or the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
| Table of contents |
|
2 Synopsis 3 Collections 4 Source works 5 Adaptations 6 External links |
The story takes place in 1898 in a fictional world where all of the characters and events from Victorian era adventure literature actually existed. The world the characters inhabit is one far more technologically advanced than our own was in the same year (c.f. steampunk). This setting allows Moore and O'Neill to insert 'in-jokes' and cameos from many of the great works of Victorian fiction, while also making contemporary references and jibes. (In issue 1, there is a half-finished bridge to link Britain and France, referencing problems constructing the real-world Channel Tunnel).
The League is assembled by the British government to protect the empire from various menaces including the criminal genius Fu Manchu (Vol. 1) and the Martians from H.G. Wells' novel War of the Worlds (Vol. 2).
The individual members of the League are:
Overview
The League are recruited for the Government by one Campion Bond. Bond is an original creation likely an homage to Margery Allingham's Albert Campion and Ian Fleming's James Bond.
Sherlock Holmes and Dracula are notably absent from the League's adventures. Holmes is still believed by the public to be deceased following the events of "The Final Problem". Moore has noted that he felt these two seminal characters would overwhelm the rest of the cast thus making the book a lot less fun.
The juxtaposition of characters from different sources in the same story is similar to science fiction writer Philip Jose Farmer's works centering around the Wold Newton family.
Warning: Plot details follow.
Volume one opens with Mina Murray recruited by Campion Bond to assemble the League. Captain Nemo having already been independently recruited, they then find Quatermain (an opium addict), Griffin the Invisible Man and Jeckyll/Hyde in succession. The League is then convened at its headquarters in the British Museum, where they are sent to recover a sample of cavorite from the clutches of Fu Manchu (who is not mentioned by name).
Following the success of this mission, it is revealed that Bond's superior, M, is not - as had been supposed - Sherlock Holmes' older brother Mycroft, but in fact Professor Moriarty, who intends to use the cavorite to assemble an airborne armada. The League boards Moriarty's fleet as it is bombing Fu Manchu's headquarters and defeats Moriarty, who spirals into the sky clutching the cavorite. Mycroft Holmes finally succeeds Moriarty as the head of the League.
Volume two opens on Mars, where John Carter and Gullivar Jones have assembled an alliance to defeat the aliens who have been bedeviling the native Martians. These prove to be the aliens from The War of the Worlds, who learn about Earth from the humans on Mars and launch themselves there.
When the aliens land on Earth, they begin to rampage across the countryside. Griffin forms an alliance with the aliens, and beats Murray. Then Nemo and the Nautilus attempt to obstruct the aliens in London while Quatermain and Murray are sent into the English countryside to contact Doctor Moreau, who is hiding with the aid of the government. Quatermain and Murray return with one of Moreau's hybrids while Hyde brutally slays Griffin. Hyde then sacrifices himself to buy time for the hybrid - a strain of several viruses - can be launched at the aliens, killing them. Nemo quits the league in disgust at the use of bacterial weapons, leaving Quatermain and Murray—who have become lovers—at a crossroads.
Conspicuously absent is any reference to Tarzan or material from the Jack London stories.
This film is not to be confused with the film of The League of Gentlmen, which was a 1960 British heist film.
Synopsis
Volume one
Volume two
Collections
Source works
Adaptations
A film starring Sean Connery and directed by Stephen Norrington was released on July 7 2003 in the United States. It adds the additional characters Tom Sawyer (from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain) and Dorian Gray (from the novel by Oscar Wilde), as well as a new villain. Characters from the comic are also changed: Quatermain is the leader of the team; Mina Murray is still Mina Harker, and a vampire; and the Invisible Man is a new character who has gained the invisibility formula (because the film-makers were unable to obtain the rights to Wells's character). In a move reminiscent of the James Bond novels, the League is recruited by a character known as "M". Moriarty from Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories also makes an appearance.External links