There is perhaps no other no name quite as well-known within the world of comic books as that of English writer Alan Moore. Known primarily for his work on such seminal volumes of his own making as the dark superhero satire Watchmen of 1987 and the political-thriller V for Vendetta of 1989, Moore has left an indelible mark on the cultural consciousness – when it comes to understanding the comic book format as an indispensable medium of the arts.
In addition to his more personal work, Moore has also been the one to writer such iconic DC Comics stories as the Superman volume Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? from 1986 and Batman: The Killing Joke from 1988. In later years, Moore has taken it upon himself to explore ever more transgressive subjects, with books like From Hell of 1999 and Lost Girls of 2006 that explored such controversial topics as serial killers and erotic fantasy, respectively. But despite Moore’s legacy and debts to the world of comic books, it would appear that the acclaimed British author has bid adieu to the medium entirely.
According to The Guardian, Moore has confirmed that he is done writing comic books forever. Granted, the titan of the industry admitted that he still has “about 250 pages of comics left in me,” but that after his already scheduled work is completed he will be turning his full attention towards producing work in other fields, such as writing novels and directing film. The announcement comes on the eve of the publication of his latest work, the post-modern literary tome Jerusalem. Speaking to what he has up his sleeve in the realm of comics before he moves on to other things, Moore stated:
“There are a couple of issues of an Avatar [Press] book that I am doing at the moment, part of the HP Lovecraft work I’ve been working on recently. Me and Kevin will be finishing Cinema Purgatorio and we’ve got about one more book, a final book of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to complete. After that, although I may do the odd little comics piece at some point in the future, I am pretty much done with comics.“
Given Moore’s recent history when it comes to having a few volumes of his seminal work adapted to the big screen (not to mention his falling out with former publisher DC Comics), it should perhaps come as no surprise that the man who ostensibly wrote one of the greatest Batman stories of all time might be a little sick of superheroes. Speaking to his own feelings about the comic book medium and superheroes as he takes his leave of them, Moore commented:
“The superhero movies – characters that were invented by Jack Kirby in the 1960s or earlier – I have great love for those characters as they were to me when I was a 13-year-old boy. They were brilliantly designed and created characters. But they were for 50 years ago. I think this century needs, deserves, its own culture. It deserves artists that are actually going to attempt to say things that are relevant to the times we are actually living in. That’s a longwinded way of me saying I am really, really sick of Batman.“
Many fans might feel a little slighted by such a backhanded dismissal of some of the most important and iconic characters of the twentieth century (not to mention the current age of blockbuster cinema), though Moore did make sure to reiterate that he leaves the medium with a heavy heart, saying, “I will always revere comics as a medium. It is a wonderful medium.” For now, those of us who grew up reading some of Moore’s greatest comic books can begin poring over them anew knowing full well that the man who wrote them has put that time in his life behind them. After that, there’s always his latest novel, Jerusalem, to grapple with.
Alan Moore’s Jerusalem will be available in hardcover starting September 13th, 2016.
