40 Years of Scream!: The Archival Collection (2024)

40 Years of Scream!: The Archival Collection (2024)

Authors: Various (inc. Alan Grant / Alan Moore / Gerry Finley-Day / John Wagner / Simon Furman | Artists: Various (inc. Brendan McCarthy / Cam Kennedy / Eric Bradbury / Jesus Redondo / José Ortiz / Mike Western) | Page Count: 464

'A torturous approval system was imposed, where pages thought editorially sound had to pass four further levels of oversight...'

Rebellion, current owners of 2000 AD and its associated media, would publish the instructions from a toilet roll if they thought they could make money from it, and then within a year or two probably republish it as part of a themed anthology, perhaps with the ingredients of some liquid hand soap to bulk out the page count, and some adverts for other upcoming collections.

On the flip side, they're rescuing some classic-era works from virtual obscurity via their Treasury of British Comics imprint and giving them a new, vibrant life on higher quality paper stock than most ever would've been given back in the day.

The Mindscape of Alan Moore (2005)

The Mindscape of Alan Moore (2005)

Dirs. Dez Vylenz + Moritz Winkler

Alan Moore, author, magician and worthy apostle of gravy-sopping beards speaks directly to the viewer.

His words are accompanied by reflective imagery that helps illustrate the feelings and social consciousness of Britain of the era about which he speaks.

When juxtaposed with selective comic panels from his most famous collected works, such as Watchmen (1987) and V for Vendetta (1990), and some of his lesser-known ones (e.g., D.R. & Quinch), a deeper understanding of his methodology and strongly-felt philosophies and motivations is unearthed and is, to say the least, inspiring food for thought.

The cogs of Hollywood have tried but always failed to capture the essence of Moore onscreen; Mindscape will help you to understand why that is.

V for Vendetta: New Edition (2009)

V for Vendetta: New Edition (2009)

Author: Alan Moore | Illustrator: David Lloyd | Page Count: 296

“Happiness is the most insidious prison of all.”

V for V is set in a post-war Britain. Whilst not directly involved in the nuclear bombardment, the country did suffer some socio-economic fallout after it was over. In response, it became a fascist state controlled by a select few, policed by the power-hungry and morally corrupt elite, and populated by the frightened.

One man, V, a self-elected revolutionary, attempts to pull away the apathy, to wound the totalitarian regime and incite a passion for change in the populace.

V orchestrates a violent and theatrical campaign against the oppressors. He's a personified wake-up call to the sleeping masses. Being rudely awakened is unpleasant, it's more comfortable to go on sleeping, but should we hate the alarm or the reason it was set?

Alan Moore and Tim Perkins: Snakes and Ladders (2003)

Alan Moore and Tim Perkins:
Snakes and Ladders (2003)

With spoken word performances it's natural to give your full attention to the work upon first listen, but I feel there's a different, no less valid, appreciation attained from repeated listens; as with Snakes and Ladders.

When the listener's mind drifts or loses focus, or when the words lose their distinctiveness and become hypnotic triggers, there's a semi-unconscious feeling that what's being spoken is deeply poignant, magickal and filled with enduring mystery.

Eventually, stand out words will inevitably draw one back in, but the musings birthed in the interim will hopefully have served their purpose.

Like a rhetorician, Moore never falters, letting up only when a change of pace suits the telling. In those instances the music of Tim Perkins takes centre stage whilst never betraying its primary supporting role of providing an aural chalice within which the words reverberate.

The Complete Future Shocks: Volume 01 (2018)

The Complete Future Shocks: Vol 01 (2018)

Authors + Illustrators: Various - see end of post for full list | Page Count: 320

'The 'Shocks' are the sudden twist endings that up-end the narrative, that can unnerve even as they excite and astonish.'

The first volume, in what I suspect will be a fairly long-running series, collects all of Tharg's Future Shocks from the weekly 2000 AD magazine.

Some of the stories included have been reprinted previously, in various collections over the years, but for many of the others it's the first time they've received such an honour. Crucially, the works are presented in the same order in which they appeared in the weekly magazine. Volume 01, therefore, opens with the very first self-contained Shock from August 1977, and goes all the way up to July 1981.

The Complete Skizz (2017)

The Complete Skizz (2017)

Authors: Alan Moore / Jim Baikie  | Illustrator: Jim Baikie  |  Page Count: 272

'Everyone was running that night. Some of them were running in the same direction...'

The first Skizz story appeared in Progs 308-330 (1983) of 2000 AD, long before I was a reader. It wasn't until a belated sequel appeared in 1992 that I got a proper introduction to the character.

There are three distinct arcs in Skizz's story, all of which are included in the book. The first is written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Jim Baikie. The second and third are both written and illustrated by Baikie.

The story's beginnings aren't anything special. The benevolent Zhcchz is a Tau Cetian interpreter on his way home when his ship crashes on a blue planet, in a place named Birmingham (incidentally, not too far from Moore's hometown of Northampton). I can't presently think of any other sci-fi books that are set in Birmingham, so in that it's somewhat unusual.

The Ballad of Halo Jones (2013)

The Ballad of Halo Jones (2013)

Author: Alan Moore | Illustrator: Ian Gibson | Page Count: 208

'I go out and buy a gun, second-hand. I tell myself it’s for self-defence, but that’s not true. It’s because I’m bored. […] I take the gun and go sit by the window.'

Halo Jones is an average eighteen-year-old. She likes clothes, shopping and parties. Halo likes to live. The problem is that living in the year 4949 isn't easy, especially in the Hoop, a cramped and dangerous ghetto created to house the unemployed. People of the Hoop have never even seen a tree.

Halo wants to escape, to see the outside. Quite often when someone experiences those kinds of feelings it's themselves they're trying to escape from, but that's just not possible, is it?

The Ballad is split over three Books separated by time and degrees of depth and poignancy. Without having an insight into Moore's mind I can only guess at the pitch he gave to the comic's publishers, and his reasoning for structuring the three parts like he did. Whatever it was, I'm glad they fell for it.

Monster (2016)

Monster (2016)

Authors: Alan Moore / Alan Grant / John Wagner  |  Illustrators: Heinzl / Jesus Redondo
Page Count: 192

'One metre. Was that enough? Should it be deeper? Kenneth Corman wasn't sure. He was only twelve. He'd never buried anyone before.'

Beneath the 2000 AD logo you used to find the words 'The Galaxy's Greatest Comic.' I can't comment on whether or not that's still the case, but in the mid-nineties I'd have agreed wholeheartedly with the statement. But Monster wasn't a 2000 AD strip, it was from a short-lived British anthology comic named Scream!, so why would Rebellion, current owners of 2000 AD, choose to release it?

I don't know. Perhaps because it was written by three of their greatest writers and has been undeservedly out of print for over thirty years!? Whatever the reason, I'm sure glad it happened.

The Scream! comic lasted just fifteen issues (from 24th March 1984 to 30th June 1984) before mysteriously disappearing from the shelves. I know first-hand the confusion and disappointment felt by readers at the time because I was one.