V for Vendetta

V for VendetV for Vendetta

by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

★★★★

The first time I saw the movie V for Vendetta was only a few weeks after I’d moved home from living in London. I still had Anglophile fever and was reminiscing about my recent celebration of my first Guy Fawkes Day in England. So it’s no surprise that I loved it and it remains one of my favorite movies to this day.

Now onto the graphic novel: the original comics were published in the 1980s and depict a near-future society where a totalitarian government with strict enforcement has taken over England An anarchist who calls himself V and wears a Guy Fawkes mask sets in motion a plan to destroy the ruling group’s leaders and return the power to the people. My expectations were high, not just because I adored the movie, but also because I loved Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen.

At the beginning of the story, V saves a young woman named Evey. After that, she becomes involved in his revolutionary world. It’s actually Evey’s journey that is the most interesting aspect of the plot. She begins as a scared helpless girl, but her character evolves throughout the story and that transformation is amazing to watch. It makes the story much more personal and left me wondering what I would do in a world like that.

There are a few minor plots that I didn’t love, like Derek and Rosemary Almond’s story. They all make points that are important to the story, but they also take you out of the action and can be a bit confusing.

Bottom line, I don’t think this is the best graphic novel to start with if you’re new to the genre. But if you already love them and you’ve enjoyed other politically driven stories, V for Vendetta is a fascinating look at an out of control government and the power that one person can have when they take a stand.

p.s. If you haven’t seen the movie, see it immediately, it’s wonderful! I don’t know if I would have enjoyed this one so much if I hadn’t seen it first.