"Well, frankly, I was afraid wearing a monocle might make me look a bit odd." (Page 37)
Alan Moore: A Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman is a hodgepodge of various stories, articles, and drawings, all written by various members of the comic/science fiction world. All stories of course, revolve around the life and times of the famous Alan Moore, graphic novelist extraordinaire. The quote above was recalled by one Len Wein, the creator of Swamp Thing, and the one time editor in chief of Marvel Comics. Wein is telling the reader about the very first time he met Alan Moore, and what a character he was. Wein describes Moore's outlandish style, what with the unit of hair that covers his head and face, and his wacky thrift store clothes. Wein informs the reader that Moore had recently been to an optometrist who discovered that he had terrible vision in only one eye. Upon the suggestion of purchasing a monocle, Moore replied with the above statement. This interaction seems to me to sum up the personality of Alan Moore, seen throughout the novel. Connections
Out of all of Alan Moore's crazy antics, there is one thing that I can personally relate to, and that is his work for promoting equality for all couples, including those of the same sex. Moore himself had a very interesting first marriage, which included a third party categorized as a 'mutual lover'. The threesome did a good amount of work promoting the equality that should be offered to same sex couples. As the co-president of my school's Gay-Straight Alliance, I could directly relate to this. I personally fight for equality concerning this particular issue, and finding out that Moore does as well gave me a direct way to connect to the man.
Reaction
When I first opened this novel, I had no clue what to expect. I was personally ready to find tales about the dark, stormy character that was Alan Moore. Was ready to hear authors and illustrators reminisce about the few times they met Alan Moore, and how strange and cryptic his demeanor was. I was quite surprised to hear about how seemingly cheery and joyful he was. I had really expected him to have a dark personality to match the darkness that seeps out of his books. Though Moore is far from what I was expecting, he is still quite a character. His life is full of strange quirks- see the third love partner I mentioned above. Overall, Moore's character interests me; he is by far the most interesting 'celebrity' I've ever had the opportunity to get to know.
Visual Representation
To the right is a photo of Alan Moore himself. Take into account the numerous rings on his fingers, the massive amount of hair that surrounds his entire face, and the almost ominous, all knowing look he is giving the camera. He portrait, to me, really sums up the book deemed his 'autobiography'. The look is eclectic, artistic, and a little bit mad. I feel as though Moore's look really encompasses what you would think the author of novels like From Hell and Watchmen would look like.
Questions
What is Moore's most recognizable work? Since he made his vow to leave the comic community for other activities, has he had any interaction with the comic world? Did his career as a magician ever take off? Does Moore really receive no money from the movies made out of his novels? The proceeds from this book are said to go to charities pursuing cures for Alzheimer's disease, why? Why that specific disease?
Reflection
It seems to me that Alan Moore has led a very interesting life thus far. From his three way relationship with his wife and a third party (who eventually both left him for each other), and his current pursuit of becoming a magician, it seems like he has had a very eclectic and interesting life. Many of the stories written for this compilation were good representations of said eccentricities. Yet some of them were quite dull, and cryptic. Speaking about things the reader may not have understood. I'd also like to point out that the previous owner of this book (I bought it used off of Amazon) left it in good shape, but in possession of a rank smell of body odour and cigarettes, making it very hard to read for long periods of time.
