The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen #1)

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3.94 of 5 stars 3.94  ·  rating details  ·  27,348 ratings  ·  675 reviews
Captain Nemo! The Invisible Man! Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! Intrepid explorer Allan Quatermain! These and other amazing heroes of the Victorian age unite to save the world in Alan Moore's legendary tale, the inspiration for the 2003 Sean Connery film.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published October 1st 2002 by WildStorm (first published January 31st 2001)

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Jean Grace
Jun 14, 2008 Jean Grace rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: steampunkers only
Bah. This was another disappointing read for me. I had high hopes for this series. This book brings together a problem-solving team composed of characters from Victorian lit: Mina Murray (whose brief marriage to Jonathan Harker has ended badly), the Invisible Man, Captain Nemo, Allan Quatermain, and Henry Jekyll & Edward Hyde. While Sherlock Holmes is not present in the flesh, he is certainly on everyone's minds. How could such a premise go wrong? Maybe Moore just needs a lot more space and...more
Ceridwen
My only experience with Alan Moore's work was through the movie adaptations and interviews when something new came out. He always completely disowned the film adaptations, and with good reason. My husband and I both watched the film version of this graphic novel, and both of us thought we'd fallen asleep or been abducted by aliens or something, because we could never remember the ending. So we rent it again, watch it, and two days later, I think I've slept though the ending again, because it was...more
Ben
Alan Moore has had terrible luck with the film industry. The only adapatation of his work that he had the presence of mind to disavow before its release was the surprisingly good "V for Vendetta." The others of his works produced for the screen were the tepidly-received "From Hell" and the god-awful "League of Extraordinary Gentleman" adaptation, "LXG."

The film was stillborn, creatively, lacking the tongue-in-cheek humor and moral ambiguity that made the books so enjoyable, and was very obviousl...more
Travis
Moore takes what is basically fan fiction for English lit. majors and creates one of the best comics to come out in years!
A brilliant adventure story with a ton of fun cameos and a wicked sense of humor.
The mystery is clever, the character interaction is great, there are so many cool adventure moments and Kevin Nowlan's art perfectly suits the vibe Moore is trying to create.

only drawback is I now drive my friends crazy by creating all kinds of different LoEG type groups in my mind and then havin...more
Andy
May 16, 2008 Andy rated it 1 of 5 stars
Shelves: comics
Great concept, terrible execution. Moore manages to reduce about a dozen Victorian adventure classics to fit into his apparently pea-sized brain, and out comes this. This book offended both my conservative and my liberal impulses, with banal pornographic sequences, flat, amoral "heroes" and offensive Asian stereotypes. (Moore has less sympathy for Chinese people than Tolkien has for orcs.) This book certainly isn't suitable for children, and it's too childish for me. So I don't know who the audi...more
Liz (Consumed by Books)
This is actually my first graphic novel and my first Alan Moore, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure that it would be my thing, but I thought it was really interesting.

When I picked this book up, I was expecting something that was all action, but I definitely felt like there was a good plotline as well. Moore is an excellent storyteller, and I was impressed by how nicely tied together everything was. I also enjoyed the incorporation a couple of different literary character...more
Russ
I did think it was decently done; however, I did expect more from it. Having read Watchmen and V for Vendetta, I was expecting something akin to those. Also, being an English teacher, the premise had me excited as well. I guess I expected a deeper storyline than I found here. Also, it bothered me that Mr. Hyde resembled more the beastly creature that popular culture has devised, rather than the rather small being that Robert Louis Stevenson actually created. It would be like seeing Boris Karloff...more
Joe
Jan 03, 2009 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Victorian Lit addicts
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Phil
As, I suspect, with many people who first encountered TLoEG through the 2005 film version, I was surprised by this graphic novel, which is quite different than the film. For one thing, Allan Quartermain is really not all that helpful in the graphic novel, while in the movie he is the driving force of the group (though I suppose if you get Sean Connery for your film you give him the best part possible)--instead the major character in the League is Mina Murray (Mina Harker in the film). I can only...more
Ben
Disappointment. If there’s one word that sums up my feelings about this book, it is complete and utter disappointment. Let me start by saying that I’ve toyed a bit with Alan Moore’s work in the past. I thought Watchmen was over-the-top in its levels of gratuitous violence, but I appreciated the thoughtfulness of the work, especially given its Cold War context. I also happen to enjoy 19th century fiction. I’ve made my way through many of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries, read a slew of work by H...more
Becky
Definitely an adult comic. Overall I enjoyed it. It was exciting, and really fun to see some of my favourite characters back in action.
I believe the ever-present sexism and racism was purposefully overdone, because at times the dialogue seemed to go out of it's way to be offensive. It was funny most of the time. Sometimes it wasn't. Less than a third of the way into the comic Mina nearly got raped twice. Then there was Griffin, impregnating teenage girls in the name of God.

There was a lot of i...more
Andrea
Un universo parallelo: super-eroi dell'ottocento in azione

Alan Moore ha creato un vero universo parallelo in cui tutti i personaggi della narrativa ottocentesca sono realmente esistenti e interagiscono tra di loro.
L'operazione non è puramente citazionista: non si tratta di andare a caccia di citazioni (cosa che risulterebbe divertente solo per chi ha letto Stocker, Wells, Verne, Haggard, Stevenson eccetera) ma c'è anche una dinamica dei personaggi estremamente intrigante, una trama divertente, o...more
Zak Kizer
Im just gonna get this out of the way the film version of the comic is HORRENDOUS!!! Now that that is out of the way let's discuss the book. This graphic novel is set in 1898, where the British Empire assembles great literary characters to help defend it. These are Mina Murray from Dracula, Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Allan Quatermain from King Solomon's Mines, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and the Invisible Man. Just so you know this comic acts as a sequel to each character's books,...more
Matt Guion
Genre: Graphic novel, sci-fi/fantasy, historical

Synopsis: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a group of people believed by many to be fictional. Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the invisible man . . . all of these people are recruited into this league in order to do important secret work for the crown. However, as is often the case, there is corruption and betrayal in the works, and the league will either protect a deadly powerful weapon . . . or hand it over to one of the most di...more
Nenia Campbell
Hmm...well. On the one side, I liked this a lot more than The Watchmen (I mean, seriously? Blue penis? WTF). It was fun seeing characters from my favorite 19th century books popping up like whack-a-moles throughout the pages - and I love steampunk. On the other side, this was incredibly violent and, to be frank, rather racist and sexist as well. Or, as Mina would probably say, It offended my delicate sensibilities.

Yes, I know, the authors are "staying true to the times." But seriously - the vill...more
Laura
Sep 05, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Laura by: Matt Segal
Since the reign of Elizabeth I, England has expected extraordinary people to serve in extraordinary ways. Also, has generally kept them on retainer. For reasons that aren’t explained, there has been a break in this tradition, which is convenient for us because we get to see the league reformed under the auspices of “M” – who has a decided connection to the late great detective Sherlock Holmes, and Mina Murray, who survived Dracula and has become . . . something. She drags Allan Quartermain bodil...more
Christopher F.
Yeah, three and a half stars. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it. But it did not necessarily live up to the hype. On the one hand, it's really red meat for someone like me that likes 19th century fiction. I mean, I actually read H. Rider Haggard for pleasure, without skipping parts even. But I think this franchise is more impressive in its breadth than in its depth. That is to say, it is intoxicating and fun and impressive to see such disparate worlds of fiction stitched together in thi...more
earthy
Great concept, horrible execution. The art is atrociously awful, and sexism and racism abound (perhaps legitimate given the time period, but is it necessary to revel in them with such glee?). As a diehard Sherlockian, I was a bit confused about the timing--this story takes place in 1898, and Sherlock Holmes is believed dead; however, his "hiatus" was actually 1891-1894, so he'd totally be around at this point. As continuity errors go, it's a big one, since the plot and particularly the villain a...more
Poonam
This comic seems like a mash-up of all the author's favorite, eccentric characters - Captain Nemo (Prince Dakkar of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea), Allan Quatermain (of King Solomon's Mines) who is now a drug addict, Dr, Jekyl-Hyde, invisible Hawkley Griffin (of Invisible Man) and attractive Mina Murray (of Bram Stoker's Dracula) who is now divorced (Wasn't she happily married in the novel? Writer's fantasy woman. :P) and is responsible for bringing these men together at the behest of wh...more
Karly Abreu
In simplest terms, this does for Victorian literature what Fables went on to do for fairy tales and Hellboy for mythology.
While the plot is simple enough: the league of extraordinary gentlemen, consisting of Mina Murray (recently divorced), Allan Quatermain, Captain Nemo, Hawley Griffin, and Dr. Jeckyll, are assembled and hired by M16 to protect England from threats which only their unique abilities can take on, the real highlight of this work comes from the sheer detail put into it. The backgr...more
Joe
I rarely give out 5 stars on anything, because I like to save those sparklies for something special. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is something special. The story is awesome. The art is awesome. The creators embrace the medium rather than run from it. And these guys aren't afraid to tell a story.

If I have one major gripe with many "graphic novels" today is that they are trying too hard to create "art", and by "create art", I mean, "avoid even the barest wisp of entertainment". If you've...more
Ganglion Bard-barbarian
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Chelsea Noble
Though I expected quite a lot out of this graphic novel, it did not disapoint. It was a terrific nod to 19th century pulp and speculative fiction. All the great bastions of Romantic and Victorian horror make their appearance. Of course, being a woman, I am quite partial to Dracula's Mina Murray, but I also adore Nemo and I squealed at Holme's cameo towards the end of the novel. Kudos to Alan Moore for another ingenious foray into the graphic world.

This is, of course, not a book for the purist....more
Tahmeed
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is simply put like a Victorian version of the Avengers. Some might say the title is a bit sexist as Mina Murray (more popularly known as Wilhemina Harker) plays a significant role in assembling the team and indeed leading them. Maybe it was just Moore's ironic way of pointing out the sexism of that era and most mainstream comics.
This is quite a fun read and shows Alan Moore's brilliant gift for story-telling. Although the main mystery behind the assembling o...more
Chris
I'm not really one of the "Since it's Alan Moore, it must be 5-stars always!" sorts of people. I prefer to critique based on the merit of the artifact in question, not its source. Hopefully this is true of my grading skills in class (especially). When Alan Moore does really great work, like in V for Vendetta or Watchmen, I'm right there, telling people "go read this." I'm not a die-hard Alan Moore fan, but when the opportunity to borrow some things I hadn't yet read from the library arose, natur...more
Scott
Great, really fun and inventive comic book series that got turned into an absolutely atrocious movie. Writer Alan Moore gives us a team composed of characters from Victiorian era science fiction literature (Mina Harker, Jekyl & Hyde, etc.), all of whom are either deranged or suffering from serious and dark weaknesses. They are assembled to combat another classic foe of the era in an alternately historical universe in which seemingly all that we know as fiction is reality. Moore's writing is...more
T.A. Grey
I was hooked within three or four pages. As someone who's never read a graphic novel before, I can say I had a darn good time.

This book tickles my literary knowledge with famous characters from even more famous books such as the leader character (gasp, a woman!) Willhemina. That's Mina as in the Mina from Bram Stroker's Dracula. And of course there's the rest of the supporting cast, Alan Quartermain (who Indiana Jones was based after), the exotic Captain Nemo, the combustive Dr. Jekyll, and the...more
Mo Tipton
As much as I love the unbelievably stunning artwork, I just can't bring myself to finish this book. I realize that Moore is attempting to paint a realistic portrait of Victorian England, but the book is so damn sexist and racist that I can't read it any longer.

My friend is convinced that he's trying to call attention to how rampant prejudice was at this time (not like it isn't now), which, given Moore's humorous treatment of other aspects of Victorian culture in written segments of the book see...more
Michael
Though not nearly as rich and textured as Watchmen the only other Alan Moore book I've read, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 is certainly engrossing for a comic book. Basically a Victorian boy's dream of literary characters mashed up in adventures to save London, and the British Empire, from sure ruin, these tales are imbued with a smirking racism, orientalism and naivete that makes the Charlie Chan Chinese and bitter Sikh's almost bearable. For a more detailed discussion of this t...more
Tina Rae
Aug 06, 2012 Tina Rae rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the League
Shelves: favorites
Goodness, I am beginning to love graphic novels more and more. I used to never read them but now, well, I might never go back. Kidding. I love words too much, haha.

Anyway, ever since I saw the League film a few years ago, I have always been thoroughly intrigued. To see so many of my favorite characters come to life in this format is, honestly, so amazing. I just can't believe it took me so long to track down this graphic novel and be able to read it. (Apparently we have few good bookstores in my...more
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces)...more
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“I thought as much. Miss Murray, though I am a beast, do not think that I am stupid. I know that I am hideous and hateful. I am not loved, nor ever hope to be. Nor am I fool enough to think that what I feel for you is love.
But in this world, alone, I do not hate you. And alone in this world, you do not hate me.”
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“Bond believes we are his pawns. He thinks no-one observes his game. But I am No-One. I observe everything, and to play with Nemo is to play games with Destruction.” 4 people liked it
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