I liked it, but I felt left out and confused with all the British comics references that weren't explained. I applaud the editors' and contributors' efforts in attempting to help us lazy young Americans understand what was happening between the panels, but I just couldn't love this book like I wanted to. ( )

I liked it, but I felt left out and confused with all the British comics references that weren't explained. I applaud the editors' and contributors' efforts in attempting to help us lazy young Americans understand what was happening between the panels, but I just couldn't love this book like I wanted to. ( )

I liked it, but I felt left out and confused with all the British comics references that weren't explained. I applaud the editors' and contributors' efforts in attempting to help us lazy young Americans understand what was happening between the panels, but I just couldn't love this book like I wanted to. ( )

I liked it, but I felt left out and confused with all the British comics references that weren't explained. I applaud the editors' and contributors' efforts in attempting to help us lazy young Americans understand what was happening between the panels, but I just couldn't love this book like I wanted to. ( )

I always go into anything signed Alan Moore with expectations. The man’s knowledge of both high and popular culture, and ability to blend them freely, more often than not creates great art. Even better, they usually open new worlds to me, subjects I want to learn more about afterwards. This novel uses the bizarre world of British super hero comics from the 50ies and 60ies as a starting point – yet another corner of popular culture I know nothing about. So I was eager to plunge into it.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t do it for me. I’m sure that someone familiar with those myriads of camp and weird characters is in for a real nostalgia-fest. But for me it’s mostly an endless row of indistinct faces that don’t get proper introductions, vague references and a thin and strained plot. The whole thing feels like reading Arkham Asylum without knowing a single thing about Batman (except there are hardly any costumes). There’s a certain ambience here, and I get a little curious about learning more about this world. But mostly, this is simply for someone else. ( )