Alan Moore won't watch Watchmen...

Looking like the face on the Shroud of Turin but much older, Alan Moore is the epitome of Goth Punk.  You might guess he is a poet or a writer, so should you be amazed to find out he is the writer of comics greatest, most thought provoking stories?

The works of Moore tend to be wordy, as the art form of comic books and graphic novels often use the "less is more" approach, letting the art fill in the gaps; he gives "more than less" in every story he writes.  The words cascade across almost every frame of art, combine the two and it is as if you are living the story not merely reading it.

Some call Moore the greatest graphic novelist of all time, even prophetic in his story telling.  His acclaim comes from his many amazing stories but none so much as Watchmen.  The graphic novel given credit for changing thew ay comic books are viewed, was written in the late 80's (originally published by DC as 12 monthly issues between 1986-87) is about to be put up on the ole' silver screen, much to the writer's dismay.

When asked by Wizard:  The Magazine of Comic, Entertainment and Pop Culture (pg 54 Wizard#209) if he would ever see the film adaptation of his great work, he replied, "...that's never going to happen...  I'm never going to see the fucking thing."

Moore has an unfavorable attitude toward Hollywood.  If you have had the displeasure of sitting through the film adaptation of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen you just might understand why he feels the way he does.  However, other books of his which have seen the lime-light of Hollywood:  V for Vendetta, a faithful translation of graphic art to moving picture or From Hell which benefitted much from the performance of actor Johnny Depp, you begin to question where Moore gets his attitude.

In a recent interview with journalist Geoff Boucher of the L.A. Times, Moore explains his opinion, "I find film in its modern form to be quite bullying.  It spoon-feeds us, which has the effect of watering down our collective cultural imagination.  It is as if we are freshly hatched birds looking up with our mouths open waiting for Hollywood to feed us more regurgitated worms.  The 'Watchmen' film sounds like more regurgitated worms.  I for on am sick of worms.  Can't we get something else?"

So why would I call one of my "hero's" of the written word a big baby?

I think an artist should be thrilled at the idea so many have been moved by his work they want more.  With a film adaptation, as faithful as a film can be to an original work, so many more might have the opportunity to be affected by it, the artist should be thrilled!

Is it not a bit shocking how Moore can dislike film so much that he would take his name off the movie he inspired?  Dave Gibbons, the artist behind the graphic novel, Watchmen, is a talent to be recognized but people didn't buy the book for his art the way the might for any book published by Image Comics.  No, they bought the book because of Moore's prose.  They bought it and shared it because of the story Moore created.  They love the story and they will go see the movie because they want Moore.

I say:

Dear Mr. Moore

Get off your high horse, go see the film, enjoy the spoils of your work, you deserve it.  Did you hear Frank Millar cry like a little bitch about 300?  No, you didn't did you?  Why?  Because Zack Snyder stayed faithful to the book and made a much larger audience aware of his work just as he is doing with Watchmen.

... big baby!

But I guess when you are an intelligent, talented yet, eccentric writer you can get away with being a complete dick!