GRAPHIC NOVEL
DC Universe
The Stories of Alan Moore

Author: Alan Moore
Artists: Various
Titan Books
RRP £12.99
ISBN 1 84576 257 6
Available 24 February 2006


For just a brief period of time, Alan Moore burst into the DC Universe with a strong voice and fresh perspective on its inhabitants, both heroes and villains. His stories went from the streets of Gotham City to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, from man's struggle with his inhumanity to the origins of its most enigmatic traveller. Now for the first time, all of Alan Moore's super-heroic adventures are collected in one volume including the award winning
Batman: The Killing Joke and the beloved Superman tale, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow...?

DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore collects together some of Moore's more critically acclaimed work whilst he was writing for DC Comics. There's something here to please everyone. There are stories based around Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and The Omega Men. In total there are 16 separate pieces included here which were written between 1985 and 1988.

The Superman tales For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (Parts one and two) are entertaining - even though the former tale has a slightly silly storyline. Would one of his enemies really use Superman's birthday to send him a gift that would immobile him? And the fact that Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman all make the journey to Superman's Fortress of Solitude to wish him a happy birthday seems a little lame.

Personally, I'm more of a Batman fan so I was pleased to read Mortal Clay - whose main villain looks not unlike a Sontaran from Doctor Who. And I was ecstatic to see that The Killing Joke was included with an introduction. I hadn't read this story for years and it's still as fresh today as when it was penned back in 1988.

This is a good solid collection to interest any casual comics fan, and if you've never read the Batman: The Killing Joke tale, then that alone makes buying this collection an essential purchase.

Ray Thompson

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