Alan Moore officially retired from the world of comics in 2019. The man who penned several of what most in the comic community avidly agree are among the best examples ever written in the field, was finally hanging up his comics hat and settling down. The humble old man from Northampton was definitely not done writing, however.
In 2016, Moore had released a sweeping prose novel “Jerusalem,” among the top ten longest ever published in the English language. “Jerusalem” was an experience of a book, a genre-bending fantasy exploring the lives we lead, the outright horror and offbeat comedy of everyday life, the worlds of life, death, and everything very literally in between. It was a Holy book for the rest of us, and showed that even though Moore’s name had been synonymous with comic books for the better part of 40 years, that he had plenty in mind outside of that field and more than enough raw talent in prose to back it up.
Alan Moore has unveiled his newest projects- a fantasy quintet titled “Long London,” and a short story collection called “Illuminations.” Both projects are coming from publisher Bloomsbury.
The publisher promises “Long London” (pre-order on Amazon here) will contain a world of magic and madness in the wreckage of post-WW2 London. “epic and unforgettable, a tour-de-force of magic and history.”
“Illuminations” (pre-order on Amazon here) is described as moving from the four horsemen of the apocalypse to the Boltzmann brains fashioning the universe. According to Bloomsbury, fans can expect the short stories to be “dazzlingly original and brimming with energy, beguiling and elegantly crafted tales that reveal the full power of imagination and magic.”
With Moore’s noted grasp of history, British culture, and deeply seated love and respect for the working classes, the broken and blitzed worlds of “Long London” are ones we can’t wait to step into.
“I couldn’t be happier with the new home that I’ve found at Bloomsbury: a near-legendary independent publisher with a spectacular list and a fierce commitment to expanding the empire of the word,” Moore said of the news. “I have a feeling this will be a very productive partnership.”
Alan Moore rose to fame in the comics field by redefining Captain Britain and the face of Marvel’s UK division. He’d go on to create stories of lasting popularity for long running UK comic 2000 AD, revamp characters for DC like an unforgettable run on “Swamp Thing”, and “Superman”, before grasping the pen alongside a range of incredibly talented artists on multiple comics widely considered some of the best of all time, including “The Watchmen,” “V for Vendetta,” “Batman: The Killing Joke,” “Promethea,” and “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman.”
We can’t wait to see what the old wizard has up his voluminous sleeves this time. “Illuminations” is set to release in the autumn of 2022. “Long London“ book 1 of 5 will release sometime in 2024.
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