Halo Jones (Alan Moore graphic novel)

[Fambo Number Mive]

Just finished reading this. One of the most moving and well written graphic novels I've ever read, although the first part was a bit confusing at times due to the slang.

Any other fans?

Thinking of reading Swamp Thing next.

[jobotic]

Yes it's fabulous. I haven't read in years though, would love to again.

[madhair60]

halo jones mate

[Gulftastic]

Love it. I have always thought it was ideal for a prestige TV series. Well, since they became a thing. Especially now that such shows only tend to get about three seasons.

It would be a real star maker for some actor.

[Glebe]

I read bits of it back in the day, then I bought the collection and I never bloody read it.

[Pranet]

Saw the collection in a charity shop a couple of years ago and for some fucking reason didn't buy them. Raging at myself.

[13 schoolyards]

Yeah, it's excellent stuff. Really shows off how much of a master Moore was writing for 200AD too - pretty much every episode in Book 3 is a first class stand-alone five page story as well as being part of the wider narrative. Gibson's art was never better too.

There's been some conjecture in recent years that the real reason Moore pulled the pin was less a principled stand on creator-owned work and more down to him being too busy in the mid-80s to keep everything going and 2000AD was his lowest-paying employer. Either way I like to think it's telling that in various interviews Halo Jones seemed to be the only story he seemed to regret walking away from, and he would occasionally make vague gestures through the 90s about maybe one day writing Book 4 before finally hitting that on the head.

Gibson supposedly pitched a version of Book 4 written and drawn by him to 2000AD but they said no. Probably the right idea

[Fambo Number Mive]

Got it for the Kindle but its so good that I'm thinking of buying a hard copy as well, which I don't usually do.

[Dayraven]

more down to him being too busy in the mid-80s to keep everything going

It feels strange in retrospect how many of his major early works overlap in time with Maxwell the Magic Cat.

[Virgo76]

Love it. My favourite 2000AD story.
Book 3 is literally brilliant. Book 2 is great. I like Book 1 less. I came to Book 1 last.
The depiction of the Tarantula Nebula War is incredible. The prologue to Book 2 is amazing too. I'll Never Forget Whatsisname is also (ironically) very memorable although has arguably dated badly in the wake of the current transgender debate.
Perhaps the high point of Ian Gibson's brilliant career. He fell out with Alan Moore over it ending.
I suspect Moore's commitment to creator rights was entirely genuine.
A shame it ended though. I'd have loved to have seen more but perhaps they couldn't have maintained the high standard.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Oh, not a one-hit band from 1990?