KA: There are a lot of people who are pointing out that you object to other people using your characters, and yet so many of your works have been based upon other--
AM: Other people's characters, right. Yeah, I've heard that. Now, what needs explaining is that you're talking about two or three different things, there. WithThe League of Extraordinary Gentleman, you're talking about a literary phenomenon that has nothing to do with comics. I can get to that in a moment. But, in terms of comics, when I entered the comics industry, I was given characters that the company owned, which were on their last legs--ones which were so lame that they were practically on the verge of cancellation.
Swamp Thinghad been, I suppose, created by Len Wein (although in retrospect it really wasn't much more than a regurgitation of Hillman Comics'The Heapwith a bit of Rod Serling purple prose wrapped around it). When I took over that character at Len Wein's suggestion, I did my best to make it an original character that didn't owe a huge debt to previously existing swamp monsters. And when I finished doing that book, yes, of course I understood that other people were going to take it over. That went for characters that I had created, like John Constantine. I understood that when I had finished with that character that it would just be absorbed into the general DC stockpile and I believe that I've expressed my admiration. I think that Brian Azzarello's editor had heard that I quite liked the job that he did with Richard Corben onHellblazerand he phoned up asking me for a quote. I don't know if they ever used it, but I gave them a fulsome one.
>>83249406
Alan Moore is a shitty hack writer who can't come up with anything original. Takes other people's characters and ideas, makes them pretentious and edgy while throwing in some rape, and then thinks it's the best shit ever.
His whining about contracts an IP rights is fucking pathetic too.
>>83249406
This is because those were characters the company owned and I understood that. And I understood that whether I had created the characters like John Constantine, or whether I'd simply recreated them beyond all recognition like Swamp Thing, that these would just go into the general comic company's stockpiles. I've never objected to that. I mean, I don't think it is necessarily the fairest thing, but I've not objected to that.
The thing was, that wasn't what we were toldWatchmenwas.
We were told thatWatchmenwas going to be a title that we owned and that we would determine the destinies of. If we didn't want there to be more than 12 issues, there wouldn't be more than 12 issues. We thought we controlled and we owned these characters. Now, there is a huge difference between the two of those things.
Do I continually tap on about people who kind of take characters that I've created or stuff like that? If it was under those terms, no, I don't think I do.
On the issue of those Green Lantern stories that were done based upon an eight page story of mine from 20 years ago:the point I was trying to make there was just about the general uselessness. I wasn't saying that they didn't have the right to do crappy Green Lantern stories based upon something that I wrote--of course they did! I was just trying to point out that it did show a kind of barrenness in contemporary comics, and that these weren't new ideas that they were bringing to it. They were just exploiting a little throwaway story that me and Kevin O'Neill had done all those years ago. And, I was just saying that I didn't think that was a very healthy sign for the industry. I wasn't saying they shouldn't do it. It's kind of a demonstration that the industry is completely creatively bankrupt. And, this is probably true of much of the entertainment industry. You only have to look at the number of Hollywood films of TV series that are remakes of things that were probably much better when they were done in another country, or another language, or another decade.
It doesn't seem that there is anybody capable, these days, of coming up with truly original ideas. That was the point I was making. Yeah, sure, they're welcome to recycle my old ideas but they mustn't expect me not to comment upon how lame that makes them look.
>>83249533
How can he call Blackest Night crappy if he has never read it?
>>83249506
>Alan Moore is a shitty hack writer who can't come up with anything original. Takes other people's characters and ideas, makes them pretentious and edgy while throwing in some rape, and then thinks it's the best shit ever.
>/co/
>>83249506
>His whining about contracts an IP rights is fucking pathetic too
DC/Marvel pls go and stay go.
>>83249406
>(although in retrospect it really wasn't much more than a regurgitation of Hillman Comics'The Heapwith a bit of Rod Serling purple prose wrapped around it).
There's an immense difference between Swamp Thing and other swamp monsters in that swampy is fully cognizant that he is Alec Holland
>>83249506
>Alan Moore is a shitty hack writer who can't come up with anything original.
Johnsfags are pathetic.
>>83249898
It was a bad story
>>83251070
I disagree, that story rocked, but Alan Moore hasn't even *read* the story. How can he even pass accurate judgment?
>>83249506
Why people go on and on about Alan Moore using rape in his stories ever since that Grant Morrison interview when Morrison himself have used rape in his stories more?
>>83251120
>I disagree, that story rocked
It was generic, empty, one shitty attempt to sell toys.
Yes moore is in the wrong, but he knew it was a mediocre writter behind, and at the end it was right, there wasnt a single ORIGINAL idea there.
>>83251321
Moore and Morrison can actually attack each other.
Moore attacking Johns is like a Pitbull attacking a pretty dumb chihuahua
>>83251372
Firstly, if you think comics are still written to sell toys, you are a fucking retard.
And how would Moore know if Geoff Johns is a mediocre writer? I doubt Moore has read a single DC comic since he left the company, let alone follow individual writers throughout their careers.
>>83251429
I'm not talking about writers feud, but people now always citing that Moore is obsessed about rape since that interview.
>>83251484
>Firstly, if you think comics are still written to sell toys, you are a fucking retard.
Blackest Night was to sell toys and toy rings.
>>83251521
Like I said, you are retarded if you think comics are made to sell toys and rings. This isn't 1985 where kids are reading comics and snatching Secret Wars action figures off the shelf.
Your average comic book reader is 20-50 years old, probably a working class guy, and they want to read their books and that's that. Expensive Black Lantern toys are the last thing on 99.99999% of comic book readers' minds.
Also, they gave away the rings for *free* so the books were obviously not meant to sell them. If anything, the opposite is true.
>>83249506
you must be 12. the guy revolutionized an industry.
>>83251484
Johns is a hack, and you have no concept of merchandising.
>>83251484
>>83251613
God..
Look i know you are a Johnsfag but Don't be stupid.
>>83251613
DC makes their money from collectable stuff, they barely make money out of the comics.
Literally every even he is involved aside from Brightest day involves alternative costumes.
>It's different because DC gave me those characters!
Did DC give you Alan Quartermain, James Bond, and Cinderella you salty cunt?
>>83252469
Another "johns" story. They could be considered "alt costumes" back then.
>>83252569
Look! another Event by Johns.
>>83252537
The public domain did. Well, except for James Bond and Harry Potter.
>>83252613
I wonder...
What new Story will DC use for their new toyline.
Meaby some writer wrote a story around the gimmick of some characters getting new suits?
Even when it was completly irrelevant to the story?
>>83252648
And public domain or not, those were all works of individual authors, authors who would most likely hate what Moore did with their creations. He's a hypocrite.
>>83252777
And you are a hack too.
His figures are interpretations of characters in his own story or setting. He doesnt say "these are their sequels" or their canon stories.
They make stories for them and say this are canon stories.
There is a difference between "i make new stories for them" (DC) or "thats my interpretation of these characters in my world and dont explain or fluff their origin forth".
>>83252777
And he is only pissy about watchmen, because DC fucked him because they told him they are your stories but than expand it. They broke their word.
All others he worked on, like you could read if you wanted, he was ok to pass them. Because noone said "they are yours alone, we will print them and give them back".
>>83252777
>>83253026
And thatps why there's nothing wrong with Doc Allen, or with an eventual "mister manhattan" or any other interpretation of the character, but stuff like Rebirth is just wrong.
