If you’ve seen the film “V for Vendetta,” you’ve seen the anarchist avenger known as V. What you didn’t see was V’s creator, Alan Moore’s name in the credits. After a public squabble with both Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics over promotion of the film, Moore demanded his name be stripped from the final project. That’s ok though, as the prolific writer of “,” “” and “2000 A.D.,” is always better when experienced in his element — the graphic novel. Here’s a look at some of his best:

Title:“”
Premise: In a not-so-distant future (1997, to be exact), a masked vigilante stands up to Britain’s Big Brother totalitarian regime. The vigilante, who dresses as celebrated British rebel Guy Fawkes, preaches leftist teachings while busting the heads of the fascist party that rules the British Isles. His goal? Peaceful, happy anarchy, of course.
Movie? Yep.

Title: ““
Premise: With the world on the brink of nuclear war, Cold War hysteria intersects with costumed crime fighters. As def con one approaches, a murderer is hunting down superheroes who have retired after fleeing from lawmakers. Essentially a wrenching character study of the men and women behind the mask, “Watchmen” traces the long, and usually sordid history of crime fighters in a world largely without superpowers. A monumental piece of fiction, “Watchmen” is considered by many to be comic publishing’s finest moment.
Movie? Not exactly, though Pixar’s “The Incredibles” rehashes many of its main themes.

Title: ““
Premise: It’s 1898, and British intelligence agents team with Victorian-era literary characters like Captain Nemo, the Invisible man and Dr. Jeckyll/Mr. Hyde to defend the empire — against the evil Fu Manchu. Amid a flurry of literary references that come fast and furious enough to make any Lit major wet their pants, the League uncovers Manchu’s plot to launch an attack to take over the British isles.
Movie? Unfortunately, yes.

Title: ““
Premise: Ever have a bad day? A really bad day? The kind of day that sends you over the abyss and turns you into a costumed crime fighter or lunatic serial killer? To make his point, Moore gives Gotham City police commisioner James Gordon a legendarily bad day. Batman, of course, comes to the rescue, but not before several rounds of torture and the maiming of Gordon’s daughter Barbara. Sadly, even the Dark Knight can’t swoop in to save an otherwise brilliant graphic novel from a botched ending.
Movie? Not yet.

Title: “”
Premise: After the Duke of Clarence fathers a child with a prostitute, the Queen orders William Withey Gull to eliminate everyone with knowledge of the scandal. Gull takes to the job with glee, transforming himself into Jack the Ripper, which Moore uses as a literary ploy to comment on the holdovers of Victorian-era morals.
Movie? Yes.

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