The annual celebration of the revolutionary ‘V for Vendetta’
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Watch Alan Moore teach you how to create an authentic character
Alan Moore is without question one of the most influential writers of the modern age; his effect on popular culture has been nothing short of remarkable. His style goes far beyond the efforts of his contemporaries and can be viewed across society in many different ways, from TV series to political movements.
Yes, he’s the man who made the comic book darker and more acceptable for adults to read, but he’s also much more than that. A true iconoclast, a lot of Moore’s output is as crucial as any novel or academic work.
Through his work on Miracleman during the 1980s, he yanked the comic from the hands of children and placed it in those of the adults, and at the time, it was an unprecedented move. It was the symbolic nature of a superhero that he changed. His predilection for darkness and socio-political commentary made the graphic novel, as it is now called, a legitimate medium within the world of literature. The age of the campy and vacuous superhero was over. The superhero was now a tool for commenting on society’s many ills.
Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Jerusalem are arguably the five most important works Moore has released, and although he has now taken a step back from writing, the messages contained in these titles have flourished, capturing the hearts and minds of readers from numerous different walks of life.
There’s no surprise that Moore has influenced the likes of Neil Gaiman and Damon Lindelof. Whilst some of his creations are perhaps guilty of being a little too wordy, his best efforts are worth their weight in gold. As a man and author, he is one of the most fascinating figures Britain has to offer. An artist in every sense of the word, he moved into film with the 2020 effort The Show, reflecting that there’s no medium he’s afraid of trying.
Above all else, though, Alan Moore is a creator of characters, a craftsman of worlds, who has a propensity to create dynamic, dense figures with captivating stories. Whether it be the psychotic Dr. William Gull in From Hell, Ozymandias in Watchmen or the mysterious V in V for Vendetta, Moore’s characters are some of the very best in existence, and much of this can be put down to their authenticity.
Well, luckily for us, in a new interview for the BBC’s ‘Maestro’ series, Moore delivered a concise set of instructions for creating an original character, and for any budding authors or scriptwriters out there, it’s a must-watch. He opens the clip by explaining: “The importance of making your characters three dimensional can’t really be overstated.” Then, he proceeds to do his thing, delivering an absolute masterclass in character building, using some brilliant case studies.
Watch the clip below.
