Warlock

I thought this time I'd write about Alan Moore. I've just started re-reading some of his early stuff: 'Swamp Thing', in this case, which I haven't read for a good few years.
I've been re-reading a few comics lately, and although those I've been reading - Garth Ennis, Jamie Delano and Neil Gaiman - are all very good comic writers, as soon as you read something by Moore, there's a jump, a widening of the scope. If you like, a simple difference in scale.
I think Moore's the best writer around today. And try as I might, I can't think of anyone who can match him. Of course, he's only written one "novel", so he's not going to be taken seriously as a writer generally. AT least, as a writer of "serious books' - as opposed, of course, to comics.

But that book, "Voice of the Fire", is mindblowing. On a level of literature, it is as experimental as anything Joyce did. Of course, it does operate on the "magical realist" level, which Western critics appear to think is OK for a non-Western writer, but is too primitivist when used by a "First World" writer.
Moore, who is far from a capitalist, once explained that he received 15 grand for 'Fire', which took him 5 years, so he was buggered if he was gonna waste his time for that. (I may be paraphrasing, it was something I read a few years back and I can't remember the source). Which, to my mind, is a shame, because I think that book is a quite incredible work of art; and I would hope that even in the capitalist system, there's space for him to write a few more books yet.

Likewise his comics though. He's often been credited with being the guy who made comics acceptable as literature, but I think that's a bit of a bollocks description, and does disservice to Alan and over-credits the critics at the same time. There was a time in the late 80's when comics got noticed, and foremost was Moore's 'Watchmen', which for sure was higly praised at the time, but which still is underrated to my mind, because I think it, is a work of fiction which can compare in scope and literacy with 'Bleak House' or 'Moby Dick' . And if you're not into comics, that might seem an assinine statement, but simply look at the quality of writing, and the range of themes that are being dealt with, then personally I can't think of their equal in modern literature.
For example: There's a character who is essentially suicidal, who ponders the meaninglessness of human life, but who comes to understand the miraculous nature of all existence through that temporal miracle of man meets woman, egg meets sperm, and the alchemical impossibility that is life come into being. And moves way from suicide, or in this case from isolating himself from other people. It's a simple, profound discurse, which has its equivalent only in the equally vulgar medium of the Elizabethan theatre.
Other books discuss the nature of political power, or the way historical forces shape our perception of "reality". But also the secret history of the CIA, or sheer superhuman doo-dadds for fun. His range is unparalleled in modern literature - at least to the best of my knowledge - yet the powerful writing, with its repetetive - almost musical - cadences; its playfulness with words and toying with cliches - smelting and remoulding them; its waltz up to cliche to buff and burnish and bring raw emotion to light; this writing retains always an essential voice.
So one simple message - read anything you can get your hands on that Alan Moore has written. You know it makes sense :-)