V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is a dystopian graphic novel written by Alan Moore with illustrations by David Lloyd, originally serialized in the British anthology comic Warrior from September 1982 to incomplete issues in 1985 before being completed and collected by DC Comics in 1989.[1] The story is set in a near-future totalitarian United Kingdom ruled by a fascist regime following nuclear war, where an enigmatic anarchist known as "V"—disguised in a Guy Fawkes mask—conducts acts of terrorism and symbolic rebellion against the government while mentoring a young woman named Evey Hammond.[1] The narrative explores themes of resistance to oppression, the fragility of freedom, and the moral ambiguities of revolutionary violence, drawing inspiration from the political climate of 1980s Britain under Margaret Thatcher, including anxieties over nationalism, surveillance, and authoritarianism.[2] Moore and Lloyd's collaboration resulted in a work that critiques both state totalitarianism and the potential for anarchy to devolve into chaos, with V embodying a philosophical anarchist ideal rather than a straightforward hero. The graphic novel achieved critical acclaim for its intricate plotting, philosophical depth, and Lloyd's evolving artistic style, which shifted from detailed realism to more symbolic abstraction.[3] In 2005, V for Vendetta was adapted into a film directed by James McTeigue with a screenplay by the Wachowski siblings, starring Hugo Weaving as V and Natalie Portman as Evey, and released theatrically in the United States on March 17, 2006.[4] The adaptation updated the setting to a generic near-future fascism influenced by post-9/11 concerns, which led Alan Moore to publicly disavow it, criticizing the changes as diluting the original's specific political context and requesting his name be removed from credits and promotions.[5] Despite Moore's rejection, the film grossed over $132 million worldwide and popularized the Guy Fawkes mask as a global symbol of anti-establishment protest, adopted by groups including Anonymous and participants in movements like Occupy Wall Street.[6] This iconography has sparked debates over its co-optation, with some viewing it as a genuine emblem of liberty and others as a superficial or ironic gesture detached from the source material's nuances.[6]Origins and Publication
Creative Development
Alan Moore began developing V for Vendetta in the summer of 1981 during a working holiday on the Isle of Wight, intending it as his first ongoing comic series alongside Marvelman.[7] The story emerged from concerns over the political climate in Britain under Margaret Thatcher's government, which Moore viewed as potentially paving the way for fascist tendencies amid economic strife and the rise of groups like the National Front.[8] He envisioned a dystopian narrative set in a post-nuclear war United Kingdom ruled by a fascist regime called Norsefire, pitting an anarchist protagonist, V, against the totalitarian state.[9] Moore collaborated with artist David Lloyd, who handled the illustrations and contributed to the visual identity of V. Lloyd proposed depicting V as a masked figure to allow readers to project their own interpretations onto the character, enhancing the theme of ideas over individuals.[10] Moore selected the Guy Fawkes mask for its historical ties to the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, symbolizing rebellion against oppressive authority and aligning with V's explosive tactics and the story's climax on November 5.[11] This choice drew from British cultural traditions around Guy Fawkes Night, transforming a figure of treason into an icon of resistance.[10] The creative process reflected Moore's aim to blend adventure storytelling with political commentary, updating influences like George Orwell's 1984 for 1980s anxieties including Thatcherism, nuclear fears, and social conservatism.[9] Early scripts showed what Moore later described as "clumsiness" and "political naivete," preserved unrevised in later editions to capture the work's youthful origins.[7] Development spanned until late winter 1988, interrupted by the 1985 folding of Warrior magazine, where initial chapters appeared starting in 1982, prompting completion under DC Comics.[9] Themes emphasized individual defiance and the power of ideas, with Moore noting V's terrorism as a flawed means to critique fascism rather than endorse violence.[9]Historical and Political Context
V for Vendetta was developed during a period of significant political and social upheaval in the United Kingdom, particularly in the late 1970s and early 1980s, marked by economic recession, labor unrest, and the resurgence of far-right nationalism. The Winter of Discontent from November 1978 to February 1979 saw widespread strikes across multiple sectors, paralyzing public services and contributing to the defeat of the Labour government in the May 1979 general election. Concurrently, the National Front, a far-right party founded in 1967, experienced peak electoral support in the 1970s, garnering over 200,000 votes in the 1973 West Bromwich by-election and advocating for repatriation of non-white immigrants amid rising racial tensions and urban riots such as those in Notting Hill in 1976. Alan Moore has described the narrative as stemming from concerns over this instability, positing a scenario where societal breakdown—precipitated by a limited nuclear exchange—enables a fascist regime to consolidate power by promising restoration of order.[2] The Cold War's escalation, including the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and NATO's 1979 decision to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, heightened public anxieties about nuclear annihilation, which Moore incorporated into the story's backstory of global catastrophe sparing only Britain. Moore's foreword to later editions reflects on the era's "political inexperience," noting that concepts like "nuclear winter" were not yet formalized in 1981 when initial ideas formed, yet fears of thermonuclear war permeated British discourse, as evidenced by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's mass rallies, which drew over 250,000 participants in London on October 27, 1981.[7] This context informed the Norsefire regime's rise, mirroring how authoritarian responses to crisis could exploit xenophobia and security demands, drawing parallels to the National Front's rhetoric without directly equating it to Thatcher's Conservative government.[12] Serialization commenced in March 1982 in Warrior magazine, aligning with Thatcher's early tenure, which featured neoliberal economic policies, confrontations with trade unions, and military action in the Falklands War (April–June 1982), alongside ongoing IRA bombings that killed over 100 in England from 1979 to 1982. However, Moore emphasized the work's exploration of anarchism against fascism as abstract ideals, not a partisan attack on Thatcherism, though critics have noted resonances with perceptions of her administration's centralization of power and suppression of dissent, such as during the 1981 Brixton riots.[13] Moore's anarchist leanings, influenced by punk subculture's anti-establishment ethos—exemplified by the Sex Pistols' 1976 "Anarchy in the UK"—further shaped V's character as a symbol of individual resistance.[14] Sources attributing direct Thatcher inspiration often stem from left-leaning analyses, which may overemphasize ideological opposition while underplaying Moore's stated focus on broader totalitarian risks.[15]Serialization Process
V for Vendetta began serialization in black-and-white format in the British anthology comic Warrior, debuting in issue #1 published in March 1982 under editor Dez Skinn's Quality Communications.[16] The story appeared across select issues of the magazine, which maintained an irregular schedule for the serial while featuring other works like Alan Moore's Marvelman.[17] Serialization progressed through seven chapters, covering the initial arcs up to the unresolved fate of protagonist Evey Hammond amid the Norsefire regime's oppression.[18] Warrior ceased publication with issue #26 in January 1985 due to financial difficulties, abruptly halting V for Vendetta midway and leaving the narrative incomplete after approximately three years of intermittent installments.[16] This cancellation stemmed from distribution challenges and market constraints for independent UK comics in the mid-1980s, despite the anthology's critical acclaim for innovative content.[19] In 1988, DC Comics acquired the rights from Moore and artist David Lloyd, initiating a ten-issue limited series to revive and finish the work.[19] Issues #1–7 reprinted the original Warrior material, now colorized by Lloyd to align with DC's standards, while issues #8–10 introduced new content resolving the plot, including V's confrontation with the regime's leaders and themes of anarchy versus order.[17][18] The DC run, published monthly from September 1988 to May 1989, marked the story's completion under American imprint oversight, though Moore later expressed reservations about the colorization altering the intended stark aesthetic.[18] This process bridged the gap left by Warrior's demise, enabling the graphic novel's cohesive release in 1990.[16]Collected Editions and Reprints
The serialization of V for Vendetta in Warrior magazine concluded incompletely in 1985 after ten black-and-white installments. DC Comics revived the series as a ten-issue limited miniseries from September 1988 to May 1989, reprinting and colorizing the original Warrior material while adding new content to complete the narrative.[17] This miniseries formed the basis for the first collected trade paperback edition, released by DC Comics in June 1990, which compiled all ten issues into a 286-page volume.[20] The edition has undergone multiple reprints, with records indicating at least fourteen printings of the standard trade paperback by the early 2000s.[21] Subsequent editions have included deluxe and absolute formats with expanded features. The following table summarizes key collected editions:| Edition Name | Publisher | Publication Date | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Paperback (1st ed.) | DC Comics | June 1990 | 0930289528 | Compiles the 1988-1989 miniseries; standard format, multiple reprints.[20] |
| Absolute V for Vendetta | Vertigo/DC | September 8, 2009 | 1401223613 | Oversized hardcover (15 x 9.7 inches), 396 pages; includes extras like sketches.[22] |
| 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition | Vertigo | November 20, 2018 | 1401285007 | 400 pages; adds behind-the-scenes material, colored bridging pages by David Lloyd, and production insights.[23] |