The dialog is good, some of the characteriziation is good but in order to make a story stand out you need... a story. Martians invade, Quartermain and Miss harker go out of town and with no resistance pick up a box. Hyde fights for 3 panels. The end. The characters aren't DOING enough and excpet for Hyde aren't even remotely clever or engaging. One of your characters is a super genius, one is a superb tactician.. have them at least TRY something more brilliant than blow up the bridge and wait.

The second installment in the LOEG saga (which apparently will go on as long as Alan Moore's library holds out) is not quite like the first one.
Volume 1 was at its heart a rollicking , globe-hopping adventure story, in the same vein as the books it pays homage to: the Alan Quatermain stories, Dracula, and Victorian trash adventures. My 9-year-old brother loves it. Volume 2 is a much darker story, and my brother won't be getting to read it any time soon. Volume 2, centered around H.G. Wells War of the Worlds, takes place more in England, and there's a whole bunch of pages dedicated to character development only hinted at in Vol. 1. The star of Vol. 2 is definitely Mr. Hyde, who comes across less as a simple monster, and more lke the great Moore anti-heroes, in the same league as Rorschach or V.
To be completely honest, the main selling point of Vo. 2 was the New Travelers' Almanac, a 6-part compendium in the back that acts as the densest fan-fiction ever. Under the guise of a series of travel notes, Moore weaves in every possible fiction of the time, and fiction from other times too. (His reference to the Big Lebowski rocked my world.)

This book is not for the casual reader.

I loved volume 1 and volume 2 was even better. I thoroughly enjoyed the Almanac section of the book and the cool board game and other little "quips" that were added by Moore and O'Neill. There is a little more sexual content in this volume, but it doesn't detract from the book at all. If you are an Allan Moore fan don't pass this book up and Kevin O'Neill's artistry has a superb fit with Alan's writing especially with the time period that The League is portrayed in. It's well worth the money and I can't wait to get the next in the series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier!

Definitely a title NOT intended for children, the second volume of League of Extraordinary Heroes features more of Moore's dark and subversive story-telling. And not being good enough to create his own characters, he's taken otherwise wholesome (and PUBLIC DOMAIN) characters from classic literature and warped and perverted these characters into violent, disgusting anti-heroes.

It's almost like Moore has an adgenda here: take popular characters from classics and find a way to soil them in a violent, disinteresting (and ultimately forgettable) book. The art is fairly bad too.

Neitherworld Book One Akiiwan (CreateSpace Version)Neitherworld Book Two Ishpiming
Authors Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill have become even more fearless in their victorian reinterpretation of 19th century hero-classics, this time including H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. This volume is a little darker and the hereos are have more shades of gray - and black. This was a particularly interesting read for me, since I tried to create that same nuanced and conflicted presentation in my own two volume semi-graphic novel, Neitherworld. The League series is definitely for mature audiences - there is graphic (what else?) sex and violence, and mature themes of love and loss. The artwork is both superb and reaching. I'll have more to say about this in my review of "The Black Dossier" which takes the reformed league to even greater flights of fancy.
One thing though - sometimes the authors are a little TOO in love with their world; this comes through in the text-heavy sections toward the end. I found myself skimming League leader Wilhelmina Murray's travelogue - it is 46 pages of dense single spaced test, with sparsely, albeit, well-done (as always) illustrations. The authors are dealing with a large and grand world, but do they need to include *every* myth known to mankind? Yes, this is all tied together in Black Dossier, but even for an "adept syncretist" like me (at least, according to Kikus Discoveries), it was a bit much. It was the only place in the book where I would have liked to have seen less.

Aoverall good story, compelling. incorrporated Victorian English lit. into the central stories(that is what the whole series is about, victorian lit with modern influences) One squicky scene of nudity that readers should be aware of.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen II retells HG Wells's "The War of the Worlds" from the perspective of Allan and O'Neill's gaggle of quasi-functional heroes.
There's a lot to like about the second volume of LOEG. Its ability to communicate purely visually is excellent -- the story of the Martian wars was done almost exclusively in untranslatable "Martian" dialog. I enjoyed having to work a bit to understand the purely visual language. The Martians who invade Earth are suitable creepy (think of beaked brains with tentacles) and their war machines aptly frightening and effective. The cast of LOEG -- Mina Murray, Jeckell/Hyde, Nemo, Quatermain and the Invisible Man -- are on hand to battle this latest of challenges to the London of 1898.
But there is plenty not to like. For one thing, the plotline is familiar to the point of ennui, and A&O's efforts to spice it up mostly fall flat The LOEG team sees very little action, and mostly plays observer to unfolding events. There's plenty of time (and too many panels) of pointless and fairly graphic lovemaking between two main characters. Hyde spends too much time moping around and too little time kicking alien [...]. The subplot about a team member betraying the entire planet to the invaders stretches the bounds of the character beyond plausibility. A forest attack by a group of Doctor Moreau's half-animal creations would not have been more ludicrous if staged by Winnie the Pooh, Tygger, Eeyore and Kanga. And the finale lacked gore or punch.
As always, there's plenty of female nudity to keep the boys interested. The gross-out quotient is pretty low, limited mostly to the appearance of the aliens and one character puking. The back-of-the-comic prose story is overly long, overly written and completely uninteresting. It's basically an excuse to get the ladies to run around without their tops.
LOEG 1 did a better job of restraining the adolescent impulses of its creators -- or at least of tempering them with fast pacing and an air of mystery. It also had more storylines and was more complex. And it didn't really on cheap pathos (the LOEG loses some members) to keep the reader engaged. Not even LOEG2's few literary references (hardly more than an inn called "The Bleak House" -- whoa!) were cause for much interest.
Messrs Moore and O'Neill should have quit when they were ahead. A disappointment.

The twists, the turns, the new reference material, it's all more reason to read, and, for me , at least, own this. Some good and logical inclusions, and some equally fanciful ones make for a great mix. The ending is understandable, though a trifle disappointing. Once again, they immerse us skillfully in time and place, adn give us enough companion material to complete the job.

The twists, the turns, the new reference material, it's all more reason to read, and, for me , at least, own this. Some good and logical inclusions, and some equally fanciful ones make for a great mix. The ending is understandable, though a trifle disappointing. Once again, they immerse us skillfully in time and place, adn give us enough companion material to complete the job.

I was semi-disappointed by The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 ONLY (and please note that I said ONLY) in that it didn't fully live up to the tight writing and fast-paced action of LoXG Volume 1.

At times I felt that I was, rather than reading a continued fictional history of classic characters, re-reading War of the Worlds itself. Not much truly happens within the first half of Volume 2 with the exception of the alien forces landing and the appearance at the beginning of John Carter. The dialogue wasn't as tight as in the first, either.

But those are only two complaints and they're all in relation to the first volume. If I review Volume 2 as a stand-alone (the validity of which could be argued either way), I'd have to say it stands very strong.

This collection of 6 comics is still far superior to most comics and graphic novels put out there these days. I was a bit thrown off by the interaction between Quartermain and Mina, it seemed all from out of left field imho.

But all in all the pace eventually picks up, the characters are strong and more deeply explored and some logical ends come about. I certainly cannot say I wasn't entertained.

Not as good as the first, but a decent follow-up and better than most of what's going on out there in comics.

i haven't reviewed the first volume and i don't think i will. This is one great series i just can't believe alan moore keeps doing it. I'm shocked and amazed. Seriously i'm in a great state of shock from the beauty of this work. The art is from outer space kevin o'neill is a brilliant artist and i know that alan moore picked him out to get the best out of him with this series. The story, the characters are all so well designed and researched marvelous. just like the rest of Alan's work. Recommened for everyone, enjoy it. ( can't wait for the third and final volume ).

but its still pretty darn good. there are also a few surprising moments in this book, two stand out in my mind. but overall the story is bigger but nowhere near as good or compelling as loeg 1.
but this is still better than 99% of the other comic works out there, so you can't go wrong here.

Moore does it again, let's hope he keeps writing more of the adventures of The League. This series was a bit darker than the first but the mood fit the story well. If you're into comics at all do yourself a favor and read this. Pick up the first series also, it's not neccesary in order to follow the second series but you'll be missing a great read if you don't.

Warning to all parents purchasing this for a child. Both vol 1 and 2 contain nudity and may not be suitable for children. Guess that's the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel...

The league is summoned by Campion Bond to investigate a meteor that has fallen in the countryside. The meteor turns out to be a capsule from Mars and it contains horrible creatures. This set up is straight from Well's WAR OF THE WORLDS. Soon the creatures have built three-legged machines for moving about and the real peril is at hand.

Armed with heat beams the aliens are unstoppable. Campion Bond send Mina and Quartermain of to find and elusive doctor to pick up an item that could win the war for humanity. The rest of the League remains in London. Eventually they all meet up to defeat the aliens and Campion gives the cover story Wells fans are familiar with.

This was a wonderful story and more straightforward that the first as there is no need for origins. The Wells story is twisted slightly and we get to see some of the great heroes of Mars from literature. The aliens are true to the original book. More characters are brought in from literature and tied nicely to the story. The League itself undergoes a number of internal trials as interactions between the members come to a head in different ways. Hyde is a very major player and his character is greatly developed. In the end we have to wonder what might be next for the league.

Again revisiting the exploits of those wild and crazy Victorian adventurers, Moore recaptures the magic that made the first volume so memorable: that combustible union of witty irony with deadly serious earnestness, added with a generous dose of first-rate storytelling and gorgeous art. Moore again taps into the essence of Victorian England, what with its priggishness and insistence on decorum even when the centre no longer holds. Moore seems to have as much fun poking fun at stodgy Victorian manners as he does implicating its moral complexities.

The story involves the League's battles with an extraterrestrial invasion (anyone who has seen Spielberg's War of the Worlds should recognize an eerie similarity between the film's alien machines with the ones here). Along the way, romantic relationships, betrayal, graphic violence, human/animal hybrids, and "retired" League members keep the story moving.

Although technically a sequel to the first volume of the League, this can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, as little of the first volume's storyline creeps its way in here. Moore appears particularly focussed on developing the internal dynamics and dysfunctions of the League. The team seems nowhere near as amiable and together as it was in volume I. In this way, this volume is decidedly darker in tone than its predecessor. The laugh-out-loud sequences, though still here, are not as frequent, and tend to have morbid undercurrents to them. Comparing this volume with its predecessor is akin to choosing your favourite child: you love them both the same, although perhaps for different reasons.

The highlight, not just of volume II, but indeed of the entire series, has to be "The New Traveller's Almanac" instalment that concludes the text. Moore's imagination goes into Mach III. Picking from his prodigious knowledge of mythology, literature, cinema, and popular culture, Moore re-invents Earth's geography and history to create fascinatingly unique people, animals and places, (i.e. Torelore, on Italy's west coast, where men enter confinement while their pregnant women are conscripted into the Torelorean army, which resulted in the country's being overrun; "Thermometer Island, where the inhabitants have various forms of non-human genitalia, and a stupefying plethora of others."). It's to Moore's credit that he continues in this vein for dozens of pages; clearly, his creative powers are running on all cylinders. The carnival ride Moore takes us on perfectly demonstrates how easily he can handle humour, horror, and the sublime, and turn the ordinary into the bizarre.

I really enjoyed the 1st volume, which the movie is *very loosely* based upon. This volume is much more mature, and really, really is not for children. However, I think you will find that it is quite good for adults and really pushes the envelope in the genre. While not quite as good as the 1st, the expanding references into past fiction are very fun. Some of the more mature themes made me giggle. The love scenes are a bit sappy, and the cartoon nudity tends to make me laugh. But hey, this is a graphic novel! Even with any downsides I may have found, this book was incredibly entertaining and gets a solid 5 stars from me.

Almost everybody has their assumptions before they read something, having only seen the movie based off of Vol 1 & Vol 2, you can imagine my impressions. I will be short and to the point however. Having not read The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1, I read Vol. 2 and thought it was, OK. I won't say great or fantastic cause I just can't do it. I read to the end of the illustrations more or less and just didn't feel like putting in that much effort to read the loads of "journal-type entries" after the story. I skimmed over them to see if I could find more about the characters of Mina and Quartermain but, after a point said, to heck with this. This is a book I am glad I checked out of the library instead of bought, as I would have regretted spending the money on it. This book by no means was bad, it just wasn't really my cuppa tea.

Like the first brilliant volume in the series, this installment will appeal to fans of both Victorian genre literature and modern comics. While it doesn't quite reach the heights of Volume 1, it's still an entertaining concept with a decent story and great art. Following a rather bizarre opening battle scene on Mars (featuring John Carter of Mars and Gulliver), Moore's public-domain "heroes" of the 19th-century British Secret Service (Ms. Murray, the widowed wife of Mr. Harker from Dracula, gaunt ex-adventurer Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, the terrifying Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Hawley Griffin, aka The Invisible Man) are assembled to investigate mysterious meteors which have struck outside of London.

These meteors turn out to be invaders from Mars, and a "War of the Worlds" plotline unfolds, as the tripod aliens start incinerating everyone with their death rays and march on a steampunky Victorian London. As in the first volume, much of the storytelling revolves around the characters' relationships with one another, and here we're treated to a dreadful betrayal, a rather shocking (and graphically gross) affair, vengeance, and sacrifice. It's wonderfully written and the visual attention to detail is outstanding -- both story and art are packed with 19th-century literary inside jokes that will reward repeated reading. Especially prominent is the no longer isle-bound Dr. Moreau and his creations, who live sequestered in a British forest.

The artwork is once again pitch perfect throughout, with straightforward paneling jam-packed with detail. For example, a nice piece of dark character-based humor is found in the background of one early panel. The heroes survey the landscape just after a host of innocent citizens have been burned to cinders by the aliens, and while some talk in the foreground, Hawley Griffin is nonchalantly lighting a cigarette from a burning branch. For the Dr. Moreau part, the art is flatter and much more vividly colored, reminiscent of an old-fashioned children's book, albeit one with a good measure of weirdness.

The book comes with plenty of extras, including an amusing "Chutes and Ladders" type game, a lengthy gazetteer of lost worlds, original cover art, and other such tidbits. On the whole, while not quite as amazing as Volume I, this is still much much better than most stuff on the market, both in terms of writing and artwork. A word of caution, the book is not intended for young children. The violence can be rather graphic and there is graphic sexual material.

I thought this book was very good. I enjoyed bth the artwork and story. Now i just wish the next volume would come out since this leaves a lot unresolved.

Alan Moore's 2nd adventure about the cast of fictional characters: Nemo, Invisible Man, Quartermain, Hyde, Mina. The eclectic heroes are called into action by M after a Martian invasion in London. As with Vol.1, Moore takes his time developing characters before throwing them into direct confrontation with the enemy. Hyde is especially interesting because he has quite an intellect, unlike the Hulk. But like the Hulk, he is impulsive and has quite a temper.

The book is near perfect. There are a few "mature" moments, and the overall tone is quite dark. I would probably give this a 10 if it weren't for an extended sexual encounter. Moore got carried away, making the scene last several frames, which was definitely unecessary. Art is just as good as Vol.1. Loved it.

The second volume of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen smacks of a job quickly cobbled together to profit from the success of the first volume. The story pits our antiheroes (and wonderfully frosty antiheroine) against invaders from Mars, bringing in Dr Moreau (another H. G. Wells creation) as an unlikely source of help. All well and good. But the narrative we see scarcely touches on the Martian invasion: there is none of the bone-tingling tension plentiful in the first volume. The art work and writing are still top notch (and how could they not be, with Moore and O'Neill behind the wheel?), but the volume's biggest flaw is its lack of cohesion and lackadaisical approach to character interaction, which made the first volume such a delight. While Hyde (who has almost completely taken over from Jekyll) gets a lot of attention, as does the blooming romance between Mina and Quatermain (and boy, does it bloom or what :), Nemo's appearance could be charitably described as a poorly developed cameo, and Griffin proves little more than a foil for the other characters, and not even a very take-charge, successful foil, at that. Still, if you liked the first volume, you'll appreciate the second one, though it stands like a chocolate-chip cookie next to a whooping big piece of chocolate-and-fudge cake with a cherry on top.

I'm one of those people who saw the film version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen long before I ever read the comic books. I once thought the film was awesome, but after having the read the original stories, I now realize the movie could have been so much more! What's so extraordinary about this league? I'm glad you asked...

Let me catch you up to speed if you're not familiar with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The stories take place in England in the late 1890's. The characters are icons of literature such as the Invisible Man, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, and Alan Quartermain. The government of England assembles them to battle extraordinary circumstances within its borders. The first volume deals with a famous villain who shall remain nameless, and the second volume deals with a Martian invasion, ala the famous tale by H.G. Wells. Both volumes are rife with literary allusions, so an old literature nerd like myself was flying high throughout.

The author of these volumes is the eccentric but highly respected creator by the name of Alan Moore. He's brought us many classics, but he is most widely known for his masterpiece, the mid-eighties magnum opus known as the Watchmen, which is largely responsible for moving comics out of the "comics are for kiddies" paradigm. He is obviously a connoisseur of the literary classics, for he has so many references to works of literature throughout these volumes that two companion pieces have been produced explaining the dozens of nuances found within (think of it like Breaking the Da Vinci Code for Dan Brown's ultra-popular novel). Although his writing is at times disturbing, Moore is an expert at what he does and his stories are always captivating. The further characterization of such classical characters and bringing them together in such odd situations and having them interact, well, it's completely delightful.

The artist is a man named Kevin O'Neill, and I was largely unfamiliar with any of his previous work. However, his style is perfect for this type of story, and his careful attention to nineteenth century architecture and dress is phenomenal. Again, like the author, some of his drawings are quite provoking, but they are all magnetic in their execution.

I would completely recommend these two volumes for a reader wishing to break into only the best of comics in their trade paperback form. Be mindful, however, these comics were not released as mainstream works, so they don't play by mainstream rules. Very gory scenes, matched with the first and only actual sex scene I've ever seen in a comic book, requires an open-minded and tolerant reader. You won't be disappointed in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I'm quite certain of that.

(Visit author S. William Foley at www.swilliamfoley.com)

I'm one of those people who saw the film version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen long before I ever read the comic books. I once thought the film was awesome, but after having the read the original stories, I now realize the movie could have been so much more! What's so extraordinary about this league? I'm glad you asked...

Let me catch you up to speed if you're not familiar with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The stories take place in England in the late 1890's. The characters are icons of literature such as the Invisible Man, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, and Alan Quartermain. The government of England assembles them to battle extraordinary circumstances within its borders. The first volume deals with a famous villain who shall remain nameless, and the second volume deals with a Martian invasion, ala the famous tale by H.G. Wells. Both volumes are rife with literary allusions, so an old literature nerd like myself was flying high throughout.

The author of these volumes is the eccentric but highly respected creator by the name of Alan Moore. He's brought us many classics, but he is most widely known for his masterpiece, the mid-eighties magnum opus known as the Watchmen, which is largely responsible for moving comics out of the "comics are for kiddies" paradigm. He is obviously a connoisseur of the literary classics, for he has so many references to works of literature throughout these volumes that two companion pieces have been produced explaining the dozens of nuances found within (think of it like Breaking the Da Vinci Code for Dan Brown's ultra-popular novel). Although his writing is at times disturbing, Moore is an expert at what he does and his stories are always captivating. The further characterization of such classical characters and bringing them together in such odd situations and having them interact, well, it's completely delightful.

The artist is a man named Kevin O'Neill, and I was largely unfamiliar with any of his previous work. However, his style is perfect for this type of story, and his careful attention to nineteenth century architecture and dress is phenomenal. Again, like the author, some of his drawings are quite provoking, but they are all magnetic in their execution.

I would completely recommend these two volumes for a reader wishing to break into only the best of comics in their trade paperback form. Be mindful, however, these comics were not released as mainstream works, so they don't play by mainstream rules. Very gory scenes, matched with the first and only actual sex scene I've ever seen in a comic book, requires an open-minded and tolerant reader. You won't be disappointed in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I'm quite certain of that.

I really enjoyed the first volume and immediately bought this one. I appreciate all the literary references, even in the background, such as Bleak House.

However, I found a certain situation with the Invisible man and Mr. Hyde, rather disturbing. It didn't make the comic bad, but it was rather vicious. Even still, I'm looking forward to volume three.

High qality drawings in a classical style.
Entertaining story
Good and "known" characterizations, that leads you too other sources. Ex. "Dracula" to learn about the past of Mina Murray

My copy of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 2" collects the six issues put out by Mr. Alan Moore & Mr. Kevin O'Neill courtesy of America's Best Comics over the past year or so. Consequently it has nothing to do with the movie, which seems fair since the movie had relatively little to do with what now has to be referred to as Volume 1 of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." But then the movie merely copied the idea of the comics without capturing the magic.

The great conceit that Moore and O'Neill came up with was to create a late 19th-century version of a group of superheroes based on literary creations from that time period (in many ways the opposite of the legendary "Watchmen" series). Back again are the core group: Allan Quatermain from H. Rider Haggard's "She," Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," Mina Murray from Bram Stoker's "Dracula," Edward Hyde from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Hawley Griffin from H.G. Wells's "The Invisible Man." The works of Wells become a major factor in Volume 2 as two more of his science fiction novels are worked into the tale. The first is "The War of the Worlds," as the League is called upon to save England from the Martian tripods. The second plays a decisive role in saving the day, but I think that deserves to be a surprise for the reader.

Things do not work as well the second time around, partly because the novelty of the idea has worn off and also because the members of the League are not particularly well suited to dealing with invaders from Mars. That might explain why the soap opera elements are a bit more prominent this time around as Miss Mina becomes romantically entangled with one of the gentlemen and Hyde kicks Jekyll out of the picture. Actually Hyde becomes the most interesting character in this story, although you will need a strong stomach to read about how he deals with the group's traitor. For that matter, you should be forewarned that this trade paperback might look like a collection of comic books, but these are not for little kids. This is not as intense as "From Hell," but Moore's readers have long known that he only provides stories that have mature content. Even when Moore is not blazing new territory or reinventing the wheel in some interesting way, he is still worth reading.

The stories are still presented as if they were being published late in the Victorian era, with ads and articles that add to the general sense of fun. I liked the final words of the penultimate issue which disparages any one who fails "to purchase our concluding number" as being "a sissy, coward, or girl." Yet Moore and O'Neil lampoon the Victorian sensibilities of their characters as much as anything, and despite some major setbacks at the end of the saga, we are told that there is now an intermission before the stories continues again. As always, it will be interesting to see what literary works serve as additional inspiration for the next endeavor, although after the less than inspiring movie I suspect Oscar Wilde might be out of the equation (or should we expect Lady Bracknell?).

Wow! Did I really say that? Yes! I did.

First my bias: I am an avid reader and value the story value above all other attributes. On this measure, LEG vol. 1&2 both let me down. The story value just isn't there. The movie did a much better job. How often do you hear of that happening?

I also used to love my comic books. I read and reread them as a young teen. I loved the stories, artwork and the flights of what-if imagination that some of the art/stories took me on and the combination of story and art really drew me into the experience. I loved it.

On this measure, LEG vol. 1 & 2 also let me down. Moore does a good job, I guess, of following the current dark flat-ish style of drawing that seems so pervasive. Sorry, but this uninspiring style is part of what drove me away from graphic novels and killed most of the pleasure of reading the work. In a word, the style is depressing.

Finally, I was hoping to use these graphic novels to introduce my children to one of the reading experiences I so enjoyed as a teen. I bought both the novels and the companion books, read them once and am now looking for a buyer. Not only do I not want my kids reading LEG, I don't even want to own the works. There is plenty of good stuff to read without driving my teens to the darker side of life that runs so thick in the story and art of the LEG works.

If you absolutely want to try the LEG experience, go see the movie and stop there. The basic theme is there and is well done. If the graphic novel is a must for you - try only vol. 1. The sex and graphic immorality level was barely tolerable in vol. 1 and rises painfully in vol. 2. Volume 2 meets the pornographic and offensive standards.

I know that I'm a minority opinion here, but I'm sorry I bought this set. No need for you to make the same mistake.

I was quite fascinated with the first volume of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." I expected the second volume to be just as fascinating as the first. This time out Alan Moore begins the story on Mars with characters from Edgar Rice Burroughs' series of Mars books starring John Carter. The creatures leaving Mars are doing so because John Carter and the Martians of Edgar Rice Burroughs' stories were preparing to deal with them permanently.

On Earth we meet with the beloved, though somewhat psychopathic, characters of the first book once again. Similar to Robert Heinlein's novel "The Puppet Masters," we see mysterious cylinders land and watch the reaction of the locals. Of course the initial reaction is one of curiosity, as no one suspects the danger presented by those within the cylinder. When the first people die we realize that, just as in the original H.G. Wells novel and in "The Puppet Masters," that these creatures are will not negotiate, preferring to extinguish us instead.

The five central characters, Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Mina Murray, Hawley Griffin, and Edward Hyde, set out to examine the cylinders. After realizing the danger the cylinders impose, M plots a course carefully, eventually leading to the addition of a new character, Dr. Moreau, and a group of creatures endowed by Dr. Moreau with unique attributes. Eventually Dr. Moreau proves critical to the defense of London from the Martians.

During the quest for solutions to the Martian menace we discover that one of the five members of the League has betrayed them. This same person attacks Mina, leaving her injured. We also watch as romance develops between Allan Quartermain and Mina Murray, the heroine of "Dracula." This particular volume features rather risqué images of the lustful couple. Later in the novel, another member of the League will revenge Mina in a most disturbing and brutal way, which may eventually hail the end of the league as we know it.

I think this second volume is better than the first volume. Alan Moore was able to capitalize on the character development of the first volume, and thus was able to spend more time on developing the story. Moore also focuses more deeply on the mental problems that each of the characters has, providing the book with two levels of story.

The artwork is also better than in the first book. The imagery is detailed and well matches my mental image of Victorian England. Those details relating to the Martians match my recollection of the original H.G. Wells story. The colors used are vibrant and enhance the story, much like lighting is critical in film.

I have one minor complaint about the novel. I thought the ending was just a little too quick. Perhaps it was appropriate and it was in keeping with the original story. Certainly Moore was attempting to create some surprise in an ending that most of us already know, and perhaps the speedy ending was necessary to prevent people from guessing the ending. Regardless of the motivation, the transition from the story to the ending seemed a bit abrupt. However, this complaint is minor, and the superb quality of the story outweighs such minor issues.

In addition to the principle story, there is a 46 page story about various sights to be seen around the world. Included are various castles, palaces and other interesting locales. For example, there is a detailed discussion of a certain young lady by the name of Alice, who apparently found a portal into another world. There are other descriptions of giants and leprechauns, and where these creatures might be found, and numerous others. The 46 pages are a tour of the world as the "Twilight Zone" might have done it.

The second volume of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" exceeds the first volume in the story and in the artwork. This book is a worthwhile permanent addition to my library, and fans of graphic novels are sure to agree.

I must say that blending "War of the Worlds" and "John Carter of Mars" into the colorful adventures of Volume II was truly welcome and grandly colorful! It makes one wonder why nobody else ever thought to do it before. Kudos to Alan Moore! On a different but related note, one recent reviewer (from Arizona) wrote here about his first encounter with Mr. Moore's awesome LXG: " . . . I was amazed at all the classic literature references and how Moore uses different classic stories to tell his [story]." That reviewer may be interested to know that there is a new book just published of which one Minnesota reviewer says, "By mixing elements of Doyle, Haggard, Verne, Collins, Kipling, and others, [this is] a remarkable literary melting pot that will certainly appeal to fans of Alan Moore's 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' series or of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton universe." This new book is THE GREAT DETECTIVE AT THE CRUCIBLE OF LIFE by Thos. Kent Miller. The reviewer goes on to say, "This is more than an adventure novel; it is far more than just another untold chapter in the life of Sherlock Holmes. . . . By using a voice other than Watson's usual eye-witness account, Miller avoids the difficulties inherent in many pastiches; nothing in the writing style should distract the reader from enjoying the epic quest(s) the protagonists undertake in this tale. Their discoveries include both the physical and metaphysical, and Miller leaves the reader with new ideas that will linger for some time to come." I am posting this as a kind of "sign post" for fans of LXG who otherwise might not notice or become aware of this new book at all.

Having heard that LXG was based off a comic book, made me want to go to the literature and see what it was made of. After reading Volumes 1 and 2, I was amazed at all the classic literature references and how Moore uses different classic stories to tell his. I am excited for Volume 3 to come out. I would reccomend this book for someone who likes to be entertained and who likes the old classics as well.

Alan Moore has done even better than in Volume I. The story line has gotten darker as befits the collecting together of these assorted Victorian heroes and anti-heroes. This time throw in Dr. Moreau and an Orson Wellesian invasian of Martians into the pot, stir, and add the brilliance of Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill and you get Volume II. The dark sides of the "Gentlemen" are emerging as we see what the Invisible Man and Mr. Hyde are capable of. Besides the wonderful righting, the illustrations both capture an imagined Victorian era and mix it with the horrors we could only imagine today. In keeping with the theme of the book, there is an imaginary travelogue at the end of the graphic novel which wonderfully captures such writings of the time. We can only hope that a Volume III is in the works.

Unfortunately, like the disastrous film that came out at the same time last year, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. II does not stand up to its stellar first comic arc. This series begins on the Martian red desert surface, where an invasion is launched on Earth. All dialogue in that issue is printed in an indecipherable Martian language. Oddly, subsequent issues, all set on Earth, never allude directly back to the events set on Mars or the Martian language and one is left wondering whether this seemingly superfluous chapter is either a lofty concept that went too far or merely a stuffy in-joke. Following issues find the League in a rapid state of self-destruction, often and somewhat controversially (for Ohio anyway) by disgustingly gritty sexual means. There is one particularly nasty scene that involves an unexpected murder by sodomy that makes one wonder what the hell Moore was thinking. Added to that, we have Dr. Moreau and his lecherous teddy bear men. If one can get past the truly horrid bits, there is an admirable concept to be found in Moore's refusal to allow these characters a peaceful coexistence. In the same sense, Moore denies himself the chance to easily make the League a viable franchise; perhaps he had an idea that the film would not turn out for the best. Being partly comprised of villainous rogues, one could argue that their uneasy alliance was doomed to begin with. Likewise, Moore conducts each character's fall with thoughtfulness. Captain Nemo's departure and disgust at being betrayed by the secretive British Empire remains a prescient and subtle statement on modern unilateral politics. Overall, however, it is not enough to simply reference these characters and then tie their decline into a standard H.G. Wells Martian invasion plot. The story comes out as being convoluted and the first series certainly left us expecting more.

What a great read! Here is Moore once again showing what a rare talent he has for conjuring a tale that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let you go until the final page has been read!

In LOEG2 Moore fleshes-out the main characters that were introduced in LOEG1, which leads to quite a few surprises as the originality of Moore is once again high, leaving you wanting more. In terms of storytelling, LOEG2 reaches the quality that only few comics ever reach. Making it into one of those rare comics, or "graphic novel" as the term is these days, which you end up re-reading repeatedly, only to discover new depths in the story that previously passed you by. In terms of drawing, LOEG2 is just like its predecessor: average. In fact, the average-ness of the drawings put me off initially from buying LOEG1, but I am very glad that I decided to make the purchase regardless, relying on Moore supplying a story well worth the cents. He has! So, do not let the drawing put you off!

In short, a truly fascinating read that you really don't want to miss!! Five stars and well worth it!!

I was a little disappointed by the story. I think the
novelty of the assembly of all the classic Victorian
characters has worn off.