V for Vendetta (Comics) | Review

Remember, remember the fifth of November. Those words echo through one of the most politically charged and thought-provoking comic-books ever created in the medium, a work that asks deeply uncomfortable questions about freedom, violence and the price of revolution without offering easy answers to any of them.

Writer Alan Moore (Batman: The Killing Joke, Watchmen) and artist David Lloyd (Aliens: Glass Corridor, Hellblazer: The Devil You Know) crafted this dystopian masterpiece between 1982 and 1989, first serialized in the British anthology Warrior before DC Comics completed publication.

This isn't superhero escapism or simple storytelling. V for Vendetta forces readers to wrestle with moral ambiguity, examining whether terrorism can be justified, whether freedom requires violence and what happens when revolutionaries become as ruthless as oppressors.

The story begins on November 5, 1997, in a Britain transformed by catastrophe. A nuclear war devastated most of the world. England survived but fell under Norsefire, a fascist regime that murdered minorities, political dissidents and LGBTQ individuals in concentration camps before establishing total surveillance over the population.

Sixteen-year-old Evey Hammond attempts to solicit herself as a prostitute to survive. She's caught by Fingermen, secret police who plan to rape and murder her. A masked figure in a Guy Fawkes costume rescues her, killing the officers with theatrical flair while quoting Macbeth.

This mysterious vigilante calls himself V. He takes Evey to his underground lair, the Shadow Gallery, filled with art, literature and music banned by the regime. Then he blows up Houses of Parliament, recreating Guy Fawkes's failed 1605 gunpowder plot that inspired his costume.

V isn't just seeking vengeance. He is waging a philosophical war against fascism itself. He systematically murders Norsefire officials connected to Larkhill, a concentration camp where he was imprisoned and tortured. His targets include a pedophile bishop, propaganda broadcaster and sadistic doctor who experimented on prisoners.

Inspector Eric Finch leads the investigation, slowly piecing together V's origins. Through flashbacks, we learn V survived horrific experiments at Larkhill that killed most prisoners. He emerged physically enhanced but psychologically transformed into something inhuman.

V's relationship with Evey forms the emotional core. He doesn't just want an ally. He wants to transform her into his ideological successor. This transformation involves methods that blur the line between education and psychological torture, forcing readers to question his morality.

Moore structures the narrative non-linearly across three volumes titled after musical terms: Overture, Vertiginous Question and Land of Do-as-You-Please. The fragmented storytelling mirrors fractured society and V's splintered identity. Multiple perspectives show characters reacting to V's actions and the regime's response.

The government operates as a hydra with five heads: The Head, The Eye, The Finger, The Nose and The Ear. Moore personifies authoritarian surveillance through these divisions. Each leader has ambitions, creating internal power struggles that V exploits ruthlessly.

Evey's journey takes her through hell. After arguing with V, she's abandoned and eventually captured. What follows is her imprisonment, torture and psychological breaking. Later she discovers V orchestrated everything, recreating his Larkhill experience to free her from fear.

The philosophical debate between anarchism and fascism drives everything. V advocates for absence of government, believing authority corrupts. Norsefire represents fascism taken to its extreme. Moore doesn't present anarchism as utopian. The chaos following V's destabilization shows freedom without structure breeds violence.

The ending avoids neat resolution. V dies from his confrontation with Finch. Evey assumes the mantle, sending V's explosive-filled body to destroy the regime's symbols. London descends into chaos, leaving readers uncertain whether revolution will birth something better.

David Lloyd's artwork defines the series visually throughout its run. Originally published in black and white for Warrior, later colored for DC Comics, his stark illustrations capture oppressive atmosphere perfectly. Lloyd uses heavy shadows and stark contrasts to create a world that feels claustrophobic despite outdoor scenes.

Lloyd's decision to dress V as Guy Fawkes proved genius. The smiling mask creates unsettling contrast with V's violent actions. We never see V's true face. This anonymity makes him more symbol than person, reinforcing Moore's thematic point about ideas outlasting individuals.

Character designs prioritize atmosphere over realism. Lloyd's figures are angular and somewhat impressionistic. This style works for the material but often sacrifices clarity. Some readers find his approach less accessible than conventional comic art. The muted color palette in later editions adds bleakness but loses raw grittiness.

Moore's writing showcases strengths and weaknesses. His dialogue crackles with literary references and philosophical debates. V speaks in theatrical monologues that reveal character while advancing themes. Supporting cast represents different responses to totalitarian control.

V for Vendetta stands as essential reading for anyone interested in politically engaged comics. Moore and Lloyd created something that transcends superhero conventions to examine uncomfortable truths about power, violence and freedom. The Guy Fawkes mask became a global protest symbol, proving its cultural impact.

The moral ambiguity remains the work's greatest strength. Moore refuses to paint V as purely heroic. His manipulation of Evey borders on evil. His bombings kill innocents alongside guilty parties. Yet his targets deserve punishment and the regime's crimes dwarf his own violence.

Lloyd's artwork probably won't satisfy everyone. If you prefer detailed, realistic illustrations, his impressionistic style might frustrate. His visual choices serve the story's oppressive atmosphere. The stark shadows and angular figures reinforce the thematic content about surveillance and control creating a dehumanized, broken society.

This graphic novel demands engagement rather than passive consumption. Moore leaves philosophical questions unanswered deliberately. What would V's anarchist society look like? Can freedom really exist without some structure? These ambiguities make the work richer.

You can read V for Vendetta through several solid editions including regular trade paperback, Absolute Edition, DC Deluxe hardcover and the larger-format paperback via local comic-book shops and online retailers. Digital readers can grab it instantly on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology as well as DC Universe Infinite digital storefront.