V for Vendetta: A Review

Image of Alan Moore via Wikipedia

I have become interested recently in graphic novels. The most powerful one of those that I have read so far is V for Vendetta by writer Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd.

The tale is set in England after a World War III that involved a limited exchange of nuclear weapons. This created a political power vacuum in England that was filled by a fascistic group.

The story starts with a 16-year old girl, Evey Hammond, who is desperate for money to survive on in the very bleak world the fascists have made of England and decides her only option is to prostitute herself. The first man she approaches turns out to be a policeman working a vice detail. Under the rules of the fascist state, police who catch someone in the act of soliciting for prositution can do whatever they want with her before summarily executing her on the spot. As the group of three police working the vice detail move in to start raping Evey, a masked figure comes out of nowhere and kills them. The masked figure takes Evey away to his hideout, where he tells her she will be safe.

The man tells Evey that he has no name, and to call him V. We quickly discover he always wears masks, and the mask he uses almost full time is of the face of Guy Fawkes, who is famous in England for his plan (never carried out) in the year 1605 to assassinate King James I and all the members of Parliament by blowing up the Houses of Parliament buildings while all of them were present there.

Soon after taking in Evey, V carries out part of Fawkes' plan and does blow up the Parliament buildings (which were abandoned when the fascists took control of the country).

As the story progresses we learn V is simultaneously carrying out a plan to bring down the fascists by driving England into anarchy (destroying the Parliament buildings being just one part of that plan) and murdering individuals from his past.

I won't get into more details of the story here. But I will note that during the story we are shown many details that reflect on the significance of "V" as both a letter and the Roman numeral for five - all of which enhances how fascinating the story is.

All together the combination of Moore's writing, Lloyd's art, and the themes they explore create an utterly amazing and haunting book.