V for Vendetta
by Alan Moore, David Lloyd · first published 1988
27% recommend73% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Dramatic graphic novel exploring anarchy, totalitarianism and social commentary in an accessible form; often cited as a formative read that shaped how readers see society.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A seminal graphic novel that defined sophisticated storytelling, Alan Moore's best-selling V For Vendetta is a terrifying portrait of totalitarianism and resistance, superbly illustrated by artist David Lloyd. The graphic novel that inspired the hit movie V For Vendetta is a powerful story about loss of freedom and individuality.Set in a futuristic totalitarian England, a country without political freedom, personal freedom and precious little faith in anything,a mysterious man in a white porcelain mask fights political oppressors through terrorism and seemingly absurd acts. It's a gripping tal
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…agree, probably not the best example, but when trying to think of a book with an intended social commentary it was the first that popped into my head. There are almost certainly better examples. How about V for Vendetta then, the original book had a much clearer idea of anarchy, totalitarianism and the consequences of each than that watered down movie.
on “'Brave' creator blasts Disney for 'blatant sexism' in princess makeover” ↗…Isaac Asimov. "Brave New World", Aldous Huxley. "Deepness in the Sky" / "Fire Upon the Deep" by Vernor Vinge. "Something wicked this way comes" by Ray Bradbury. And a couple of comics/visual novels: "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen" by Alan Moore (David Lloyd/ Tony Weare and Dave Gibbons / John Higgins). Dave Sims: "Cerebus" (I don't think I've finished this yet, but the first ten volumes or so is.. Something else).
on “Ask HN: What are some must read books?” ↗…happy to make garbage if it hires people with the right diversity checkboxes (see Vita Ayala, who somehow keeps getting more work while being completely unable to write stories people want to read). >V for Vendetta Originally published in the UK, later put out by Vertigo Comics (DC) in its hayday. But Alan Moore is better writer than almost everyone left at either of the big comics houses these days, and he was…
on “The Superhero Industry Hates Children (2019)” ↗Not one book, but two graphic novels. "Watchmen" and "V for Vendetta", Alan Moore's perspective is such a great perspective. Alan Moore tackles important philosophical questions in a really accessible medium. Alan Moore is a realist with very dramatic inclinations and…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why” ↗- Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand - V for Vendetta - Alan Moore/David Lloyd - Heat: How we can stop the planet burning - George Monbiot These are the books that quite literally changed my world view and interpretation of our place/purpose in it.
on “Ask HN: What books fundamentally changed the way you think about the world?” ↗…of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig - The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien - The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien - Watchmen by Alan Moore - From Hell by Alan Moore - V for Vendetta by Alan Moore - The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series by Alan Moore - Dune by Frank Herbert - Immortality by Milan Kundera - first 3 books in the The Dark Tower series by Stephen King - The…
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book?” ↗…characterise all "comic book" films as being immature, although there's a lot of shallow super-hero films being pumped out of Hollywood these days. Maybe if more people in the U.S. were familiar with "V For Vendetta" (despite Alan Moore's loathing for that film) then their attitude towards government might well be different. (Trying to think of another good example and the Watchmen series tackled racism head-on,…
on “When the physicists need burner phones, that's when you know America's changed” ↗ISTR that in the futuristic dystopia depicted in V for Vendetta, there are government spy cameras everywhere, including in people's bedrooms. And it turns out that's not so futuristic. We're already there. The moment it became technically (Edit: and really, economically)…
on “GCHQ intercepted webcam images of millions of Yahoo users worldwide” ↗My understanding is that the late 70s and early 80s in England was a hopeless place. As evidence I submit Alan Moore's introduction to V for Vendetta and Ghost Town by the Specials. - https://slendertroll.tumblr.com/post/66114152363 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Town_(Specials_song) "Naivete can also be detected in my supposition that it…
on “Queen Elizabeth II has died” ↗Almost positive that's a direct quote toward the end of Alan Moore's V for Vendetta. Which kinda makes me grin and roll my eyes at the same time.
on “LulzSec's 'Topiary' arrested ” ↗Alan Moore is the guy behind classics like Watchmen and V for Vendetta in case you didn't know. To say he is quite the character is a bit of an understatement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moore
on “Alan Moore Kickstarter - His Heavy Heart” ↗…that democratic norms were being abandoned and they would steamroll over institutions that were not prepared for people who didn't play by the rules. Even before that, we have stuff like Watchmen and V for Vendetta from Alan Moore that predicts the slip into authoritarianism, but depicts it coming from the right. And then either in response or just because they were not in the spotlight, the Left came in and completely…
on “Disinformation Is a Threat to Our Democracy” ↗V for vendetta is a ten-issue Graphic-Novel series written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd. In writing V for Vendetta, Moore drew upon an idea for a strip titled The Doll, which he had submitted…
on “Visa.com Now Also Down Under DDoS” ↗>Anarchy is not the same as disorder or lack of rules. Well said. Anarchy is not a world without rules - it's a world without rulers. I always like to refer to something that Alan Moore (the author of V for Vendetta) said: he regards the current state of society as anarchy gone horribly wrong. As he remarks, people often like to claim that in a state of anarchy, the strongest would eventually rule, and use this to…
on “The U.N. Threat to Internet Freedom ” ↗I'm consistently astounded at England's ability in the last couple of decades to move towards the fictional UK societies we see in 1984 and V for Vendetta. It's almost like the people have come to the exact opposite conclusion that the authors were trying to impress upon their audiences. > "Wow, censorship, totalitarianism and mass surveillance are great…
on “David Cameron cracks down on online pornography” ↗