Top Ten Spin-offs

[Dark Jimbo]

Just finished reading Alan Moore's Top Ten, and I have to say it was pretty bloody good, definately worthy of all the praise it's been given. Anyway, what I wanted to know from you knowledgable people is whether either of the two short spin-offs, Smax and The 49ers, were worth getting? With the Smax one particularly it felt like the stories of the characters in question were deliberately only half-told in Top Ten, and it'd be nice to complete the story. So, opinions?

[Grant Goggans]

The 49ers is utter genius.  If you enjoyed the main book, you will certainly like this.

Smax is a different beast altogether.  You certainly learn more about Smax, and the multidimensional world, material only hinted at during the King Peacock segments in the original, but the Smax book is principally there for Moore to totally rip up the cliches of fantasy fiction.  I liked it a lot, but I wouldn't immediately agree that it's for everyone who enjoyed Top 10.  You've either got to like fantasy a lot and appreciate some good-natured ribbing, or you're a reader who likes watching sacred cows of whatever genre just get thoroughly skewered.

[WoD]

I liked Smax, got it free too which was nice as I was about to buy it...will now go and order the 49ers.

[Adrian Bamforth]

Smax is not disimilar to the film Shrek, except better, loads of great humour based on the old fairy stories.

ADE

[Devons Daddy]

49ers is on my must purchase list.
i browsed through the SMAX one and put it on my maybe list.yet to be convinced.

top ten I&II brillant.any whom have yet to read this,worth every penny you pay for them.

[DavidXBrunt]

Top Ten beyond the farthest precinct is absolutley terrible. Really, really awful.

Smax is light fun, and the 49ers gets better and better.

[Art]

I used the following rule-of-thumb:

Written by Moore - buy it.
"Inspired by" "created by" or "co-written by" Moore - skip it.

[Trout]

Well said, Art.

I quite liked Smax and haven't gotten to the 49ers yet.

But I must add: the Top Ten sequel (Beyond the Farthest Precinct) was ABSOLUTE SHITE.

- Trout

[Oddboy]

Very glad to have the same thumbing rule as Art then.

Well avoided!

[Art]

The 49ers was great - inticate and charming and everything we'd expect from Moore. It's a bit of a shame that he;s wrapped up his ABC work, because i;d have loved to see more form Top Ten.

[Eric Plumrose]

For me, that's a good thing. Moore was writing stuff quicker than I could afford to buy it.

[Dark Jimbo]

Yeah, I'd thought that was the case re:Beyond the Farthest Precinct. Like Art, if it's not actually written by Moore, I skip it.

Definately have to check out The 49ers at least, then. Thanks guys.

[Adrian Bamforth]

Have to say though a rare example of a great  'inspired by Alan Moore' strip was the short Promethea & Little Margie in Misty Magic Land by Steve Moore in one of the ABC collections, the script could have been Alan's despite the fact that I've disliked everything I've read of Steve Moore's.

ADE

[Trout]

The Peter Hogan Tom Strong stuff's quite good, too.

Although I just cancelled Tom Strong, due to the very poor efforts of other writers, including Michael Moorcock.

- Trout

[DavidXBrunt]

That Promethea strip was really good, and made me rethink my stance on Steve Moore. I think it's possible that good Moore spin offs can be achieved. Adter his great 'Dream Police' one shot I'd be interested to see J.Micheal Straczynski try Top Ten.