Sideshow Vote: The Bearded Wonder

[Funt Solo]

suffers badly from not being complete.

You wouldn't even know that if Tharg hadn't told you. Just going by reading the stories, there's nothing to indicate that book 3 wasn't the last. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it just ends.

I agree with you ... mostly. The final panel of Book III says "End of Book Three", rather than "The End" - so there's a suggestion of more to come. It would be easy to be persuaded that the prologue to Book II suggests a much wider saga stretching beyond the events of Book III - although you could argue that's just added depth within a finite story.

[AlexF]

I did/does slightly bother me that the whole point of Halo Jones is that she's 'ordinary' - and yet there's this idea that someone she will go on ot become so extraordinary that her life becomes a subject of study. I guess the point is that that anyone's life can be / is worthy of people's attention, but I worry that each subsequent exploit of Ms Jones would be less engaging. Apparently it made Neil Gaiman cry, though, so what do I know.

[Dark Jimbo]

I did/does slightly bother me that the whole point of Halo Jones is that she's 'ordinary' - and yet there's this idea that someone she will go on to become so extraordinary that her life becomes a subject of study. I guess the point is that that anyone's life can be / is worthy of people's attention, but I worry that each subsequent exploit of Ms Jones would be less engaging.

Maybe the most important line in the Ballad is when the professor quotes Halo - 'Anyone could have done it.' Yes, she did amazing things and became a figure of legend, but the point is that she did it without any special skills, abilities, or superpowers. An antidote to the 'child of prophecy/destiny foretold in the stars/only you have the power...' tropes.

[SmallBlueThing(Reborn)]

I'll go with Halo too... largely because while Watchmen is u doubted a work of "towering comics genius" as someone said, I've always found it a bit dull. My favourite Moore works outside of the prog are From Hell, Captain Britain, Swamp Thing and the Neonomicon/ Providence series.

SBT

[Jim_Campbell]

Apparently it made Neil Gaiman cry, though, so what do I know.

He's married to Amanda Palmer. He probably cries a lot.

[Richmond Clements]

Apparently it made Neil Gaiman cry, though, so what do I know.

He's married to Amanda Palmer. He probably cries a lot.

Arf!

To answer the question. Good as Halo is, Watchmen literally changed the world of comics and it hasn't found another voice since, so that.

[GoGilesGo]

For me his best work is neither of those, its DR & Quinch. And his future shocks, like The Last Stand of the Platinum Horde or the English Phlondrutian Phrasebook.

I'm with you on the Future Shocks, Magnetica. The Reversible Man, Going Native, Wages of Sin, The Hyper-Historic Headbang : all time classics.

But in this pairing : Watchmen.

[broodblik]

Talk to the beard people the beard is wise and the beard know them all but the full beard will only be revealed on a Monday

[JayzusB.Christ]

It's very, very tough because they're two very different stories, which is amazing given that they're by the same writer around the same era.  Breaks my heart to say it but Watchmen squeaks through for me; I've read it over and over again and it truly deserves its reputation.  Comics that came after Watchmen are different from the ones that came before.

Which is not to say Halo Jones isn't also one of the best Sci fi stories in any medium ever, of course.

[broodblik]

In the beginning everyone votes for the prog but then a few was cast in the favor of a murder investigation but the prog was just too strong

Voting closed the winner:

Halo Jones

[credo]

Halo Jones is a thing of wonder and probably the most clearly original thing Moore has done (i.e., isn't referencing other characters or building on established characters).

Having said that, I'm a sucker for his Captain Britain stuff ...

... and I can't believe no one has mentioned Miracleman! God I love that!

[Dandontdare]

... or Swamp Thing - I'm just rereading those at the moment and they're fantastic