Because of the quality of his prose, the fertility of his imagination, and the range and power of his subjects, narrative techniques, and themes, Alan Moore has become one of the most important writers in the British and American comics industry of the 1980s and 1990s. Before Moore made his mark on comics, writers were far less important than artists to the medium, which was widely perceived as illiterate trash for kids. Moore's work has helped establish a greater balance between writing and art in comics and has dramatically increased the audience for, and aesthetic value of, the medium.

Perhaps the most striking thing about Moore's work is its diversity: in mood (terror, wonder, humor), style (scientific language, ornate prose, spare poetry), genre (fantasy, science fiction, and erotica), and audience (adults desiring serious literature, boys thirsting for high- adrenaline adventure). Although his work is marked by a variety...