the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

[cthulhu77]

If you have been to the movies within the last few weeks, you may have seen the trailer for this film, based on a comic-book series...all of you cephalophiles will dig Captain Nemo's Nautilus...has a beautiful articulated ceph on the top/prow of the submarine...if you like comics, do yourself a huge favor and pick up the first volume!

 

[Clem]

...and pick up the published chapters of Volume II, in which the League squares off against the Tripod-driving, heat-ray wielding cephalopods from Mars.

 

[cthulhu77]

AARRRGGHH! I haven't been able to get that one yet...perhaps I can sneak out tonight while my wife watches tv or something...

 

[Clem]

Issues 1-4 of Volume II have been released; issue #5 is due to ship this week (four months late, might I add). The first couple of issues have been collected in a "Bumper Compendium" edition, which will probably be easier to find than the individual issues.

Just tell your wife that a mysterious cylinder has fallen to earth on the outskirts of town...



Clem

 

[cthulhu77]

That is how I got the first volume...one binding. I shall call my bookstore asap...I don't know about the cylinder bit with Shanlyn (my wife)...although after reading the last few posts over my shoulder, she is on page 7 of the first volume...maybe I can convince her to get it??? Hey, whatever works, right?

 

[Phil]

Stop it, you lot. You are winding me up too much!

I've got LOXG vol.1, the Nautilus is fantastic, it looks like a giant squid straddling a sperm whale in a wonderful 19th century steampunk design. Perfect! I really hope the movie version resembles the same. I particularly love the fact that vol.1 starts off in my home town, Dover, in the UK!

Vol.2; any ideas when it will be out as a compendium? Personally I do not really see the point in shelling out for these things in three or four different formats when the whole thing will be released together in a few months.

Actually I am surprised HG Wells has not really been mentioned that much on these pages:

"A huge rounded bulk, larger than a bear rose up, it's skin glistening like wet leather. It's lipless mouth quivered and salivated and snake-like tentacles writhed as the clumsy body heaved and pulsated" (Tess of the D'Urbevilles. ch5, pg 78)

 

[Clem]

Phil,

You'll be glad to know that Kevin O'Neil (artist of LOEG) has remained faithful to Wells's description of the Martian. Nemo himself appears upset by the looks of the thing.

Have you fellows read Wells's short story "The Sea Raiders?" Very creepy. Wells understood that the requirements of ruthless horror dictate that small children on holiday be eaten.



Clem

 

[cthulhu77]

"the Sea Raiders" classifies as one of the best ceph short stories of all time...he certainly had a grasp of the predatory nature of the cephs! I agree, the Nautilus in the comic is fantastic...I also like the button that holds Nemo's turban together...way cool. From what I could see in the trailer, the film seems to be holding true to the drawn version...I can hardly wait! Even Shanlyn is getting into it...gosh, a comic that draws families together???

 

[Phil]

No, I have not read 'The Sea Raiders', but I believe it is almost regarded as a precursor to WOTW in that it covers much of the same ground in a short-story format though (I think) it was written a couple of years before.

Actually a book worth finding if you like this sort of 19th century sci-fi is a book called 'War of the Worlds; Global despatches' ed. Kevin Anderson. It covers what happened in other parts of the globe outside England during the Martian Invasion seen through the eyes of people such as Mark Twain and Pablo Picasso. It is in short story format but is good fun.

Still love the album though.......

 

[cthulhu77]

I also like all of the references to classics like "Treasure Island", and "Dracula". Wonderful stuff!

 

[cthulhu77]

Uh-oh! She was walking by while I was scribbling down that title...oh well, perhaps I can tell her it will be good for the kids bedtime stories?

 

[cthulhu77]

RE: the sea raiders:
The story is about some squid ( perhaps based on Humbolt current?) that occasionally pop up off of the coast of England and prey on bathers...very well written, though flavoured with the opinions of that time, of course... you can find it in most anthologies of horror...perhaps even online?

 

[Phil]

The story is about some squid ( perhaps based on Humbolt current?) that occasionally pop up off of the coast of England and prey on bathers...

I wish! We have the odd Archi washed up on the Scottish coast in the North Sea every ten years or so. Otherwise, I have only found cuttlefish remains washed on the wind blasted pebble strewn shores of East Kent. My dream is to find an Archi one day, but it just isn't going to happen.....

Have to content myself with ammonites and bits of shrapnel or bullets one can still occasionally find left over from World War Two.

Dream on.......

 

[cthulhu77]

if you do happen to find the story, you will chuckle a bit...the cephs crawl across rocks, etc. to get at their victims...hardly squidlike! Oh well...it is a very fun short story...and I hope you find a nice big Arch. sometime soon! Hopefully in a safe fashion!

 

[Phil]

A picture of the Nautilus has finally been released. Unfortunately it seems to bear absolutely no resemblance to squid/sperm whale sub of the comic book. I shall give no details away as I would not want to spoil the fun, but for those who are interested there are depictions of the new movie version here:

http://www.lxgmovie.com/

Well I'm looking forward to it, even if no-one else is!