Sequential Art: Jerusalem: A complex and compelling new novel by Alan Moore!

The new Alan Moore novel will be published within a week. I recommend his work to those unfamiliar with his work as he has much to offer. He has often delved into historical, spiritual, mystical, and political themes. He has worked on this novel for many years and it is finally here. Like the Voice from the Fire much of the piece revolves around Northampton, his birthplace, and its linkage to past, present, and future experiences.

Here is an excerpt from Jerusalem, the scene taking place as an artist is starting restoration of a fresco:

"... With a bleak, numb horror moving up his spine Ern realised that without its modelling disturbing the almost-flat plane on which it was described or breaking from the confines of its two-dimensional domain, the angel’s massive face was turning slowly, still within the surface of the fresco, to regard him with a gaze that was head-on."

"Every note of it seemed to be spiralling away in countless fainter and more distant repetitions, the same tones at an increasingly diminished scale until these split into a myriad still smaller echoes, eddying minuscule whirlwinds made of sound that spun off into the persistent background thunderclaps and disappeared."

Alan has always managed to explore, time, space, and the glue that binds them, showing the magic behind our "reality."

"...In the few moments that had actually elapsed since the commencement of the episode Ernest had clutched at and as soon discarded several desperate rationalizations of his situation. It was all a dream, he thought, but then knew instantly that it was not, that he was wide awake, that those teeth on the left side of his mouth still ached, with those upon the right retaining fragments of fried bread from breakfast. He decided that it was a prank, perhaps accomplished with a Magic Lantern, but was instantly reminded that the pictures cast by such devices do not move."

Moore is also effective at breaking up and holding moments in time, with all of their psychological underpinnings.

Moore's favorite chapter is on Lucia Joyce, where he uses a complex invented language throughout, reminding me of his first chapter of the Voice of the Fire.

Jerusalem will be available as a three volume edition as well.

The cover image is by Alan Moore, who is also an artist. He started out his career drawing and writing, including bouts of Maxell the Cat, a Godzilla illustration, and much more. Check out his other projects including Electricomics.