"Remember, remember the fifth of November..."

"There is a certain amount of political inexperience upon my part evident in these early episodes. Back in 1981 the term "nuclear winter" had not passed into common currency, and although my guess about climatic upheaval came pretty close to the eventual truth of the situation, the fact remains that the story at hand suggests that a nuclear war, even a limited one, might be survivable. To the best of my knowledge, this is not the case...Naivete can also be detected in my supposition that it would take something as melodramatic as a near-miss nuclear conflict to nudge England towards fascism."   
-Moore, Alan. "I began V for Vendetta..." DC Comics, September 1988. Vol I of X

"How purposeful was your vendetta. How benign, almost like surgery...your foes assumed you sought revenge upon their flesh alone, but you did not stop there...you gored their ideology as well. The people stand within the ruins of society, a jail intended to out-live them all. The choice is theirs, as ever it must be. I will not lead them, but I will help them build, help them create where I'll not help them kill. The age of killers is no more."
- Moore, Alan. "V For Vendetta." DC Comics, 1988. Vol. X of X (p. 26)

I'm so glad a post like this was made. Remember remember the fifth of November, Freedom forever, England Prevails, ETC.
 
:D

Great movie, never read the graphic novel. But after reading this post, I think I'm gonna have to pick it up. And also, buy this movie on Blu Ray, AWESOME!

We set off some fireworks this evening and it was great! Is the graphic novel drastically different from the film, anyone?

ideas are bullet proof.

i love this book and the movies good to

People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
 
I'm really glad that this article was made. VfV is one of my favourite movies and also one of my favourite graphic novels.
 
Remember, remember, the Fifth of November!

Oh yeah I forgot about this date.

Read the book a while back. Still haven't sat through the film though. My take on it? V For Vendetta is 1984 with a superhero and a happy ending. I loved it.

There's no question the movie screwed the pooch when it came to the ending and to no surprise Alan Moore had a cow.  It misses the point that destabilizing gov't leads to anarchy and mob without direction becomes a mindless mass that turns in on itself. So freeing people without structure is no better off than the tyranny it sought to destroy. Except now every one is defenseless...much like how Rome was sacked and the dark ages began.
 
In the graphic novel, Helen Heyer played a significant role (and doesn't exist in the movie) as the first prostitute (that doesn't look like the winner of the genetic lottery) tried to convince Finch to save her from rampaging mindless mob of men bent on raping her and all the women that engaged in allegedly "freeing England." Now a cop without a gov't, he realized that there is no order thanks to blowing the shit out of Parliament and walks down an uncertain road. Thus, showing that anarchy is Not really this utopian view that we can live without rules or structure. Also nixes that there are more good people in the world than wicked.
 
In the movie, I think they did a decent job of skimming the surface, romanticizing humanity, and focused more on discrimination and Civil Rights than showing the other side of why gov't and structure was created in the first place. V for Vendetta was for Discrimination in the way that Crash was about Racism. Visual but hollow. Still, its entertaining action done by the Matrix bros.

I bought my copy of V for Vendetta on November 3rd of 2007. I had already seen the movie. The combination of reading the book and watching the movie again prompted me to get into more Vertigo comics, and drastically altered my reading and buying habits. I also joined Comic Vine two days later. On the 5th of November.  
 
@aztek the lost said:

"Or I will try and memorize V's intro speech in the film, that was awesome! 
 

• 
  

  Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant and vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. [laughs] Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me "V".  "

Both the comic and the movie are great for different reasons and really Alan Moore is a crazy old guy who hates everything so there's no point pretending to hate a pretty good adaptation that could have been leagues worse (pun intended) just because he hates it like he hates half the comic industry and several dozen other random things including but not limited to shaving. 
So yeah. Great work, though the real world is depressing enough as it is so I'll wait till we're in better shape before revisiting this.

Such a terrible movie, yet such a great graphic novel.

I watch the movie every November 5th. 

" Such a terrible movie, yet such a great graphic novel. "

Guy Fawkes, the only man to enter parliament with honest intentions.

I watched the movie and found it very thought provoking. Watching a twist of history and the corruption of power. It's sort of an example that shows us just how important term limits and a balance of power can be.
 
I don't know if anyone else was effected by this scene. One of the more....intriguing moments was when he went to kill the doctor who worked on those experiments. She was in bed and V is there. She asked him if he was going to kill her, and he said he killed her a few minutes ago in her sleep, holding up a syringe. She asked if it would hurt and he said "No". Something about that moment gave me a bit of a chill.
 
Yes, he was a man who wanted reform, but there was something a bit selfish within his actions. The people he struck at did hurt him in a profound manner. This personal aspect of his fight didn't hurt his message.

I remember seeing the movie, but I feel I should read the graphic novel.

Nice review Babs! Forgot all about Guy Fawkes Day.

This was such a Great Movie!!! I'd say it was better than Watchmen.... I remember the first I saw this too. I thought it was gonna be just a regular superhero movie, but I was wrong..... My dad wasn't to fond of it, but I thought it was one of the most BA superhero movies I've seen.. With the awesome action scene around the end and the goose bump chilling words of truth from V... I loved this movie!!!!!       Remember, remember the Fifth of November..

"Todays my Birthday this makes it extra special  YAY  ^_^ "

REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER!!

I have had alt happen to me on the fifth of november, first break up of first ex that was just an odd thing and odd timing. I remember after the break i remembered this line from the book was quite hilarious to me at the time.

First car crash, first time got pulled over by a cop, first....nevermind. Fifth of November is both a good and bad day for me so HAPPY GUY FAWKES DAY!!

I will never forget the... Fifth of November.    

"

Guy Fawkes, the only man to enter parliament with honest intentions.

"

Great article Babs, that was awesome, V for Vendetta the movie was what turned me on to alan moore as well. Goddd was that five years ago already f***.

V for Vendetta...<3

I am love this comic and movie. It's real beautifull!!!!!

I hate Bonfire Night, its a national menace and a relic of religious hate.

I watched the movie yesterday XD 
 
I got a new date for you people!
 
REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 2ND OF NOVEMBER! 
 
ITs MY BDAY WOOO! :P

"I hate Bonfire Night, its a national menace and a relic of religious hate. "

I am a little late to reply to this, but I really enjoyed this article. 
 
I have only heard of the movie and wasn't even aware that there was a comic, but now ill be sure to read the novel and watch the movie!
 
Goodjob

I've actually never gotten around to reading V for Vendetta and as of writing this I'm staring at page 1 of the 1st chapter so here goes :P