Providence Compendium

I didn't know what to expect from this except that it would be pretty twisted. I was not disappointed. This is not a graphic novel compendium for kids-- it deserves just about every trigger warning one could need. Moore transgresses many taboos in re-inventing and synthesizing Lovecraft's (and his broader circle's) ideas from a modern, very very dark perspective. And in the process he takes a cold hard look at himself, and fandom, and its dark sides. This is a farewell critique of himself as well as an incredibly meticulously researched homage to Lovecraft et al.Personally I didn't find the extreme gore and sex and other choices, often vividly presented in the excellent art, that hard to cope with; but they did make my eyes go wide in "oh no you didn't!" reactions sometimes. I have a strong stomach. Lovecraft would react otherwise!I found one design aspect tough going personally- there are many pages at the end of each chapter in handwritten text, from the main character's personal notebook, and these were a slog for my bad eyes to get through, but they were rewarding in terms of adding more information. Sometimes they were funny, too, in how they revealed the utter cluelessness of the main character as they get in deeper and deeper. Other times they are rather repetitive of the main panels of the graphics and text. But they did work, in terms of making this a graphic NOVEL. So I can't reduce the star rating there.If you're not familiar with Lovecraft's work, you'll miss a lot of the inside jokes here which come fast and furious. Every chapter relates to at least 1 story, sometimes with names unchanged but often with slightly changed ones (e.g. Herbert West = Hector North). It also bears a re-read skimming it once you've read through the whole novel once, as a lot of themes (in typical Moore fashion) circle back to earlier ones.Finally, if you can handle this novel I recommend reading Neonomicon before chapter 12. It bridges the gap between that and chapter 11. Neonomicon dials up the "yikes" factor to 11 in what happens to 1 character (be warned!), and is much weaker of a story overall but it is improved a lot by being fit into the broader story arc of Providence (as prequel-sequel).The art is some of the best Cthulhu Mythos art I've seen. I loved the novel; I keep thinking about it. It is very well thought out, cleverly weaving together so many plotlines and characters and themes. It does deserve comparison to The Watchmen but is a really different kind of tale.

Cards on table, I'm a huge Moore fan and a huge Lovecraft fan. Both men are such gifted writers, with such incredible imaginations. Picking this up was a no brainer.Providence and the earlier volume Neonomicon (read that first) are, together, a superb reinterpretation of Lovecraft's entire mythos. This review pertains to them both. Without spoiling too much, Moore goes where Lovecraft himself dared not. Lovecraft, famously, contented himself with allusions to "nameless horrors" and the "unspeakable" without getting into lurid descriptive depth. While a compelling narrative technique in itself (you might even say "that's the point") sometimes it feels a bit like Lovecraft was so overwhelmed by his own notions that he couldn't bring himself to vividly express them. Maybe this speaks to the conservatism of the man and/or his era? In any event, these ideas in Moore's hands are dynamite. The kind of horror that bothers you for days.The only criticism I can offer concerns the alternation, in Providence, between graphic novel and handwritten recollection. For what it's worth, the handwritten sections are interesting, providing a first-person retrospective on the events we've just encountered. This resonates nicely with the theme of a "hidden America", letting us in on our protagonist's real feelings otherwise hidden behind his polite dissimulations. They also serve as a tidy recollection of what we've just experienced. As with any solid piece of literature it requires some reflective piecing-together, a certain level of engagement from the reader. The whole thing is positively saturated with stunning ideas which demand a bit of rumination. These retrospective portions certainly help with that. However they sometimes tend to drag a little, even interrupting the rhythm of the narrative. Perhaps they might have been trimmed some without harming things?Nevertheless this is a must for any Lovecraft, Moore, comic book, or horror fan. But reader beware, the old knowledge only goes one way...

The entire epic story in one well-produced volume.

It's Alan Moore doing Lovecraftian horror. If you know more recent Alan Moore then you probably know what to expect. If not, BEWARE - very adult themes so keep away from children. Seriously...I won't give anything away, but if you know the Lovecraft body of work, then this will make more sense, as there are many nods to various stories.The story is very adult themed, and will likely be quite disturbing if you haven't read Lovecraft or - particularly - recent Moore. It is certainly creepy, and some will likely be difficult to read, BUT, it is an excellent story, well complemented by the artwork.The story itself is quite complex (and ties to Neonomicon - same caveats there as well) so probably warrants more than one read.

So good.