Script Alan Moore, art by David Lloyd (additional art by Tony Weare). Coloring by David Lloyd, Steve Whitaker and Siobhan Dodds. © DC Comics.
This beautiful glossy oversized slipcase (8.5 x 12.8 inches, 21.5 x 32.5 cm) designed by David Lloyd was published in 2009 by DC Comics (ISBN: 978-1-4012-2361-8, cover price 99.99$, my copy is a first print).
The main book inside comes with a fully illustrated dust jacket (illustration printed with varnished parts). It contains the collected 10 issues of V for Vendetta printed on mat thick white quality paper (396 pages). Below there is also a picture for size comparison purpose (with one of the original Warrior magazine were V was first partially published, and issue 6 of the DC colorized series).
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| back cover of the dust jacket |
The inner faux leather cover of the book displays the now famous Guy Fawkes/V mask (no illustration on the back cover). Second and third of cover show different illustrations.
This edition reprints the DC Comics series in ten issues published in 1988-1989, covers and back covers included.
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| reprinted back cover (slightly different) and cover of volume 6 |
A brief history of this comic is perhaps needed here. V for Vendetta was first published in B&W (without shades of grey) edited in book and chapter form in Quality Comics UK magazine Warriors from 1982 to 1985 (a 6 to 8 pages chapter per issue). The magazine was cancelled before the story was finished and colorized when it was published by DC Comics in comic format. In each 30 pages 'volume' of the 10 part DC series several original chapters has been reprinted with additional full page illustrations, exclusively re-colorized for this absolute edition. To illustrate that I have chosen to display pictures comparing this edition to the first publication and the DC series.
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| absolute re-colorized additional pages vs the DC series |
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| same colorization between the absolute and the DC series only it is now on white pages |
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| opening additional pages from volume 2 of the absolute edition |
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| pages following the previous picture from the absolute edition .... |
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| ... and its counterpart in the original Warrior magazine (note the extended artwork at the top and bottom) |
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| the end of chapter five in the original publication ... |
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| ... and its counterpart in the absolute edition with an extra page |
The two out of continuity interludes "Vertigo" and "Vincent" are included between act 2 and act 3. Tony Weare drew one chapter ("Vincent") and contributed additional art to two others ("Valerie" and "The Vacation").
This edition also displays 28 pages of extra material, but nothing really exclusive to this edition :
- March 1988 Alan Moore's introduction for vol 1 of the DC series
- January 1990 David Lloyd's introduction to the first DC paperback
- October 1983 Moore's "Behind the Painted Smile" essay originally published in Warrior #17
- a number of preliminary and promotional pieces of artwork "many of which have never been reproduced" says the introduction of this 20 pages section, and cover of the previous collected hardcover edition.
Note that to be exhaustive this absolute edition should have reproduced 5 of the exclusive Zenda French painted covers (published in 6 part, part #4 sharing the same cover than vol 7 of DC Comics series).
Hello, great work here. I was interested in picking of the Absolute V for Vendetta as my first Absolute. I had read a review that said the illustrations are "washed out, abstractly murky, hazy" can you comment on this? You appear to have a vast knowledge on the material and I was wondering if you could speak at all to the visual quality versus other editions.
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks,
Anthony
Hi and sorry for the late response. I have compared again my Absolute Edition to the french Zenda edition and the only DC comic issue (#6 of 10) I own and the printing is quite similar. I could be wrong but I think that the comments "washed out, abstractly murky, hazy" referred to the difference between the original Warrior B&W version and the DC colorized version because indeed the rather strange colouring washes out the original B&W contrast. But again this Absolute edition is not worse than the DC comics issues. Note that the whole story was never completed in Warrior but there at least one Italian edition that has been published in B&W.
ReplyDeleteWhere is it printed?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Roberto
Hi Roberto,
ReplyDeleteThis first edition was printed in China. I have also added a picture showing the binding of the inner book. Hope it will be of interest for you.
Got my copy yestarday.. beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteLove that slipcase.. my italian absolute edition (ISBN: 978-84-674-9419-8)didn't have it
Regarding this ISBN you have given me, I believe it is not this edition: http://myabsolutecollection.blogspot.fr/2014/06/v-for-vendetta-italian-b-warrior.html. No slipcase either
DeleteNono, i own this English absolute edition, the isbn i gave you is the One of my Italian absolute, this One :
Deletehttp://img1.annuncicdn.it/a3/f1/a3f1a3732941deb48ec564a263c5c5a5_orig.jpg
Exacly the same in size, content and quality but no d'uso cover and no slip case . (But better looking cover IMHO)
It's different from the bw warrior "white" edition
I could send you some pics ir you want
And apart the slipcase the content of your Italian Absolute edition is similar to the US edition?
Deleteyes, it seems to have the same content (including extra pages)
ReplyDeletei haven't opened the US version yet, but looking your photos i'm quite sure. Even the inside part of the hard cover (red with domino pieces) is the same.
this evening i'll make a deeply comparison if you want/need. Tha hard part will be tear the cellophane .. my US version is still sealed :P
Take all the time you want ;). Sometimes the cellophane of my books is teared only Months after the purchase.
Deleteencore une très bonne description du livre. je viens de le recevoir ,personnellement je suis un peu décu de la qualité du papier utilisé, un offset mat de très bonne qualité mais j'aurais préféré un papier couché mat qui aurais donné des noirs et des couleurs plus profondes; bon il me reste toujours l'édition Zenda pour ça. Cependant je suis aussi intéressé par le Watchmen absolute u.s ; savez vous si c'est le meme papier utilisé que pour V ou alors un papier couché comme les Sandman absolute par exemple. Au prix vendu je veux pas me tromper pour le coup car si c'est le meme type d'impression je ne le prendrais pas, Zenda encore me suffira malgré les couleurs non refaites. Merci entout cas pour ce blog, continuez !
ReplyDeleteMerci pour ce commentaire (et vos encouragements!), car il va m'être utile pour la suite. J'ai également les versions Zenda et les ai comparé à mes Absolute, et donc si je comprends bien, la différence entre un offset mat et un couché mat est que le second présente un aspect plus proche du papier glacé? J'ai des lacunes dans ce domaine, et je suis preneur de ce genre d'informations, que je peut tester de visu (pour les Artist's Edition je prend souvent garde de ne pas donné mon opinion sur la qualité d'impression et le type de papier utilisé, car je ne suis pas expert, mais on a ce genre d'information sur le site comicbookdaily en lien sur ce blog). Et donc, l'Absolute Watchmen a exactement le même rendu que l'Absolute V par comparaison avec l'édition Zenda, c'est donc aussi malheureusement un offset mat.
Deletemerci de votre réponse. ah helas pas de Watchmen absolu pour moi donc. oui pour moi la qualité du papier et d'impression est primordiale pour ce genre de livres onéreux; je bosse dans une imprimerie donc oui déformation profesionnelle ! les artists éditions sont sur du papier offset pour se rapprocher un maximum des originaux déja sur ce genre de papier ou l'artiste peut facilement effacer ses très de crayons et encrer proprement. Mais pour les absolute edition US je prefere des papiers couchés, mats ou brillants, qui mettent en valeurs les dessins alors que le papier offset, meme de qualité comme ici présent,enterrent les couleurs.
ReplyDeletemerci pour ces infos complémentaires, et c'est vrai que le papier Zenda rend bien mieux les couleurs
DeleteHave you compared this to the new 30th Anniversary Edition?
ReplyDeleteI am specifically curious if there is any content in the 30th Not in the Absolute .
I do not own the 30th Anniversary edition. I have just look at a video on youtube and the extra section is identical between the two edition and both feature the original DC covers. So there is no exclusive content in the 30th which has the exact same pagination and table of content (and same pagination references too in the table of content)
DeleteThere are slight differences between the Absolute (which I don't own but I refer to your -precious!- review) and the 30th Anniversary. One I can tell regards pages376-377 -- see above the double spread with on the left side a picture of V jumping over a red background; in the Anniversary version, this left page is the last paragraphs of Moore's paper.
DeleteOh and of course all of the jacket and covers and inner illustrations are different. Plus, this Anniversary edition does not have the tissue page-marker. It doesn't come into a box, the jacket has a fine "silky" feel (maybe the same as the "faux leather" you mention hereabove?).
DeleteI own -and cherish- the ten issues and the first paperback, but this fine book makes me want to read this tremendous story all over once again!
Thank you Genug for these information! (oui merci ;))
DeleteC'est tout bien. Ne le mentionne pas. T'es le bienvenu. :-)
Delete:P
DeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteI notice that the 30th Anniversary one, here in Canada, in bound and printed in Canada. Most graphic novels, I see in stores, seem to be printed in China, these days. I wanted to check the quality of the paper, in the Chapters store, but it was sealed.
ReplyDelete