• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier. Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill. Wildstorm. 208 pages. $29.99.
Moore's greatest hits are often derivative: Watchmen is based on long-forgotten heroes from the cheesiest of publishers; Promethea, Tom Strong, Supreme, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Killing Joke, Swamp Thing, D.R. and Quinch, Skizz are all recreations and re-imaginings, some twice-removed. There have been exceptions (V For Vendetta, A Small Killing, The Ballad of Halo Jones, Big Numbers), but Moore imbues these ''copies'' with arguably more vitality and appeal than the originals.
The Black Dossier is a pastiche of pastiches. Moore reanimates such notables as James Bond, Emma Peel and Bulldog Drummond, along with League regulars Allan Quartermain and Mina Harker, in a post-1984 Orwellian setting. Moore skillfully mimics Jack Kerouac, along with Tijuana bible porn, Shakespeare and John Cleland (Fanny Hill). Artist O'Neill keeps pace with Moore's machinations, but overall, the effect is more admirable than entertaining.
• Heart of Empire CD-ROM. Bryan Talbot and James Robertson. $30. Available from www.bryan-talbot.com.
This second CD-ROM edition of the groundbreaking and influential work also includes the earlier Adventures of Luther Arkwright graphic novel along with annotations, pencil art, high-resolution finished art and more in a prodigious portable collection, playable on any computer. Talbot influenced the most influential contemporary artists and writers -- Moore, Gaiman, Morrison, Ellis, et al -- and this unique and exhaustive disk belongs in smart collections and classrooms.
-- RICHARD PACHTER
