The 1989 album This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This! by Birmingham’s PWEI (Pop Will Eat Itself) features two standout tracks that will forever remind me of my amazing Dad. Bursting with pop culture references, the album is deeply influenced by British comic book legend Alan Moore, especially his work on Watchmen, with the lead single “Def. Con. One” offering a clear nod to his impact on the band.
Fronted by Clint Mansell – now better known as a composer of movie soundtracks – PWEI describes their sound as “electronic, punk, alternative hip-hop, hybrid music for fucking, fighting & smoking cigars.” The next single, “Can U Dig It?”, takes this to another level, immortalising an array of cultural icons. Listen closely, and you’ll hear shout-outs to The Terminator, Run DMC, The Twilight Zone, AC/DC, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Bruce Lee, and many more—though, most notably, Alan Moore’s lasting influence.
“ALAN MOORE KNOWS THE SCORE”
It turns out that Alan Moore is one of the most influential comic book writers of all time. Even if you’re not a comic book reader, you’re likely familiar with some of the movie adaptations and cultural influences his work has inspired. Here are a few of his most significant contributions:
Watchmen (1987) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons.
If you prefer to call comic books “graphic novels,” this one is undoubtedly a quintessential example – though Alan Moore himself refutes the term. This work is as sophisticated and mature as they come, delving into complex themes that extend beyond mere sexual innuendo and profanity. It serves as a poignant commentary on contemporary society, examining the concept of celebrity (in this case, a band of superheroes), intricate interpersonal dynamics, and an alternate history where the United States is on the brink of World War III – hence the aforementioned reference to DEFCON 1.
There have been film and TV adaptations, neither really as good as the book. And there’s no doubt there would be no The Boys if there were no Watchmen.
Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Brian Bolland.
Again, notably adult – the clue is in the title – and heavily influencing arguably the greatest movie adaptation of a comic book superhero with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight…
From Hell (1999) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Eddie Campbell.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Kevin O’Neill.
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (1986) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger.
The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1984) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by Stephen Bissette & John Totleben.
This series also included the creation of the hugely popular character Constantine – later inspiring another film…
V for Vendetta (1990) written by Alan Moore. Illustrated by David Lloyd.
Iconic, and for more than just the mask. This might just inspire the next revolution!
And in terms of the underrated film (The Wachowskis took the reigns not long after The Matrix), it’s interesting that Moore distanced himself from the final product, even declining credit or royalties.
But I think that’s more down to his dissastisfaction with adaptations of From Hell in 2001 and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003…