Alan Moore's NEONOMICON & PROVIDENCE

There comes a time in every KZbin show's history where they have to talk about fish-people sex. And if you're watching this now, we've reached it.
We kick off the Valentine's Day week with a look back at Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' H.P. Lovecraft inspired nightmare: Neonomicon. And we don't stop there folks. We also take a look at their follow-up series: Providence.
Let's be appalled together, shall we?
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IMPERIUS REX- Episode 43
Intro theme courtesy of:
RetroFuture Clean Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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[@joanofarc33]

You have to know a lot about H P Lovescrafts life AND his fiction and I don’t mean one or two of his short stories either you actually have to be ‘schooled’ on Lovecraft to understand Moore’s series. That said it’s actually worth it. Fall into the Lovecraft rabbit hole and AFTER you’ve done that start reading Moore and then you’ll see it’s nothing short of a work of genius. Pure genius. And Alan Moore doesn’t do anything just for the money, it took him YEARS of research to write this work.

[@ImperiusRex]

joanofarc33 agreed. But that being said- Neonomicon was written for the paycheck. Moore has said it in an interview himself. It was amazing- but that was what prompted it. Providence on the other hand was a true labor of love- that just so happened to stem from Neonomicon.

[@rickykilmer1331]

The great Alan Moore. Neonomicon swamp thing watch men. Genuine genius.

[@someokiedude9549]

Also, in regards to Jacen Burrows. He, to me, really illustrates human insanity, sadism, and depravity really well. Just read Crossed and even these books and you can definitely see it.

[@ImperiusRex]

Some Okie Dude really couldn’t dig Crossed. Felt like it was trying too hard to be shocking when it was shocking, and when it wasn’t shocking, it was boring and awkwardly paced. Lately I’ve been getting an itch to give it another shot, or at least read something after Ennis’ run, but they’re really expensive collected.

[@someokiedude9549]

Imperius Rex a lot of Ennis’ stuff is like that so I can’t say I’m too surprised. I really just like the idea and I thought it was fine. I’m uncomfortable with excess violence so that was off putting, but that’s an Ennis trademark so you get...used to it...I guess. Still, Burrows really captures the dark side of human nature well.

[@ImperiusRex]

Some Okie Dude very true. That being said, Ennis’ Preacher is a masterpiece. And his Punisher Max is the best take on the character. Not sure where he went wrong with Crossed for us. Because I really like the concept too. Maybe it just seemed like it was so shocking it almost became boring in its excess.

[@someokiedude9549]

Very much indeed, I'm reading his Punisher MAX run and it's amazing, I read the first trade and while it's kinda slow at times, I was sold. Also Preacher, great stuff as well.

[@AndreBeja]

its one time read for me!!! some very graphic content in there but a true testament to lovecraftian horror. alan moore knows how to get in your head and its not for everyone but in the end i must say i loved it!!! its different and very original new content to the mythos.

[@23MP23]

Thanks for the shout out!

[@ImperiusRex]

Thanks for writing in! Always happy to shout out to friends of the show!

[@unrulysimian3897]

"tentacle enthusiast." Eggsellent.

[@someokiedude9549]

It's Alan Moore doing what Alan Moore does best, being weird as shit and getting away with it, because he's Alan Moore.

[@wouterdhondt5642]

4 years late, but here's me commenting anyway. As a lovecraft fan, neonomicon was one of the first comics I read. Have to admit I was immediately turned off by comics for a while :-) . I think the big difference between lovecraft stories and Alan Moore's take on it is the sexual violence. It's incredibly disturbing. One of the few horrors that is just too horrific cause I feel that it's very close to reality. Lovecraft doesn't have that much, for Alan Moore it's the most important thing. Also, as a lovecraft fan, having nyarlathotep mixed with carcosa and cthulhu/deep ones rubbed me the wrong way. I am tempted to read providence now though, just to have some kind of closure.

[@ImperiusRex]

Yeah- I think a lot of it has to do with the time they were written. Sexual depravity (while rampant at the times) most likely wasn't publicized that often, and Lovecraft had his own share of issues around all of that due to his upbringing. Now a days, it's so in-your-face, a writer really has to push the boundaries to make any sort of splash. No pun intended. I think Moore would also argue that sexuality and reproduction is inherent to all living things- so he doesn't shy away from putting it in his work- for better or worse.

[@sobrev1viente]

And so, the adventures of lil Cthullu started

[@lazyrmc]

You had me at nightmare indusing

[@ImperiusRex]

Your welcome. If horror comics are your thing- I'd recommend House of Penance, Sink, and And Then Emily Was Gone... some of my most recent favorites.

[@ARVETDEG]

I think, that in order to really understand (especially Neonomicon) and appreciate the comics, you must not only know about Lovecraft's whole work, but the author itself, so you don't get only the surface level information, which is what these guys got. Because yes, if you don't really know about Lovectaft and his works, then it is only rape, violence and horror. But believe me, is so much more, and it tells such horrific vision of not only religion but us as humanity and many other things. That's why all the main characters in this trilogy, are perfectly and carefully put together. Why do you think agent Brears is a recovering sex addict? Or why do you think Aldo is a logical, and solitary person living a double life? Or Balck is a Jewish closeted homosexual man? Like I said, the whole trilogy is more than what its surface shows. Very complex and deep stories.

[@cyborgdiego3454]

Does Avatar Press have a criteria to put horrible shit in their comics to get published.

[@ImperiusRex]

I think that's a fair assessment.

[@jawnsushi]

Would Providence be worth reading if I've never read Neonomicon?

[@ImperiusRex]

As a Lovecraft fan, I think they're both enjoyable. Providence goes much deeper into the mythos and history than Neonomicon, but the ending of Providence def wraps up what Neo started. I'd recommend them both. Neo is a quick read anyway.

[@jawnsushi]

@@ImperiusRex cool. Thanks!

[@jawnsushi]

@@ImperiusRex I stopped the video early so I didn't spoil Providence. Looked the books up, learned how difficult or expensive they are to obtain, and promptly decided to just finish the video instead. 😁 Good stuff!

[@jefffudesco9364]

It is not a sequel. It is the last chapter of a trilogy that started in 1996 with a prose story called "The Courtyard" that appeared in a Lovecraft homage called The Starry Wisdom. Chptr 1 Courtyard Chapter 2 Neonomicon Ch 3 Providence. Its brilliant and deep and horrific.

[@gregorblack5557]

Burrows is an amazing new talent & I've wanted to hear of these books. He's Moon Knights current artist & I'm excited to see more from him & deeply hope he doesnt "go the big superhero" route

[@ImperiusRex]

I think he's too weird to go "the big superhero" route. Moon Knight feels like one of those fringe titles that might attract an artist of Burrows' notoriety, just so he can dip his toe into the superhero genre without going all super-heroics... then again, what do I know. I think he might be off the title already. I'm guessing he's going to remain an Avatar regular.

[@gregorblack5557]

Man, that's such a pity. Him & Bemis were good on there. Def a series that should stick around & has followers. Neonomicon sounds pretty insane & funny video. Alan Moore is amazing. Tom Strong showing up in The Terrifics is absolutely brilliant. DC New Age of Heroes has been pretty stellar thus far

[@ImperiusRex]

Dave just read the first volume of Tom Strong a while back and loved it. I could totally see tackling that series in the future. Especially after the down-beat Lovecraftian run from Moore. It would be nice to even it out with some uplifting golden-age fun.

[@gregorblack5557]

ABC put out seriously good stuff & lol I agree. Tom Strong is great the whole way through. Alan Moore is a true gem among visionaries. Have a great St Patty's day!

[@RyanWinnInking]

Cthulhu erection graffiti!

[@departedpro]

I randomly picked up Neunomicon because the art looked familiar and oh boy...I loved it!!! I didn't want to read the prequel/sequel online so I waited for my store to get the Providence and tbh I kinda got bored reading all the walls of text after each issue but in the end it was worth it :D

[@ImperiusRex]

Yep- it's a read that really makes you work at it. Same for the back-matter; but it does really reward the reader who sticks it out.

[@DannyKetch-lp8co]

This video is nothing but awkward laughing

[@ImperiusRex]

Welcome to Imperius Rex

[@DannyKetch-lp8co]

That’s rude. “Not a single looker” F you. Love is love. Don’t shame anyone.

[@jordanthomas4379]

I liked Neonomicon, I want to read Providence, as I have not yet.

[@ImperiusRex]

It's a LOT more detailed and historically-based. Extensively researched, almost to the point of something like From Hell. At times it's more like a "guess-the-reference," like his League books became, but by the end it provides an amazing wrap up to the story he began in Neonomicon.

[@jacobkeary6740]

Oh god, the rape of water

[@L0NELYBRICK]

Soooo . . . Well I guess I'll never say never but I feel perhaps my desire to read it has been reduced somewhat. I have got providence, but after realising it was a sequel I thought I'd wait on reading it. Good episode though despite the uncomfortable content, maybe you need to do something a little more cheery for a while, the sonic comic perhaps?

[@ImperiusRex]

My son would praise me if I started reading the Sonic comic, but that might be a ways off... Don't let Troy's disdain for gruesome literature put you off... it's def a must-read if you're a fan of Lovecraft or bizarre, unsettling horror. It's just not a terribly FUN read. Dave dug the hell out of both Neo and Prov... and we all know, he's the only one who's opinion really matters on this show...

[@jefffudesco9364]

It is not a sequel. It is the last chapter of a trilogy that started in 1996 with a prose story called "The Courtyard" that appeared in a Lovecraft homage called The Starry Wisdom. Chptr 1 Courtyard Chapter 2 Neonomicon Ch 3 Providence. Its brilliant and deep and horrific.

[@L0NELYBRICK]

@@jefffudesco9364 makes little difference now, my partner and I split up, she kept it.

[@jefffudesco9364]

@@L0NELYBRICK Im sure there are other copies still in existence. And Im sure you will have some time to kill reading good fiction over the next 35yrs of your life. Dont worry about your partner taking a sigle copy of the book. There are other copies you can get to someday.