Sometimes less is more. Although only 80 pages long, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910
is a spectacular return to form for Moore's critically acclaimed adventure series about a turn of the century superteam made up of characters from pulp/genre literature both famed and obscure. This time out, Captain Nemo's daughter, Janni, angrily refuses to become his successor and leaves for London and a new life, only to walk straight into the plot of Three Penny Opera
. While Mina Harker investigates Mac the Knife's killing spree and a mysterious prophecy—less than ably assisted by the incompetent and sexist current group of Extraordinary Gentlemen—Janni rises triumphantly as the Pirate Jenny of song and story, more terrifying in Nemo's mantle than her father ever was. Moore's writing sparkles as he weaves Brechtian lyrics into a sharp, tightly paced story, and O'Neill's sardonic stylized art captures the spirit of the tale and the era perfectly. It's a romp for comics and literature fans alike. (May)
