The universe created by writer Alan Moore and illustrator David Lloyd in the comic series V for Vendetta vividly demonstrates consequences of human narrow-mindedness. This is one of those comic series from the DC world that explores political and social aspects of a totalitarian regime. The story of this ten-issues series revolves in a post-apocalyptic world full of racism and xenophobia. This world has suffered a devastating nuclear war that changed the typical state of things forever. The nuclear war has torn apart countries, political regimes, and human adequacy.
Events take place in the Great Britain in the 1990s – despite being called a democratic state, this is a totalitarian country ruled by a neo-fascist party called the Norsefire. Ardent followers of Hitler, these people eliminate everyone who is not white, Christian, or heterosexual. They hold people in concentration camps where they are being tortured, abused, experimented on, and murdered. The political climate described in this comics is quite similar to George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four where fundamental human rights are considered to be frivolities, and people are forced into mechanical obedience.
It always happens that any totalitarian regime triggers the uprisal of a hero who can overthrow any form of dictatorship. In this case, this hero is an avenger plus a terrorist. The main protagonist is a very mysterious man known as V. He is an anarchist who despises the fascist ideology and uses violence to undermine their power. Throughout the whole story, V remains an enigma, whose face and body are never exposed. To hide his face and preserve his anonymity, V uses the mask of Guy Fawkes, a Catholic who attempted to blow up the English Parliament in the 17th century. Eventually, this mask becomes a trademark in both comic series and the real world – this is a modern symbol of revolution and fight for human rights. He also wears a wig, black clothes, and a cloak to disguise himself.
Having committed several attacks against the leading members of the Norsefire, V becomes the number one threat to the authorities who finally understand that V is a serious enemy. He’s a professional in computer sciences, surveillance, explosives, and bladed weapons. And he holds a personal grudge against the Norsefire. V is, in fact, a former prisoner of the concentration camp where different genetic experiments were conducted on his body. He was injected with an experimental chemical called Batch 5 which eventually gave him supernatural strength and endurance. The only survivor of those experiments, he managed to flee from the camp and now is determined to destroy those who caused his sufferings.
The story begins when a young prostitute, Eve Hammons is kidnapped by the secret police officers working for that party planning to rape and murder her. V saves her life and gets a new loyal friend. Slowly, this girl begins to understand his philosophy of anarchism, V’s lively intellect, the meaning of roses he grows, origin of his strange name, plus those prospects his mission can bring. The fact remains that it’s up to the readers to decide whether he is a hero or a villain. One thing can be claimed for sure – although V hides his personality, he becomes a symbol of freedom for all suppressed people in that county. He eliminates the rulers of the Norsefire aiming not only at revenge but possible opportunities to create a free society where people can have all the freedoms they have been deprived. V believes that anarchy can make a difference.
Someone was there.
It was not sound that betrayed their presence. No rustle of fabric. No shifting movements, no soft breathing in the darkness. There was no sound. No, it was the scent that had awakened her, pulled her from confused dreams. The fragrance of roses heavy in the air that told her with absolute certainty she was not alone. Continue reading “Metamorphoses” »