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Top 10 #4
Top 10: The Forty-Niners
The multiple Eisner Award-winning team that brought you TOP 10Alan Moore (WATCHMEN, LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN) and Gene Hareunites in its first original graphic novel to bring you the origins of Neopolis and the first officers of Top 10! America is swelling with postwar prosperity after humanitys greatest threat has been defeated, but the country faces a new dilemma: what is to become of its heroes? Where will they go? To the glistening towers of Neopolisthe city of the future. But Neopolis is full of the roughest and toughest villains the world has ever known. It is a city in need of taming by a new breed of cop, a super police force. Hence, the creation of Top 10. Youve met the current cast of Top 10Smax, King Peacock, Toybox, Joe Pi and more; now meet their forebears, the ones who blazed the trail and made Neopolis the city it is today.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
7 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Alan Moore
1,576 books21.7k followersAlan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
January 14, 2015
Right. First off, this was written by Alan Moore.
Second off, this is a continuation of a series that I'm dearly fond of. Chronologically, it's a prequel, but it should really be viewed as book three in the series. It should be read as the third Top 10 volume (or possibly the 4th after Smax) not first.
Thirdly, this book has everything you could want in a comic. Superheroes. Nazis. Vampires. Robots. A time machine.
Fourthly, everything I mentioned up above is handled in a straight-up honest and serious way. It's not some corny bullshit someone threw together because pirate zombie monkey ninjas would be funny. All the above elements are in the story because they're absolutely important to the story. And they Work. And they make sense. And it's awesome.
But finally and most importantly, this story isn't about robots or superheroes or Nazis. I've read this comic three or four times, and this time, I realized why I enjoyed it so much. Yes the special effects are good. Yes the plot is tight. Yes it's cool and clever and fun.
But that's not what this story is *about.*
This story is about love.
And you know what? That's a good thing for a story to be about. In some ways, it's one of the very few things worth writing about.
Someday, when I'm gone, I hope people look back and say: He wrote about love. It may not always have been obvious, and maybe he didn't always get it quite right. But underneath it all, his stories were about what it means to be human. And he believed that down at the root, the most important part of being human was love.
Second off, this is a continuation of a series that I'm dearly fond of. Chronologically, it's a prequel, but it should really be viewed as book three in the series. It should be read as the third Top 10 volume (or possibly the 4th after Smax) not first.
Thirdly, this book has everything you could want in a comic. Superheroes. Nazis. Vampires. Robots. A time machine.
Fourthly, everything I mentioned up above is handled in a straight-up honest and serious way. It's not some corny bullshit someone threw together because pirate zombie monkey ninjas would be funny. All the above elements are in the story because they're absolutely important to the story. And they Work. And they make sense. And it's awesome.
But finally and most importantly, this story isn't about robots or superheroes or Nazis. I've read this comic three or four times, and this time, I realized why I enjoyed it so much. Yes the special effects are good. Yes the plot is tight. Yes it's cool and clever and fun.
But that's not what this story is *about.*
This story is about love.
And you know what? That's a good thing for a story to be about. In some ways, it's one of the very few things worth writing about.
Someday, when I'm gone, I hope people look back and say: He wrote about love. It may not always have been obvious, and maybe he didn't always get it quite right. But underneath it all, his stories were about what it means to be human. And he believed that down at the root, the most important part of being human was love.
March 14, 2020
This substory seems all the more precious in that it does feel outreageously out of place from its original franchise. It is like an origins story mixed with a caper Who-Dunnit. Again, there are factions that ooze betrayal, that you know have ulterior motives. And then there are the goodhearted--heck, even a bona-fide gay story line (& not Lesbian [Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell]).
Mr Moore: you are the genuine article. your imagination is limitless; your collaborative art with whomever you choose becomes absolutely becomes a Classic.
Mr Moore: you are the genuine article. your imagination is limitless; your collaborative art with whomever you choose becomes absolutely becomes a Classic.
May 25, 2021
This prequel to Top Ten opens with a young Jetlad (Captain Steve Traynor from Top Ten) as he arrives in the newly built Neopolis. After the end of the war, all science heroes, robots and super-powered individuals have been sent to Neopolis because the rest of the world doesn't want their kind around. The book follows Jetlad and Skywitch as they navigate building lives for themselves in this new experiment of a city. Skywitch joins a newly minted police force that is beleaguered and outgunned by its inhabitants and especially the vampire gangs. Meanwhile Jetlad comes to terms with the fact that he's gay.
Gene Ha returns on art. Each panel is full of glorious details. I love the washed out, almost sepia-toned colors to give the book a vintage feel. Then there's the art deco look of the city. It's all just perfect.
Gene Ha returns on art. Each panel is full of glorious details. I love the washed out, almost sepia-toned colors to give the book a vintage feel. Then there's the art deco look of the city. It's all just perfect.
December 5, 2015
Excellent short prequel series to the world of Top Ten- I'm just sorry it ended so soon!
We get to meet Captain Traynor in his Jetlad days, and thrill to the early adventures of the Neopolis PD as they face down ex-Nazis, political corruption, and Vampires!
As before, Gene Ha's visionary artwork really brings this oddball world to life, and the use of washed-out colours helps establish the late-40s setting throughout.
We get to meet Captain Traynor in his Jetlad days, and thrill to the early adventures of the Neopolis PD as they face down ex-Nazis, political corruption, and Vampires!
As before, Gene Ha's visionary artwork really brings this oddball world to life, and the use of washed-out colours helps establish the late-40s setting throughout.
July 23, 2023
The Top 10 prequel, although this could just be read as a standalone. We see the origins of Neopolis as WW2 comes to a close all the super-powered people are sent to this new city because they couldn't live among normies.
We follow two main characters, the young pilot Steve Traynor (Jetlad) and the ex-German Skywitch, as they start their new lives in the city. Skywitch joins the police force (there is a zero-tolerance policy on vigilantism in Neopolis). Jetlad starts working as a plane mechanic as meets an older man who helps him come to terms with his sexuality. Moore explores a ton of themes of alienation - being super-powered, being gay, being German in a post-ww2 America, being a woman (in a male workforce), being younger than others... also there's an AI in a robotic mech suit who pretends he's the scientist that created him. And then there's the whole city alienated from the rest of the non-super-powered world.
The artwork is fantastic with a muted painted color palette. Extremely detailed line work.
I should have read this before Top 10... I think it has made me appreciate Neopolis a lot more and I believe I'll enjoy Top 10 even more on my next read of it.
We follow two main characters, the young pilot Steve Traynor (Jetlad) and the ex-German Skywitch, as they start their new lives in the city. Skywitch joins the police force (there is a zero-tolerance policy on vigilantism in Neopolis). Jetlad starts working as a plane mechanic as meets an older man who helps him come to terms with his sexuality. Moore explores a ton of themes of alienation - being super-powered, being gay, being German in a post-ww2 America, being a woman (in a male workforce), being younger than others... also there's an AI in a robotic mech suit who pretends he's the scientist that created him. And then there's the whole city alienated from the rest of the non-super-powered world.
The artwork is fantastic with a muted painted color palette. Extremely detailed line work.
I should have read this before Top 10... I think it has made me appreciate Neopolis a lot more and I believe I'll enjoy Top 10 even more on my next read of it.
March 6, 2018
An imaginative and fun visit to the early days of Neopolis that stands well next to the original Top 10, and Gene Ha's art is an incredibly detailed treat.
February 20, 2015
The 49ers is a prequel to the two volumes of Top Ten by Alan Moore and Gene Ha, who seem at first as odd a couple as one might imagine in comics collaboration, one wild and one subdued. But the pairing works increasingly well, as they create a world rich in heart and humor, with plenty of references, some of them veiled, (some for reason of copyright, sadly) to comics history. In this series if you are a comics geek you can look at every frame for fun clues to all sorts of esoterica. I am not a comics history geek, so some of it goes over my head, but I get enough to appreciate all the fun layers of references. The series is a comic about comics, about superheroes, set in post WWII with some commentary on what science could and could not do…. that faith in science tempered by what did and did not happen in that war because of science. We have robots and racism, a vampire brothel, a wild mix of things in what is almost mutedly colored to feel like a 1949 period piece. Oh, and as a prequel it feels like it helps me understand the next two volumes better, which I appreciate. It's more subdued than the two volumes that follow it, because it's giving historical background but it prepares you for all the elements in the series. Good stuff.
November 17, 2008
Brilliant.
Call him what you like, but there's no denying it; Alan Moore is brilliant. And in Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, he proves once again that he can grip a reader without the usual "big name" comic-book characters.
That's not to say that the characters in TT:TFN are completely original. In fact, that's a large part of the charm; finding and recognizing characters who can't be identified within the text by name for copyright/trademark reasons, but who are identifiable nonetheless. Look carefully, and you'll swear you see Kal-El, or possibly his father...as well as his earthly secret identity. You'll catch a glimpse of a certain Friendly Ghost, if you're sharp. Not to mention a well-known large-forearmed sailor man and his rather enormous nemesis.
I even spotted a rather ghoulish couple who frequently graced the pages of the New Yorker in days gone by, and were later adapted to television.
But that's just the frosting on the cake. The cake itself is a cracking good story; the story of a city after the end of World War II, a new city filled with the various super-powered and otherwise incredible characters who participated in the war (including to my amusement an analog of comic strip adviser Mary Worth).
I won't spoil the book for you. But the characters and plot are up to the usual high standards of Moore at his best. The art is also quite good, with a unique and memorable style that makes the search for familiar characters (on the second or third re-reading) a pleasure. This was a book that I didn't want to return to the library. And when I finished reading it, I wished there was more.
Call him what you like, but there's no denying it; Alan Moore is brilliant. And in Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, he proves once again that he can grip a reader without the usual "big name" comic-book characters.
That's not to say that the characters in TT:TFN are completely original. In fact, that's a large part of the charm; finding and recognizing characters who can't be identified within the text by name for copyright/trademark reasons, but who are identifiable nonetheless. Look carefully, and you'll swear you see Kal-El, or possibly his father...as well as his earthly secret identity. You'll catch a glimpse of a certain Friendly Ghost, if you're sharp. Not to mention a well-known large-forearmed sailor man and his rather enormous nemesis.
I even spotted a rather ghoulish couple who frequently graced the pages of the New Yorker in days gone by, and were later adapted to television.
But that's just the frosting on the cake. The cake itself is a cracking good story; the story of a city after the end of World War II, a new city filled with the various super-powered and otherwise incredible characters who participated in the war (including to my amusement an analog of comic strip adviser Mary Worth).
I won't spoil the book for you. But the characters and plot are up to the usual high standards of Moore at his best. The art is also quite good, with a unique and memorable style that makes the search for familiar characters (on the second or third re-reading) a pleasure. This was a book that I didn't want to return to the library. And when I finished reading it, I wished there was more.
February 25, 2020
This graphic novel is a prequel to Top-10 and as such tells the story of the start of Neopolis and it's police department. We see the beginning of few characters from the original series like the captain and Toybox's father. This was nice but nowhere good like the original and what with it's sneaky use of different characters in the background. Nice little Graphic Novel.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
May 25, 2021
A satisfying conclusion to a solid series. I’m feeling pretty blue that I’ve finished with all of Alan Moore’s Top 10 stories. It’s a fascinating world with many facets yet unexplored. The series has also been less serious than his more famous work and is just flat out fun.
July 22, 2019
Obra maestra. Por historia, dibujo, ambientación, diálogos, referencias, duración.
August 2, 2019
Some creative use of holy water there.
September 20, 2019
A very fun bit of world-building that adds to the greater Top 10-iverse and features an excellent climax, but falls short when it comes to the character development.
There are little bursts of brilliance in here, particularly if you're already a huge Top 10 fan (as I am). Setting this story 50 years before the previous one allows for some excellent exploration of the foundation of Neopolis and its science-hero police squad. There's also a persistent, well-executed sense of post-war malaise that permeates both the art and the characters. The impending threat of the mob (in this case, a bunch of vampires) taking over the city feels like a great, heightened parallel of our own world (and was weirdly hinted at in Moore's Top 10 short story in the America's Best Comics 80-Page Giant).
Unfortunately, I just didn't really care about any single character. I honestly can barely even remember their names, which is a huge change from the first run of Top 10, where I deeply cared about every one of those weirdoes. I saw a "twist" coming with one of these guys miles away, and that was basically the entire foundation of his character. The others are barely attended to outside of whatever their superpower is. The only character who really gets a fair shake is Jetlad (see, I even remembered his name), but his story of being a closeted gay man in a time where this was highly frowned upon is barely explored and has no payoff. This book feels like it was meant to be the first book of many, with future volumes expanding on these characters and their place in this world, but as it stands, they feel pretty underdeveloped.
So, again, if you love Top 10, this is definitely worth a read. It's great to return to Neopolis, no matter the time period, and Gene Ha's art is excellent once again. It just doesn't pack quite the punch of the original.
There are little bursts of brilliance in here, particularly if you're already a huge Top 10 fan (as I am). Setting this story 50 years before the previous one allows for some excellent exploration of the foundation of Neopolis and its science-hero police squad. There's also a persistent, well-executed sense of post-war malaise that permeates both the art and the characters. The impending threat of the mob (in this case, a bunch of vampires) taking over the city feels like a great, heightened parallel of our own world (and was weirdly hinted at in Moore's Top 10 short story in the America's Best Comics 80-Page Giant).
Unfortunately, I just didn't really care about any single character. I honestly can barely even remember their names, which is a huge change from the first run of Top 10, where I deeply cared about every one of those weirdoes. I saw a "twist" coming with one of these guys miles away, and that was basically the entire foundation of his character. The others are barely attended to outside of whatever their superpower is. The only character who really gets a fair shake is Jetlad (see, I even remembered his name), but his story of being a closeted gay man in a time where this was highly frowned upon is barely explored and has no payoff. This book feels like it was meant to be the first book of many, with future volumes expanding on these characters and their place in this world, but as it stands, they feel pretty underdeveloped.
So, again, if you love Top 10, this is definitely worth a read. It's great to return to Neopolis, no matter the time period, and Gene Ha's art is excellent once again. It just doesn't pack quite the punch of the original.
January 5, 2022
The first thing you should know is this is a prequel to Top 10 by Alan Moore and you should definitely read that comic first.
This comic takes place after World War II when all the superheroes were forcibly relocated to the city of Neopolis. It's still a police drama like Top 10 but it has a more focused theme. The theme is bigotry and acceptance. The story focuses on a group of social outcasts and how they gain acceptance from themselves and others. Each character is on their own journey and they aren't identical.
The bones of this story are strong. The themes and the art are both terrific. Why this story actually falls apart is because of its brevity. It's laughably underdeveloped. The speed at which story arcs start and end is bewildering. There's one particular case where the criminals are about to succeed at committing a crime and then decide to not bother. It's almost as if they can hear the editor from off the page telling them that their story arc is already several pages too long and they better wrap it up or they risk getting cut out completely. This comic could have benefited from being given another hundred pages or so.
It's an obvious must-read if you loved Top 10 but otherwise, I wouldn't bother. I definitely don't hate it or regret reading it.
2.5 Stars
This comic takes place after World War II when all the superheroes were forcibly relocated to the city of Neopolis. It's still a police drama like Top 10 but it has a more focused theme. The theme is bigotry and acceptance. The story focuses on a group of social outcasts and how they gain acceptance from themselves and others. Each character is on their own journey and they aren't identical.
The bones of this story are strong. The themes and the art are both terrific. Why this story actually falls apart is because of its brevity. It's laughably underdeveloped. The speed at which story arcs start and end is bewildering. There's one particular case where the criminals are about to succeed at committing a crime and then decide to not bother. It's almost as if they can hear the editor from off the page telling them that their story arc is already several pages too long and they better wrap it up or they risk getting cut out completely. This comic could have benefited from being given another hundred pages or so.
It's an obvious must-read if you loved Top 10 but otherwise, I wouldn't bother. I definitely don't hate it or regret reading it.
2.5 Stars
August 15, 2018
If you liked top ten then you might like to read this. Otherwise it was still good but still read top ten first. 4 stars.
January 2, 2019
Top 10: The Forty Niners
Author: Alan Moore, Gene Ha, Todd Klein, Art Lyon
Publisher: America’s Best Comics
Published In: La Jolla, CA, USA
Date: 2005
Pgs: 112
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
1949: The science heroes, mutants and robots are being forced into resettlement. Normal people are uncomfortable living alongside them. The government has founded Neopolis where all exceptional people can live together. This is the story of Steve Traynor, Jetlad and the beginnings of the Neopolis Police Department. A new city is aborning with her labor pains including vampire gangsters and robot bigotry.
Genre:
Adventure
Comics and graphic novels
Crime fiction
Fantasy
Fiction
Mythology
Science fiction
Superheroes
Vampires
Witches, wizards and magic
Why this book:
It’s Alan Moore and Top 10. I’ve loved everything that I’ve read by Alan Moore.
This Stories are About:
courage, working hard, doing the right thing, greed, friends, jealousy, love, caring, happiness, sadness, family
Favorite Character:
Jetlad. We’re experiencing this early days Neopolis through his eyes, largely. Though his "attempt" to prove his manhood with Skywitch is a icky scene. At least, she seems more than willing. Makes sense in the broader exploration of his character, but still...meh.
Least Favorite Character:
There’s a lot of unveiled bigotry of the imaginary robotic kind and human on human racism as well. Those characters engaging in that are horrid.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
There’s nostalgia, mixed with some real world of the 1940s-50s stigmata.
Favorite Scene:
The showdown with the protection scheme vampires at the bar. Good stuff.
Gromolko comparing Herr Panzer's insides with a tin of canned food is disgusting. The way he just dusted out of there makes you wonder if he was even alive inside the armor or if the armor itself was animate after his accident.
Unrepentent Nazis brought to America and with no attempt at reform set up with equipment and power...what could possible go wrong? Other than time travel and changing history.
The final battle with the Morgia and the Skysharks and the Neopolis PD.
Pacing:
The pace is great. The pages seemed to fly through my fingers.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
Neopolis, the Science City starting out as as some sort of internment camp for the extra and non-humans who came into the limelight during and after WW2 is both tragic and, probably, exactly what America would have done.
Vampire mobsters. Vampires...don't call 'em vampires.
Robot bigotry. The mecha prejudice is very ugly. And Skyshark losing his noodle and trying to bomb the robot ghetto. The ugliness is stark.
The ghosts, wraiths, skeletons, intelligent animals, and animal humanoid characters made to ride in the cattle car on the train into town is way too holocausty(sic), you know what I mean.
Skywitch being okay with what Hitler did to the vamp...Hungarians with skin conditions that don't let them go out in the sun is telling.
The era this was based in lends itself to some horrific societal norms.
The child endangerment sidekick laws would make sense in post-WW2 America. And, of course, it'd be used as a "they must be gay" thing. Frederic Wertham would be very at home in this world with it's thin veneer of everything is okay.
The little details in the background really sell Neopolis.
But Neopolis is rotten to the core. Old politics wrapped in a glittering future with protection rackets, vampire hookers, and a drunken former superhero as major.
And everyone is either trying to turn the clock back or be a hero. And all of them are trying to find themselves.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
I’d be worried that they couldn’t do Top 10 justice.
Casting call:
Beth Behrs as Skywitch. Don’t know if she could do a passable German accent or not, but I’d love to see her in the role.
Frankie Muniz as Jetlad.
Last Page Sound:
That’s good stuff.
Author Assessment:
I would read anything with Alan Moore’s name on it.
Editorial Assessment:
Well done. I wish the colors had been more comic book normal. There was a lot of mood lighting to promote the period piece-edness of the story. And it was fine. But I would have prefered a more real 4-color look.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
real genre classic
Disposition of Book:
Irving Public Library
Would recommend to:
genre fans
Author: Alan Moore, Gene Ha, Todd Klein, Art Lyon
Publisher: America’s Best Comics
Published In: La Jolla, CA, USA
Date: 2005
Pgs: 112
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
1949: The science heroes, mutants and robots are being forced into resettlement. Normal people are uncomfortable living alongside them. The government has founded Neopolis where all exceptional people can live together. This is the story of Steve Traynor, Jetlad and the beginnings of the Neopolis Police Department. A new city is aborning with her labor pains including vampire gangsters and robot bigotry.
Genre:
Adventure
Comics and graphic novels
Crime fiction
Fantasy
Fiction
Mythology
Science fiction
Superheroes
Vampires
Witches, wizards and magic
Why this book:
It’s Alan Moore and Top 10. I’ve loved everything that I’ve read by Alan Moore.
This Stories are About:
courage, working hard, doing the right thing, greed, friends, jealousy, love, caring, happiness, sadness, family
Favorite Character:
Jetlad. We’re experiencing this early days Neopolis through his eyes, largely. Though his "attempt" to prove his manhood with Skywitch is a icky scene. At least, she seems more than willing. Makes sense in the broader exploration of his character, but still...meh.
Least Favorite Character:
There’s a lot of unveiled bigotry of the imaginary robotic kind and human on human racism as well. Those characters engaging in that are horrid.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
There’s nostalgia, mixed with some real world of the 1940s-50s stigmata.
Favorite Scene:
The showdown with the protection scheme vampires at the bar. Good stuff.
Gromolko comparing Herr Panzer's insides with a tin of canned food is disgusting. The way he just dusted out of there makes you wonder if he was even alive inside the armor or if the armor itself was animate after his accident.
Unrepentent Nazis brought to America and with no attempt at reform set up with equipment and power...what could possible go wrong? Other than time travel and changing history.
The final battle with the Morgia and the Skysharks and the Neopolis PD.
Pacing:
The pace is great. The pages seemed to fly through my fingers.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
Neopolis, the Science City starting out as as some sort of internment camp for the extra and non-humans who came into the limelight during and after WW2 is both tragic and, probably, exactly what America would have done.
Vampire mobsters. Vampires...don't call 'em vampires.
Robot bigotry. The mecha prejudice is very ugly. And Skyshark losing his noodle and trying to bomb the robot ghetto. The ugliness is stark.
The ghosts, wraiths, skeletons, intelligent animals, and animal humanoid characters made to ride in the cattle car on the train into town is way too holocausty(sic), you know what I mean.
Skywitch being okay with what Hitler did to the vamp...Hungarians with skin conditions that don't let them go out in the sun is telling.
The era this was based in lends itself to some horrific societal norms.
The child endangerment sidekick laws would make sense in post-WW2 America. And, of course, it'd be used as a "they must be gay" thing. Frederic Wertham would be very at home in this world with it's thin veneer of everything is okay.
The little details in the background really sell Neopolis.
But Neopolis is rotten to the core. Old politics wrapped in a glittering future with protection rackets, vampire hookers, and a drunken former superhero as major.
And everyone is either trying to turn the clock back or be a hero. And all of them are trying to find themselves.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
I’d be worried that they couldn’t do Top 10 justice.
Casting call:
Beth Behrs as Skywitch. Don’t know if she could do a passable German accent or not, but I’d love to see her in the role.
Frankie Muniz as Jetlad.
Last Page Sound:
That’s good stuff.
Author Assessment:
I would read anything with Alan Moore’s name on it.
Editorial Assessment:
Well done. I wish the colors had been more comic book normal. There was a lot of mood lighting to promote the period piece-edness of the story. And it was fine. But I would have prefered a more real 4-color look.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
real genre classic
Disposition of Book:
Irving Public Library
Would recommend to:
genre fans
August 5, 2009
"Top Ten" is not "great" like Watchmen--the satire can be heavy-handed (robots treated as 3d class citizens; nazi supermen "rehabilitated" by the winning side)--they are interesting, esp. as homage with the backgrounds littered with cartoon, comic book and strip characters milling around as average pedestrians, behaving like your average human.
"49ers" is the prequel. It's revelatory more in fleshing out the milieu of Neopolis than leading into something greater. It's not as fast and loose as the later issues of "Top Ten" but still a worthy addition.
Anyway, I've been having an internal dialogue as to why he has differing variations on it, with the literary superteam of League of Extraordinary Gents and the twitchy dysfunctionality of Watchmen--speaking of which, I take issue with some critics who see in it some apologia of totalitarianism, notably when the movie came out. Alan Moore's superhero books are more than just a fun way of tweaking convention: they a reminder us that very genre is relevant. Superhero books, like any fantastic fiction, have all to do with who we are and what we aspire to be. Moore is doing what only the best writers of fantastic fiction can do: holding a mirror up and showing the truth behind "bigger than life": for all the power and prestige, the greatest among us are still ham-strung by unrealistic desires and tawdry failings.
"49ers" is the prequel. It's revelatory more in fleshing out the milieu of Neopolis than leading into something greater. It's not as fast and loose as the later issues of "Top Ten" but still a worthy addition.
Anyway, I've been having an internal dialogue as to why he has differing variations on it, with the literary superteam of League of Extraordinary Gents and the twitchy dysfunctionality of Watchmen--speaking of which, I take issue with some critics who see in it some apologia of totalitarianism, notably when the movie came out. Alan Moore's superhero books are more than just a fun way of tweaking convention: they a reminder us that very genre is relevant. Superhero books, like any fantastic fiction, have all to do with who we are and what we aspire to be. Moore is doing what only the best writers of fantastic fiction can do: holding a mirror up and showing the truth behind "bigger than life": for all the power and prestige, the greatest among us are still ham-strung by unrealistic desires and tawdry failings.
February 16, 2016
After reading Alan Moore's 'Absolute Top Ten" a large emptiness grew in me. I needed more, more of the characters, more of the city, more of the city population's stories and secrets. And so, I jumped into the Top Ten prequel, "Top Ten: 49'ers" as soon as I got my hands on it and read it and really enjoyed it. This is a great story all on its own, fascinated with the creation of Neopolis, Naziism, the occult, artificial intelligence, and homosexuality while all these themes are shown with brilliant insights into society's organizing groups. Ordinary citizens walking the streets are dirty comic strip characters, the cast of characters has yet to be born with a few exceptions who we get to witness interacting with some of our favourite character's relatives, and the third act amps up with descending bats transforming into vampires going up against robots and a cast of desperate citizens of Neopolis. It is not as complex or dense as the follow up but it is a tremendous effort nonetheless.
September 2, 2012
I didn't think I would be that interested in a prequel about Top 10's city, Neopolis, but I was wrong. Alan Moore has created a great backstory here. When World War II ended the "science heroes", airplane heroes, and supernatural creatures that fought the Axis came home to the United States, they needed somewhere to live in a controlled environment. And so Neopolis was chosen to be their home but also their containment away from the rest of America. We follow Jetlad (a thinly disguised version of Airboy) as he adjusts to life in the city, along with Leni, aka Airwitch (a version of Airboy's vixen Valkyrie). The artwork by Gene Ha is beautiful in washes and tones, again lots of in jokes about different Golden Age characters floating through the scenes. I saw Popeye and Bluto in there, too. As I came to the end I wished that Moore could continue the world of Top 10. He could have told such great stories in different eras.
January 7, 2009
What's great about this story wasn't necessarily the story but the characters. I felt like the story itself was rather simple, establish how the world came to be and it's first, real issue arose and was dealt with. But what's fantastic is how well he wove characters. How he constructed a roller coaster ride out of emotions (yes, what I just wrote is lame and slightly stupid) and allowed us to strap in and enjoy.
This isn't the kind of book you sit down and wait to be excited or blown away. It's the kind you relax with. It's the kind you study if you're trying to work on writing better, more fleshed out characters. It's a guide on writing better.
This isn't the kind of book you sit down and wait to be excited or blown away. It's the kind you relax with. It's the kind you study if you're trying to work on writing better, more fleshed out characters. It's a guide on writing better.
December 6, 2013
Esta historia previa a Top Ten se me hizo ligera, pero no distante a lo que acostumbra Alan Moore a hacer con todos esos toques oscuros en los personajes.
Es un homenaje a todos esos personajes e historias de antes del amanecer de los superheroes, esos personajes que salian en las planchas de los periódicos tales como Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, Popeye y aunque se toma tambien algunos elementos y personajes de ya entrada la era de oro de los heroes de super mallas.
Pero no todo es reluciente aquí, hay una evidente mancha de modernidad en la historia, unas las recibí con agrado otras no tanto; pero si duda es el barbudo inglés haciendo lo que mejor hace, relatar buenas historias.
Es un homenaje a todos esos personajes e historias de antes del amanecer de los superheroes, esos personajes que salian en las planchas de los periódicos tales como Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, Popeye y aunque se toma tambien algunos elementos y personajes de ya entrada la era de oro de los heroes de super mallas.
Pero no todo es reluciente aquí, hay una evidente mancha de modernidad en la historia, unas las recibí con agrado otras no tanto; pero si duda es el barbudo inglés haciendo lo que mejor hace, relatar buenas historias.
April 6, 2018
Top 10: The Forty-Niners by Alan Moore. My final graphic novel of the month, just something to end off the month and get me ready for October. This is the prequel to the other Top Ten graphic novels I read earlier in the month, dealing with the development and formation of the city of Neopolis. The city was created after WWII to house the super beings that fought the war and now were no longer required. Great graphics and an entertaining story. (3 stars)
December 11, 2017
While the story lines here are interesting, they're not quite as engaging as those presented in the main run of Top 10. What I found most engaging was the artwork, which sneaks in so many references, allusions, and shout-outs to the Golden Age of comic books and science fiction.
It was also interesting to see some glimpses of where the world of Top 10 came from - this story very directly introduces the younger versions of several characters, as well as the city of Neopolis itself. This is another Moore work that I'd be curious to see expanded and continued to see where it would go and how it would ultimately lead into the main continuity of this world.
It was also interesting to see some glimpses of where the world of Top 10 came from - this story very directly introduces the younger versions of several characters, as well as the city of Neopolis itself. This is another Moore work that I'd be curious to see expanded and continued to see where it would go and how it would ultimately lead into the main continuity of this world.
January 24, 2014
Even the prequel is good! The retro strong-jawline madness of old school comics is here alongside Moore's always hyperaware weirdness, and it mixes so well. All about it. Nazis and vampires are second to a gay love story and a new town of superheroes? Fuck yeahs all around. Pass 'em!
June 3, 2021
Una historia sobre el género que envejeció muy bien con una historia de amor gay en el medio que taaan bien no envejeció, aunque en contexto está muy bien.
Read
March 13, 2020I wish there was more Top 10. It’s obvious how much story potential this world has, how many corners can be explored. Like Astro City, Neopolis is a place of superhero history just waiting to be uncovered, and while I love what we got, part of me is saddened by what little there actually is.
This is Moore’s final Top 10 story, a look at the early days of Neopolis and the precinct. We see some characters from the original series plus others mentioned only by name. Again, there’s great world building, especially with Gene Ha’s superbly detailed art. Here, he channels Alex Ross in realism, something that can’t be easy to do but that he and colorist Art Lyon pull off beautifully. I like the retro-futuristic story (robots! radio! pilots! vampires!), though it seems slight compared to original series and even Smax; I think it could have used one or two more chapters. Forty-Niners is simultaneously a world-building book and a character drama about Jetlad and Skywitch, as well as being a love story generally. Moore and Ha do a good job balancing everything. But again, reading this only makes me yearn for more.
This is Moore’s final Top 10 story, a look at the early days of Neopolis and the precinct. We see some characters from the original series plus others mentioned only by name. Again, there’s great world building, especially with Gene Ha’s superbly detailed art. Here, he channels Alex Ross in realism, something that can’t be easy to do but that he and colorist Art Lyon pull off beautifully. I like the retro-futuristic story (robots! radio! pilots! vampires!), though it seems slight compared to original series and even Smax; I think it could have used one or two more chapters. Forty-Niners is simultaneously a world-building book and a character drama about Jetlad and Skywitch, as well as being a love story generally. Moore and Ha do a good job balancing everything. But again, reading this only makes me yearn for more.
June 15, 2022
(8/10): This is a solid book. Against what most seem to think, I read this as my introduction into Alan Moore's "Top 10" since it is a prequel and it is a solid one at that. It's a really cool concept executed in a very simple way. If anything, Jetlad coming to terms with his sexuality was the most interesting storyline in this book over the vampires, Nazis, and this superhuman city. I was just more engaged to see his story and his perspective as it is something I see less often in superhero comics. It wasn't handled in any groundbreaking way, it was just short and sweet. The whole forties, golden age era atmosphere of the book gave it a personality that made me more interested in turning the page, especially with Gene Ha's realistic art work brought to vibrantly vintage life with Art Lyon's colors. Overall, this book was a short, sweet read for me and I am pretty interested in checking out the main "Top 10" books next.
February 18, 2017
This volume includes an interesting introduction at the end of the book by Vaughan explaining the process of what goes into making a graphic novel. I was a little surprised to find out that most people find graphic novels disjointed because of all the hands that go into the pot in order to expedite issues for monthly production. If anything, all the series/graphic novels I have read seem to NEED that collaboration between writer and artist to translate their vision onto paper and I feel have been successful at it. It’s a marriage of the two. I also enjoyed seeing how they have people play out the character scenes and pose as the panel is to going to be drawn. I hadn’t ever really thought about how these scenes get on paper, but I thought it was a neat process.
March 22, 2018
I love Moore's work, but honestly, this one felt a little flat. I was expecting something a little different from the main Top 10 series, so the police stuff was distracting. I guess that I was hoping for more backstory in how the city came to be, more depth to the characters involved, and a better, broader picture of the challenges in starting the city.
Ultimately, looking at the page count, I expected too much, but I often think that Moore can work miracles. All of which isn't to say that what's there isn't good - it's fine - but it's not as excellent as Moore is capable of.
Ha's art is terrific though.
Ultimately, looking at the page count, I expected too much, but I often think that Moore can work miracles. All of which isn't to say that what's there isn't good - it's fine - but it's not as excellent as Moore is capable of.
Ha's art is terrific though.
October 31, 2025
Reread
Gene Ha’s art is amazing but the series lacks some of the energy without Zander Cannon.
A more straight forward story, but I miss the weaving plots of the original series.
Anyway… let’s stop comparing it to other books in the line.
Some parts just read a little obvious (Jet Lads romantic plot) and the other characters don’t get enough backstory. This whole thing reads like it’s bad… but Alan Moore doesn’t do bad. And it’s not complicated or deprived (Promethea or Providence) so it’s a very easy read. It may be the closest we get to a typical comic from Alan Moore. And that’s fun in its own right.
Gene Ha’s art is amazing but the series lacks some of the energy without Zander Cannon.
A more straight forward story, but I miss the weaving plots of the original series.
Anyway… let’s stop comparing it to other books in the line.
Some parts just read a little obvious (Jet Lads romantic plot) and the other characters don’t get enough backstory. This whole thing reads like it’s bad… but Alan Moore doesn’t do bad. And it’s not complicated or deprived (Promethea or Providence) so it’s a very easy read. It may be the closest we get to a typical comic from Alan Moore. And that’s fun in its own right.
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