Halo Jonesin balladi

by Alan Moore, Ian Gibson (Illustrator), Jukka Heiskanen (Translator)

Minne hän meni? Pois. Mitä hän teki? Kaikkea.

Halo Jones on pitkästynyt. Hän on jumissa Vanteella, tulevaisuuden maailmassa, jossa työnsaanti on hankalaa ja kaikki jännitys olematonta. Halo päättää päästä pois näkemään galaksia millä keinolla tahansa ja kirjoittaa kohtalonsa uusiksi. Hän puurtaa hanttihommia loisteliaalla risteilyaluksella, päätyy sotilaaksi julmalle sotatantereelle ja kokee niin rakkautta kuin menetyksiäkin, kasvaen naiseksi, joka muuttaa galaksin historian kulun.

Alan Mooren (Vartijat, V niin kuin verikosto) ja Ian Gibsonin (Star Wars: Boba Fett Adventures) radikaali, kumouksellinen ja uraauurtava feministinen avaruusoopperaklassikko on nyt koottu ensimmäistä kertaa värilliseksi, isokokoiseksi yhteislaitokseksi.

Halo Jones on kulttuuri-ikoni ja brittiläisen tieteiskirjallisuuden huippuja. Tämä ajaton tarina naisen kamppailuista näköalattomissa ja hengenvaarallisissa töissä on yksi Alan Mooren rakastetuimmista teoksista. Ian Gibsonin piirrokset ovat Barbara Nosenzon hellin käsin restauroimia ja värittämiä. Mukana on Kieron Gillenin uusi johdanto ja muuta bonusmateriaalia.

Halo Jonesin balladi on edelleen olennainen lukukokemus.

"Halo Jones oli ensirakkauteni. Tai kenties ensimmäinen roolimallini. Tyttö, joka pääsi pois."
– Lauren Beukes

"Halo Jones pitäisi luokitella muiden hienojen brittiläisen työväenluokan kuvausten joukkoon, jotka kertovat kaipauksesta päästä pakoon."
– Kieron Gillen

"Yksi ensimmäisistä huippusarjakuvista... Vartijoiden, V niin kuin verikoston, Yön ritarin veroinen... Kun puhumme sarjakuvista, meidän pitäisi puhua Halo Jonesista."
– Neil Gaiman

 

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

216 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

BLANK AUTHOR previously reserved for the OBVIOS OPTION of ALAN MOORE the comics and novels writer, now Alan^^^^^^^^^^^^^Moore

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew going into this that it is only the first third of the 9 part story that Moore and Gibson planned to tell. So it was about half way through Book 1 (of the 9) that my heart broke. How could something so brilliant just remain incomplete after all these years?

37 years at time of writing.

The further in to this volume I got, and the more I fell in love with the whole thing, the sadder it all seemed. The Ballad of Halo Jones doesn't get talked about that much when it comes to the pantheon of classic comics. I am 100% certain it's name would be bandied about with reverence and adulation if it had been even half finished.

It doesn't end on a cliffhanger as such. None of the books do. But each of them ended in a way that made me want to dive straight into the next one to find out what Halo is up to in the next stage of her life. But 3 all we got.

3 stories just jammed to the gills with great characters and great action. Ian Gibson's art has always been fantastic but with the addition of Barbara Nosenzo's colours this is really a gorgeous volume and one anyone who loves great comics should check out.

Just prepare yourself for the heartbreak.

[B.J. Swann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful edition of one of the greatest 2000AD strips of all time.

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 3.75/5
About a quarter of the way through this one, I was ready to pack it in, declaring this to be one of the very few Alan Moore stories that didn't reduce me to a giddy, quivering, school girl-esque mess. Seeing far too many parellel's in the ludicrously overhyped 'The Incal' for my liking, and somehow regretting picking an unread Alan Moore story when I wanted a surefire hit for all the mediocrity I'd slogged through recently. Thankfully though, things improved.
For all the majesty that Moore manages to weave after his less than stellar opening, Ian Gibson has to be the star here. This is artwork of a kind just not seen anymore these days. Certainly not in mainstream comics anyway. His panels runneth over with details that would make your average cover artist blush. Moore is never one to take the silver medal when it comes to world building, but Gibson's artwork does so much of the heavy lifting here. Even when the book wasn't great, and I was cursing Moore's penchant for intentional impenetrability, it was still a world brimming with life and visual flare. The Bladerunner equivalent in comic book form.
The second arc was outstanding, the third less so, though still with some pretty great moments. I'm certainly glad I stuck with it, and Moore's talent undoubtedly shone through, once he stopped feeling the need to bog the reader down in bespoke phrases and invented words which in no way added to the readability of the story. It stands testament to the man that despite pissing me off royal for a good 50 or more pages, he can pull it back and have me praising the man, as he rightly deserves. Could have done without the feminist heroine marketing schtick all over the cover though. Ain't nobody got time for that. 3.75/5


OmniBen.

[james headon · Rating 5 out of 5]

a story of the every day in the far future

A great read, if difficult to start. I would have disliked this as a kid: very little happens in the plot, certainly in the first book, but the world building is fantastic.
Evocative art really helps too.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic. Superb story and artwork. Takes me back to 1986 when i first read it in the 2000AD comics.

[Timo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vaikka olenkin kasvanut mustavalkoisen 2000ADn kanssa ja sen aikaiset tarinat oikeasti pitäisi julkaista uudestaan ainoastaan alkuperäisessä muodossaan, niin voi herran perkele tämä väritetty versio Halo Jonesista toimi. Ja toimi kaikilta osin, ihan Gibsonin sekavaa taidetta myöten.
Tässä oli kaikki hyvin. Lue jo.

[Jouni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halo Jones ei välttämättä ole 2000 AD sarjakuvien viihdyttävin sarja, mutta vastaavasti se on tarinaltaan syvällisin (ainakin kaikista 2000 AD:n suomennetuista sarjoista). Yleistunnelma on haikea, surullinen ja loppua kohden jopa masentava.
Scifi-ympäristöä on käytetty tuomaan esiin yhteiskunnan eriarvoistumista, rasismin teemoja, naisen asemaa sekä sotaa ja sen mielettömyyttä yksittäisen ihmisen silmissä. Sotaosuuksissa on läsnä Vietnamin haamut, olkoonkin että käsikirjoittaja on britti.

Itse pidän todella paljon Ian Gibsonin piirrosjäljestä ja tavasta piirtää ihmishahmot.
Odotin mielenkiinnolla miten kuvitus toimii tässä uudessa jälkiväritetyssä laitoksessa. Ensi selailulla olin hiukan pettynyt, koska värimaailma näytti hiukan tunkkaiselta, ehkäpä koska olin jo virittänyt odotukseni kansikuvan pohjalta enemmän pastelisävyihin. Mutta kun lähin albumia ihan kunnolla lukemaan, niin huomasin värityksen olevan varsin toimiva, ja onhan se tuollaisenaan paljon paremmin sopiva 80-luvulla piirrettyyn sarjaan, kuin pastellisävyt. Tarinaan värit eivät toki mitään lisää tuo, mutta tiettyt kuvituksen osat, kuten vaikka zenaatin räjähdys ensimmäisessä kirjassa, suorastaan vaativat värejä. Toisaalta erityisesti isot kasvokuvat (vaikkapa koko balladin viimeinen ruutu) ovat mielestäni väritettyinä jotenkin rumia.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 3 out of 5]

A feminist Space opera writen by Alan Moore. Take my money ! For the first time collected in color, this 2000 AD book was on my list for quite some time and i directly ordered it, and started reading when it came in. Alan Moore is one of those drop everything and read it damn it. Let me get real first, book one of Halo Jones, looks incredible,  but is barely readable. Their is a sort of made up language, and i really really loathe those! I had it with the book A Clockwork Orange, i had it with the first couple 100 Bullets books with the heavy dialogue writen as dialect. Really not a fan. And here it gets to another level, nearly killed the book for me. I was dissapointed with my latest purchase. BUT. Alan Moore still brings his magic in the other books in this collection,  as the story gets better and better and the later (anti) war stuff is phenomenal,  shame that it ended so shortly in the end but this is still an incredible book, just a very steep lackluster first part. The book is amazingly put together,  a afterword from Alan Moore is included,  the entire Alan Moore script, a interview with Ian Gibson (which work is incredible btw) some scetches and covers. A good addition to the collection.

3.5 stars.

[Jb · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great piece of work. This is not one of Alan Moore's more popular series, but it should be. The story is interesting, the art by Ian Gibson is beautiful and distinctive, and the female-focused storylines were definitely ahead of their time, especially for a sci-fi mag like 2000 AD in the 1980s. (There's even a character, the Glyph, who is non-binary, although this is played in a "futuristic" mode rather than a more down-to-earth interpretation.) Halo is an "everywoman" who decides she has to leave her suffocating life in "the Hoop", a floating city for the unemployed and destitute. She is resourceful but not particularly gifted in terms of physical abilities or intellect, and she goes through many struggles but always retains her sense of exploration. The first book focuses on her life in the Hoop, the second on her initial travels, and the third (which is a lot more bleak and violent) on her experiences after joining the military and fighting on distant planets. As usual, Moore builds a convincing and innovative world, with distinctive politics, culture, and language, and it's definitely one that will keep you turning pages- I read the entire omnibus in one sitting. All in all, this is an unjustly overlooked comic and I highly recommend it.

[Sebastian Lauterbach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know, I guess it's not for me?

I have read very few Alan Moore stories, but I loved Swamp Thing and liked The Killing Joke well enough, but this didn't click for me. It's also my very first book from 2000 AD.

I couldn't get into book one at all. It was very confusing and too much text. Book two was much better but still not very exciting. Same for book three. Why does everyone have to die?

I can see the spark of the comics that shined in the mid 80s here, but only the spark. The story never really gets going, there's only hints of it here, e.g. the rat king.

On the plus side: For its time, I think the artwork is very well done and also is the panel layout. The colouring (done later as I could tell) also looks really good.

Still, I can't really recommend this.

[Roeliox · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories were published in the second half of the 80s, but have stood the test of time. In fact, they might be more relevant now than back in '84.

Rising inequality, the marginalization of trans people, veganism, the dangers of AI, ...

The first book starts of real slow, but with book two the rollercoaster starts. Too bad Moore stopped writing this series with book 3 (with an insane sci-fi anti-war story that is just a good as 'The forever war' by Joe Haldeman) after an intellectual property dispute with the publisher. If not, Halo Jones would have certainly been his magnum opus.

I also really loved the flamboyant illustrations by Ian Gibson, even though they might feel a bit dated now.

[Mikko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the complete Ballad of Halo Jones last time in the 90s and recollected that it was a good comic. I didn't remember that it was actually a great comic! Soon to reach respectable age of 40 years since the first issue, the story by Moore and art by Gibson have clearly stood against the test of time by now. Brilliant, brilliant storytelling. The new coloring adds even more value. How I wish we would have witnessed books 4 to 9, but I guess Halo's adventures continue differently for all of us in our minds.

[Barry Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stands the test of time and now in full colour. Moore and Gibson the perfect combination. Maybe it’s a good thing that we only ever got 3 out of 9 planned books (look what happened with Star Wars) and we can use our own imaginations to conjure up the future of Halo Jones. Three great stories, one great central character and a plethora of memorable (or in the case of nobody, unmemorable) supporting characters. Miss you Toby!

[Jack Bumby · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad I got to read this story in this gorgeous, full-colour edition. It's nothing short of a masterpiece, one that will remain unfinished for all time. This edition contains books one to three of what was originally supposed to be a nine-book series. But don't let that put you off reading it. Each book is a fantastic tale, and it all wraps up in a thematically satisfying way. Halo Jones should be remembered as an all-time great comic creation.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definition collection of Halo Jones by the masterful Alan Moore and Ian Gibson. The feminist comic iconic, who had her story cut short, is a story by two creators at the top of their game. A departure from the usual "Guys and Guns" of 2000ad, the Ballad of Halo Jones hits with the same level of punch I assume it did in the 80s.

[Nabil Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and Innovative

Fabulous sci fi story featuring Halo Jones as a tough strong willed woman trying to better her life in the 50th century AD. It is simply great and superb to have a story featuring women as the protagonists which appeals to both men, women, boys and girls. This unique story is simply wonderful and marvelous. It deserves all the credit it gets.

[Adam Schmersal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 rounded up. A true epic saga of one of the best main characters I’ve ever read. Alan Moore’s writing is near its best here, and this color edition’s artwork is phenomenal. I would read countless stories about the adventures of Halo Jones, and I wish we had more. This is a great sci-fi book, but it’s much, much more than your typical space opera. Highly recommend.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent Reads: The Ballad Of Halo Jones. An omnibus edition of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson's classic 2000AD strip, coloured by Barbara Nosenzo. Where did she go? Out. What did she do? Everything. Still as good as ever, now with samples of Moore's scripts and character sketches.

[Reyne Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, tragic life full of adventure and violence that begins mundanely enough, but grows into a depressing space opera worth your time. While it ends with a beginning and that never beginning was never written you could be fooled into thinking the ending of book 3 was exactly that, an end.

[Jefferson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if this is quite the unfinished masterpiece its reputation makes it out to be, but it would have been nice to see where Moore was going with it. The recoloring in this edition is very nice.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tämähän oli todella loistava. Juonenkäänteitä ja scifi-ideoita täynnä. Värit toimivat toki hyvin ja olivat hienosti toteutettu. Mutta itse en niistä pitänyt. Melkein pitäisi lukea alkuperäinen mustavalkoinen uudestaan.

[Kiwi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one and two are some neat adventures and cool dystopian settings but the war story of book three is just really good and horrible. It's a real shame that books four through nine don't exist but I'm glad there's this much anyway. Ian Gibson's art is wonderful.

[Adam Meek · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Where did she go? Out. What did she do? Everything."

Gorgeous art and stunning imagery from Alan Moore and Ian Gibson.

[Paul Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starts a little rocky but really goes some interesting places

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

ikoninen.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

like most 2000AD stuff, this took me forever to read, just because the text is so dense, the language is impenetrable, and the graphics are so detailed that they all deserve endless time. Thes are all good things, Halo Jones is a postapocalyptic Katy Keene, and while she deserved more than she got, I'm songlad we got as much as we did. A proto Tank Girl by way of Dionne Davenport.

[Paddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone speaks highly of Alan Moore’s “Watchmen” but rarely do I ever hear anyone [other than those of us in the know] discuss “The Ballad of Halo Jones” which I still consider his greatest work in the field of comics/graphic novels.

Having fallen in love with Halo Jones when she originally appeared in 2000ad back in the 1980’s, and having bought one of the previous [long out of print] collections of the 3 books, this was a no-brainer must buy for me so it was immediately pre-ordered once I stumbled across it.

Having only ever known the story of Halo’s adventures on the hOOp and OUT into the great beyond in monochrome, I re-read this with some trepidation knowing that with this new collection it had been colourised for the very first time. I had no need to worry as it’s handled beautifully by Barbara Nosenzo and only further serves to compliment this overlooked comic gem and feminist icon.

I always hoped that Rebellion Studios (2000ad’s £100,000,000 film studio complex) will someday turn this Sci-Fi epic into an animated series, but now that the quality of TV production has exponentially upped its game, it would work as an actual series in the right hands. It would be the perfect fodder for a platform like AppleTV or Netflix for sure - not to mention, maybe this would be a way for fans to finally get to experience the additional 6 proposed chapters that Alan Moore originally had in mind. (The fact that “Tank Girl” essentially ripped it off and even managed to have a film made in the latter part of the 80’s still irks me greatly!) No doubt about it, Halo Jones more than deserves her time to shine and be experienced by a wider audience, and it would certainly be something I would love to see Moore be involved with on some creative level he felt comfortable with.

I had the opportunity to meet the great Warlock in the flesh several years ago through my job and he kindly signed my older edition of “The Ballad of Halo Jones” along with my copies of “V for Vendetta” and “Watchmen” - I just wish I’d thought at the time of asking him some questions I and many others have long wondered about…

A groundbreaking feminist hero, shopping, Different Drummers, deception, travel, luxury star-liners, conversations with Dolphins (in Space no less), warfare unlike anything you’ve seen before - what’s not to love? It has all this and so much more.

Oh, and you’ll never forget…uhhh…whatsizname? 🤔🫥

If you’re a fan of graphic novels and have never had the pleasure of reading this absolute gem before - buy yourself a copy asap, and savour every wonderful moment.

Perfection from beginning to it’s untimely end, this is absolutely deserving of a place on any Comic fans shelf.

____________________________________

“One of the first great Comics…up there with “Watchmen”, “V for Vendetta”, “Dark Knight”…The things we talk about when we talk about Comics, “The Ballad of Halo Jones” should have been one of them.”
~Neil Gaiman