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Providence #issue 6
Providence #6
Fans and critics alike are hailing Alan Moore's Providence as the horror event of the year! Mild mannered newsman Robert Black is uncovering a mysterious undercurrent of fear as the pieces of the Lovecraftian puzzle slowly begin to make a coherent picture. The dramatic tension is building with each incredible ad-free 40 page issue and this issue begins the big unveils. The work has been researched and developed by Moore and Burrows over the course of several years. And the end result is an amazing tome of Lovecraftian influenced nightmares where Moore has written every cover, every single page, and every nuance of this work to create his most fully-realized vision to date.Fans of Moore's immersive style and meticulous grasp of storytelling will be thrilled to add this essential piece of comics history to their collections!
44 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 2015
About the author
Alan Moore
1,630 books22.1k 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 29, 2016
This is actually my third time through this particular issue, in what is probably the best series in comics of the year, and that is saying a lot, but this is Alan Moore, based on his reading of Lovecraft, so it is a tribute to the tone and substance of Lovecraft's fictional worlds, and his home, Providence, and the broader area that includes Manchester and Salem. And, well, different dimensions are also Lovecraft's province, of course. The central character in this tale is an ex-journalist doing research on a novel. One idea running through this is how an obsession with a particular book, whether read or written, might lead one to madness. What is really happening?! We don't know. The journalist doesn't know. But some of it is disturbing.
There's three basic things that happen in this issue; 1) Our hero the journalist stays at the home of a gay couple, who must suddenly leave town; 2) there's his encounter with a strange mystical book, that one can get lost in, and 3) his strange and bizarre sexual encounter with a young girl. Are things spinning out of control? The comic is followed by a journal entry rehashing the substance of what we just experienced as a comic, but it's clear sanity or horror or both are at stake. This is amazing storytelling. Would it help to know Lovecraft pretty deeply? Undoubtedly. But as it is, it is successfully building horror.
There's three basic things that happen in this issue; 1) Our hero the journalist stays at the home of a gay couple, who must suddenly leave town; 2) there's his encounter with a strange mystical book, that one can get lost in, and 3) his strange and bizarre sexual encounter with a young girl. Are things spinning out of control? The comic is followed by a journal entry rehashing the substance of what we just experienced as a comic, but it's clear sanity or horror or both are at stake. This is amazing storytelling. Would it help to know Lovecraft pretty deeply? Undoubtedly. But as it is, it is successfully building horror.
May 31, 2022
Review at the end of the series :)
April 21, 2018
Las páginas 22-23-24 son muy explícitas, contiene dibujos no aptos para menores y una escena de dominación. Cuidado, no es para niñ@s!
January 9, 2019
We finally glimpse at the Kitab!
June 19, 2026
This series is fascinating! I've never read a work inspired in Lovecraft so dense and compelling. For fans of Lovecraft's work it's deeply immersive, and gave me back that sense of otherness, and of feeling myself small in a sea of unknown. For those familiar with Alan Moore ideas, the "reality of dreams" (or fiction) is beautifully developed and interwined here with the circle of dreams of Lovecraft. All stories and references connect to the historical context blurring even more the limits of fiction and reality, and adressing themes often overlooked or not explicit in Lovecraft's works, and also the author's controversies. Amazing read!
January 27, 2016
Like the book of which is center to this narrative, reading this throws you into a world created by Moore, though inspired by Lovecraft. Now I'm at the point of waiting for the next issue. I am hoping it is early February for its release. Reading the commonplace book at the end becomes more and more crucial to the immersive experience of this story. Moore is really finding more limits to the form of the comic here.
Caution, though: you must be extremely open minded here. Without spoilers there are really some unsettling aspects to this story, becoming more apparent as it goes on. It is unfortunate that, even if I am allowed to teach graphic novels again. This would be too intense to use in high school.
Caution, though: you must be extremely open minded here. Without spoilers there are really some unsettling aspects to this story, becoming more apparent as it goes on. It is unfortunate that, even if I am allowed to teach graphic novels again. This would be too intense to use in high school.
October 18, 2020
Two images of someone reading the forbidden Hali’s Booke are intercut with Robert Black in bed. Two people not shown are discussing his fate. Hector North wishes to do something with him right now, but Jimmy Montague argues, “A scandal here in Manchester could finish us.”
North’s desires are put off, and in the morning Jimmy has cooked breakfast for Hector and Robert. After Jimmy leaves the room, North makes a pass at Black that catches him off guard. Before he can respond to North’s advances, Jimmy claims to hear someone at the door. A female student was at the door, “Sh-She said there’s been a letter received at the college, asking about us.” Hector leaves Robert alone to speak with Jimmy privately and the two men return to rush Black out of their home.
His quick exit has him encounter a very important person across the street who walks with him for a while until he meets Dr. Henry Wantage, who leads Black to finally encounter Hali’s Booke of The Wisdom or The Stars. What he finds in the book is more than just words, but a vision of the book’s original writer. There are several visual clues that Black’s study of the book is not what it appears, but this installment truly goes into horrific territory with actions that occur on Pages 18 – 23, as Black is involved in an incident. The dialogue on these pages is fittingly alien. To make this occurrence even more horrifying are the final three pages, which makes a previous installment creepier. Black is officially over his head in his issue and I don’t think there’s any way he can save himself.
Just as detailed as Moore’s script are the visuals of Jacen Burrows. Every inch of every panel should be examined by a reader, otherwise some clue could be overlooked, and then the reader would be as damned as Black. The book opens with a partial page from Hali’s Booke. The scene transitions to Black sleeping. The third panel then has the page turned, revealing more from the book, and ending with Black turning in bed to face the reader. This is an incredibly cinematic opening as a future event appears to be a dream that Black is having. Montague’s face, hidden from Black, reveals the depth of the dialogue in a scene that goes over the hero’s head and the trouble that he and North are in.
The bottom panel on Page 4 is incredibly tense in its silence, as it would be. When Black walks to Saint Anslem the settings are stunning in their realism. The visuals for this book become absolutely key when Black gets to read the book. Readers should pay close attention to those around him as he takes in each page. The character encountered on 14 and 15 is a nightmare come to life, which is perfect! I was shocked at what occurred on 18 – 23, which begins in the most subtle, unassuming ways, and then I was stunned at the final three pages. Burrows realism makes the insanity all the stronger.
Juan Rodriguez’s work on this book adds to the visuals’ terror. Certain panels are foreshadowed by the colouring, which is done in the first and third panels on Page 1: they have a faded quality, signifying future events that Black is somehow seeing/experiencing. The bright interior of North and Montague’s home give of the appearance of normalcy, but hide much, especially as Montague is shaded as he experiences feelings that Black does not see. The pages of Hali’s Booke have a wonderful yellow-gold age to them, which outshines Black’s reality. The incident on 18 – 23 is in a darkened room, but there’s still enough light to have its horror fully shown. Lighting and another light source explode on the issue’s rainy finale, providing glimpses into other arenas. Gorgeous work.
The text of the book, dialogue, the story’s title, and some screams are supplied by Kurt Hathaway. Hathaway has outdone himself with the pages from Hali’s Booke. They are Gothic, which gives the book’s contents an instantly aged tone of a sinister nature. Excellent work.
The final fourteen pages are from Black’s notes on the book. These reveal the elements of the text he’s most concerned with as well as what he believes the text to mean, though he does admit he may have made mistakes. These pages increase the tension of the book, as it lays out the universe of Providence and some of the characters that Black isn’t aware he’s already encountered.
North’s desires are put off, and in the morning Jimmy has cooked breakfast for Hector and Robert. After Jimmy leaves the room, North makes a pass at Black that catches him off guard. Before he can respond to North’s advances, Jimmy claims to hear someone at the door. A female student was at the door, “Sh-She said there’s been a letter received at the college, asking about us.” Hector leaves Robert alone to speak with Jimmy privately and the two men return to rush Black out of their home.
His quick exit has him encounter a very important person across the street who walks with him for a while until he meets Dr. Henry Wantage, who leads Black to finally encounter Hali’s Booke of The Wisdom or The Stars. What he finds in the book is more than just words, but a vision of the book’s original writer. There are several visual clues that Black’s study of the book is not what it appears, but this installment truly goes into horrific territory with actions that occur on Pages 18 – 23, as Black is involved in an incident. The dialogue on these pages is fittingly alien. To make this occurrence even more horrifying are the final three pages, which makes a previous installment creepier. Black is officially over his head in his issue and I don’t think there’s any way he can save himself.
Just as detailed as Moore’s script are the visuals of Jacen Burrows. Every inch of every panel should be examined by a reader, otherwise some clue could be overlooked, and then the reader would be as damned as Black. The book opens with a partial page from Hali’s Booke. The scene transitions to Black sleeping. The third panel then has the page turned, revealing more from the book, and ending with Black turning in bed to face the reader. This is an incredibly cinematic opening as a future event appears to be a dream that Black is having. Montague’s face, hidden from Black, reveals the depth of the dialogue in a scene that goes over the hero’s head and the trouble that he and North are in.
The bottom panel on Page 4 is incredibly tense in its silence, as it would be. When Black walks to Saint Anslem the settings are stunning in their realism. The visuals for this book become absolutely key when Black gets to read the book. Readers should pay close attention to those around him as he takes in each page. The character encountered on 14 and 15 is a nightmare come to life, which is perfect! I was shocked at what occurred on 18 – 23, which begins in the most subtle, unassuming ways, and then I was stunned at the final three pages. Burrows realism makes the insanity all the stronger.
Juan Rodriguez’s work on this book adds to the visuals’ terror. Certain panels are foreshadowed by the colouring, which is done in the first and third panels on Page 1: they have a faded quality, signifying future events that Black is somehow seeing/experiencing. The bright interior of North and Montague’s home give of the appearance of normalcy, but hide much, especially as Montague is shaded as he experiences feelings that Black does not see. The pages of Hali’s Booke have a wonderful yellow-gold age to them, which outshines Black’s reality. The incident on 18 – 23 is in a darkened room, but there’s still enough light to have its horror fully shown. Lighting and another light source explode on the issue’s rainy finale, providing glimpses into other arenas. Gorgeous work.
The text of the book, dialogue, the story’s title, and some screams are supplied by Kurt Hathaway. Hathaway has outdone himself with the pages from Hali’s Booke. They are Gothic, which gives the book’s contents an instantly aged tone of a sinister nature. Excellent work.
The final fourteen pages are from Black’s notes on the book. These reveal the elements of the text he’s most concerned with as well as what he believes the text to mean, though he does admit he may have made mistakes. These pages increase the tension of the book, as it lays out the universe of Providence and some of the characters that Black isn’t aware he’s already encountered.
December 19, 2018
Well, it became obvious who Elspeth is in this one: . I.N. (Intrepid Narrator) is getting drawn in enough that he will either have to conclude he's gone mad or admit that there's some really weird stuff happening. He finds out it's been weeks since he went to the Witch House, and then there's the thing at the end...
I liked the bickering Norths (if only I.N. knew they were bickering about whether to kill him as an experimental subject to try North's reanimation elixir on), and how the not-Necronomicon seems to be rather unfocused in time (prophetic dream of reading it the night before I.N. actually reads from it; flash-forward while he's actually reading it).
The encounter with Elspeth at the end is ... disturbing on many, many levels. My attempt to count them will be spoiler-laden: . So, at least 4.
I liked the bickering Norths (if only I.N. knew they were bickering about whether to kill him as an experimental subject to try North's reanimation elixir on), and how the not-Necronomicon seems to be rather unfocused in time (prophetic dream of reading it the night before I.N. actually reads from it; flash-forward while he's actually reading it).
The encounter with Elspeth at the end is ... disturbing on many, many levels. My attempt to count them will be spoiler-laden: . So, at least 4.
March 12, 2024
This series has had its roots firmly planted in "weird" territory from issue #1, but it was not quite horror yet. It was steadily moving in that direction, albeit extremely slowly ("slow burn" is probably an understatement). With the conclusion of Providence #6 it is now definitively a horror story, and one of the most genuinely frightening and masterfully done ones I've read. I was so shocked I considered not reading any further, and not even because of the absolutely terrible . The tone and pacing, the main character's perspective through his journal entries at the end of each issue, the sheer mind-fuckery of it all building up to this issue's ending adds up to a ghastly, bone-chilling experience for the reader.
August 19, 2021
Após os horríveis pesadelos que Robert Black teve no sótão da senhora Macey, ele foge do local e encontra refúgio na casa de Hector North e seu amigo, James Montague. O protagonista não tem idéia de que ambos estudam reanimação de corpos e tem planos para ele, mas a jovem Elspeth aparece no lugar com uma estranha mensagem para os dois, que acabam tendo que se mudar de forma repentina.
Enquanto os laços entre Robert e Elspeth vão se estreitando, Black volta para a universidade onde conhece o Dr. Henry Wantage (referência ao Dr. Henry Armitage, criação de H. P. Lovecraft e professor na Universidade Miskatonic, paralela ao Saint Anselm College). Antes de ter acesso a biblioteca, Robert presencia uma estranha conversa entre Dr. Armitage e um colega de profissão. Depois, o protagonista descobre que o outro professor teve um episódio esquisito em que não se lembra de nada dos últimos anos - aqui podemos entender que o título do volume, "Out Of Time", é sobre o conto de Lovecraft, "A Sombra Vinda do Tempo", em que um pesquisador tem uma amnésia e descobre que seu corpo foi usado por criaturas extradimensionais nesse período.
Finalmente, Robert tem sua grande chance de ler e examinar o maldito livro Kitab... Porém, enquanto analisa os textos, ele entra em uma louca espiral onde tempo e espaço se confundem.
Apesar de termos muitas surpresas e revelações, vendo o livro pela 1ª vez e as distorcidas percepções do protagonista, o seu final é polêmico, com uma cena chocante entre Robert e Elspeth Wade. Mesmo entendendo os aspectos sobrenaturais e referências ao conto "A Coisa na Soleira da Porta" e sua esdrúxula antagonista Asenath Waite, algo típico das histórias de Moore (que eu abomino) aparece, que é a idéia estúpida de utilizar o estupro como um mecanismo para desenvolver a trama.
Assim, um volume que tinha tudo para ser perfeito e levar "Providence" ao seu clímax acaba deixando um gosto amargo na boca do leitor que sabe que, mesmo com um enredo bem feito, o autor, que tanto problematiza Lovecraft, repete o erro ao colocar algo tão problemático no fim da obra.
Mais resenhas no instagram literário @livre_em_livros e no canal do Youtube "Livre em Livros"!
Enquanto os laços entre Robert e Elspeth vão se estreitando, Black volta para a universidade onde conhece o Dr. Henry Wantage (referência ao Dr. Henry Armitage, criação de H. P. Lovecraft e professor na Universidade Miskatonic, paralela ao Saint Anselm College). Antes de ter acesso a biblioteca, Robert presencia uma estranha conversa entre Dr. Armitage e um colega de profissão. Depois, o protagonista descobre que o outro professor teve um episódio esquisito em que não se lembra de nada dos últimos anos - aqui podemos entender que o título do volume, "Out Of Time", é sobre o conto de Lovecraft, "A Sombra Vinda do Tempo", em que um pesquisador tem uma amnésia e descobre que seu corpo foi usado por criaturas extradimensionais nesse período.
Finalmente, Robert tem sua grande chance de ler e examinar o maldito livro Kitab... Porém, enquanto analisa os textos, ele entra em uma louca espiral onde tempo e espaço se confundem.
Apesar de termos muitas surpresas e revelações, vendo o livro pela 1ª vez e as distorcidas percepções do protagonista, o seu final é polêmico, com uma cena chocante entre Robert e Elspeth Wade. Mesmo entendendo os aspectos sobrenaturais e referências ao conto "A Coisa na Soleira da Porta" e sua esdrúxula antagonista Asenath Waite, algo típico das histórias de Moore (que eu abomino) aparece, que é a idéia estúpida de utilizar o estupro como um mecanismo para desenvolver a trama.
Assim, um volume que tinha tudo para ser perfeito e levar "Providence" ao seu clímax acaba deixando um gosto amargo na boca do leitor que sabe que, mesmo com um enredo bem feito, o autor, que tanto problematiza Lovecraft, repete o erro ao colocar algo tão problemático no fim da obra.
Mais resenhas no instagram literário @livre_em_livros e no canal do Youtube "Livre em Livros"!
September 16, 2023
Queer in every sense of the word. Walk through HP Lovecraft's Providence and his walking tours through New England and New York. See the evolution of his fiction, his involvement with a huge body of correspondence. See the world originally through the eyes of a drunken and queer newspaper writer. See how HP Lovecraft affects both the past and the future. What is real? What is fiction? What is a dream and a dream world?
Incredible narrative and incredible graphic art work.
Highly recommended!
Incredible narrative and incredible graphic art work.
Highly recommended!
July 3, 2022
Content warning
Just as a heads-up for prospective readers: this chapter of PROVIDENCE contains a really disturbing rape scene. Moore’s writing is excellent as always, but I was not prepared for that.
Just as a heads-up for prospective readers: this chapter of PROVIDENCE contains a really disturbing rape scene. Moore’s writing is excellent as always, but I was not prepared for that.
September 17, 2023
Wow!
This entry was so deeply surreal and mind-effing that I'm unable to describe it. But a serious study of this issue would help unraveling several mysteries, including that of Aqlo!
Recommended. And for the next issue now.
This entry was so deeply surreal and mind-effing that I'm unable to describe it. But a serious study of this issue would help unraveling several mysteries, including that of Aqlo!
Recommended. And for the next issue now.
May 13, 2017
Time and horror mashed together really make a horrible, terrible, scary thing. Ugh. Timeloops and timeskips and missing time, scary stuff.
February 28, 2018
This is just an excellent series by a genius storyteller. The art adds to the story and the dense prose at the end is well worth the read, even if it takes a bit of time.
July 29, 2020
Κλείνουν κύκλοι, ανοίγουν ερωτηματικά.
January 9, 2023
Obrzydliwy numer ale zarówno wydarzenia rozgrywające się wokół bohatera, jak i dziennik na końcu wyszły bardzo na plus i widać ze Moore musiał się rozkręcić.
May 31, 2026
Legitimately horrifying conclusion to this one
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews