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The Worm: The Longest Comic Strip in the World
Over 125 artists illustrate "the longest comic strip in the world" in full colour, the spectacular odyssey of an everyman cartoonist from the birth of man to a comics future of our dreams. Plotted by Alan Moore, supported by the cream of British creators, including Charlie Adlard, Jim Baikie, John Bolton, Mark Buckingham, Al Davison, Hunt Emerson, Garth Ennis, Glen Fabry, Duncan Fegredo, Dave Gibbons, Ian Gibson, Rian Hughes, Paul Johnson, David Lloyd, John McCrea, Kevin O'Neill, Warren Pleece, Woodrow Phoenix, Dermot Power, Liam Sharp, Bryan Talbot and many more. This is a benefit comic in aid of comics training courses run by The Cartoon Arts Trust.
68 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
75 people want to read
About the author
Alan Moore
1,296 books21.8k 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 20, 2020
The Worm is odd, even by Alan Moore standards. The strip began as a fundraiser for the London Cartoon Centre. The idea was to create the longest comic strip in the world. Guinness were on hand to certify it and everything. Moore created the story, more of an outline really. On the designated day, tables were set up around the upper gallery of a shopping mall, and 125 cartoonists sat down to draw 250 panels in eight hours. Fast forward a few years, and the strip was compiled into book form as a benefit for the Cartoon Art Trust.
The story follows the journey of an eternal cartoonist through time, from cave drawings through the development of Chinese writing to Egyptian hieroglyphs and Greek temple friezes and the Bayeux tapestry and on up through the present (1990’s, in this case) and into an imagined cartoonists’ utopian future. Artwork is by pretty much a who’s who of British cartooning at the time. Names that I can recall without looking them up include Hunt Emerson, Kevin O’Neill, Dave Gibbons, Ian Gibson, Glenn Fabry …
It's fun more for what it is than its actual content. The cartoonists were all working from a typed transcript of a message on David Lloyd’s answering machine, so, yes, Moore literally phoned this in. Actually, that's a bit too harsh, but the pun was too good to pass up. Moore has certainly written many better, more memorable works, though.
Not an essential part of any of the many creators’ respective oeuvres, but an interesting curiosity if you happen to stumble across a copy. Not recommended, but not discouraged either.
The story follows the journey of an eternal cartoonist through time, from cave drawings through the development of Chinese writing to Egyptian hieroglyphs and Greek temple friezes and the Bayeux tapestry and on up through the present (1990’s, in this case) and into an imagined cartoonists’ utopian future. Artwork is by pretty much a who’s who of British cartooning at the time. Names that I can recall without looking them up include Hunt Emerson, Kevin O’Neill, Dave Gibbons, Ian Gibson, Glenn Fabry …
It's fun more for what it is than its actual content. The cartoonists were all working from a typed transcript of a message on David Lloyd’s answering machine, so, yes, Moore literally phoned this in. Actually, that's a bit too harsh, but the pun was too good to pass up. Moore has certainly written many better, more memorable works, though.
Not an essential part of any of the many creators’ respective oeuvres, but an interesting curiosity if you happen to stumble across a copy. Not recommended, but not discouraged either.
December 7, 2016
Interesting in its origin and inception, this more a thought experiment than an actual story. Some of the illustrations are good, others not so much. I don't think I will ever re-read this.
June 5, 2019
آلن مور وعصبة الفنانين والكتاب المشاركين ينقلون فن "الكوميك ستريبس" إلى مستوى جديد وأعلى من كل ممن سبقوه، مقدمًا تاريخًا ما للعالم وللفن يقرأ دفعة واحدة.
March 25, 2014
A funny and entertaining collage of mad talent. The artwork came correct and Alan Moore did something great with the script.
If you want to know what it's like to be a creative, this is the gospel right here.
If you want to know what it's like to be a creative, this is the gospel right here.
January 7, 2015
Holy crap, there were a lot of crazy good artists on this. One of the then-lesser-known artists I noticed tucked into the panels is the now-famous satirist Charlie Brooker. Though now he doesn't do much in the way of comics. Alan Moore is brilliant as always.
July 5, 2015
Some nice pictures from some artists I love, but the Moore script was as usually more hype than story. I bought this only because it had some bits by Garth Ennis. Did it show in the story? No.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews