Literary figures rarely come to life outside of cheesy, made-for-TV movies from the 1970s. In 2001, however, Alan Moore, the father of graphic novels and author of Watchmen and V for Vendetta, changed this viewpoint with a groundbreaking graphic novel, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. In the world of graphic novels, Moore's creation can hold its guard as a classic.

The book steps outside the boundaries of the cliché superhero graphic novel by telling the stories of a handful of classic characters after their stories end. The British Empire is in peril, and its safety falls into the hands of a motley crew of characters: A physically and emotionally scarred Mina Murray; a beleaguered Dr. Jekyll; an obscene Hawley Griffin; Allan Quartermain, who is slipping into the abyss; and the ominous Captain Nemo. Each use their histories to solve the mystery that has been plaguing their world.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen differs from other books of its genre in that it does not narrate the archetypal "superhero" story. The artwork is meticulously drawn, even the finest of details (such as Mina's scars) dance within the margins. The various literary innuendoes throughout the graphic novel are humorous aspects to keep an eye out for. The book deviates from mindless blood and gore (though one character — not saying who — is highly violent) and molds a creative, thought-provoking take on the graphic novel.

Charlotte Smart is a junior at Santa Fe Secondary School. You can reach her at charchar@cybermesa.com.