Fashion Beast by Alan Moore, Malcolm McLaren, Antony Johnston

Fashion Beast

by Alan Moore, Malcolm McLaren, and Antony Johnston

Doll was unfulfilled in her life as a coat checker of a trendy club. But when she is fired from the job and auditions to become a "mannequin" for a reclusive designer, the life of glamour she always imagined is opened before her. She soon discovers that the house of Celestine is as dysfunctional as the clothing that define the classes of this dystopian world. And she soon discovers that the genius of the designer is built upon a terrible lie that has influence down to the lowliest citizen. This unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast was written in 1985 alongside Alan Moore's comics redefining work on Watchmen. Beautifully illustrated by Facundo Perico (Anna Mercury) and meticulously adapted by Antony Johnston (Yuggoth Cultures), this is another entry in the graphic novel masterworks library by Alan Moore.

Reviewed by pamela on

4 of 5 stars

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A departure from Moore's normal works, 'Fashion Beast' is a dark and macabre trek through Beauty and the Beast with a dystopian setting of haute couture.

Fashion Beast cleverly plays with themes of gender, sexuality and vanity. It remains equally dark and squalid, yet still retains a sense of elegance, aided essentially by the stunning art style and execution.

The plot, while slightly rushed and ever so slightly underdeveloped in places, was both entertaining and poignant. While the characters were slightly narratively underdeveloped, the art more than made up for it, showing their development visually.

Fashion Beast was a stunning graphic novel. It shows just how much graphic novels as an art form have to offer.

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  • Started reading
  • 2 April, 2015: Finished reading
  • 2 April, 2015: Reviewed