Alan Moore, the renowned English author known for creating iconic comics such as ‘Watchmen’ and ‘V for Vendetta’, has revealed that he no longer receives royalty cheques from DC Comics for the film and television adaptations of his comic books. Instead, he has requested the company to donate the money to Black Lives Matter (BLM).
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Moore expressed his dissatisfaction with the direction that DC has taken with the film adaptations of their characters. He stated, “I no longer wish it to even be shared with them. I don’t really feel, with the recent films, that they have stood by what I assumed were their original principles. So I asked for DC Comics to send all of the money from any future TV series or films to Black Lives Matter.”
Moore’s decision reflects his support for BLM, an organization founded in 2013 to raise awareness of racism and inequality experienced by black individuals. The movement gained prominence during the 2020 protests following the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
Moreover, Moore expressed his disappointment with the evolution of the comic book industry. He believes that his work, particularly ‘Watchmen’, unintentionally contributed to the “gentrification of comics” and the shift towards adult-oriented content. Moore explained, “What appealed to me most about comics is no more, and these innocent and inventive and imaginative superhero characters from the Forties, Fifties, Sixties are being recycled to a modern audience as if they were adult fare.”
He emphasized that his experiments with comics, like ‘Watchmen’, were not meant to be taken as a template for the entire industry. However, it seems that the dark and complex characters in his work became a prevailing trend, shaping the industry’s direction for the next two decades.