Product Description: One of the classic Alan Moore works is finally back in print with totally re-mastered artwork and lettering. Adman Timothy Hole has everything going for him and has now been handed the biggest assignment of his life, marketing a major cola in Russia. But his smooth life begins to unravel as he is stalked by a demonic child that makes him question not just who he is, but how he really affects those around him. It is about the little murders that we all have to make each day just to get by. The little assassinations of tiny things. Really, how much damage can be done by a small killing? As an added bonus, this graphic novel includes new commentary articles by both Alan Moore and the artist, Oscar Zarate.
C'mon, Alan, you can do better than that! A Small Killing is definitely not one of Alan Moore's best stories, but it does contain some interesting literary ideas about memory and guilt. The art by Oscar Zarate did not really captivate me and I found myself actually speeding through the book rather than savoring the panels as I would a well-drawn comic or graphic novel. Not that Zarate does not draw well; it's just that his style does not appeal to me, with its wavy lines and scenes that could have been a bit more detailed. Alan Moore uses beautiful prose, but the story is ultimately boring and does not allow the reader to sympathize with the main character Timothy Hole during his brief encounters with his other self, which is basically what the entire book consists of. Overall, a disappointing read.
What?? A very convoluted story that really never gives any suspense because the answer is the only obvious conclusion. Truly a "huh?".
moore's worst work? i love alan moore, but this was a big waste of time and money. don't make the same mistake i did.
Don't expect much This really seems more like something Alan Moore did when he had to work at being deep, like in high school. It has none of the layered complexity of anything else I've ever read by him, and whatever simple surprises there are in the story are easily figured out beforehand. Not much of anything happens in A Small Killing, and even by the late 80s (when the book was originally released) characters being stalked by demonic children was pretty stale.
So I guess consider avoiding anything Alan Moore describes as "deeply personal". He's way more interesting dealing with superheroes and society at large. I'd have given it a rating of 1 if the art weren't kind of cool.
Not bad, but not worth the money This short tale might be of interest to a 13 year old who has little exposure and knowledge of adult sexual issues such as abortion, and is moving from fantasy comics to more adult themed stories, but is kind of dull for the mature reader. The idea behind this book seems like a good idea, but with the cliche comic formula involving flashbacks and the theme of rebirth, etc, it hardly seems worth putting it all together for publication. It's not exactly provocative or an entertaining read. It's not badly done, just not very interesting, but passes the time I suppose.
A weak Outer Limits or Twilight Zone-like story at best.
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