Why?

Alan Moore.

Yes, that's right, Alan Moore. Most of you don't even know who he is, or if you do, you probably know it because some Hollywood saps just grabbed and bastardized his most brilliant child, V for Vendetta into a "blockbuster."

First off, if you haven't read V, you should. It's more relevant than any of the stuff they teach you in high school or college, draws on or alludes to all the great art forms of western civilization, and makes all the right (wing) people uncomfortable. I'd send a copy to the president and the Pope if I thought they'd get it. You could pick up a copy of it for less than you'd pay to take your sweety to see it (the return of V to shelves everywhere probably being the one good thing about the movie, which I don't think I will bother to see), and, well, it's not really good date movie material anyway.

All the adds for the movie reminded me that V is one of those things that always makes me feel more like myself. It reminds me that I never intended to be safe, that I'm not happy being safe, and that being safe doesn't make the world one bit better. I make my bread on being logical, calculating, methodical; I'm at my best when, as a friend said, I "just close my eyes and thrash around like Dominic Hasek." Whatever else it is, V is not about safe.

BTW, if you know me in real life, you should look up Alan Moore on the web and check out his picture (or the one that recently ran in the NY Times). It will give you a good laugh.

Here's to you Alan. If it were up to me, I'd leave your name off the movie for you. Since I can't, I'll have to settle for reading V again.