V For Vendetta Deserves Its Own Comic Spinoffs More Than Watchmen

Although Alan Moore’s revered Watchmen has received numerous continuations in recent years, his other critically acclaimed graphic novel V for Vendetta is far more deserving of a sequel. As the book elaborates on the symbol of Guy Fawkes, it’s proven that anyone could wear the mask and become a hero.

Published through DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint in the 1980s with art by David Lloyd and Tony Weare, and colors by Steve Whitaker, Siobhan Dodds, and David Lloyd, V for Vendetta transported comic book readers to a dystopian near-future version of London. The titular ‘V’ wore a Guy Fawkes mask as he went on an anarchist crusade against the fascism of the day in the United Kingdom. As he inspired an apprentice in the form of Evey Hammond, his influence carried over to other oppressed citizens and led to a revolution. V for Vendetta received a critically acclaimed film adaptation, but DC has yet to further explore its story.

DC Comics has returned to the well of Watchmen a few times in the past several years, with the Before Watchmen line of prequel stories, Doomsday Clock, and Tom King’s Rorschach limited series. However, Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta makes far more sense for a comic book continuation apart from its original author. While Watchmen had a definitive dark end, V for Vendetta concludes with a message of hope and bright possibility. After Rorschach, Nite Owl II, Doctor Manhattan, and Silk Spectre fail to prevent Ozymandias’ doomsday plan, readers are left with a dismal image of the world. In contrast, V for Vendetta sets up a new status quo, in which V’s legacy endures.

As V for Vendetta concludes, the government is upended as V keeps his promises to London’s people. Evey follows his lead as she dresses up like him and takes charge. Formally taken advantage of, Evey becomes a new version of the man who she had encountered in the mask. It’s alluded to that when she abducts Dominic Stone, he’ll be trained to similarly continue V’s legacy. Just as Evey had been mentored as V’s successor, the pattern continues with a new recruit. The premise established through this hinted dynamic is the sequel material that was missing in Watchmen.

Although Alan Moore is famously against adaptations or expansions of his work by other creative teams, there is a lot of potential for a modern day extension of V for Vendetta. Considering the graphic novel’s real world impact, as it has inspired a spirit echoing V’s liberating mission with the creation of groups like “Anonymous,” there is precedent for additional cultural commentary. One of the weak-points of Before Watchmen related to the initiative’s lack of commentary which was prevalent in the original graphic novel. In the decades since V for Vendetta’s release, there have been many developments which hold relevance to the book’s premise.

Instead of expanding on the origins of V or the surrounding world he inhabits, a followup has the opportunity to elaborate on the graphic novel’s final chapter. A sequel doesn’t need to be tied down to continuing the individual story of Evey, as readers were led to believe that many more had been inspired by V. Whether a continuation came through an anthology series or a loose spinoff, Moore’s V for Vendetta is ripe for a second installment.

In Tom King’s DC Black Label limited series Rorschach, the story is set 35 years after the death of the original titular vigilante. Considering the amount of time that has passed in the real world since the book’s release, the gap in time allows for the near-future version of London to be further developed past its previous dystopian iteration. Although V made a point of Guy Fawkes’ symbol enduring through his mask, his mission’s success brings up the question of whether London would still consider him as a hero, or disregard his legacy as it becomes the new status quo.

Unlike Watchmen’s sequels and preludes, DC Comics has an opportunity to capitalize on the success of V for Vendetta by echoing its political commentary, and applying it to modern day. It isn’t a stretch to imagine the graphic novel’s events leaving a positive impact on the world, with its own distinct set of challenges which have yet to be explored. Watchmen’s ending emphasized the dark side of humanity, but V looks forward to what is possible for London when freed from dictating forces. There is plenty of territory for new stories set in the United Kingdom after they accepted V’s help, and began to work toward a better version of the future promoted in V for Vendetta.

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