History GenreDeconstruction / AlanMoore

** Doctor Manhattan is a true superhuman with control over matter, the ability to teleport, see the future, see subatomic particles, and is so detached from the human condition that he is indifferent to human life, out and out saying "A dead body and a living body have the same number of particles, there's no difference". He also deconstructs the OmniscientMoralityLicense. One of his superpowers is his capacity of living in the past, the present, and the future at the same time. Instead of having ''more freedom of choice'' than the average human, knowing that everything he will do will turn okay, he has ''none''. [[PrescienceIsPredictable He knows what will he do in the future and cannot change it]], becoming TrueNeutral. He is still a puppet, like everyone else, but ''(only)'' a puppet who can see the strings.

* ''ComicBook/YoungbloodJudgmentDay'' is a pretty brutal evisceration of '90s superhero comics (including ''Youngblood'' itself!), as well as concepts like the AuthorAvatar.

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' deconstructs the entire [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] superhero genre. The premise of the comic is exactly like any other SuperHero comic; some people put on strange costumes in order [[TheyFightCrime to fight crime]]. However, it didn't start with [[Franchise/{{Superman}} an alien child coming to earth]], but rather, with a bunch of off-duty cops wearing masks to counter mask-wearing criminals. Along the way, every trope associated with SuperHero comics of the time is {{deconstructed}}: ImpossiblyCoolClothes turn out to be fatally impractical, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem politicians]] get involved and deputize and weaponize superheroes, these superheroes end up changing the course of history (arguably for the worse), and the main cast of SuperHero characters are all rather screwed up. Specifically...

** Doctor Manhattan is a true superhuman with control over matter, the ability to teleport, see the future, see subatomic particles, and is so detached from the human condition that he is indifferent to human life, out and out saying "A dead body and a living body have the same number of particles, there's no difference". He also deconstructs the OmniscientMoralityLicense. One of his superpowers is his capacity of living in the past, the present, and the future at the same time. Instead of having ''more freedom of choice'' than the average human, knowing that everything he will do will turn okay, he has ''none''. He knows what will he do in the future and cannot change it, becoming TrueNeutral. He is still a puppet, like everyone else, but ''(only)'' a puppet who can see the strings.

* ''ComicBook/YoungbloodJudgmentDay'' is a pretty brutal evisceration of '90s superhero comics (including ''Youngblood'' itself!), as well as concepts like the AuthorAvatar and the [[invoked]] MarySue.

** A running theme in the first two books is that "The British Empire has always had difficulty separating its monsters from its heroes." Blurring the lines between hero and villain, with M revealed to be James Moriarty, and his, and SherlockHolmes' death, used to extend his cover. Later Ms include morally ambiguous characters like Mycroft Holmes and subsequently, Harry Lime of Film/TheThirdMan.

--> "I could have just been a traveller. You could have taught music. But no. We always have to be the heroes, don’t we?"

** The idea of [[LongRunner long running stories]] [[SequelHook with open endings for sequels]] to make a franchise get [[http://comicsalliance.com/four-micro-essays-on-league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen-2009-re/ torn a new one in ''2009''. The heroes realise how awful fighting forever can be and are physically and mentally exhausted of fighting and just want their stories to end]]

** Mina Harker is the heroine of {{Dracula}}, a work where she is the DamselInDistress, here she is a divorced ex-Music Teacher, a depiction in contrast to the loving marriage we see in the narrative of the book but follows on the more feminist interpretations of the book, as seen in Creator/FrancisFordCoppola's adaptation.

Creator/AlanMoore practically made a career out of this, particularly with superheroes.
* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' deconstructs the entire [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] SuperHero genre. The premise of the comic is exactly like any other SuperHero comic; some people put on strange costumes in order [[TheyFightCrime to fight crime]]. However, it didn't start with [[Franchise/{{Superman}} an alien child coming to earth]], but rather, with a bunch of off-duty cops wearing masks to counter mask-wearing criminals. Along the way, every trope associated with SuperHero comics of the time is {{deconstructed}}: ImpossiblyCoolClothes turn out to be fatally impractical, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem politicians]] get involved and deputize and weaponize superheroes, these superheroes end up changing the course of history (arguably for the worse), and the main cast of SuperHero characters are all rather screwed up. Specifically...

* ''ComicBook/{{Providence}}'' deconstructs the works and life of Creator/HPLovecraft, placing them in the context of their time and Lovecraft's extremely uncomfortable politics.

* ''ComicBook/YoungbloodJudgmentDay'' is a pretty brutal evisceration of '90s superhero comics (including ''Youngblood'' itself!), as well as concepts like the AuthorAvatar and the MarySue.

** The Comedian is the UnbuiltTrope of the NinetiesAntiHero. [[SuperheroPackingHeat Big guns]], wisecracks, big muscles, and badass mannerisms abound... as do [[BreadEggsMilkSquick attempted rape, misogyny, murder of innocents, and moral nihilism]]. All these are merely his emotional shields. He has a breakdown when he discovers [[spoiler:Adrian Veidt]]'s plot because it was so horrifying [[EvenEvilHasStandards even to him]] [[spoiler: and CrazyEnoughToWork]]. He also doubles as a critique of the CaptainPatriotic and MilitarySuperhero – for a superhero working for the US government, he's bound to get involved in political assassinations and international destabilization.

** The Comedian is the UnbuiltTrope of the NinetiesAntiHero. [[SuperheroPackingHeat Big guns]], wisecracks, big muscles, and badass mannerisms abound... as do [[BreadEggsMilkSquick attempted rape, misogyny, murder of innocents, and moral nihilism]]. All these are merely his emotional shields. He has a breakdown when he discovers [[spoiler:Adrian Veidt]]'s plot because it was so horrifying [[EvenEvilHasStandards even to him]] [[spoiler: and CrazyEnoughToWork]].

** The Comedian is the UnbuiltTrope of the NinetiesAntiHero. [[SuperheroPackingHeat Big guns]], wisecracks, big muscles, and badass mannerisms abound... as do [[BreadEggsMilkSquick attempted rape, misogyny, murder of innocents, and moral nihilism]]. All these are merely his emotional shields. He has a breakdown when he discovers [[spoiler:Adrian Veidt]]'s plot because it was so horrifying [[EvenEvilHasStandards even to him]] [[spoiler: and CrazyEnoughToWork]]. The Comedian also deconstructs the idea of superheroes like ComicBook/CaptainAmerica who embody patriotic ideals and work for the government - he's a black-ops agent who does highly unethical things, and as noted, couldn't give a damn about any ideals.

** Ozymandias, the "smartest man alive," and a Marvel-style super-genius in the mold of [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Reed Richards]] and [[ComicBook/XMen Professor X]] taken to the trope's logical conclusions. He becomes a superhuman athlete [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower through sheer force of will]] and a training program he designed himself, and is also the world's wealthiest self-made businessman. He's driven by such ruthless consequentialism that certain actions of his can be... morally debated. Ozymandias also deconstructs SurroundedByIdiots by showing us how detached from humanity a true super genius would be. He feels right with himself being alone, but has rage about the whole world being so stupid to be engaged in a UsefulNotes/ColdWar that only will end in MutuallyAssuredDestruction. How would you feel if you were the smartest man alive and UsefulNotes/RichardNixon sent you his enforcer, the Comedian, to tell you not to mess in his business? How much of Ozymandias' actions are trying to save the world, and how much are nothing more than petty revenge?

** Likewise, Allan Quatermain, rather than the stereotypical GreatWhiteHunter, is initially TheLoad of the League because of his crippling opium addiction, rather than the sure hero of popular imagination and he constantly relapses into his old behavior. Perhaps the biggest stretch is Captain Nemo or Prince Dakkar of Bundelkhand working with UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire, when in Creator/JulesVerne's stories he is a NGOSuperpower anti-colonialist rebel. Though the idea of an old imperialist and a colonialist rebel on the same team is a nice touch.
** Mr. Hyde is essentially The Hulk, which Moore notes is the literary origin of the Marvel character. This is partially justified since it is noted that Hyde did grow through Stevenson's original story and he could conceivably have achieved Hulk proportions if he and Dr Jekyll lived long enough. Even Hyde being able to see and smell Griffin could be justified, because Dr Jekyll's account in Stevenson's book speaks of new sensations and how the world seemed different when he changed into Hyde. That Mina finds Mr Hyde terrifying but far from the worst she has seen is also justified. Stevenson points out that Hyde is natural, though representing the very worst in nature. Bram Stoker points out that his Dracula is utterly unnatural. There is, though, no hint in the Stevenson's book that Hyde was particularly xenophobic, like Moore's version. Also, while Dr Jekyll says the the sins which embarrassed him terribly were no worse than what some men might have boasted about, it was probably a little bit more than not returning a borrowed book and occasionally masturbating over homosexual fantasies, as Moore's Hyde claims.

** The idea of the NebulousEvilOrganisation was also targeted for deconstruction. Who has the resources to kill The Comedian, engineer Dr. Manhattan's exile, frame Rorschach for murder, and [[spoiler:engineer the destruction of several major cities]] other than [[spoiler:Ozymandias, the world's smartest man?]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' deconstructs the entire [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] SuperHero genre. The premise of the comic is exactly like any other SuperHero comic; some people put on strange costumes in order [[TheyFightCrime to fight crime]]. However, it didn't start with [[Franchise/{{Superman}} an alien child coming to earth]], but rather, with a bunch of off-duty cops wearing masks to counter mask-wearing criminals. Along the way, every trope associated with SuperHero comics of the time is {{deconstructed}}: ImpossiblyCoolClothes turn out to be fatally impractical, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem politicians]] get involved and deputize and weaponize superheroes, these superheroes end up changing the course of history, and the main cast of SuperHero characters are all rather screwed up. Specifically...

* ''ComicBook/Providence'' deconstructs the works and life of Creator/HPLovecraft, placing them in the context of their time and Lovecraft's extremely uncomfortable politics.

--> "I could have just been a traveller. You could have taught music. But no. We always have to be the heroes, don’t we?"

** Likewise, Allan Quatermain, rather than the stereotypical GreatWhiteHunter, is initially TheLoad of the League because of his crippling opium addiction, rather than the sure hero of popular imagination and he constantly relapses into his old behavior. Perhaps the biggest stretch is Captain Nemo or Prince Dakkar of Bundelkhand working with UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire, when in JulesVerne's stories he is a NGOSuperpower anti-colonialist rebel. Though the idea of an old imperialist and a colonialist rebel on the same team is a nice touch.

* ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' starts out with slightly-darker takes on Victorian heroes, but the second volume shows them sinking really low under pressure (and the ugly sides of Victorian culture that they each represent). The third volume reconstructs them during its own deconstruction of 20th century heroes.

* ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' starts out with slightly-darker takes on Victorian heroes, but the second volume shows them sinking really low under pressure (and the ugly sides of Victorian culture that they each represent). The third volume reconstructs them during its own deconstruction of 20th century heroes.