Alan Moore – Last Interview?

Padraig O’Mealoid’s interview of Alan Moore addresses some serious issues — sexual violence against women, the Golliwogg/Galley-Wag. There’s also a discussion of personal matters including friction with critics and other creators.

PÓM: How do you respond to the contention that it is not the place of two white men to try to ‘reclaim’ a character like the golliwogg?

AM: The idea that it is not the place of two white men to ‘reclaim’ (although I’m not certain that’s exactly what we were doing) or otherwise utilise a contentious black character, unless I am to understand that this principle only applies to white men using black characters, would appear to be predicated upon an assumption that no author or artist should presume to use characters who are of a different race to themselves. Since I can think of no obvious reason why this principle should only relate to the issue of race – and specifically to black people and white people – then I assume it must be extended to characters of different ethnicities, genders, sexualities, religions, political persuasions and, possibly most uncomfortably of all for many people considering these issues, social classes. I cannot assume, of course, that my perception of such a prohibition as self-evidently ridiculous and unworkable is one that will be shared unanimously, and indeed this would appear not to be the case.

[Thanks to James Bacon for the story.]

One thought on “Alan Moore – Last Interview?

  1. If Moore really can’t tell the difference between “two white men ‘reclaim’[ing] or otherwise utilise a contentious black character” and “no author or artist should presume to use characters who are of a different race to themselves,” then, well … Some people are born willfully obtuse, some achieve willful obtuseness, and some have it thrust upon them.

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