Alan Moore is arguably the greatest comic book writer who ever lived. He also famously despises the industry that made him famous, has publicly condemned adaptations of his work, and has contentious views about modern comics culture. How do we reconcile this?
The work:
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Watchmen (#1-12, 1986-1987, DC Comics, art by Dave Gibbons) — Deconstructed the superhero genre. Considered the greatest comic series of all time by most critics. The only graphic novel on Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Novels list. Source: Time, 2005.
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V for Vendetta (1982-1989, DC/Vertigo, art by David Lloyd) — Political dystopia that predicted surveillance state anxieties decades before they became mainstream. The Guy Fawkes mask became a global symbol of protest.
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Swamp Thing (#20-64, 1984-1987, DC Comics) — Transformed a B-list horror character into a vehicle for ecological philosophy and literary horror. Issue #21, "The Anatomy Lesson," is one of the most influential single issues in comics history.
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From Hell (1989-1998, Top Shelf, art by Eddie Campbell) — A 500+ page graphic novel about Jack the Ripper that is really about the birth of the 20th century. Moore's research is extraordinary.
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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999-2019, various publishers, art by Kevin O'Neill) — Victorian literary characters as a superhero team. The first two volumes are brilliant.
The controversy: Moore has repeatedly stated that DC Comics cheated him out of the rights to Watchmen through a contract that promised reversion after the book went out of print — which DC ensured would never happen by keeping it perpetually in print. Source: Moore interview with The Guardian, 2012. He has asked that his name be removed from all film and TV adaptations and donated his royalties to the artists.
The question: Do we separate the art from the artist's wishes? Reading Watchmen while knowing Moore despises its corporate stewardship creates a tension that the reader must resolve individually.
Sources: Works cited above, The Guardian interview (2012), Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Novels list, DC Comics publishing history
Watchmen is the greatest comic ever made and Moore's grievances with DC are legitimate. Both of these things are true simultaneously. Read the work, respect the creator's wishes, and acknowledge the industry that exploited him.