The comic book itself is an appropriation of different novels. Since the main characters all come from different novels, the comic book is an intertextuality. There are many different works in this graphic novel that are intertwined with each other. The characters of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are shaped by the characters from other famous novels.
Alan Moore even described the league of extraordinary gentlemen as the "justice league of the Victorian era." -Alan Moore
I have created a list of the main characters that make up the league of extraordinary gentlemen, and from what famous works they were shaped from.
Griffin- Griffin is an appropriation from the character of the novel The Invisible Man.
Quatermain- Quatermain is an appropriation from the famous adventurer Allan Quatermain. One of the most famous works that includes Allan Quatermain is King Solomon's Mines. In that novel Quatermain is a brave adventurer who always uses an elephant rifle, which Quatermain also uses in the league.
Miss Murray- Miss Murray is an appropriation from the famous novel Dracula. Miss Murray portrays the bride of Dracula, which is why she is always wearing a scarf, so that people cannot see the bite marks of where Dracula bit her.
Captain Nemo- Captain Nemo is an appropriation from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and just like in that novel he is the captain of the Nautilus in the league as well.
Dr. Jekyll ad Hyde- Dr. Jekyll and Hyde are appropriations from the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The two characters are portrayed the same in both novels, as being bipolar, as having two completely different personalities.
These appropriations of the main characters allow the reader to see where they were influenced from. This allows the reader to grasp a better understanding of a certain character's persona because the reader knows the background behind the inspiration for the character. All of the characters have their own unique background from the respectful work they were influenced from. This provides for a diverse cast of characters that makes each one of them unique and makes the story line that much better because the cast of main characters are all characters from previous famous works.
