Mrs. Peel appears in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

DrAndreq · Post by **DrAndreq** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:54 pm

I imagine calling her Emma Knight circumvented copyright, it's an inference of the reader that she's Emma Peel. Most of the references to still in copyright fiction is quite oblique, as they don't have the free reign that they do with public domain characters from victorian literature.

It's best not to think of it as Avengers canon. Emma Knight is a fairly minor character who serves a purpose in the plot, and whose name happens to be a clever in-joke. She's pretty much Emma in name only (if you see what I mean), it's one of the weaker character inclusions. Despite what I previously said I actually quite like what they did to James Bond, highlighting the misogynism inherent to the character.

The league is set in a universe where every piece of fiction actually happened, so I think it's nice that Moore included some Avengers in jokes, its testament to the iconic status of the character.

TheDeeMan · Post by **TheDeeMan** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:51 am

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:How do they get over the copyright issues with working with someone else's property?

I'd forgotten about this thread, so it was interesting to read it again. I still stand by what I said earlier - only to add that making Emma Peel née Knight (or whatever) a relative of Bulldog Drummond, or of anyone, absolutely diminishes her individuality as a character. Just my opinion...

I think there's a healthy uneasy whenever someone not connected to the series in anyway tries to do a take on, reboot or re-imagining of beloved characters. You always get that "The Avengers" movie queasy feeling.

But Alan Moore is a brilliant writer. I read the first Leagu (which I enjoyed) and the Second (which I liked a bit less) and wouldn't hesitate to read black Dossier. Especially know now that Emma appears in it.

Dee

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:32 am

Just been reading up about LoEG on wikipedia and I admit it is rather intriguing. I am still in two minds about the inclusion of Emma Knght/Peel as her involvement is set in 1958, really far too young to be of effective use. This would make her as young as Tara's debut in The Avengers, who was a trained agent not a gifted amateur.

A better choice would have been a young Catherine Gale.

I should read it I suppose. Luckily this is a stand alone publication and not part of the continuing series.

I still have the DVD of the movie version which I've never seen ...

DrAndreq · Post by **DrAndreq** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:26 pm

The movie bears little relation to the comics apart from sharing some of the same characters and concept. It's an enjoyable romp but it's NOTHING like the comics which are really quite dark and explicit in places.

The Black Dossier isn't really something you can jump in to, better to read the first volume see if you like it and then progress with the series. If you don't like book one it's unlikely you'll like the other two.

Peter Motte · Post by **Peter Motte** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:15 pm

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:I may be alone here, but taking John Steed and Emma Peel out of Avengerland and teaming either up with James Bond or Bulldog Drummond (or anyone) fills me with dread.

Not me.
If it's done in a good way, it might end up nice.

Actually, after all of these years being involved with fiction, movies, tv-series, comic books and so forth, I've learned that one should not be to dogmatic about things like that.
Teaming up The Avengers with James Bond?
Could be nice, could be a failure.
At all depends on how you do it.
Some people have the talent to make such things, others don't.
Obviously, the people making the Avengers movie, didn't have the touch. And they even didn't "team up".

-------
Last watched: Bizarre

kim · Post by **kim** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:32 pm

I don't know why it is, but a lot of fan fiction writers will do that....try and cross two different shows or movies. They usually come out quite awful. But I can forgive them that. They are doing it for their own entertainment, not getting paid for it, etc. So where's the harm?

What I can't stand is the fact that a couple of years ago, one Star Trek novelist tried to cross the characters of ST with the characters of X-Men (I think that was it). The writer was paid for that crap! And people bought it! Now [/i]that I find unforgivable!

Frankymole · Post by **Frankymole** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 11:16 pm

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:Just been reading up about LoEG on wikipedia and I admit it is rather intriguing. I am still in two minds about the inclusion of Emma Knght/Peel as her involvement is set in 1958, really far too young to be of effective use.

Only 6 or 7 years younger than we first see her in "The Murder Market" and "Death at Bargain Prices" - about 20 or 21 years old, then? Fresh out of University one presumes.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:07 am

Well, I see she's referred to as 'Ema Night' which, for me, distances her enough from Emma Peel to make her an entirely new character.

Borgus Weems · Post by **Borgus Weems** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:41 am

Just a thought - I take the making of Emma Knight being the niece of Bulldog Drummond of be a definite nod to the Wold Newton Universe:

The Wold Newton family is a literary concept derived from a form of crossover fiction developed by the science fiction writer Philip José Farmer. Farmer suggested in two fictional "biographies" of fictional characters (Tarzan Alive and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life), that the (real) meteorite which fell in Wold Newton, Yorkshire, England, on December 13, 1795, was radioactive and caused genetic mutations in the occupants of a passing coach. Many of their descendants were thus endowed with extremely high intelligence and strength, as well as an exceptional capacity and drive to perform good, or, as the case may be, evil deeds. The progeny of these travellers were purported to have been the real-life originals of fictionalised characters, both heroic and villainous, over the last few hundred years, such as Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Doc Savage, and Lord Peter Wimsey.

mousemeat · Post by **mousemeat** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:47 pm

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:How do they get over the copyright issues with working with someone else's property?

I'd forgotten about this thread, so it was interesting to read it again. I still stand by what I said earlier - only to add that making Emma Peel née Knight (or whatever) a relative of Bulldog Drummond, or of anyone, absolutely diminishes her individuality as a character. Just my opinion...

I have wondered the same-in regards to copyright issues...

the whole bulldog-Bond angle, comes off lame...certainly not my cup of joe.