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Annotations to the
 Black Dossier
 byJess Nevins
Updated 2 February 12:11 p.m. CST.Updates inblue.
The text here, except where otherwise quoted, is copyright © Jess Nevins 2008. It may not bereproduced in part or in full without credit being given to me.The book version of these annotations will be
 Impossible Territories
and will be published byMonkeyBrain Books in July, 2008. The book will have greatly expanded annotations (I'll give context tothings that I mention in passing here), interviews with Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, and whatever other goodies and extras I can manage to put in to it.Warning: There are some Bad Words used in these annotations. If you’re under 18 or have a delicatedisposition, look away.In order to avoid spoiling some reveals and surprises, some things will not be explained on their firstappearance.References are explained the first time they appear, and not thereafter.Moving clockwise unless otherwise noted.If you have any additions, corrections, or suggestions, please send them to me at jjnevins@ix.netcom.com.But, as a favor to me, please phrase your e-mails politely.Also: remember W.H. Auden's words:Judging a work of art is virtually the same mental operation as judging human beings, andrequires the same aptitudes: first, a real love of works of art, an inclination to praise rather than blame, and regret when a complete rejection is required; second, a vast experience of all artistic activities; and last, an awareness, openly and happily accepted, of one’s own prejudices. Some critics fail because they are pedants whose ideal of perfection is alwaysoffended by a concrete realization. Others fail because they are insular and hostile to what isalien to them; these critics, yielding to their prejudices without knowing they have them andsincerely offering judgments they believe to be objective, are more excusable than thosewho, aware of their prejudices, lack the courage to enter the lists to defend their personaltastes.
Front Cover
. If the sword is a reference to anything, I’m unaware of it.Philip & Emily Graves write,"Looks like some Martian on the sword's blade, so could it be Gullivar's or Carter's.....?" Stu Shiffmanwrites, "I had wondered whether the sword was supposed to be Orlando’s Durendal, but John Carter’smight be as possible (tho as a Virginian gentleman, Carter would be more likely to leave it to theSmithsonian or perhaps the Jeffersonian Institution of TV’s “Bones” series)." But see Page 119.
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I believe the quartet of men wearing owl masks and Elizabethan clothing are from a penny dreadful, butI’ve been unable to place it. Stu Shiffman believes they are from the Blazing World.I don’t know what the rocket refers to, if anything. It’s similar to the one seen on Page 142. Kevin O'Neillsays that it's from the movie
Flight to Mars
.I’m not sure what that thing to the right of the rocket is. Possibly one of the Martians wearing gasmasksfrom the first issue of 
 League
v2?The blonde woman is Mina Murray, from Bram Stoker's
 Dracula
(1897). The man running with her isAllan Quatermain, from H. Rider Haggard’s series of books. He is young because he was rejuvenated inthe Fires of Life as described in the text pages of 
 League
v2.I'm not sure what the spiral-tipped stone statue is. Shawn Garrett notes that it appears on Page 30, Panel2.The painting is of the 1898 League, featuring H. Rider Haggard’s Allan Quatermain, Robert LouisStevenson’s Edward Hyde, Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo, and H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man.
Page 1
. Kevin O'Neill identifies this logo as a riff on theFestival of Britainlogo:
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Page 2
. “Keep Calm and Carry On” was one of the phrases used by British government during WorldWar Two to encourage the British people to keep a stiff upper lip, especially during the Battle of the Blitz,when London was being pounded by nightly bombings. However, the original poster with “Keep Calmand Carry On” looked like this:
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