Various Valentines

I was walking along the towpath of the Regents canal today when, passing by the bottom Lock, I saw a chap in a hoodie wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, like one of these:

It gave me quite a start, but I don't think it was meant to represent Guy Fawkes, but the anarchist in Alan Moore's story V for Vendetta.

It's been well over twenty years since I read the book and I remember it having a profound effect on me then: I joined Amnesty International after reading it. All the story chapters begin with the letter V, Valedictory, Venom, etc. thus the title of this blog. Strangely, given it's reputation, I always thought of it as a dark romance, as well as a political work. Althought the film was not a critical success, it did get the chapter on Valerie right.