The piece was originally called In Fictopia, but Simpson changed it to the more appropriate In Pictopia. In it, Moore tells the story of an older cartoon magician, Nocturno the Necromancer, who lives in a city of cartoon and comic characters. The older ones like him have fallen on hard times, living in the black and white slums. A new breed of superhero characters are moving in, taking over the city, leaving no room for the older-style characters.
It was an angry cry about what was happening in the comics industry, forgetting its past. Its message is not that dissimilar to the outcome of the Judgment Day trial, but in Judgment Day, there's a positivity that things can change. Perhaps Moore realized that to bring back stories of knights and cowboys and cartoon-like characters, it would take someone of immense stature in the industry to do it. Someone like Alan Moore.
Anyway, here is In Pictopia. It's been in and out of print a number of times, but is definitely worth owning. Check it out:
