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'V' stands for veering away from graphic novel

While faithful in spirit to Alan Moore and David Lloyd's graphic novel (Vertigo, $19.99), the film adaptation of "V for Vendetta" alters plot elements and changes or eliminates several characters. Some of the differences:

(enlarge photo) Those who have read the graphic novel 'V for Vendetta' are in for a few surprises if they see the film. Movie review

• The graphic novel's governmental leader Adam Susan spends his days monitoring (and falling in love with) a see-all computer called Fate. Fate is gone in the movie; so is Susan. In his place is fascist High Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt), who hectors his underlings from a giant video screen. (Very Big Brother.)

• The movie dispenses with a subplot about ministry intelligence gatherer Conrad Heyer and his wife, Helen. A Lady Macbeth figure, Helen schemes with (and beds) Scottish mobster Ally (also cut from the film), who aids in her scheme to stage a coup and put her husband in charge of the country.

• Policeman Derek Almond and his wife, Rosemary, are also MIA. In the graphic novel, Derek dies trying to arrest V. Widowed, Rosemary falls into a life of semi-prostitution and buys a gun from Ally, planning suicide. Instead, she assassinates a major character, who is killed in the movie by someone else.

• A movie subplot about biological warfare against the people of Britain and a financial scam involving a big pharmaceutical company is not in the graphic novel.

• In the movie, Gordon Deitrich is a talk show host at the TV station where Evey works. In the graphic novel, Evey, only 16, works in a factory. When she leaves V's lair, Gordon, a small-time crook, finds her scrounging for food in his garbage cans. He takes her in as a tenant and briefly becomes her lover before Ally muscles in on his territory and kills him.

• In the graphic novel, V destroys four buildings. In the movie, it's two. The last site bombed in the film is his first target in the graphic novel.