Title: Watchmen
Author: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: April 2005
Classification: Adult Graphic Novel
Summary from Goodreads:
It all begins with the paranoid delusions of a half-insane hero called Rorschach. But is Rorschach really insane or has he in fact uncovered a plot to murder super-heroes and, even worse, millions of innocent civilians? On the run from the law, Rorschach reunites with his former teammates in a desperate attempt to save the world and their lives, but what they uncover will shock them to their very core and change the face of the planet! Following two generations of masked superheroes from the close of World War II to the icy shadow of the Cold War comes this groundbreaking comic story — the story of The Watchmen.
My Thoughts
What can I say that has not already been said about the Watchmen?
Ever since I was a small child, I was engrossed in the mythical and fantasmical world of comic books. In the comic book lore, there was always two opposing forces; the good guy and the bad guy. A hero would go under many different names and take on different shapes; Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Captain America etc,… And with said hero’s, they would come complete with their own rogue galleries and with that, an arch nemesis would be their main purpose for being; The Joker, Lex Luthor, The Green Goblin, and the Red Skull, respectively. Now that is all fine and well as the clear distinction between good and evil would be a solid line, but what if that line were to be blurred? What if the hero’s were more real than ever before and would not be the victim of a radioactive spider bite or an alien from a dying world? What if they were human beings, fighting ‘the good fight’?
Human beings are finite and flawed characters, by their own definition. They are not the big blue boyscout (ala Superman), as they can be corrupted and essentially, hurt, right down to their very core. That is the story of the Watchmen.
The Watchmen presented the idea of a superhero in a new light; with a refined sense of realism. The story begins in 1980′s America; The Cold War has reached new levels and the doomsday clock is slowly counting down to midnight. Upon that eerie time, the world would cease to be. Upon the point of divergence, which seperates 1983, with the real world, the events of World War II, Vietnam, the Cold War and the Nixon Administration seem to shape the world in a different and darker way. The hero’s are now outlawed as they are considered to be vigilantes and fugitives from the law. One man lives in defiance of that notion and acts as the main storyteller; Rorschach.
Rorschach is unlike any character I personally have ever encountered in all my years of reading comic books. He is more human than human. He is so dark and ominous that his very presence is chilling, but it is known to the readers that he serves a distinct purpose. That purpose is made very apparent by the end of the novel, but I will not spoil the suprise for anyone wishing to read this epic tale.
The other characters which are in the story are as unique and interesting as Rorschach. Dr. Manhattan is that world equivalent to Superman. He exists in the world but is not truly there as he is everywhere and nowhere at once. He is incapable of dying and can traverse the realms of the universe at a whim. The Comedian is my second favorite character, after Rorschach, as he is so much of a bad ass, for the lack of a better term. He holds so much importance to the story that I would not be able to describe it without giving away key plot points. Ok ok, he dies and that is how the story begins.
The story begins as a detective story, as it would seem that one by one, the hero’s are being murdered. The plot thickens when it is revealed that things are not as they appear to be. The comic is, which was seperated into 9 different issues, is filled with so many twists and turns and never lets the reader be given a chance to become complacent with the events. There is always something new and the way the story is presented is unique unto itself. There is newspaper clippings that are inserted within the story and seems to further the plot. There is also a metaphor within the story; a watch. I cannot seem to come to terms with how to accurately portray that piece of the story, but I would suggest that people pay close attention to all details involving the instances of watches.
Upon its full release, The Watchmen helped to redefine how superheroes are portrayed in the comic book world. This complete graphic novel has the dubious honor of being on Time Magazine’s list of of 100 greatest novels. Now that is a feat in itself. To say that this novel is a treasure would be an understatement.
The writing is flawless and the story seamlessly flows together in a symphonic-esque way. I feel a bit disappointed in myself as I cannot seem to come up with the proper wording to describe this novel aside from one; brilliance.
This is a must read for anyone; comic book fan or not.
WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN?
