Goodreads | Watchmen

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Mark rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

09/15/08

bookshelves: one-book-per-week---08-09

Read in September, 2008

recommends it for: Everyone

Superheroes have problems these days. Movies such as “The Dark Knight”, “The Incredibles”, TV shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Smallville”, and comic books such as “Kingdom Come” and “The Dark Knight Returns” have all shown superheroes struggling with very human issues and problems. Given the glut of “superhero on the couch” stories in recent years, it can be hard to realize what a revolutionary book “The Watchmen” was in 1986. Having only become inte...more Superheroes have problems these days. Movies such as “The Dark Knight”, “The Incredibles”, TV shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Smallville”, and comic books such as “Kingdom Come” and “The Dark Knight Returns” have all shown superheroes struggling with very human issues and problems. Given the glut of “superhero on the couch” stories in recent years, it can be hard to realize what a revolutionary book “The Watchmen” was in 1986. Having only become interested in comics relatively recently I had not until now read Moore and Gibbons' masterpiece, although I certainly knew that there was a book called “The Watchmen” that had inspired future writers to create psychologically complex heroes and villains who experienced real ethical and moral choices. But I didn't read it right away. I looked at the book at my local comic book store several times, but something kept me from buying it. Maybe it was the dreary looking artwork, which even at a quick glance is clearly unlike the majority of mainstream superhero comics. But when I saw that a “Watchmen” movie was being made, I knew that I had to read the book soon before trailers and spoilers ruined the surprises for me.

The fantasy world of “The Watchmen” diverges from our own in the 1930's when a small number of ordinary people (inspired in part by Superman comics) begin to put on masks and fight crime as vigilantes. In the 1960's a man with real superpowers is created and subsequently put to work ensuring American security and dominance of world affairs. But in the late 1970's superheroes fall out of favour with the public, who fear that those operating outside the law are just as bad as those that they would fight. In one scene that subtly shows the “heroes” are not flawless and simple Golden/Silver Age champions, we are shown a map of the trouble spots in American that the heroes plan to fight against: in the West “Drugs” and “Promiscuity”, in the Midwest “Anti-war Demonstrations” and in the South “Black Unrest”. If you have ever read comics from the 50's and 60's and felt that superheroes were tools of the establishment and the status quo, this scene will hit home for you.

Of course, other books had previously raised the notion that “good” and “evil” are not absolute terms (check out the “Green Lantern/Green Arrow” books from 1970 from an early attempt). But until “The Watchmen”, no comic had allowed the implications of these issues to truly sink in. What does it mean to be a hero when right and wrong are moral values that not everyone can agree on? Law and justice are not always the same thing, so, in the words of the right-wing newspaper read by one of the characters in “The Watchmen”: “What about those occasions when men have found it necessary to go masked in order to preserve justice above the letter of the law?” The questions that Moore and Gibbons ask are no less than the eternal dilemmas of the rights (and lives) of the many weighed against the rights (and lives) of the innocent few, and of who has the right to make these decisions. Lesser writers would use some plot device to keep the heroes and the readers from having to truly face these decisions, but Moore and Gibbons deliberately remove any possibility of a deus ex machina before the final confrontation scene.

One fear that I had before reading “The Watchmen” is that like some other 1980's comic books it would feel dated now, over twenty years after it was first published. For example, “The Dark Knight Returns”, although a fantastic book, feels very stuck in the decade in which it was written. It turns out that this fear was unfounded with respect to “The Watchmen”. It could just as easily have been written yesterday. Sure, there are no references to the Internet or other modern touchstones, but the people in this book as so human that it has a timeless feel. Also because the characters are so essentially human, the reader can relate to them and becomes drawn into their dilemmas. Even the character with god-like supernatural powers has a redemptive human side, although his apparent autism disguises his humanity until another character awakens it in the most powerful piece of character development in the book.

Comic books often have a hard time fighting for respectability among reader, seen by many as lowbrow or children's entertainment. The modern portrayal of superheroes as complex human characters comes at the loss of some of the fun, exuberance and whimsy of the decades before the 70's, but the trade-off has allowed comics to become more mature and interesting to distinguishing readers. Unfortunately there are still many people who still associate comic books with the likes of the POW, BIFF, BAM simplicity of the 1960's Batman TV series. Of course, anyone who would reject an entire medium probably isn't worth listening to, but I still find myself wanting to argue and prove that comic books and graphic novels are every bit as important, artistic, and literary as any other novel. “The Watchmen” makes the case far better than I ever could, if only more people who read it. We should hope that the coming release of the movie will spur others to read it and see just how good comic books can be....less

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Trish rated it:

(review of isbn 3551744084)

12/09/07

Aaron's been telling me for a long time that I should read a select few of his favorite comic books. And I haven't been avoiding them. But when I'm looking around the house for something to read, I forget to wander over to the comics section. So finally he just made a stack of books for me, and I started with Watchmen.

And within the first few pages I was testing his patience with questions/comments including:

"Why is Rorshach the hero when he's clearly insane?"
"...more

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Amanda rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

09/09/08

bookshelves: all-time-favorites, comics-graphic-novels, everyone-should-read, knock-your-socks-off

Read in March, 2006

Re-read update 09/2008:

Released in serial form in 1986, Watchmen grapples with the pervading anxiety of the Cold War era and what it means to be a hero in a world that could end at any moment. Set in an alternate -- but realistic -- universe, and mostly the New York City of that world, where Richard Nixon is on his fourth term in office, Russia is on the brink of invading Afghanistan, and a 1977 act of Congress outlawed masked vigilantism... yup, masked vigilantism (now it's a comic b...more Re-read update 09/2008:

Released in serial form in 1986, Watchmen grapples with the pervading anxiety of the Cold War era and what it means to be a hero in a world that could end at any moment. Set in an alternate -- but realistic -- universe, and mostly the New York City of that world, where Richard Nixon is on his fourth term in office, Russia is on the brink of invading Afghanistan, and a 1977 act of Congress outlawed masked vigilantism... yup, masked vigilantism (now it's a comic book). The primary characters of Watchmen are these former "super" (none, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, have actual superpowers) heroes, most (with the exception of Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian and, arguably, Rorschach) forced into retirement UNTIL! (of course) someone seems to start killing them off, and they find cause again to crusade in costume. (A scenario which, I believe, is tied to Vietnam syndrome; Vietnam is, in fact, one of the settings in the novel. I will now quote the paper mentioned below (from college), where the Vietnam syndrome evident in Watchmen and DKR is evidence of "a betrayed return to the old heroes of World War II—the Golden Age—and a nostalgia for the 'good days' following it—the Silver Age—which is reflected in the aging superheroes who come out of retirement in anxious and modern American worlds that are each not quite reflective of their reality. The Nite Owl II articulates this anxiety when he asks the Comedian during the riot preceding the Keene Act, 'But the country’s disintegrating. What’s happened to America? What’s happened to the American Dream?' ")

The novel opens with the death of Edward Blake, the Comedian; whom is, to me -- I know not to others -- the most compelling character in this story. A hero -- unlike similarly named characters from comic books (think Riddler, Joker, Harley Quin) -- but of questionable morals, he remains employed post-Keene by allying himself with the government. I believe this to be in part a commentary on the censorship of the comic book industry (also the two groups of hero alliances represent the Golden and Silver ages of comics), which isn't that much of an insight/stretch, I know, but still.

I got so. much. more. out of this on the second reading. It'd been over two years, so I was fuzzy on some of the details and still surprised by plot twists and the like. Also, the artwork -- the distinctly comic-booky coloring and over-saturation plus liberal use of magenta, the experiments with layout, the use of repetitive motifs (namely the blood on yellow circles, of course, but also the Hiroshima lovers and other more subtle ones), the skillful pacing of panels -- is especially effective for the story it is laying out. Some panels have so much information in them, it's like entire pages of a novel all in that one square... talk about show don't tell. Overall the artwork is indeed very cinematic, making effective use of pan-in and -outs and transitions, showing the same scene from multiple angles, even some play with voiceover involving Tales of the Black Freighter.

And to those that argue that this book is "cold" and "unemotional," I counter with the scene of Laurie on Mars struggling to defend humanity and to accept her own history, with the dilemma of the Comedian's knowledge, or the astonishment at what we learn has been orchestrated -- and the consequences of it. For although this is a comic book, in the end, it is human-ness that guides even Dr. Manhattan.

I could go on, and I have before, but hopefully that's at least enough to get you to read it. And then we'll discuss.

*****************
The last paper I ever wrote in college was about this book, Dark Night Returns, and Jimmy Corrigan.

I've seen people reading this on the subway a couple of times recently and have been strongly tempted to geek out. God I am so cool sometimes....less

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Michael rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

06/10/08

Read in June, 2008

I've heard nothing but unflinching hyperbolic praise for this book. I wonder if it's even possible for anything to live up to the kind of hype this has suffered. It's the only graphic novel/comic book to be included on Time Magazine's list of 100 greatest novels since the beginning of Time's publication. That's a lot of pressure - to be the sole symbol and representation and of an entire art form for a popular and wide audience. I mean, this thing needs to be devastatingly good.

Forget al...more I've heard nothing but unflinching hyperbolic praise for this book. I wonder if it's even possible for anything to live up to the kind of hype this has suffered. It's the only graphic novel/comic book to be included on Time Magazine's list of 100 greatest novels since the beginning of Time's publication. That's a lot of pressure - to be the sole symbol and representation and of an entire art form for a popular and wide audience. I mean, this thing needs to be devastatingly good.

Forget all that noise, and this is just a great book. "Best ever" - I'm not sure, but it definitely stands out as a milestone, and a sort of mile marker in superhero comics, along with Frank Miller Dark Knight Returns. 1985-86 is when comics got really dark, and really sinister and scary in a real life way that had never really been approached before. Sure Galactus had come around to eat the Earth and Doctor Doom, I'm sure had hatched some Armageddon schemes, and Darkseid had set out to control everybody's thoughts, but all of those doomsday scenarios were set at a safe distance from reality, all based on ridiculous, albeit compelling, contingencies. Furthermore, those stories always provided superheros you could rely on to save the day. The great myth-makers could never get away with letting the Silver Surfer or the Fantastic Four or Superman fail at their missions to save the world.

Moore's world of Watchmen is quite different. Superheros have seen their heyday decades ago, and the American public and government now sees these masked vigilantes as nothing more than criminals, head-cases not to be trusted. What's really grim, is the evils mankind faces in reality - corrupt governments, greedy corporations - are far more sinister than anything cooked up in a comic book. Moore deals brilliantly with these issues. Why do we trust those in charge? Why do we rely on other to protect us? Should we not protect ourselves instead?

Gibbons's art is wonderful. His use of very subdued, standard layout styles lets the story speaks for itself. There's no fancy splash pages to be found here, no overwrought action sequences, no onomatopoetic sounds, no motion lines. Gibbons uses symbolism and realistic rendering to create an atmosphere of grit and foreboding terror. I'm sure there's been papers written on his use of the smiley face throughout the book. I don't want to touch on any of the specific symbols here, but they're used in such a way that they never overshadow the plot, but are not so buried to become obscure.

I definitely wasn't let down by this book, but can't give it 5 stars. First of all, about half of the chapters in the book are diversions from the main thread of the story, giving insight and history to each of the characters. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't get rid of any of them, and honestly they are some of the best reading in the book - especially Rorschach's episodes - but therein may lie the problem. We are left with about 5 chapters that deal with the crisis at hand - the very fate of life on Earth. Most comic book stories can be dealt with in such a span, but Moore's story is too grand, too great to stop here. Or maybe that's a statement in itself. When it's too late, it's just too late. (Maybe Carole King should sing our Armageddon songs.) Any ending will come all too quickly.

Anyway, I'm willing to concede that this is probably one of the best superhero stories I've ever read - if it's actually a superhero story. It kind of destroys the whole notion of superheros, makes them irrelevant. I don't even want to get into the politics of this story. Too much, too much. ...less

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David rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

05/12/07

bookshelves: graphicnovels

Read in May, 2007

recommends it for: people interested in the nature of heroes

I just finished reading Watchmen by the very intense Alan Moore of V for Vendetta fame. I've been on a bit of a comic book/graphic novel kick recently after completing a whole host of non-fiction work for use in my Master's thesis. The Watchmen is one of those books that anyone who cares, or cared, about comic books and superheroes should read. Set in an alternate American time line, skew...more I just finished reading Watchmen by the very intense Alan Moore of V for Vendetta fame. I've been on a bit of a comic book/graphic novel kick recently after completing a whole host of non-fiction work for use in my Master's thesis. The Watchmen is one of those books that anyone who cares, or cared, about comic books and superheroes should read. Set in an alternate American time line, skewed by the existence of masked vigilantes (read: superheroes), Watchmen explores an America that wins the Vietnam War, never catches Nixon as a crook (in fact electing him to a third term), and then makes it illegal to be a superhero without doing so in service of the government.
Like Moore's other work, there are some very thinly veiled critics of the Reagan/Thatcher era. Moore visions a cowboy Americana were everyone is in it for themselves, notions of morality are arbitrary and strictly enforced, and the only officially recognized victims are those already in power. Moore exaggerates phenomenon to make a point about them the same way a satirist might. However, Moore seems instead is reading from the Orwell literary playbook here, warning of how this course of society could devolve. Like Orwell saw an inherent danger in Stalinism, Moore is warning of the dangers of the emerging framework of the Neo-Conservatives. Tough-love for the poor, welfare for the rich, jingoism, and fundamentalism are all part of Moore's world, then called Reaganism. Although Moore personally saw this through Thatcher, the basic reactionary quality was the same on both sides of the Atlantic.
This book touched my personally because it hit upon a discomfort, stemming from an initial fascination, with heroes. I spent many hours of my childhood loving Superman. Lex Luthor, by then a crooked businessman and not the crazed scientist of earlier years, was always the easy personification of evil. His occupation always reflected an area of society that created fear (mad scientists in the 60s, corporate vultures in the 80s, and now I hear politician). With Lex Luthor as the the ultimate evil, Superman by contrast became the ultimate good. The Christ metaphors were never lost on my as a child. The most recent movie did everything but use the phrase "my only begotten son" when describing Superman. And for a time the notion that all we needed was a hero was very comforting to me. However, as Moore would be quick to point out, that desire for a hero is easily exploited.
There are many people much more schooled in comics and superheroes than I that can tell you how much Watchmen changed the genre. I simply know that it did. Characters became more sophisticated and moral choices became less clear. But it is clear to me why this is such a landmark piece. Moore has that ability of all great writers to chastise and console in the same breath, on the same thought. He tells his readers that superheroes are pathetic refuge from reality, but then invites you to share in that fantasy. And for a time you are taken with this world, think maybe there could be a place for superheroes in our world. Then the end comes and you realize what kind of world our supposed heroes really want to bring us. ...less

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David rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

08/02/08

bookshelves: recommended

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: anyone

A few years back, my cousin and I were discussing what makes something literature. Is it just books, those classics written by all the dead white males? There was an article I’d read about [i:] The Sopranos [/i:] as a work of literature. That’s right – television. Theater has also been deemed another medium worthy of the title literature. Even so, literature confers a certain status about the impact of a work, a damn near precision and perfection of artistic merit. It should be enter...more A few years back, my cousin and I were discussing what makes something literature. Is it just books, those classics written by all the dead white males? There was an article I’d read about [i:] The Sopranos [/i:] as a work of literature. That’s right – television. Theater has also been deemed another medium worthy of the title literature. Even so, literature confers a certain status about the impact of a work, a damn near precision and perfection of artistic merit. It should be entertaining, thought provoking, complicated yet still accessible, and moving – all the stuff on the opposite spectrum of what people might deem mere distractions in consumable media. [u:] Watchmen [/u:], a graphic novel published by DC Comics in the mid-1980s delivers on all these counts and then some.

It is split up into 12 parts or chapters, slowly unfolding as a murder mystery and a character study of this collection of superheroes. Most of the chapters are dedicated to the past or history of each superhero. How did they come to be? What motivates them to do what they do? How do they fit into the bigger picture of what it means to be a part of a superhero collective? Why did they become superheroes in the first place? How do they succeed and fail as superheroes and human beings? It’s really deep stuff, worthy to sit aside some of the best ‘dead white male’ literature.

It’s a character study, yes, but it also asks us what would the world be like if superheroes really did exist? This world is an alternate America. The Cold War still happens, but Nixon is in office well until 1986. America won Vietnam. While it’s not explicitly stated, it’s implied that this alternate American vision exists because of the superheroes intervention and existence.

Apart from all this social commentary and explorations of the human condition, it’s still a comic book, which means there’s still kick-ass action and larger than life characters and scenarios, despite the fact that only one of the heroes has true superpowers. The rest are relegated to Batman-style powers. Again, this is still a comic book, meaning it’s still fun. What makes this so great though is that this graphic novel (and it really is a novel) is complex and detailed. There are plenty of literary devices being applied here, all under the guise of being a comic. The graphic element enhances many of these devices and gives us a fresh perspective on story-telling, not to mention lends us a new focal point in the deliberation of an epic narrative and a commentary about America through fiction with superheroes, much in the same way that [i:] The Sopranos [/i:] revolutionized television and the mob genre all the while giving us insight into our own lives through such a specific concept.

Each chapter ends with a few pages of straight up prose that serves as ‘source material’ for the main plot. These supplementary materials all come from this fictional world. One part is a biography from an aged superhero. Another is an article written by one of them regarding his inspiration for his alter-ego. It is just another example of how complex and rich this work of art is and also points to how difficult this must have been to adapt to a movie. It’s original, well conceived, well executed, interesting and ultimately a transforming piece of literature. Definitely worth reading, as in now! Just remember: whatever preconceived notions you might have about comic books, this is not light stuff. It demands that you pay attention. Also, it’s a lot easier to spoil stuff for yourself by jumping ahead and looking at pictures. And trust me: you’ll want to. (oops.)

...less

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Lesliemae rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

10/04/08

bookshelves: course-list-favourites, graphic-novels

Read in December, 2007

recommended to Lesliemae by: Andrew Lesk
recommends it for: if you love the anti-hero vigillante.

Each chapter was both a surprise and delight. Simply, I am astonished. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Inscription: (May 2008)
I've been studying for most of the afternoon which means that Erik has needed to be out. We live in a bachelor apartment, so the options for the other person when one needs to read/study can be rather limiting.

While I was reading over Alan Moore's Watchmen, I was considering his message: human ideologies, religious abstractions, and science have all failed us. What was ...more

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Steve rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

09/21/08

Oh. My. God.

This graphic novel has been declared one of the best in the genre and such praise is deserved. Time magazine called it one of the 100 best novels and I couldn’t agree more.

The year is 1985 (the graphic novel was published in 1986) in an alternate history where superheroes really existed. They were just people running around wearing costumes and fighting crime until they were forced into retirement by the Keene Act, passed in 1977, except for those who worked for the government ...more

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Elizabeth rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

04/16/08

bookshelves: book-club-selection, favorites, graphicnovels, recentlyread

Read in April, 2008

recommended to Elizabeth by: book group

This is one of those books that I often picked up and looked at, but never read. I'm shallow enough to admit I was turned off by the artwork and lack of recognizable characters. I must say, I am so glad that Watchmen was chosen by one of my book groups, forcing me to get past my first impressions.

Watchmen takes place in alternative universe, where the emergence of costumed adventurers has altered the course of modern history. The superheroes, the majority which are neither supe...more This is one of those books that I often picked up and looked at, but never read. I'm shallow enough to admit I was turned off by the artwork and lack of recognizable characters. I must say, I am so glad that Watchmen was chosen by one of my book groups, forcing me to get past my first impressions.

Watchmen takes place in alternative universe, where the emergence of costumed adventurers has altered the course of modern history. The superheroes, the majority which are neither super nor all that heroic (with one notable exception), are in forced retirement, until the murder of one of their own compels them to action once more. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, all the while introducing us to these masked men and women, their histories, and their motivations, and draws to a riveting and ambiguous conclusion that leaves the reader pondering what heroism really means.

This graphic novel, published originally in 1986, ushered in a new era for comic fans; comic books became literature, and superheroes became people with flaws and angst of their own. Alan Moore truly takes the genre to the level of literature, pulling out all those post modern favorite techniques like meta-fiction, intertextuality, and symbolism, while still retaining the classic elements of comic books; while there are no whizz-bang sound effects or thought bubbles, he stays true to the format and elevates it to a new level. Likewise, David Gibbons, the artist, uses the art in a deeper way; each panel is filled with meaning and symbolism, from the repeated use of the Comedian's smiley face, to the repeated graffiti asking, "Who watches the watchmen?" The art creates a cinematic feel and also evokes the "golden age" style of comics, and in the end I was appreciative of it. Both writer and artist have put a lot of thought into this work; for example, the chapter "Fearful Symmetry" is based on the William Blake poem, The Tyger, and not only are there numerous places where both plot and image symmetry are used, but the panels are symmetrical goign from first page to last page, second page to second-to-last page, and so on. The chapter also refers to the character, Rorschach, who wears a mask with a shifting, symmetrical inkblot, who tends to think in black and white, and is a character that others should be fearful of.

One negative issue did get brought up in my book group meeting, and that was the treatment of the women in the book. Try as we might, we couldn't find many positive portrayals of female characters. We found the rape storyline distasteful, if only because all the characters but two, including the character who was the victim, are pretty dismissive of the serious nature of that act, and pretty forgiving of the rapist. I don't like seeing rape used as the start of a consensual, romantic relationship, and I don't like seeing a woman put her rapist up on a pedastal.

I still give the book five stars, however, because overall I loved the story and the characters, and found the writing stunning and moving. This is a landmark, watershed book, but it is also just a fine, enjoyable read. I'd recommend it to folks giving the genre a try for the first time, as well as graphic novel readers looking to branch out from Batman, Supes, and Spidey. ...less

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Josh rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

08/13/08

bookshelves: graphic-novel, sci-fi

Read in August, 2008

I, like many others, purchased this book after seeing the preview for the movie. I had heard about this but never gave it much thought. Unlike Sin City and V for Vendetta, I decided that this time I will actually read the material before I watch the movie. Well, I have to day it's not at all what I expected and now I'm not so sure I want to watch the movie at all.

For anyone who's going to use this review as their basis for deciding wheather or not they are going to read Watchmen, let me sta...more I, like many others, purchased this book after seeing the preview for the movie. I had heard about this but never gave it much thought. Unlike Sin City and V for Vendetta, I decided that this time I will actually read the material before I watch the movie. Well, I have to day it's not at all what I expected and now I'm not so sure I want to watch the movie at all.

For anyone who's going to use this review as their basis for deciding wheather or not they are going to read Watchmen, let me start by telling you that this is a thinking piece, not an action piece. It does have some action, but it's pretty sparse (though it is entertaining when it comes about.) Watchmen is more of a character drama, and considering the graphic medium, the characters are fairly complex and interesting. Each one has their own unique story and reasoning behind becoming a "costumed adventurer," aptly named due to the fact with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, that they don't have any true super powers. I am very impressed that Moore never included any character "thought text" to tell you what they were thinking. He manages to do it all with dialogue, faacial expressions and situations.

I was drawn in from the very beginning. The book wastes no time as it starts with the murder of a long time costumed hero and an ensuing investigation his former colleagues. We are introduced to these retired heroes one at a time with plenty of snippets of back story to explain how it all came about and why in this alternate reality, costumed heroes are a part of everyday life.

The further I got into Watchmen, the stranger it became and as it ended, I realized it wasn't at all what I thought it would be. It's almost a study of human character and I'm sure that someone more intelligent than I would be able to pick it apart and analyze it to death, drawing parallels to real life situations. I really did enjoy it and I'd recommend it highly, but not to everyone. There are plenty of readers who don't want to read a book for story and characters alone and those readers may not find what the are looking for here.

This brings me back to the movie. I can't really see this story working as a blockbuster Hollywood film. If they keep the movie very close to the source material -which I hope they will- it's going to be a lot different than people expect. If they try to appeal to a wider audience and throw in some extra action, they're going to detract from the story and the people who appreciate the book may be dissapointed. But, so far from what I'm seeing in the preview, it looks like it's going to keep pretty true to the book. And Dr. Manhattan looks awesome.

But this review is about the book, not the movie. I really liked it. It may be the best comic book/graphic novel I've ever read. But, I haven't read any comics since I was a kid and even then not so much. I don't quite think I'd call Watchmen a masterpiece or compare it to some of the best regular novels I've read, but I liked it. It's earned a permanent place on my shelf and I look forward to rereading it in the future to see what further tidbits I can get out of it. ...less

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Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

07/22/08

bookshelves: classics, fantasy, graphic-novels, top-shelf

Read in July, 2008

What with the movie trailer finally out, I thought it'd be time to go through the book again. It's a graphic novel that has an immense history. It's considered to be one of the most important works in the genre in, well, ever. Read any analysis of Watchmen and you'll read that it revolutionized comics. It changed everything.

They're right.

Before I get to the actual story - and it's a formidable story - I want to address the immense technical achievement that is evident in this ...more What with the movie trailer finally out, I thought it'd be time to go through the book again. It's a graphic novel that has an immense history. It's considered to be one of the most important works in the genre in, well, ever. Read any analysis of Watchmen and you'll read that it revolutionized comics. It changed everything.

They're right.

Before I get to the actual story - and it's a formidable story - I want to address the immense technical achievement that is evident in this book. Look at any panel, any page and you can spend a long time just admiring the artistry that has emerged from the Moore-Gibbons partnership. The words and the images fit together like the finest puzzle pieces, each one reinforcing and supporting the others. There are no unnecessary words, and there are no unnecessary pictures.

Goddamn it's good. It's a fantastic piece of work.

Just as much as the technical aspects of the book are a marvel, so is the story. It was written in - and set in - the mid-80s. It took the core genre of the comics industry, superheroes, and bent them to reality's will. These were not the iconic, ageless figures of Batman and Superman, people whose hearts and intentions were pure and who never aged. The superheroes - or "costumed adventurers," more appropriately - were very, very human. Not only did they age, but they made mistakes. They lied, they failed, they gave up. They were, with one notable exception, human, and their reasons for doing what they did were also very human. It's tempting to say, "These characters are us," because they're not, but they're still a lot closer to us than traditional superheroes are. And this was especially true in the mid-80s. The Darkening of comics hadn't begun yet, and it was probably Watchmen that kicked it off. Suddenly the idea of heroes with ethical failings, personality problems and a faulty moral compass flooded the market. Unfortunately, they were inferior copies of an exceptional original.

Anyway, the story. The world in 1985 is a different place. The rise of the costumed adventurer had a big impact on the social fabric of the United States, and the Cold War has reached levels of tension that nearly break the world in two. America owns a superweapon in the person of Jonathan Osterman, also known as the nearly godlike Doctor Manhattan, but even he can't stop the political super-powers from the intractable mess they have created. Everyone can feel it, the great burning and the end of the world. Everyone knows it's coming.

And then someone kills The Comedian.

The death of this adventurer-turned-mercenary sets off a chain reaction that leads to the discovery of a horrific plan to save the world. People who believe themselves to be heroes have to decide what it means to do good when there are no good choices left to make.

Seriously. Read this. As for the movie, I can only pray that they do it right. I have a high tolerance for adaptation - and I know there's no way the entire comic can be fit into a movie - so I will give the filmmakers some leeway. But I pray that they do it right....

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Candace rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

08/15/08

Read in August, 2008

***I don't like the term "spoiler," but there are some of those in this review, so act accordingly.

Yes, I read it after reading an article about the movie that's coming out in March. Yes, I hopped right on the bandwagon. Yes, I abandoned any geek cred I could have scored for this review by admitting that. Oh well.
At first, I thought Alan Moore was just being a big elitist jerkhead for not wanting Watchmen to be made into a film. I mean, it doesn't help his case that he hasn't wa...more ***I don't like the term "spoiler," but there are some of those in this review, so act accordingly.

Yes, I read it after reading an article about the movie that's coming out in March. Yes, I hopped right on the bandwagon. Yes, I abandoned any geek cred I could have scored for this review by admitting that. Oh well.
At first, I thought Alan Moore was just being a big elitist jerkhead for not wanting Watchmen to be made into a film. I mean, it doesn't help his case that he hasn't wanted ANY of his books to be screenplay-fied; it looked like he was just being insolent for the Hollywood-hating heck of it. I get it now, though. I get how many elements of the book are not going to be translated to the screen well, how many clues to the plot the audience is going to miss out on, and probably most importantly, how the characters are determinedly not Hollywood-actor-compatible. Tell me, where among actors would one find someone who fits the Rorschach/Walter Kovacs type? What did the psychologist call him, mesmerizingly ugly or something like that? I just have a feeling it's not going to happen, though I haven't seen any photos of his film counterpart without his "face."
Anyway, the book is remarkable, and I was especially impressed with the painstaking intricacy of the plot. How everything came together almost completely seamlessly in the end was pretty cool. I liked the characterization, though as usual, the characters I'm least interested in are the most central to the plot (I found the Silk Spectre/Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan love triangle horrid dull after a while). I wanted more Rorschach! I wanted more Adrian Veidt too before the end explained why his part had been lacking. I did love that they're pretty much all complete losers, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan cause loser isn't really a word that could apply to omnipotent beings.
What got to me most of the time was how much graphic violence was in it. I was expecting it to be dark, of course, but a lot of the stuff that happened was just totally repulsive and disturbing. Like, nightmare-inducing disturbing. Like, the "Singin in the Rain" scene in A Clockwork Orange disturbing. I didn't mind it most of the time, but I did mind when it felt like it was going out of its way to be atrociously violent. (I think I may just be bitter about Hollis Mason. Why did you have to do that, Alan Moore? That was mean.)
I've heard as well that there are a bunch of underlying themes that I probably didn't pick up on, so maybe I'll read it again with that intention. Though, I'm going to wait until later. I need to recover from the first go-round.

See you on March 6th?

Adjustment: I wish I could give half-stars. But I can't, so I had to choose between 4 and 5. Originally, I just couldn't picture it as a 5-star kind of book, since it's not necessarily one of my favorites, but now that I've considered it some more it's closer to 5 than 4. The art, the Cold War paranoia, above all, the characterization convinced me to let it have that half-point that Goodreads made me decide on. ...less

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Sean rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

09/22/08

Read in September, 2008

recommends it for: Those that love good fiction, with threads of truth

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

"Yet what are laws made for, if not to serve mankind? And if those laws through unforeseen circumstance become no longer applicable, is it not more noble to follow the course of right and justice; to serve the spirit of the law rather than its every dot and comma? In my book, anyone answering that question in the negative is someone without the moral backbone necessary to call himself an American."

I love this quote, taken directly from The Watchmen at the end of Chapter 8. It reall...more "Yet what are laws made for, if not to serve mankind? And if those laws through unforeseen circumstance become no longer applicable, is it not more noble to follow the course of right and justice; to serve the spirit of the law rather than its every dot and comma? In my book, anyone answering that question in the negative is someone without the moral backbone necessary to call himself an American."

I love this quote, taken directly from The Watchmen at the end of Chapter 8. It really does sum up the entire book into this one ideal. Is it not more noble to pursue justice than to follow every law. What if the law is unjust? What if the laws, also made by mere humans just like us, are fallible? What if our concept of justice is fallible? Who is to be trusted? "Who will watch the watchmen?"

Watchmen opens a window into another world, and alternate reality in the 1980's, where superheroes are commonplace, though scarce. The destruction of the world is imminent at the hand of the quarreling countries. Invasions by one country into another, threats of weapons of mass destruction, and an internal struggle within the United States (New York, proper) that threatens to tear us apart from the inside. Sound eerily familiar? It should. Just look at the shape our world is in today.

Enter the Watchmen, a group of self-made superheroes. Most have no special powers, most have no special gadgets. Yet these people, bonded together by the common goal to rid the world of its darkness, are truly one of the greatest teams of heroes ever assembled on page. But what makes them so great?

Alan Moore has written a story in which most of the superheroes are merely ordinary people in costumes, fighting for good, or what they perceive as good. As such, they have the true human element, and all the problems that accompany such an element. Ideals are debated. Heroes fight each other for what they believe to be personally right even when it contrasts the view of the group. Criminals, and the not-so-criminal, are murdered. Heroes are raped and murdered by other heroes. Heroes sacrifice the lives of the few for the lives of the many. Is any of this acceptable? Is any of this justice? Is any of this justifiable?

Watchmen weaves a tale so rife with struggle, one can not help but be in awe of the magnitude of their situation. Filled with so many twists and intricate plot details, it truly is difficult to put down. The final chapter will have your jaw dropping. If you are not one to read graphic novels, this one WILL change your perspective. Touted as one of Time Magazine's Top 100 novels post 1923, Watchmen is truly sight to behold. And with its many personal, political, and moral questions, this is one that will be talked about for decades....less

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Dan rated it:

(review of isbn 0930289234)

08/15/08

bookshelves: 2008-challenge, fiction, graphic-novels

Read in April, 2008

recommended to Dan by: Time magazine
recommends it for: Anyone who's willing to view comics as an art form

In the entire set of books I've read (and there are more than the few on my profile), I've only reread two. Watchmen is one of them. First, being a graphic novel, it's fairly easy to reread. However, even if it were a printed novel of more than four hundred words, I imagine I'd still be rereading it, because it's a great piece of literature.

But then, one of its key successes is what Moore tried to use it to prove - that comics can achieve things that neither film nor printed novels...more In the entire set of books I've read (and there are more than the few on my profile), I've only reread two. Watchmen is one of them. First, being a graphic novel, it's fairly easy to reread. However, even if it were a printed novel of more than four hundred words, I imagine I'd still be rereading it, because it's a great piece of literature.

But then, one of its key successes is what Moore tried to use it to prove - that comics can achieve things that neither film nor printed novels can. (I use "comics" out of respect for Moore, who as I understand it, didn't like the term "graphic novel.") It's easy to dismiss the whole medium of comics after associating them with superhero-based periodical magazines seemingly fueled by sugar and adrenaline, a few steps away from being printed versions of adventurous Saturday morning cartoons. Watchmen changed that and showed that comics could be used to create something great and truly artistic.

This is literature.

It is ironic then, that Moore does this by using superheroes and masked vigilantes. However, every single one of them has their own flaws and depths. Most have a chapter dedicated mainly to them, so that you can gain an appreciation for their character. By far the most popular character to try to dissect is Rorschach, the trenchcoat-clad vigilante whose journal helps narrate the book. As the plot progresses, we can see both a perception of the world that is devoid of any existence of morality and a deep-rooted desire to uphold certain values and principles at any cost.

I imagine that many people will be reading this book in the coming months as the upcoming movie adaptation is hyped amongst the circles of the book's adoring fans. With the degree of achievement that this comic represents, it is not a question of how well the movie will succeed in recreating Watchmen, but how little it will fail. It is hard to imagine a comic approaching this level of perfection again.

There will likely be some who cannot get past the concept of reading a comic and taking it seriously, thus putting it down soon after they start reading. If you've never read comics before, then this book will change your views on what they are able to accomplish, as long as you are able to check any preconceptions at the door. If you have read comics before, but you've never read Watchmen, then be prepared to drink from the Holy Grail....less

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