Here I am someone who really loves comics, yet I'm 23 years late to the party on what is without a doubt one of... the best, if not the best graphic novel ever made.
Back in the 80s when Watchmen came out I was a devout Marvel guy. DC stuff was for kids, full of tired old Superfriends. Yet in 1986 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbins produced something really Remarkable over there that puts everything I was reading at the time to Shame. I have to wonder though if my teenage self could have really appreciated it.
Watchmen takes place in an alternate history version of 1985 where Richard Nixon is still president, and Superheroes have been outlawed except for two who work for the government. I cannot give even a little more information because I feel this is a book that must be experienced with as few spoilers as possible. The setting certainly brought me back to the rampant fear and paranoia of the time.
Watchmen takes place in an alternate history version of 1985 where Richard Nixon is still president, and Superheroes have been outlawed except for two who work for the government. I cannot give even a little more information because I feel this is a book that must be experienced with as few spoilers as possible. The setting certainly brought me back to the rampant fear and paranoia of the time.Watchmen is a very dark book with so many layers in both the writing and the artwork that it is staggering. On one level it is about the history of comics, on another a very personal story about what life does to people. On another it may be one of the best treatise on the thought process of God. It never ceased to be entertaining and I burned through the last 6 issues in one evening despite the fact that it is a very dense read with 9 panels per page, and a lot of text.
Alan Moore originally planned to tell the story of The Watchmen with existing characters from Charlton comics which DC had recently acquired such as The Question, Blue Beetle, and The Atom But given the extreme nature of the story, Higher ups at DC put an end to this Idea so he had to create new characters, though It's pretty easy to see where the inspirations lie for those familiar with those characters.
I feel a bit hamstrung trying to talk about the book without being specific, so I will just say this. Believe the hype Watchmen is really that good.I think from what I have seen that the upcoming Watchmen movie will be entertaining, and more faithful than most comic adaptations, but I feel Watchmen is probably the pinnacle of really using the medium of comics to tell a story in a unique way, and a movie no matter how cool, won't ever be able to touch that.
ESSENTIAL
2 comments:
I just started The Watchmen myself and so far I agree with what you said. Being a new comer to comics having only invested in the Ultimate Marvel line, Invincible, and a few choice Batman stories this is definetely the best so far. If anyone out there is looking to get into comics or trying to get someone else into comics then this is a good place to start.
Thanks for your comment. I agree it is something special.
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