Book / Week 32 - WATCHMEN
2024/11/13
WATCHMEN
Writer: Alan Moore
Illustrator / letterer: Dave Gibbons
Colourist: John Higgins
We’re finally here. I had planned to have had this read and written for week 30, but that came and went and it kept getting pushed back. While the book is amazing (goes without saying), it is also dense, and not easily breezed through like some of the other graphic novels I’ve tackled. I didn’t want to delay this column anymore than I already had done, just for the sake of one book, so I worked around this title until I could finally finish it. And then Drawtober came, and that was a month delay again. Sigh. Excuses.
Synopsis
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.
I originally purchased this book used while visiting my girlfriend-at-the-time’s college - 2007/2008 I think? Their on-site book store had it, which threw me. “Why would a college book store have a comic book graphic novel?” I’d heard of it of course, and the movie was being worked on, so I thought this was a good opportunity to jump on board. I was not the avid comic collector then that I am now, but I did have some notable books in my collection. At the time I didn’t know the legacy of this book, or its cultural impact. I knew of Alan Moore but not his influence.
I have since bought the book twice more, in the Absolute Edition and the DC Compact edition. And eyeing the Before Watchman Hardcover Omnibus for my collection.
The back of the graphic novel says it all. Its a Hugo Award winning masterwork. It's superheroes without using the term. Sophisticated and smart, and timely. Even today.
I think Alan Moore is a writer unlike any other. When I was going through the extra material in the Absolute edition, I came across the script for the first page of the first issue in Watchmen. And the first panel he has a whole page script dedicated to it. To just the first panel. The first page is seven panels, and the script for that first page is five pages of text. Like, I get that he’s setting the mood for the whole series right from the start, art and lettering-wise, but that is pretty intense.
The story
So the story takes place in 1985 in an alternate-history version of the United States where they have won the Vietnam War with the help of Dr. Manhattan, but they are now edging towards World War III with the Soviet Union. Costume vigilantes are outlawed, and most are retired or working for the Government. The Comedian (one of the remaining heroes still working for the Government) is killed which kicks off a series of events. The story primarily focuses on Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan, and Ozymandias.
Rorschach starts an investigation into the murder of The Comedian, Edward Blake, and this murder mystery unfolds into a larger conspiracy that brings the retired heroes out into an active status. The story jumps back and forth a bit to the 1940s and 1960s, which is where the first and second generation of heroes take place, before they became outlawed, and then back to the present.
The book is so thick with story and spins a intricate tale, perfectly paced, but at times, in a non-linear fashion. While moving the murder mystery forward, we also get the background stories, and origins of our present-day heroes, as well as the original generation - The Minutemen.
At the end of each issue, there is also supplementary material included. Backstory of the Minutemen, or excerpts from Hollis Mason’s book (the original Nite Owl), Under The Hood. As well as other backstory work, like newspaper interviews, letters, etc. Two to three pages of extra material, after the twenty-eight page comic - just to add to the story. Like I said, dense. But not in a bad way.
Also spliced throughout is a separate comic book tale, titled Marooned - The Tales of the Black Freighter, which is an in-story pirate comic, that one of the characters reads throughout. Marooned tells the story of a young mariner whose vessel is wrecked by the Black Freighter before it can reach his home town of Davidstown. The man goes mad in his quest to warn, or save, or avenge his family.
The story concludes with a moral dilemma for our heroes, and it raises a lot of questions about good and evil, right and wrong. Not a happy ending for anyone really. But it is an ending.
The movie tweaked the ending a bit, which makes it effectively non-canon. And the HBO show picked up after the comic-ending finished. There is also prequel comic Before Watchmen, that I have not read (but its on my list, but not yet in my collection), and then a spin-off sequel, Doomsday Clock which integrated DC Universe characters, which I have/read, and a Rorschach miniseries spin-off that I also have/read, by Tom King which follows the lasting legacy of Rorschach after his death.
Between the pages
Of Alan Moore’s works, I actually have not read a lot. I think the only other notable work is Batman: The Killing Joke, that I’ve read. But I own: V for Vendetta, The Ballad of Halo Jones, From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Promethea. I tried From Hell, and made it about half way through. I should probably re-attempt that book, or some of his other works.
Watchmen is the only works by Dave Gibbons that I have. The art in this book is amazing. The pages are all grid panels, and most of them nine panels which just adds the density of the book and storytelling structure. I feel like Tom King may have taken some inspiration from this in his writing style, as a lot of his books are paced similar, which grid structure storytelling.
Thought bubbles
I think my favourite chapter is Chapter IX - The Darkness of Mere Being. Dr. Manhattan lives outside of time and space, and perceives all history simultaneously - which is super frustrating for his ex, Sally Jupiter (Silk Spectre). In this chapter, Jon (Dr. Manhattan) has brought Sally to Mars after he has abandoned Earth, as she is going to ask him to come back to Earth to help resolve the human conflict and save the planet from nuclear war. He already knows how the conversation will go and is really just going through the motions, while trying to show Sally how beautiful Mars is, without human interference. Why would he care about humans when in the grand schemes of the universe, they are insignificant. During this chapter, Sally has a character defining moment when she finds out about who her real father is, and this miracle of human life persuades Dr. Manhattan to return. The thousand million potential children competing for fertilization, and it was Sally Jupiter that emerged from the chaos. This miracle that is so common place on our crowded planet that it is so easily forgotten.
Chapter XI - Look on My Works, Ye Mighty… is also gut punch. Adrian Veidt’s (Ozymandias) justification for his decision. The world is on the brink of war. And war has huge economic and environmental impacts. As well as societal. While the governments are focusing all its spending on the war effort and preparations, they are taking away from the old and sick, and the children in need of education. And the environmental impact, as countries try to repay their debts, will cut down or mine all their natural resources for sale. And as the world becomes more reliant on energy, all the different ways that generating this energy poisons the planet. We are seeing these impacts in our world today as Ozymandias sees them in this comic. He goes on this long monologue explaining his master plan in excruciating detail to Rorschach and Nite Owl because there’s no way to stop him. He triggered his plan thirty-five minutes ago.
Watchmen truly deserves its place on Time Magazine’s 2005 list of 100 best novels and 2009’s Top 10 graphic novels. It’s cliche to say it’s the best superhero comic ever, but it’s likely true. And it is almost nearing 40 years old, and the franchise is still very strong.
I would have some fan art for this book, but after Drawtober, I’m taking a drawing break for the rest of the year. I will say, twelve days in, this is proving to be very difficult as I am itching to draw. But I really do want / need a break.
Next read:
Book 33: FABLES - Vol 1: Legends in Exile (Bill Willingham & Lan Medina)
Previous read:
Book 31: Bear Pirate Viking Queen
Book 30: Far Sector
Book 29: The Roman Stars Vol 1
Book 28: Fatale
Book 27: CHU Vol. 1-2