Watchmen

Rating:
Summary: who reads the watchmen?
Review: though this story was written before I got into comics, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's Watchmen is regarded as a masterpiece within the medium. I picked it up because of the praise of other icons in the comics field such as Stan Lee who said something to the effect of: It (Watchmen) might almost be the best, but it isn't a Marvel. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: A Flawed Masterpiece
Review: It is well accepted in the comic industry that Alan Moore's Watchmen, along with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, revitalized the comic industry in the early 1980s, turning it from a medium largely exploited for children into a more "adult" sort of way to tell a story. Although the Japanese have been producing mature stories for years using both comics and animation, Americans are just catching on, but it's great to return to books like Watchmen to see how the entire movement developed here. Moore has done quite a bit of work in the comic industry, but Watchmen seems to be the piece he's most well-known for.

What Moore presents is a story where super-heroes are nothing more than human beings. With the exception of nuclear accident Dr. Manhattan, every "super-hero" is only a masked vigilante, and society has long since turned their backs on these "uncivilized" crime fighters. Little more than a fad in the 1950s, super-heros have become a footnote, and now it seems as if someone's out to either kill them or put them in prison for good. Giving away much more of the story would be doing Mr. Moore's perfectly-paced writing a grave disservice, but the struggle to discover the "villian" takes place against a Reagan-esque background of the threat of nuclear war as the Soviets invade Afghanistan, lending a sense of both urgency and historical siginificance to the work in general.

What matters here isn't so much the story, although it's interesting to read on its own, but the character profiles. Watchmen, which refers to the old Latin saying "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" - "Who watches the watchmen," is a study of what would possess a person to actually don a costume of, say, a giant owl, or a mini-skirt and scoop-top, and go out and fight "evil." What is evil? Is the "hero" who destroys a family and ruins a child's image of his mother any better than the mother herself? Can rape be excused if the rapist has saved thousands of other people's lives? At what point does vegeance and morality clash, or coincide? How sane are these people? And, most importantly, who is watching them - who's making sure they act in the best interests of the people they are supposed to protect?

These are never easy questions, and Moore doesn't resort to easy answers - except once, and that is the single flaw in an otherwise perfect stained-glass window. I won't give specifics, but let's just say that Dr. Manhattan's final answer to his Mars question is a real disappointment, especially considering the quality of the rest of the book. I wouldn't let it ruin my good time, though.

Watchmen is a great work of art. To call it a comic lessens its impact. To call it a book is a mistake. It's simply Watchmen, and it's worth owning. Moore is a master writer, and reading his work is as delicious as Nabokov or Sherman Alexie. It's not to be missed, even if it isn't perfect.

Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking in the '80s, but not today
Review: Shortly after this book was released in the 80s, a friend lent it to me, and it was a great read at the time, with its East/West conflict, characters searching to understand others, and themselves. People who were neither completely good, nor completely rotten. All this set in a world in which Richard Nixon was re-elected and the Constitution amended to allow him to continually seek and win re-election. And, the now requisite Armageddon, or near Armageddon. It was groundbreaking. But that was the mid-80s. This is 2001. Most of the themes in this book have been picked up and carried further by others,including the best graphic novel ever done, Ross/Waid's "Kingdom Come." This book is a good starting point and really should be used as what historians call a primary source, to get an understanding of the pop culture issues of the 1980s. They're all there, only they're disguised, and not always so well-hidden.

Rating:
Summary: excellent... but not a five star book
Review: Watchmen is an excellent graphic novel. The characters are totally dope and the story is great. Pure Alan Moore. But to say, I am quite disappointed with Alan Moore's work because there is one thing that he includes in all of it: nudity and language. In my point of view, I think that comics should lack the amount of language and nudity. In Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan was nude throughout the novel, which was totally unnecessary. And when (I forgot the woman's name) went nude and had sex in the dark, I thought that was totally, totally unnecessary. I don't know if it is true but is Alan Moore just another perverted writer who all he thinks about is nudity, language and sex. But overall, this novel is totally awesome except with all the adult content, language and nudity.

Rating:
Summary: Who's watching the Watchmen?
Review: I avoided this book for so long. As an adolescent, it was all super heroes to me. But after purchasing this book and reading it cover to cover in ONE DAY, I have to admit that I was wrong to wait so long. Read it and experience super heroes as the tragic heroes they really are.

Rating:
Summary: Greatest comic story of all time.
Review: I know that sounds like a bit much but this is truly an tale with a Shakespear like eye for story structure and poetic language (I'm not saying Alan Moore is the next Shakespear, just that he's a fantastic writer). All of the characters are extremely well done and none of them perfect. On an alternate Earth, the cold war is starting to cuase more panic and things get more serious. Meanwhile a mean spirited government agent the Comedian, is murdered under mysterious circumstances. Only the psychotic detective known as Rorshach. But will any of the retired heroes be able to help Rorshach? Do they want to? The ending to this one is a bonefide shocker.

All of the characters are engaging. The retired Nite Owl, who's let himself go since he gave up fighting crime, both physically and mentally. The God-like Dr. Manhattan, whose power is seemingly limitless except his inability to change foreseen events. The beautiful Silk Spectre, who learns something horrible about the Comedian which she must come to terms with. The Comedian, the a living joke satire on everything wrong with America. Rorshach, the mentally unstable detective. Adrian Veldt, a genius who used his vast intelligence to become very wealthy and leads a life of decedance.

The world of the Watchmen is well put together. Dr. Manhattan was used to win WWII. Nixon is still president. Vigiantism is outlawed and many heroes are now working for the government.

The book is beautifully and poetically drawn by Dave Gibbons and the book is extremely well done. I have nothing more to say about this book without giving away surprises so I'll just tell you it's very very good.

Rating:
Summary: It's a lot of things...but the best??
Review: Upon first read, I didn't really know what to make of this. Probably praised more than any other comic even made, it is most certainly a painstakingly crafted tale which succeeds on every attempted level. But perfect? Not in this humble opinion.

Moore, quite clearly, is not a fan of the super-hero. With "Watchmen", he chips away at the characters throughout, exposing greater weaknesses than in ordinary, "normal" humans. As a result, there are few, if truly any, likeable characters in these pages. You have Rorshach, who comes by far the closest despite being arguably near-insane. It's difficult to tell whether or not Moore himself likes the character. Is he simply a vehicle for social comment? The other main characters are pretty much dull for the most part. Nite Owl, Laurie, even the almighty Doc Manhattan completely fail in inspiring the kind of awe and respect one would imagine from a super-hero. I can't help but think, this story told within the actual DC universe would be far more effective. A story about the ramifications of actual super powered beings on the planet suffers with such a pathetic stable of actual heroes.

That said, the story is not really about super-powers. It's about the emotion, and the weight of the real world upon the do-gooders. Here, Moore is flawless. The dialogue is tight, always appropriate, and the story is sprawling yet easy to follow. The "extras" at the end of each chapter really flesh out the experience, and its surprising this technique is not used more often. The entire idea is exceedingly clever, and always thought provoking. The "little things" that make comics fun abound, from the truly entertaining, parallel to the main plotline, pirate story, to the plentiful flashbacks which effectively give the characters history.

Gibbon's art, to be honest, is adequate but quite stiff. The world, although very detailed, is never really alive. But his storytelling never misses a beat, blending very well with Moore's script.

And this is truly a colossal work. Moore and Gibbons put such an incredible amount of effort into it, you simply owe it a great deal of respect. It's as if all considerations to accessibility, market viability, and appeal to all audiences were thrown out the window. A definate labor of love, made for the sake of making a great story. Something all too rare.

So, how to end this? Well, I will say that every fan should have a copy. But it is far from the be-all and end-all of comic art. If you're looking for an action-packed, quick moving story, this is the farthest thing from it. It has its moments in that regard, but nothing amazing. How does it stack up against the other classics? For me, Dark Knight Returns beats it out, and I found the virtually unknown Sqaudron Supreme series, which predates it, to be a little more engaging. Kingdom Come is undeniably the more enjoyable read, but anything Alex Ross paints is spectacular. So pick all of these up, and enjoy some of the best that comics has to offer.

Rating:
Summary: I will never read another book as good as The Watchmen
Review: I can't say this is my favorite comic book, because it is just my favorite book. I was never really IN to comic books. One day in English class my teacher recommended I read this book called The Watchmen. Reluctant at first, I was hooked by the third page. Not hyperbole. This is the most deep and touching book I have ever read, and I cried when I was reading the last few pages. I never cry. This book will forever touch me, and it must be reread before you can even comprehend the true beauty of the book. This book contains brilliant messages about war, peace, morals, justice, love, life, and the growth and changing of the human soul that I will carry with me till the day I die and beyond. This book should be considered mandatory reading for anyone who wants to call themselves a person.
The story of the book is about a cold war based world in which superheroes really exist, but instead of making them stereotypical truth, justice, and the American way heroes who go around solving all the worlds problems, they are often right wing, often insane, often extremist, often homosexual radicals who aren't 2-dimensional "Supermans". This book takes a realistic look at their actual personalities. This book also takes a realistic look at what the world around them would be. Who would have won Vietnam if the US had a nearly omnipotent superpowered being on its side? What if someone with super human intellect brought amazingly advanced technology to the world? The story focuses on the conflicts of characters and the paths they take to reach justice stemming from the death of one of their own. Another thing in this book, superheroes actually die, and it's not just a little publicity exercise, and they don't just come back in the next issue. Whether you like comics or not, read The Watchmen. And read it again. You will be changed.

Rating:
Summary: Graphic literature at its best
Review: I'd written in my review of Marvels that it was my favorite graphic novel of all time...I guess I hadn't read enough graphic novels. The Watchmen is easily as good as Marvels, The Dark Knight Returns, or what have you. This is a super-hero epic designed for adults who have a serious interest as comic books as an art form. The term "graphic novel" is sometimes misapplied to over-blown comic books...that is not the case here. Alan Moore is a great writer (arguably the best in the field) and, in The Watchmen, he has created a story of great depth, scope, and meaning. I have discovered internet sites dedicated to pointing out the hidden subtexts and motifs of this book...they are not reading too much into it. The task Moore sets for himself (as he often does) is to ask the question, "What would the world be like if super-heroes really existed?" That question is more far-reaching than the average comic book implies. The plot unfolds, not in a comic book way, but the way it might really happen. The ending is completely original and totally unexpected.

On a personal note, this book will forever be entwined in my mind with the events of September 11, 2001. Some of the issues in the book cut a little too close to home. But for me specifically, I'll remember staying up late the night before reading this book, and then being awakened by my roommates early the next morning to the scene of the World Trade Center in flames...and thinking that I'd read the comic for too long. Things this terrible don't happen in the real world, only in comic books...right?

Rating:
Summary: Transcending "comics"
Review: I've been reading comics since I was a kid (ok, I'm only 18 right now...) I stopped collecting because all the comic shops near me shut down. I recently bought Watchmen on ... here, and without a doubt, it is THE BEST comic I have ever read. There are no superheroic battles, rather gritty, down to Earth crimes and crimesolving. The alternate history timeline is simply the finest writing I've ever seen in a comic. I've heard so much about Watchmen before, I finally broke down and bought it to see what the hoopla is all about. Thank goodness I did. This is a comic that justifies the medium. When someone says "you read comics?!" in disgust, show them this, or better yet, make them read it, and they'll have an appreciation for the art. Simply timeless and amazing.