Watchmen - Books (Alan Moore, Paperback)

Has any comic been as lauded as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns but Watchmen remains the critics' favourite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller's fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre's finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and recently From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to garner praise since.

The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore's characterisation is as sophisticated as any novel's. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling, rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control--indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making "adult" comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD's Rogue Trooper and DC's Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore's paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other "works" and "studies" on Moore's characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the fine pace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up--it retains its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. --Mark Thwaite

Customer Reviews of Watchmen

100wordreviewer
Kiev
31st December 2008

Iconic, influential, inimitable... and intermittently irritating
First off, "Watchmen" is an awesome product. Chapter 1, especially the opening two pages (closing with "That's quite a drop") have definite wow factor. Throughout, the multitextured storyline by Alan Moore and the terrific artwork by Dave Gibbons surprise, intrigue and entertain. The ambitious concept of trying to give the comic heroes of the 1940s both a back story and a future comes off pretty well. The characterisation and the sombre mood are both exquisite.

So what's not to like? First, the resolution is, compared with the complexity of most of the storyline, daft. Villains (or heroes) who say: "If we do X, Y will happen" are always suspect. Veidt's big play, and the world's simplistic reaction, don't live up to the rest of the book. I also found some of the side stories illustrating the horrors of the world a bit too discursive. So only four stars.

Pros: drop-dead brilliant product. Cons: a bit dated and occasionally long-winded.

TechnoT2525
England
25th December 2008

Mind Blowing
Couldn't help myself getting immersed into Watchmen, it's absolutly compelling, the way it's written and the way it looks is mind blowing, I can understand this is an acquired taste and its a real shame if you don't get into it like I and so many others have.

Be sure to get this 5 star item before the world ends.

Mrs. Aiko J. Hester

17th November 2008

Watchmen forever!
I have always been a graphic novel buff ever since buying Hitman & Preacher in my late teens. And now in my early 30's I came across an old box containing my old graphic novels, I felt that I struck gold! I loved the V for Vendetta movie and decided to purchase the V for Vendetta graphic novel and found it gripping, intense and incredible (not that I'm a non-conformist!). Thus leading me to Watchmen. What can I say, WOW! This is my second read of Watchmen within a month. It's definately better reading it again & again! It is imperative to read Watchmen before the movie. So, what are you waiting for.....go & buy it!!!!!

15th November 2008

!!!!!!GREAT!!!!!!!!
I didn't really know what to expect from this book.I bought V for Vendeta {by the same author Alan Moore} because of it's positive feedback but after reading it for a couple of hous I knew that I would be giving it negative.So as you can imagine I was a little bit wary of buying Watchmen but boy am I glad I did.Right away from the fdirst page I was hooked by its compelling story and often had to fight with myself to put it down.The characters are ingaging (Rosoach especially) and are all totaly different.The art (Dave Gibbons) is amsing and fits so well with Moores story tellig.I could go on for hours about all the good things this book has to over but basiclliy !!!JUST BY IT!!!!!

reading fool

30th October 2008

Surprisingly great
Recently, I have reached a part in my life in which I have gone back to reading comics. This is not a comic.

This is one of the finist pieces of literature I have ever read.

Alan Moore is is a very good writer, getting across the themes of this book, and has defined how good books should be written in the graphic novel form.

A very good book. NOT A COMIC.