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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
My first foray into the world of serious graphic novels and I think it's going to be hard to beat!
We begin in-medias-res, cutting between a man being attacked in his home and defenistrated, and the two detectives investigating the murder. Chillingly the attack is from the assailant's point of view and is colourised in shades of bloody red. This is the murder of The Comedian, part of the first generation of 1940s American superheroes. As news of his death ricochets among his masked associates, each of our protagonists ruminates on their dealings with him, doling out a double-helping of backstory as their shared histories are revealed. This is just the spark that sets the story off, exploding outwards into a conspiracy. The plot examines and revolves around cold war tensions and threat of nuclear war, but also explores themes of power and responsibility, love and desperation, and glares unflinchingly into the violence and blackness that humanity is capable of. All this is perfect for the setting of 1980s New York, where street violence and vandalism was rife.
The storytelling is engaging, the prose is riveting, and the concepts are thrilling and deeply engrossing. Above all these though are the characters. So much time is set aside to examine each main character, more so than most works of fiction, and even the supporting cast are lovingly fleshed out and could practically walk off the page. Moore has the decency to assume our patience and attention are robust enough to follow his beckoning call into the depths of this alternate reality, and his trust in us pays off. Our four lead heroes deal with issues of middle-aged inertia, impotence, loss of a sense of self, loss of faith in humanity, and rejection of family. This barely scratches the surface and says nothing of Dr Manhatten, the living man-god who sees all of time at once, offering a fascinating and tragic glimpse into the burden of omnipotence.
The only mildly negative thing I could say about this book is I'm not wild about the illustration style. It sounds like a fundamental issue with a comic book, but the colourisation is so brilliantly done that each panel still transfixed me. Plus I love the character design of Dr Manhatten and Rorschach (oh, how I love Rorschach!).
I could prattle on about this book for an age, since its depth and detail extends far beyond what most fiction offers. There is good and evil in this book in equal measure, there is a surprising examination of humanity, and there is blue man-god who builds a fortress out of glass on Mars. What more could you ask for?
Kirsty got me this as a present for Christmas 2020 and I started it as soon as I could!
We begin in-medias-res, cutting between a man being attacked in his home and defenistrated, and the two detectives investigating the murder. Chillingly the attack is from the assailant's point of view and is colourised in shades of bloody red. This is the murder of The Comedian, part of the first generation of 1940s American superheroes. As news of his death ricochets among his masked associates, each of our protagonists ruminates on their dealings with him, doling out a double-helping of backstory as their shared histories are revealed. This is just the spark that sets the story off, exploding outwards into a conspiracy. The plot examines and revolves around cold war tensions and threat of nuclear war, but also explores themes of power and responsibility, love and desperation, and glares unflinchingly into the violence and blackness that humanity is capable of. All this is perfect for the setting of 1980s New York, where street violence and vandalism was rife.
The storytelling is engaging, the prose is riveting, and the concepts are thrilling and deeply engrossing. Above all these though are the characters. So much time is set aside to examine each main character, more so than most works of fiction, and even the supporting cast are lovingly fleshed out and could practically walk off the page. Moore has the decency to assume our patience and attention are robust enough to follow his beckoning call into the depths of this alternate reality, and his trust in us pays off. Our four lead heroes deal with issues of middle-aged inertia, impotence, loss of a sense of self, loss of faith in humanity, and rejection of family. This barely scratches the surface and says nothing of Dr Manhatten, the living man-god who sees all of time at once, offering a fascinating and tragic glimpse into the burden of omnipotence.
The only mildly negative thing I could say about this book is I'm not wild about the illustration style. It sounds like a fundamental issue with a comic book, but the colourisation is so brilliantly done that each panel still transfixed me. Plus I love the character design of Dr Manhatten and Rorschach (oh, how I love Rorschach!).
I could prattle on about this book for an age, since its depth and detail extends far beyond what most fiction offers. There is good and evil in this book in equal measure, there is a surprising examination of humanity, and there is blue man-god who builds a fortress out of glass on Mars. What more could you ask for?
Kirsty got me this as a present for Christmas 2020 and I started it as soon as I could!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book gave me something to think of which I'm gradually forgetting to do on a daily basis. Life's become very mechanical and that is where, for me, art comes in.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What needs to be said about the book that re-defined comics for the late 20th century. True, the incessant imitations of Moore's grim, gritty tone are growing tiresome -- who really needs another DC/WB Batman movie? -- but returning to the original, it's easy to see its originality and power.
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
The style is not quite my cup of tea visually, but I quite enjoy the points where the merging of and parallels between plot lines are displayed through alternating panels. The plot became more interesting as the different layers of the story became visible, and from issue #9 onwards I finally got caught up in it. Some ethical points made in the story remain significant today and it's interesting to follow them as an exploration of an alternate history.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated