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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
One of the best things I have ever read. The complexity of the characters astounded me.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Amazing. Challenges every superhero story standard, blurs the line between hero and villain, and poses ethically ambiguous life questions that deal with morality, responsibility, and sacrifice. Fantastic writing, juxtaposed effectively with artwork. Off to watch the movie.
>>movie not as good. loses some complexity in the translation. Rorschach and John still great. some of the acting is pretty bad (Laurie). definitely read the book.
>>movie not as good. loses some complexity in the translation. Rorschach and John still great. some of the acting is pretty bad (Laurie). definitely read the book.
Maybe it's because I did not read it at the time it was first written, but after I finished reading it, I did not "get" what the big deal was. I enjoyed it but it wasn't, in my opinion, worth the adulation it seems to garner.
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! This book is a serious piece of work. When I got it from the library I figured "It's a graphic novel. I'll be done with this in a couple days." I was very, very wrong. The level of detail in Watchmen is astounding. There are stories within stories in all different kinds of formats (journal entries, crime logs, character autobiographies, news stories, etc.). The metaphors, allegories, hidden details make this book a fun, rich experience.
I'm not typically one for super hero content, and the only reason I read this was because I love the creators and cast of the new show on HBO. I wanted to catch up on the Watchmen world before diving into the show, and I am so happy I did! I was expecting constant fight scenes with heroes in costumes being revered by the city. Watchmen has much more depth than that. The characters are complex, the plot keeps you on your toes, and the whole story wraps nicely.
I'm not typically one for super hero content, and the only reason I read this was because I love the creators and cast of the new show on HBO. I wanted to catch up on the Watchmen world before diving into the show, and I am so happy I did! I was expecting constant fight scenes with heroes in costumes being revered by the city. Watchmen has much more depth than that. The characters are complex, the plot keeps you on your toes, and the whole story wraps nicely.
What if superheroes were real? They'd probably get corrupt, government controlled, cover up secrets, get caught in slander campaigns, etc.
Peer pressure at its finest helped in convincing me to read Watchmen. After finishing it, I now realize why my friends are, well, my friends. I had truly been missing out on the glory that is Alan Moore. Initially I started hearing a lot about him this past year when his scandalous Lost Girls (next on my list) hit the shelves, but it wasn’t until browsing in the bookstore this month and finding myself staring at Watchmen, that I knew it was fate.
What Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons managed to do with Watchmen surpasses any preconception you may have with comic books. It’s just that good. And yes, it’s a story about “masked adventurers” saving people from injustices and fighting crime but then again, it’s so much more. Throughout the compilation, the superheroes are torn from their pedestals and deconstructed to their most human qualities (well, all but one), giving you a glimpse into why they have chosen to lead the lives they have. And what you find is a beautifully woven web of stories dealing with loss, love, indifference and insanity. Suffice to say that the writing is brilliant, with a clever use of metafiction (a horribly dark comic book within an even darker one? Oh, yes.) and smart symbolism sprinkled throughout.
My recommendation?
Read it, now.
What Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons managed to do with Watchmen surpasses any preconception you may have with comic books. It’s just that good. And yes, it’s a story about “masked adventurers” saving people from injustices and fighting crime but then again, it’s so much more. Throughout the compilation, the superheroes are torn from their pedestals and deconstructed to their most human qualities (well, all but one), giving you a glimpse into why they have chosen to lead the lives they have. And what you find is a beautifully woven web of stories dealing with loss, love, indifference and insanity. Suffice to say that the writing is brilliant, with a clever use of metafiction (a horribly dark comic book within an even darker one? Oh, yes.) and smart symbolism sprinkled throughout.
My recommendation?
Read it, now.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Murder
My first graphic novel, that too one hailed as one of the greatest graphic novel. The reason for the term graphic novel for serious comics and the only graphic novel to appear on Time's 2005 "All-Time 100 Greatest Novels" list. With a very complex and compelling story Alan Moore redefined superheroes while Dave Gibbon's illustrations alleviated Moore's scripting. Even better than its movie adaptation which I loved. Watchmen's philosophical and political content makes it much better in each rereading also the genius illustration which hides a lot in it as the creators meant it to be only understandable on more than one rereading.
Rorschach, The Comedian, Dr.Manhattan and Ozymandius are some of the greatest characters I have read or seen.
In a world where superheroes are outlawed and no one is interested in them, when nuclear war can break out any time in the world the fate of the future of human race itself is in question. By the death of a former superhero a chain of events starts where some of the former heroes comes out of the shadows only to understand how very little they can do when the world itself seems to be asking for a catastrophe.
While the ending is significantly different from the movie, both works on its own right.
This is a piece of literature that is one of the best books I have read yet.
Only one question I have left really
Who will watch the Watchmen?
Not just the superhero team but people who have powers reminiscent to superheroes (Metaphorically ofcourse). Are we safe from them? Are they safe from us?
The clock to doomsday is clicking
Rorschach, The Comedian, Dr.Manhattan and Ozymandius are some of the greatest characters I have read or seen.
In a world where superheroes are outlawed and no one is interested in them, when nuclear war can break out any time in the world the fate of the future of human race itself is in question. By the death of a former superhero a chain of events starts where some of the former heroes comes out of the shadows only to understand how very little they can do when the world itself seems to be asking for a catastrophe.
While the ending is significantly different from the movie, both works on its own right.
This is a piece of literature that is one of the best books I have read yet.
Only one question I have left really
Who will watch the Watchmen?
Not just the superhero team but people who have powers reminiscent to superheroes (Metaphorically ofcourse). Are we safe from them? Are they safe from us?
The clock to doomsday is clicking