A review by claire678
Watchmen by Alan Moore

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I wish there was a word that’s like ‘cinematic’ for comics because that’s what this is… I love how they intersperse two scenes and have the dialogue of one play over the visuals of another, I think that’s called “pre-lap” in movies. The way flashbacks are integrated is very natural.

I love noir-esque characters which I think Rorschach falls into. I love how he breaks and enters and then says “be seeing you” mmh!!!!! Also the way he drops some words/pronouns/articles when he speaks also fun! (Not sure if this is how Allen Moore intended it but being ugly and talking weird and being uncomfortable with sexuality—not bad things!! The actions Rorschach takes and being a misogynist, yes, bad things)

I know someone out there has made a college class going over Political Events of the 20th Century Through the Lens of Watchmen and I would like to take it…. So far major deviations from real life ive noticed are dr Manhattan won the Vietnam war for the usa, and the Watergate stuff, and the comedian resolved the Iranian Hostage Crisis (how???). definitely will need to reread a few times… 

Very masterful juggling of multiple characters and their distinct backstories, this would have been incredibly confusing to me if this information was described in a different narrative style. And even the smaller characters you get to know, like the NYC newspaper seller and comic reader pay off in a big way…