Yeah I know but I read it before it was cool. ( )

Watchmen is highly addictive – once I began it, I wanted to do nothing else but read it, but, alas, life and its duties called. The art work is beautiful, with an array of both dark and bright colors used, realistically drawn figures, scenes filled with extraneous background details (which do, however, shed light on the happenings of this alternative history version of the world), and violence that is stylized enough not to be too disturbing but that still conveys the atmosphere of the dystopia created by Moore. The story itself, plot wise, isn’t all that different from typical “action” stories and movies. However, the way it unravels is done with perfection. Moore gives all of his characters fierce emotions, motivations, and back stories. Flashbacks are frequent in the novel and are transitioned into very well, both visually and textually. Moore also inserts another comic book within the pages of Watchmen – a fictional comic called The Tales of the Black Freighter. The narrative of this comic is interspersed within the narrative of Watchmen to underscore specific points in the story. In addition, Moore does something I find quite innovative for a graphic novel – at the end of each chapter he includes an “excerpt” from something within his fictional world (a memoir by a former superhero, clippings from a newspaper, etc.) which is mainly textual. Overall, a wonderfully executed book, both visually and textually, which I think would appeal to many, even those who don’t normally read graphic novels. ( )

I love super hero stories, and this saga of fallen super heros and their attempts to still save their society (from each other) was amazing.

Beautiful, all around. ( )

I saw the movie before reading this, so my perception is biased. This was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best novels (well, it's a graphic novel, but close enough) since 1923. I wouldn't go that far, but it is a fine and groundbreaking work. The Watchmen were a group of costumed super-heroes that formed after World War II; at first their exploits were naive and uncomplicated. The advent of the 1960's and the Viet Nam war changed the public's and their own perception of themselves. When one of the Watchmen decides that the only way to end the looming threat of nuclear war is by means of an unimaginable sacrifice, some others of the group try to stop his plan. The ending presents choices of ethical ambiguity, and could fuel many discussions about what the right thing to do would have been. This is a complex, well-wrought graphic novel, with good (but not great) artwork. I did enjoy the movie more, though. ( )

Had to read it before the movie came out. was not disappointed. Yet to see the movie. ( )