The murder of a costumed hero sparks a chain of events that will change the world forever.

If you're at all interested in the history of the comic book, you've heard of WATCHMEN. It revolutionized the medium and paved the way for all the edgier stuff that's come after. It's acclaimed not just as a comic book but as a serious work of literature. WATCHMEN may not be essential to an understanding of the late twentieth/early twenty-first century comic book, but it's undoubtedly an important work. I can't imagine why you'd want to cheat yourself out of it.

Alan Moore has been praised for deconstructing the superhero, but I'd argue that he's doing much more than that. He's also crafted an alternate world in which one important change has had organic, logical consequences for society as a whole, and in doing so he's deconstructed the comic itself. It's brilliantly done. It's deep and complex and subtle. And it's hella interesting.

In Moore's alternate world, Superman's first appearance inspired not just comic book creators but real people who donned costumes and hit the streets to fight crime. They've got day jobs and rent to pay and all the emotional problems that come along with everyday life. Few of them are wealthy. None of them have superpowers. They're just regular people who've costumed up for reasons as varied as their own personalities. Some of them really want to make a difference. Others hope to boost their careers. Some are on a power trip. A few just get off on the pretense. One is only in it because her mother has forced her. Moore comments on their place in the world via short excerpts from relevant sources, (autobiographies, scholarly papers, etc.), tacked onto the end of each chapter.

I say that none of them have superpowers, but that's not quite true. Jon Osterman --aka Dr. Manhattan--is the lone superpowered superhero in this world. Jon gains his powers during a horrific accident in which his corporeal body is annihilated. He gains the ability to see and understand all things at all times. He knows the past, present and future as one. He can see exactly how subatomic particles come together. He has complete control over his own reformed body, which is blue and glowing. And his powers have changed him, mentally as well as physically. He's not your standard, "I must use my powers to fight crime and save the world!" superhero; neither is he the typical, "I shall use my powers to enhance my own personal glory!" kind of a supervillain. He just... is.

He's had a huge impact on the world at large. The US won the Vietnam War, with his help. His ability to see and control subatomic particles has led to massive scientific breakthroughs, including efficient airships that have largely replaced airplanes and electric cars powered by public power hydrants. The world looks very much like our own, but it's really not. The changes are small, subtle, and absolutely vital to the way we react to the story. They don't sound like much on the surface, but they go deep. It's brilliant.

Perhaps the most interesting shift, though, occurs within this alternate world's comic book industry. Faced with real-life heroes like Hooded Justice, Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan, comic book creators feel no need to inundate the market with fictional heroes. Instead, comic books focus on pirates and ghouls - the very storylines, in fact, that came under so much scrutiny in our own world during the 1950's. Moore asks us to consider the comic book as escapist literature, as an art form, and in terms of its creative development. I find comic book history just fascinating, and I loved seeing how Moore's alternate world had diverged from our own where comics were concerned. My very favourite end-of-chapter excerpt dealt with how the government vetoed the creation of the Comics Code Authority, the organization that held such sway over our own comic industry for so long.

Moore blends all these elements so well that you'll never notice the seams. He's crafted an absolutely fantastic piece of work that forces us to consider not only the society within the book but also our own world and its own brand of heroics. There's so much here. I haven't even scratched the surface.

On the downside, Dave Gibbons's art is a little dated now. You'd never mistake this for a contemporary work; the use of line, coupled with John Higgins's colours, has a distinctly 80's feel to it. There are also some Cold War themes that may not resonate as well with those who didn't live through those times (translation: me).

But on the whole, it's excellent. I highly recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in comic books. It's a hefty tome, so far as graphic novels go, but it is most definitely worth it.

(A slightly longer version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina). ( )

It’s difficult to write anything new about Watchmen. I read this book about five years ago, pretty much before I really got into the whole sequential art as a way of story telling. I’ll admit I was fairly nonplussed when I read it then. This time around, for whatever reason, I just got the story. The plot is dense but superbly written and the art just somehow fits with the book. The prose background pieces inbetween each issue made compelling reading as well. It’s easy now to see why this book is held in such high regard. An undoubted classic. ( )

Reviewed by Mr. Kome ( )

Watchmen is as good as you expect. It answers the question we always ask ourselves: What would super heros be like if they were real? Well, for starters they would all have to be a little crazy. Superman would be more god than man. Batman would be insane. You get the idea. The ultimate conclusions Moore draws are ones I fundamentally disagree with. But regardless of your world view, you will find something to latch onto. Long live Rorschach! ( )

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. ( )

A classic. Its a bit dated from its 80's culture and doomsday countdown. The movie was a remarkable adaptation of this deep rich story. ( )

When I read 'Watchmen' in 2006, it was the first graphic novel I'd ever read. I thought it was fabulous. The release of the movie has prompted me to read it again. Since then I've read Bechdel's 'Fun Home' and Lemire's 'Essex County' books, and 'Watchmen' now seems rather adolescent. The art is gorgeous, and the dialogue is good, but the two-dimensional characters — especially the women! Of course, I understand that Moore created 'Watchmen' more than 20 years ago. He was using the elements of superhero comics and taking them further than they'd ever gone before, laying the foundation for the kind of work that's being done today. But, sorry Alan, when I looked at the row of 5 stars, I could only click the middle one. ( )

Watchmen was my first foray into graphic novels, and I was immediately hooked. I found the characters fascinating and intricate, the illustrations vivid and evocative, and the plotline depressing as hell.... To explain: Moore wrote this in 1985 but it could just as easily been today with minor changes. Different players but the same game. It's a mad world. It always has been and heaven help us, it always will be. At least that's what it feels like sometimes.

Moore creatively intertwines various stories, highlighting not only our "heroes" but also ordinary people on a street corner. This juxtaposition helps the reader see the hero, the villain, and the victim in everyman. ( )

I have never read graphical novels before, I never really knew the difference between comics and graphical novels. I have wanted to get into it, and when I saw a complete Watchmen paperback for sale, I just grabbed it. I know it was there because of the movie, but I have not seen the movie, so this was really my first exposure to Watchmen.

I was immediately taken with it. The story is great, and the graphics provide a background and a background story that completes the story (for example the Pirate Ship story that one character is reading). I found it all so clever, so wonderful. One thing to keep in mind however, is that this book was written/created in 1985, when the cold war was still a reality. Keeping this in mind makes the story a bit more logical.

The only reservation I had is that the ending is not in the style of the story, it is a bit of a let down. However, when you start reflecting, the ending is perfect, and it actually adds a whole new perspective. This book definitely warrants a reread, where I know I'll discover all kinds of new things about this book. ( )

It took me a long time to read this book, even though I was told repeatedly that I would love it. There was just something about comics that put me off. Finally, after reading Maus by Art Spiegelman and loving it, I decided to give Watchmen a shot, and I'm glad that I did.

On the first read-through, I gave the book four stars. I've read it four times now, and each time it gets better and I notice things that I've missed during my previous read-throughs. The subject matter is really deep in places, and it's not a light read by any means.

I will definitely be re-reading this book in the future (in fact, I started my fifth read-through today). ( )

This is a brave new world for me. Long have I pretended to be open-minded about comic books or 'graphic novels' when really I thought they were shit I'd never bother with. But I was in L.A.X. with nothing to do, and when in Rome...

The format was a pleasant surprise. Even though it was mainly driven by dialogue, the pictures made up for the lack of descriptive writing and I found myself getting through the stuff at quite a pace. I really enjoyed the alternative ways of presenting more background information at the end each chapter (newspaper reports/letters etc.) and the comic within a comic about the pirates. All very 'meta' and post-modern.

There were great attempts made at psychological realism which were hugely hindered by the superhero format. I still don't understand why they had to wear costumes in order to help people (perhaps it IS a sexual thing?). The ending was a puzzle - Moore seemed to be saying that the efforts of anyone 'ordinary' are a waste of time and that only megalomaniac genii or people who've had unconvincing nuclear accidents can make any difference to anything. So as for the question, quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who knows? No one, it seems.

Great format, laboured content, but all in all not as bad as I'd feared

Amazing. Both the writing and artwork are top notch. ( )

(Excerpts taken from reading/viewing blog I keep:)

(After having finished the first three issues in the trade paperback collection:) "I've been enjoying them well enough, so far. I mean, it's not knocking me over yet, but the characters are somewhat interesting. (I'm not going to go into the whole history of the project here. There are enough websites out there already where folks who don't know the history can catch themselves up. Suffice it say, the characters Moore created here are variations on the 1960s Charlton characters--Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, Peacemaker, The Question, etc.--which DC had just purchased the rights to. Moore had originally intended on using the Charlton characters but was asked by DC to modify his story idea to feature original characters instead because DC felt that Moore's story would hurt their chances to continue to use the Charlton characters they had just paid for in future publications.)

What I like most so far is probably the flashbacks to the 1940s and 1960s. In the 1940s, there was a team of superheroes called the "Minutemen". Some of these same characters, now retired, are seen also in the present day (1980s) scenes. Then, in the 1960s, we see a new group of superheroes (Captain Metropolis, Nite Owl (2), Ozymandias, Silk Spectre (2), Rorschach, and the Comedian.

As I said, the "present day" is the same as that of when the comics were originally released, the mid-1980s, so twenty years have passed since the 1960s flashbacks. Most of the heroes have either retired or been killed in the ensuing years. Rorschach and the Comedian are still active. The first issue of the series begins with the murder of the Comedian. Rorschach is convinced that someone is hunting down superheroes. His warnings largely fall upon deaf ears, at least at first.

The first three issues tend to jump from the investigation into the murder of the Comedian, showing us how the other current superheroes are now living their lives, and flashbacks to the aforementioned 1940s and 1960s time periods. Moore's characters are by no means idealized. They all have their own personal problems and hang-ups, some serious and some less so. Watchmen is definitely not a comic book (or "graphic novel") for younger children."

(After reading issues four through nine:) "Series continues to grow more interesting as I make my way through the middle chapters. Chapter (and issue number) four gives us an indepth look at the origin and background of Dr. Manhattan. Chapter five continues the present day plot lines forward, including an attack on Ozymandias, Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl 2) and Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre 2) getting together, and Rorschach being ambushed and captured by the police. Chapter six is all about Rorschach and his background while Rorschach is in prison. Chapter seven (one of my favorites so far) focuses entirely on Dan and Laurie and their growing relationship. Chapter eight gives us Dan and Laurie (as Nite Owl and Silk Spectre) leading a jail break to spring Rorschach from prison. It also features the apparent death of one of the older generation former masked heroes. And chapter nine reunites Laurie and Dr. Manhattan on the surface of Mars where Dr. Manhattan has been since issue number four. Particularly memorable is the moment he transports her there with his powers. She immediately begins to asphyxiate as he has forgotten that she will not be able to breath (and he apparently does not need to breath, himself). After a moment of her falling down an inbankment and flailing around, he says, "Oh. Of course. Please forgive me..." and creates an aura of oxygen around her. Laurie spends the issue imploring Dr. Manhattan to intercede into the growing threat of nuclear war back on Earth, but he remains largely unmoved by her pleas. In the meantime, we learn more about Laurie's background via flashbacks."

(And, after finishing the series:) "(Note: I go into spoilers, here.) Issue number ten focuses entirely on Nite Owl and Rorschach's investigation into the true identity of the "mask killer, and on Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias) in his facility in Antarctica (plus, running in the background, the continuation of the grisly Tales of the Black Freighter horror/pirate comic book story). By two-thirds through the issue, Nite Owl and Rorschach realize that their trail leads to Ozymandias and the travel to Antarctica to confront him. Issue eleven gives us that confrontation (and the conclusion of the Tales of the Black Freighter comic book story). Nite Owl and Rorschach are unable to defeat Ozymandias, who is more than happy to explain his plan to destroy most of New York City (making it look like an attempted alien invasion in the process) in order to engineer peace talks between the United States and the Soviet Union. A plan which, as he explains, he'd already initiated thirty-five minutes before Nite Owl and Rorschach had even arrived. Cue big white explosions in NYC. Issue twelve brings Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre 2 back into things as they return to Earth to find NYC destroyed. Dr. Manhattan quickly surmises what has happened and the two of them join Nite Owl and Rorschach in confronting Ozymandias. At first, they do battle with Ozymandias. But, soon, Dr. Manhattan realizes that Ozymandias is correct and that, as horrific as his methods were, Ozymandias had indeed engineered a peace between the world's nuclear superpowers, who had reached near critical zero and were seconds away from launching nuclear bombs at each other. Nite Owl (Dan) and Silk Spectre (Laurie) reluctantly agree to keep the secret of what exactly has happened. Rorschach, however, is unable to compromise in his convictions and leaves to tell the world what Ozymandias has done. Dr. Manhattan cannot allow him to do this so he kills Rorschach out in the Antarctic snow. Dr. Manhattan then leaves Earth seemingly for good, and Dan and Laurie begin a new life together under new identities.

After reading the entire series, I can appreciate the intricate world Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons created here. Watchmen is much more than just a homage or knock-off of the Charlton superheroes which Moore had originally wanted to feature in this story. Moore's created a generational look at superheroes, something that other comics titles had touched upon in the past but rarely to this extent. He patterned the history of this world in some ways on how comic book heroes developed in the real world (a grouping of normal, human, characters in the 1940s who decide to put on costumes and fight crime for various reasons, indicative of the "Golden Age" of comics; the coming of Dr. Manhattan in the 1960s indicative of the more science fiction based superheroes of the "Silver Age" of comics). Furthermore, he placed these costumed heroes in a world darker than any seen before. This is violent world where heroes die and the threat of nuclear armageddon is ever present. Every character has some flaw or sense of inner conflict, some deeper than others. But, for the most part, Moore has crafted interesting characters to focus on throughout this twelve issue epic.

I have to say, however, that I think I enjoyed the middle chapters the best, the ones where we found out each of the primary characters' back stories, and their relationships with each other in the present. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Dan (Nite Owl 2) and Laurie (Silk Spectre 2), and Dan and Rorschach. By the last couple of issues, some elements of the conclusion had already become obvious (although Moore and Gibbons still manage to makes those events compelling to experience). (I will admit that the eleventh issue, in the scenes detailing Ozymandias' background and goals, does get a bit bogged down with excessive exposition. Fortunately, this rectifies itself when Dan and Rorschach arrive to confront him.)

Overall, I am pleased with Watchmen and can see why it made the impact that it did upon the comics industry. What I cannot experience, however, is what it must have felt like to read this back in 1986-87 which such a "dark" depiction of the world of superheroes would have been seen as something new and innovative. By the 1990s and 2000s, however, such stories are pretty much the norm." ( )

Compilation of the twelve comic book issues, plus comments and bonus material.
Considered a classic. ( )

After seeing the movie at the beginning of the year. I was curious about reading the graphic novel. So I reserved it at my library (it took 7 months to arrive but I finally got it).
It was a nice reminder of the movie, I was happy for the little details that is always left out of a movie.

Also the end is very different from the movie, (as a friend told me when the movie came out). I obviously liked the original, but I tought that the end of the movie still got to the point. And we didn't loose so much of the story line...

Overall, I really enjoyed that book! ( )

This is one of the most celebrated graphic novel of all times, and with good cause. Wonderfully complex and dynamic characters. An alternate history of the cold war between the United States and Russia with super heroes. But wait, who killed the Comedian? Is someone killing off masked avengers? BTW, there is only one hero with any real powers, that is Dr. Manhattan, and the others are people in costumes with good weaponless fighting skill. I got a weird vibe from this novel at first because it is very dark and a bit depressing as there are continual reminders of no life after death. Still, it is very psychologically complex and rich in character and plot. It blew me away, and I recommend it to everyone. ( )

This graphic novel is a step above others and actually involves a lot of thinking. Good for multiple read-thrus. ( )

I'm afraid this is so not my sort of comic. I don't like the art style, and I thought the characters were mainly boring and irritating. Also the whole... writing everything in capital letters with random bolding gave me a headache. I didn't really care about the plot until the last few pages, and was then annoyed that it stopped just as things were about to get interesting. ( )

Like V for Vendetta, enjoyed the movie more than the book, even though I can appreciate the intelligence and intricacy of Moore's plot. ( )

It's 1985, but not as we know it. Superheroes are now outlawed. Dr. Manhattan, a being with control over matter and energy, forms the centre of America's strategic defence network against Russia, while the world slowly ticks closer to a nuclear confrontation. Welcome to the world of "Watchmen".

“Watchmen” follows Rorschach, a superhero who has not put away his costume after being outlawed, as he attempts to solve the murder of one of his fellow superheroes. His investigations begin to uncover a plot to do away with all of the superheroes. While the plot itself is extremely well worked out, it is just as much an excuse to delve into the world in which Moore has created, populated by an assorted cast of superheroes and secondary characters, and the world in which they live, which has unfolded differently to ours since their initial appearance in the late nineteen thirties.

There are so many facets that I appreciated from this novel. I love the characterisation; the superheroes in Watchmen feel like real characters. They have psychological problems, they are isolated from society, and they have to deal with the consequences of their fame and alienation. Their reasons for donning the superhero costume vary quite widely – a chance to do good, crass commercial plans, strong political opinions, sexual fetishes, and so many other reasons. Superheroes are not merely shining figures of light, and I quite enjoy that.

The alternate history that Moore creates is quite interesting, and well-fleshed out. Quite apart from the main story, which often discusses the history of superheroes in the world Moore creates, there are also a variety of supplementary materials to help to flesh out the histories of the characters involved. There are interviews, biographies, articles, photographs and the like, which all provide a sense of history to the story, help to flesh out the world in ways that would otherwise not be readily apparent.

There are also a lot of ideas to mull upon here – Moore’s view of an alternative history where superheroes arose, the varied views expressed by the characters on morality, Dr. Manhattan’s perception of time, and his views on humanity, and so many other ideas, which I won’t discuss so that I will not ruin the novel for future readers.

I thoroughly enjoyed Watchmen. Intelligent, insightful, an extremely interesting plot; a well-drawn and immersive look into a world of superheroes that feels realistic, insightfully mocking the traditional, gay tones that used to be a staple of this genre. Highly recommended. ( )

This runs darker than my normal tastes, but I can't deny that it's really well done. No Mary Sues to be seen. Plenty of tragic flaws. This has been around for a while, so I doubt there's much I could say that hasn't been said. But for those who may not know, the superheroes of Watchmen don't have retractable claws or x-ray vision. Rather, they've got talent, tactics, training, drive, determination, no little bit of luck, and a whole lotta chutzpah...kinda like Batman...in a Shaolin martial arts movie. ( )