I just finished reading The Watchmen. I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. Great graphic novel. Unfortunately, I read it just after finishing Chabon’s Kavalier and Clay. A bit of a let down. But considering when this book was written, what had come before in comic books, and its legacy, truly a must-read book. The heroes really don’t have any superpowers; they’re simply moved by the impulse to do good. That’s inspiring to some extent, but that inspiration is tempered by the fact that most of the novel takes place after our heroes have either retired or been cast off by a society that doesn’t want them any more. A more realistic vision of caped vigilantism, I think. More nuanced. And the heroes are very, very real. They love people they shouldn’t. They don’t get to be with the people they love. They are rejected by a world they’ve sacrificed so much for.
Rorschach is a poor-man’s Wolverine, I think. And he’s really appealing in that way. Willing to treat criminals like criminals to save those who deserve it. But Ozymandias and the Comedian really seem to be cautionary tales of what happens when a hero’s abilities can keep pace with or outstrip his intentions. Nothing to keep their humanity in check. Disastrous. Tragic. So, on some level, this is a comic about the importance of maintaining what’s human about ourselves.
(You’re better off skipping the movie, though. Not much more than a cinematic version of the comic.)
Great post. I will read your posts frequently. Added you to the RSS reader.