Watchmen Book Review
- Max Stahl
- Apr 13, 2020
- 2 min read
The 1980s graphic novel, written by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, follows a group of retired heroes and vigilantes, previously known as the Watchmen. They were a well-known group in the past, before being forcefully disbanded by the government and society around them. When a former hero is suddenly murdered, his past associates begin investigating and discover a dark conspiracy, one that could easily change the world forever. Slowly the world is developed, revealing the events that led to the illegalization of masked heroes, and how said heroes reacted when their entire lives were made a crime.
Watchmen was originally written and released as a comic book, so the graphic novel is separated by parts, where each part is a new comic book. In between each part are old newspaper clippings and excerpts from books, showcasing the original era of masked heroes, and showing the difference and flaws of the past vs "present".
I really loved reading Watchmen, and there were a lot of subtle details I didn't catch on my first read-through. All of the characters, even the ones viewed by society as an example of the perfect human, have deep-seated flaws or hubris, which readers learn more about as they follow the story to its completion. If you enjoy comics or graphic novels, I highly recommend that you read this book. It's more adult-oriented, so darker topics and subjects are explored, and it utilizes the 80s DC Comics style of art (because it is a DC comic) to help bring the characters to life. Watchmen has a very dedicated and enthusiastic fan base, and anyone who reads the comic will surely understand.
If you really enjoy the book and want more, then there is a Watchmen tv show out on HBO right now. It takes place 30 or so years after the events of the original story and shows the aftermath of the ending events in the book. While I have not personally seen it, the show is very highly reviewed and well-liked. So I'd say it's worth a shot!
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You are a heck of a writer Max and you should start thinking about writing your own fiction. I had to laugh at your use of the "stodgy" - "said heroes" - but I loved it too. Personally, I didn't like Watchmen but it was somewhat groundbreaking for the time. Comics started with Superman being the perfect hero (and all the other DC heroes followed suit - even Batman) and then Marvel came along with heroes who, while still being ultimately noble and good, had tortured personalities (like real people). Eventually, someone was going to take them to the next step - superheroes who were bad people. Watchmen may or may not have been the first to go there bu…
Max yet another artfully written review of this graphic novel. I was especially impressed by your relating the book to the comic and to the series on HBO. Not being a fan of comics this is one book I do not believe I will take you up on reading, however, I will certainly share it with comic lovers in my life ( my brother). Well done!