Alan Moore's Watchmen: The Story that Changed Comic Books Forever

Travel back in time with me to 1985. Tricky Dick was still president--during his fifth term of office. The Soviets were on the verge of invading Afghanistan and Western Europe, held in check only by the world's one true superhero, the naked, blue-skinned Dr. Manhattan.

Well, actually, in 1985 I was two years old, and Watchmen was still about a year away from the beginning of its twelve-issue run. But comic books were changing with the times, and nothing exemplified the turn toward mature themes and complex characters quite like Watchmen, with the possible exception of Frank Miller's take on a future Batman, The Dark Knight Returns (both series published by DC Comics).

A bit of background info: Watchmen was written by Alan Moore, also the writer of the original comic-book version of V for Vendetta, and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. According to Wikipedia, it remains the only graphic novel to have won a Hugo Award, the highest honour available in the field of science fiction literature, and was also the only graphic novel to appear on a 2005 Time Magazine list of "the best English-language novels from 1923 to the present". Rumours of a movie adaptation have been flying for about three years, and apparently the director of 300 has begun casting for a not-too-distant production. Watchmen is widely acclaimed by comic book fans as one of the best series of all time.

Why? It is hard to describe all the things that make this story so great. The most important factor is Moore's plotting and writing. Watchmen is intricately connected from beginning to end. It is the kind of story that rewards re-reading, as foreshadowing and details are noticed with the benefit of prior knowledge. The second time I began to read through it, I noticed something in the very first three panels that shed new light on one of the main characters, and these kind of revelations can be found on almost every page! But the story is compelling even on the first read-through.

The basic plot premise is that costumed vigilantes have been running around since the first issue of Action Comics appeared in 1938, inspired by Superman's example to fight crime themselves. Rather than superhumans, these are simply normal people with serious fighting skills, much like Batman. At the outset of the first issue, one of the original "heros" has just been found murdered, and the remainder follows the second-generation superheros--people who have all been outlawed since 1977, after growing public disgust with the lack of accountability possible when vigilantes with secret identities enforce the law--who are trying to figure out whether there is some conspiracy afoot to murder masked folk--or even perhaps something more sinister.

The plot is intensely character-driven, with the creation of a number of memorable people. Nite Owl is an awkward, slightly flabby middle-aged bachelor with a knack for technology and a fascination with birds. Since his forced retirement, he seems lonely and lost, with his only social contact found through weekly visits with his namesake, the original, first-generation Nite Owl. Ozymandias, often referred to as "the smartest man in the world", retired from adventuring before the Keene Act could have outlawed him. He is now a mogul who runs a multi-faceted multinational corporation while worrying about the fragile state of peace in the world. The Comedian, though murdered at the very beginning, is revealed through a number of flashbacks as a brutal, amoral thug who violently supports American military efforts abroad. Guilty of many atrocities, he does eventually reveal a certain conscience and complexity. The Silk Spectre, a.k.a. Laurie Juspeczyk, is the daughter of a first generation superheroine and 40's pinup named Sally Jupiter. She was forced into a crimefighting career at a tender age, and now lives an unfulfilling life as the conjugal partner and and humanizing factor for Dr. Manhattan, the only superhuman in the true sense of the word to appear in the story. The virtually omnipotent blue-skinned man was given his godlike powers through an atomic accident, and now, along with the Comedian, serves the American government as one of only two legal superheros. His ability to restructure materials from the atom up, synthesize and create new technologies, teleport, change his size and multiply his form, and foretell the future makes him a potent deterrent for Soviet aggression. Unfortunately, he has grown increasingly distant from his human roots--for example, he no longer finds clothes necessary--and is consumed more by scientific experimentation than by things like human emotion.

Sound confusing? I haven't even mentioned my personal favourite character, and the one who drives the story, the enigmatic Rorschach. This trench-coated, fedora'd vigilante wears a symmetrical mask that constantly changes its form. He is perhaps as brutal as the Comedian, but this is spurred by his nihilistic, gloomy understanding of the human capacity for evil. He absolutely hates criminals, and has operated in defiance of the Keene Act since its inception, frequently killing or maiming muggers, rapists and thieves. He's also seriously paranoid and probably has some kind of mental illness. His uncompromising views of right and wrong are more tragic than inspiring, but he wins our sympathy through his absolute insistence on justice and his childhood of abuse.

Each issue tends to follow the point-of-view of one of these people. The characters strive to come to an understanding of a world that is confusing and unhappy, with philosophical discussions and ruminations on the nature of evil and especially POWER. Dr. Manhattan's presence can be seen as an analogy for nuclear weapons, technological superiority, or any number of things, but he is hardly the only source of intellectual disquiet here. What is the responsibility of those with "foresight" toward the masses? As Raskolnikov pondered in Crime and Punishment, are some people above "law" by virtue of their superiority? Is the capacity for "superhuman" accomplishments within everyone?

Alan Moore has never been content to tell a straightforward story, and he makes frequent use of prose writing in his exposition of plot events. Each of the first eleven issues features four pages of supporting documents at its end, including excerpts from the first Nite Owl's biography, professional psychological profiles, magazine interviews with the characters, and one extremist right-wing tabloid. All of these texts add verisimilitude to the world that Moore has created. On top of that, Moore invents an analogous comic book universe--seeing that superheros are "real" in his world, the general public would be expected to need a different fantasy outlet that in this case is provided by pirate comic books. An ingenious running technique involves an issue of "Tales from the Black Freighter" that is juxtaposed against dialogue and interactions between characters. Somehow, the text of this story-within-a-story always provides a direct commentary on the events happening outside. It can also be taken as an analogy for other events that DON'T occur in close proximity.

The art, though typical of 80s superhero comics (think bright colours and slightly cartoonish features), is absolutely chock-full of details that again support the believability of the world created here. Every panel deserves careful attention. The headlines on newspapers blown in the wind, the advertisements seen on billboards or in magazines, the business names and slogans, even the watch faces--there is constant referral to the "Doomsday Clock" that is set at only five minutes to twelve--bear careful attention. It is also interesting to do a hunt for the smiley face with the drop of blood over one eye--Watchmen's logo--that appears in surprising places. Some of these details will be noticed quickly--one of my favourite panels involves a police detective making the rather banal observation that "There's something in the air tonight", while in the background we see a floating elephant that serves as an advertisement for the "Gunga Diner". Other details will only be noticed with careful observation that may require a second or third reading; for instance, one issue that has a few events particularly crucial to Rorschach features a panel layout that is symmetrical from the first page to the last. Dave Gibbons apparently had a lot of autonomy in the artistic direction, and his work perfectly complements the intricacy of Moore's writing.

I've mentioned the compelling story, the interesting characters, the philosophical and intellectual complexity, and the wonderfully fitting artwork. I haven't yet talked about the minor characters, the amazing ability of Moore to change his writing style for each different person or type of text, or the absolutely killer ending that will create even more ambiguity in the reader's mind. Watchmen is a richly prepared tale that reveals new treasures each time it is read. If you've never read a comic book in your life, this is the one to try. If you've read many comics, but not this one, you can't be considered a true fan. To this day, nothing has surpassed it in sheer grandeur, complexity or quality. Please...do your mind a favour, and try Watchmen as soon as possible.

****It should be noted that Watchmen is a comic series for adults. There is a lot of nudity, though nothing terribly explicit--a lot of bare buttocks, especially from the good Doctor--as well as mature themes aplenty. Reader beware--this is not for ten-year-olds.