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. ( )

feels overdone - story too complicated - illustrations great - feels sort of dated... ( )

Published: 1987.
Setting: New York, Antarctica and Mars, October 1985.
First Line: Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach.

With the film coming out next month I thought I'd give this graphic novel a go. I think the last graphic novel I read must have been around five years ago, it was Ghost World, so I wouldn't say I was an expert or even a fan of this genre.
Watchmen is a Hugo award winning graphic novel which also holds the honour of being included on Time Magazine's 2005 list of the all-time top 100 novels.
Watchmen is based in New York in an alternate history where both Nixon's presidency and the Vietnam war had different outcomes. It begins with the murder of The Comedian, a former member of the defunct Watchmen group of costumed crime fighters. Rorschach, a fellow crime fighter, begins his own investigation into what he believes is a plot to eliminate constumed crime fighters.
What makes Watchmen stand out for me is the depiction of the traditional 'superhero' as a severely flawed human character, rather than as a saviour. It is easy to see why Watchmen has had such an impact on the world of graphic novels.
I enjoyed this not just for the quality of the artwork but also for the strength of Moore's writing; I'll definitely be seeking out more of his work. ( )

Through the actions set in place by one of a cadre of retired Superheroes, Ozymandias, the world's smartest man, Alan Moore's seminal work explores some very big ideas. Central to this novel is Nietzsche's Übermensch--literally the "super man", and his ability to shape the course of humankind. Equally influential to this work is the Machiavellian question--does the end justify the means?

"The Watchmen" merits multiple readings. ( )