Project Text: Homework Two - Book Review (A Landmark Graphic-Novel)

Review of Watchmen

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons: Watchmen
New York, NY: DC Comics (2008) $39.99 (hardback) ISBN: 9781401219260

    The graphic novel Watchmen, created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, with its rich language, its dense and interwoven themes, and its relationship between words and images, serve to question our notions of what is heroic. Watchmen is a magnificent crime fiction, action, drama and mystery tale of dark times, told by some of the darkest characters in storytelling. Being a graphic novel, it includes incredible amounts of detail in every tiny panel, so the readers can choreograph every little thing. The graphic-novel begins with warm and cheerful colors and throughout the story is gradually made darker to give the story a dark and bleak feeling. Keep in mind that this graphic novel is meant for mature audiences and is filled with complex themes and issues. That said, both children and adults could gain some knowledge by talking about the many ethical issues raised by the actions and circumstances of the characters. In short, the story is set in 1985 and accounts the alternative history of the United States where the U.S. moves alarmingly closer to nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Within this world exists regular individuals who, by motive or chance, decide to wear costumes, fight crime in New York City, and try to eliminate the catastrophes that could strike the city. However, some of these characters, like Rorschach and the Comedian, often appear more violent than the criminals they battle, ultimately, positively equipping readers with a correlating idea of what constitutes justice, and whether a vigilante can really represent justice and an emblematic 'hero.'

    For readers unfamiliar with Watchmen, the story takes place in a world where
Nixon is still president and the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, which sets the Soviets and the Americans on the verge of nuclear war. Contrary to that, the masked vigilante Rorschach, wanted by the police for his murder of several criminals, investigates the killing of another former vigilante, the Comedian. In chorus, Rorschach makes it his duty to warn several other fellow retired masked heroes that their lives may be in danger. Amongst these masked heroes are, the Nite Owl, Silk Specter, Dr. Manhattan, and Ozymandias. Unsurprisingly, the former superheroes do not take Rorschach’s warnings seriously.

    Thus, making the story take even more of a twist, because soon after this, an assassination attempt is made against Dr. Manhattan’s life, the novel’s only actual super-powered being and America’s main nuclear preventative. After this, Dr. Manhattan decides to leave Earth for Mars after being suspected of causing cancer of his old friends. Around this time Rorschach is set up for the murder of a retired villain and ends up getting arrested and incarcerated. Thus, making him powerless, but still persistent on halting the havoc that could strike the world. Also, around this time, the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union mounts and nuclear war becomes more of a noticeable possibility. As a result of this, Nite Owl and Silk Specter decide to persist with Rorschach’s investigation and bust him out of prison. As a consequence, all three trace the web of conspiracy of the superhero killer to its center. Its also important to note that Dr. Manhattan, being able to see the past, present and future, could have stopped the world from nuclear holocaust, but didn’t. By the end, the characters learn of Ozymandius’ plan to prevent nuclear war and create the world in his ideal way; therefore causing him to try to take out the Watchmen.

    With this background information, one can decide upon whether a vigilante, such as Rorschach, can really represent justice and an emblematic “hero,“ despite how he often appears more violent than the criminals he battles. Rorschach isn’t simply just a character that is mentally ill, morally uncompromising, and filled with immoral behavior as he might often be portrayed. He’s more of an unanticipated hero, in the way in which he pursues his goals. Generally, a hero is a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal. In my view, Rorschach adequately lives up to this definition. Although, he is imperfect in a sense of him being so strongly idealistic to uphold truth and justice. Rorschach is the person who does not walk way from confrontation or the mystery of who is killing the Watchmen, and continues to find out, despite the circumstances.

     Rorschach isn’t exactly anyone’s primary definition of a true hero, but he is a guy who would sacrifice the whole world if it meant punishing the actions of one wicked man, Ozymandius. Towards the end, Rorschach is killed after finding out the truth about the global catastrophes suffered by New York, and refusing to keep silent about the truth. He nearly begs to be killed by Dr. Manhattan to prevent the truth being exposed by himself. Although, some might consider him mentally ill and morally uncompromising, he still does whatever it takes to stop the world from utter chaos. In the long run, Rorschach brings salvation to the idea that anyone or anything, despite their background, can constitute justice, under any circumstance.

    In terms of creativity, dense ideas, artwork, or commercial standing, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance of Watchmen and it’s questioning of our notions of what is heroic. Throughout the story, the idea of what makes a hero yields many important questions people should consider. Why would a normal man choose to put on a mask and fight crime without the support of the police or superhuman abilities? What happens to a normal man who can rewrite reality but has no human connection to the reality in which we live? Does doing whatever it takes to save your loved ones make you a monster? All those questions, and more, are asked and explored within Watchmen. Ultimately, all these questions correlate an idea of what constitutes justice, and if a vigilante can really represent justice and a representative “hero.” Thus, positively giving readers a better idea of who and what can really represent justice, before they make an overriding assumption about others.