You've heard about it. You've seen the memes and the catchphrases. Yeah, yeah, you're not locked in with them, they're locked in with you, et cetera. Very edgy. Possibly so edgy that you've always dismissed it.
But did you know that Watchmen is also REALLY REALLY GOOD?
Title Watchmen
Media Comic
What is it, in summary In an alternate history 1980s USA where one (1) genuinely super-powered superhero emerged and led to escalations in the Cold War, vigilantism is now illegal. Fortunately, the very angry and utterly sane vigilante Rorschach never quit, and when one of his old colleagues turns up dead, he starts digging.
What do you love about it? It's a very tightly-written, compelling gritty superhero story (in some ways, it is the original "gritty" superhero story) that's a genuinely good mystery and a thoughtful examination of both the personal and social struggles of capes, compromise, morality and the greater good. The characters are delightfully flawed and messed up in very human ways, and with one extremely noteworthy exception, everyone on the cast is a Badass Normal with no supernatural abilities to speak of. But there's one reason it still stands head and shoulders above other "gritty" superhero media even today: It is incredibly hopeful in terms of what it says about humanity, and that feels so rare in the "darker" superhero stories. It also has one of my favourite depictions of a nihilistic character finding something to believe in. Oh, and the visuals are a treat.
Likely to request for Casefic Ex: I would love more vigilante investigative stuff featuring Rorschach and Nite Owl, shippy or not, probably pre-canon. Solo Rorschach (or maybe focusing on their drifting apart) would also be great.
Content warnings Violence ahoy. Murder, sexual assault, homophobia, child abuse (including death of children), mass deaths, heavy themes.
And one last thing... There is a Zack Snyder movie adaptation. IMHO it's very faithful but misses the mark in some crucial ways and ultimately lacks a certain je ne sais quoi, but the five-minute intro sequence does a fantastic job of conveying the mood of the comic. You can watch it here!.
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Watchmen (Comic)
Date: 2025-04-16 05:52 pm (UTC)But did you know that Watchmen is also REALLY REALLY GOOD?
Title
Watchmen
Media
Comic
What is it, in summary
In an alternate history 1980s USA where one (1) genuinely super-powered superhero emerged and led to escalations in the Cold War, vigilantism is now illegal. Fortunately, the very angry and utterly sane vigilante Rorschach never quit, and when one of his old colleagues turns up dead, he starts digging.
What do you love about it?
It's a very tightly-written, compelling gritty superhero story (in some ways, it is the original "gritty" superhero story) that's a genuinely good mystery and a thoughtful examination of both the personal and social struggles of capes, compromise, morality and the greater good. The characters are delightfully flawed and messed up in very human ways, and with one extremely noteworthy exception, everyone on the cast is a Badass Normal with no supernatural abilities to speak of. But there's one reason it still stands head and shoulders above other "gritty" superhero media even today: It is incredibly hopeful in terms of what it says about humanity, and that feels so rare in the "darker" superhero stories. It also has one of my favourite depictions of a nihilistic character finding something to believe in. Oh, and the visuals are a treat.
Likely to request for Casefic Ex:
I would love more vigilante investigative stuff featuring Rorschach and Nite Owl, shippy or not, probably pre-canon. Solo Rorschach (or maybe focusing on their drifting apart) would also be great.
Content warnings
Violence ahoy. Murder, sexual assault, homophobia, child abuse (including death of children), mass deaths, heavy themes.
And one last thing...
There is a Zack Snyder movie adaptation. IMHO it's very faithful but misses the mark in some crucial ways and ultimately lacks a certain je ne sais quoi, but the five-minute intro sequence does a fantastic job of conveying the mood of the comic. You can watch it here!.