# Has anyone read Watchmen (Alan Moore comic)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 6, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717 "2002-06-06T19:18:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/1 "2002-06-06T19:18:29Z")
So has anyone read this wonderful comic? I find it surprising that a search came up with nothing (no Watchmen threads ever?!) So what did you think of it? Favorite characters? Personally my favorite character was Rorshach, I know he was crazy but I thought he was cool and I consider him to be the hero of the book. Also: Has anyone read Watchmen since 9/11? What do you think of the parallels between the two? (I also have a few questions if enough people chime in having read the book.) ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/2 "2002-06-06T19:30:20Z")
I read _The Watchmen_ for the first time a few weeks ago. On the recommendation of the wonderful **magdalene**. Apparently, I remind her of Rorschach. I found it awfully flattering after I read the book. Others do not seem to agree. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/3 "2002-06-06T19:33:11Z")
Parallels between Watchmen and 9/11? The only one coming to mind is a colossal disaster in New York City, but 9/11 has only led to an escalation of world tension, while Watchmen supposed that such a disaster would create more world unity. That, and it involved a giant octopus… ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/4 "2002-06-06T19:33:40Z")
An all time classic - and I’ve seen it mentioned many times (try searching on ‘favorite comic books’ or something like that - it usually shows up sooner or later) Rorshach is cool, but I like the Second Nite Owl (and I think it’s hilarious that he cant get it up until he goes out and ‘does good’). Liked **Watchmen**? Try to dig up **V for Vendetta**. Another excellent book (even if it is rather ‘English’). ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/5 "2002-06-06T19:40:00Z")
The backdrop of war in Afghanistan is also quite telling. ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/6 "2002-06-06T19:56:11Z")
Watchmen has been optioned for a motion picture, but there hasn’t been any movement in several months. Originally, Terry Gilliam was attached to the movie- wouldn’t that have been cool… More info about the project [here.](http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/watchmen.html) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/7 "2002-06-06T20:01:23Z")
Definitely a classic. Disturbing as all-get-out in some spots, but a classic. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/8 "2002-06-06T20:01:31Z")
Yep, read Watchmen years ago. Simply amazing. I liked Nite Owl and Rorschach. Interesting characters. I’ve also read V for Vendetta, but someone stole my copy a long while back. Drat. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/9 "2002-06-06T20:04:55Z")
I’ve adopted “hrmm” as my all purpose response. Very good book, but I loved the speculation and analysis that came with each new monthly comic. It loses a little of that collected in a book. Still wonderful though. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/10 "2002-06-06T20:07:40Z")
I loved Watchmen and have re-read it many times. I was a bit put off by the deaths of the dogs, but it was still a very very good read that really changed the way I looked at comics. Rorsharch was a great figure, a sort of “extreme Batman” (“I’m locked up with you.” You’re locked up with me." pretty much sums up his attitude) as it were; I got the feeling that he would have cleaned up Gotham pretty quickly. I also liked the idea that there was only one real “super” hero, the rest being people who were out to change the world and saw a costume as the way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/11 "2002-06-06T20:11:59Z")
Should be I’m **not** locked up with you. Bleagh. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/12 "2002-06-06T21:29:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ResIpsaLoquitor \* > …9/11 has only led to an escalation of world tension, while Watchmen supposed that such a disaster would create more world unity. Maybe I had “Watchmen” on the brain when, on 9/11 and immediately afterward, I rather optimistically assumed it would lead to a greater good, despite the tragedy. When it was turned into a nationalistic war-cry, my illusion was quickly dissolved. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/13 "2002-06-06T22:55:27Z")
A) You guys _do_ all know that all the characters in Watchmen were based (cough) on the old Charelton Characters from the 60s, right? Night Owl=Blue Beetle (the cool Ditko version, not the Golden Age guy with the magic scarab) Roarschach=The Question (The REAL Question: Ditko’s Ayn Rand-ish character, not the Denny O’Neil wimp from later) Dr Manhattan=Captain Atom (the Ditko version) Ozymandias=Pete Cannon, Thunderbolt Silk Spectre=Nightshade The Comedian=The Peacemaker. DC bought all these characters and Alan Moore said “I’ve got a great idea for a story with them!” and everyone was excited until they realized that the characters wouldn’t be real useful afterwards. So he filed the names and serial numbers off the characters and frankly ended up with more interesting characters that were truer to the originals than DC did when they tacked the names of the characters on to new people (O’Neil’s Captain Atom and Question are horrible butcheries of good characters) B) What parallel to 9/11? C) Years ago when Gilliam first announced his desire to do Watchmen, he said he wanted Arnold to play Dr. Manhattan. Um… I dunno. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/14 "2002-06-06T22:55:27Z")
A) You guys _do_ all know that all the characters in Watchmen were based (cough) on the old Charelton Characters from the 60s, right? Night Owl=Blue Beetle (the cool Ditko version, not the Golden Age guy with the magic scarab) Roarschach=The Question (The REAL Question: Ditko’s Ayn Rand-ish character, not the Denny O’Neil wimp from later) Dr Manhattan=Captain Atom (the Ditko version) Ozymandias=Pete Cannon, Thunderbolt Silk Spectre=Nightshade The Comedian=The Peacemaker. DC bought all these characters and Alan Moore said “I’ve got a great idea for a story with them!” and everyone was excited until they realized that the characters wouldn’t be real useful afterwards. So he filed the names and serial numbers off the characters and frankly ended up with more interesting characters that were truer to the originals than DC did when they tacked the names of the characters on to new people (O’Neil’s Captain Atom and Question are horrible butcheries of good characters) B) What parallel to 9/11? C) Years ago when Gilliam first announced his desire to do Watchmen, he said he wanted Arnold to play Dr. Manhattan. Um… I dunno. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/15 "2002-06-07T03:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\*What parallel to 9/11? > Fenris \*\* You mean besides the war in Afghanistan and the evil mastermind’s plot to cause terror in NYC? One rather scary way to think of it (and this is not my actual opinion, just something I’ve though about, so don’t bother sacking me about this), is to think of the US Government (or Bush, if you have to put a face on everything) as Ozymandias, bin Laden as one of the artists on that island, and the guys that flew the planes simply as citizens of NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/16 "2002-06-07T03:23:10Z")
Add Saddam Hussien (or Iraq) as Russia I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/17 "2002-06-07T04:02:41Z")
Anyone got a count of how many times the distinctive “smear across the left eye” pattern appears? Whatever your total, I’ll bet you’re wrong. _Watchmen_ strikes me as one of the best “detail” books ever, with rewards for the sharp-eyed reader. Moore/Gibbons also teamed for one of the best pre-Crisis Superman stories ever: “For the Man who has Everything”, throwing in a buttload of detail from virtually every “World of Krypton” story to date. ---
**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/18 "2002-06-07T04:19:06Z")
Damn you people! 🙂 I’m about 3/4 through the Watchmen. Just by skimming through this thread, I’ve nearly ruined it. Ah, well, I’ll continue. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/19 "2002-06-07T04:24:04Z")
I will give you bodies beyond your wildest imaginings. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717/20 "2002-06-07T06:41:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheeGrumpy \* > Maybe I had “Watchmen” on the brain when, on 9/11 and immediately afterward, I rather optimistically assumed it would lead to a greater good, despite the tragedy. > > When it was turned into a nationalistic war-cry, my illusion was quickly dissolved. The problem is that for the “Watchmen” gambit to work, you need an _extra-human_ threat as the catalyst, one that all of humanity has to unite itself against. The 9/11 terrorist attacks don’t work because they were an _inter-human_ threat – e.g., the usual petty bickering between ourselves. And to comment on the story without spoiling it, I agree with author Peter David that the fate of Rorscarch was unnecessary. Who’s going to believe the certified psycho with bad body odor, anyway? Moore was tying up a loose end that didn’t need tying up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-read-watchmen-alan-moore-comic/112717.md?page=2)