Watchmen by Alan Moore (1986 graphic novel)

Watchmen is quite the novel. It is very "Impressive", but in the end, I don't think I actually like it that much.

The book interacts with reality in such a fascinating way that even now I am not sure how much of it is actually true. Which is nothing short of phenomenal considering the fantastical nature of its subject. It's about a world with superheroes; and teleportation; and Nixon as a third-term president.

I mean, how bizarre can you get?

But there are elements. People are referenced who are real such as Joe Orlando, who's photograph is in the book and who drew a page for it. The Galle crater is used, but if you don't study Mars, it probably appears to be fake. They knew what they were doing.

The story is told very skillfully with numerous parallel allusions (most prominently the sub-story "Marooned"), an aspect I highly appreciate. It takes advantage of its chosen medium in a way that few works have ever done. It couldn't be told in any other medium. Not in the same way, not with the same level of artistry that it achieves as a graphic novel. The more literate book medium couldn't do it and the more graphical film medium couldn't do it, even with sound. It straddles that boundary with such impressive confidence, taking advantage of abilities neither other medium can do, that anyone who says it can't match classical works of literature are blinded by their conservative definition of "literature".

But I still didn't like it. I guess it just isn't my bag, man. I liked the recurring themes, they didn't get repetitive, they weren't redundant, but they wove it tightly together. But I didn't like reading the pirate story. I loved the philosophical nature, but found it too cynical for my tastes. I enjoyed taking superheroes and putting them in a realistic-ish world, exploring that world and how it evolved. It was also very appropriate how they treated the real "Super Hero" when he appears. The ending wouldn't have worked in reality, though. I suppose that's alright, considering.

I find that I'm not completely sure what it is advocating at any given time. Sometimes, the author seems to have as little bias as his fictional character Jon. I'm not sure if he leans left or right, libertarian or authoritative. And that's another thing I greatly appreciate and highly respect.

The most disappointing aspect of the novel is the paneling. I love a comic with creative paneling (see Calvin and Hobbes or The Meek or comics by Sarah Ellerton. Actually, there's a lot of internet comics using Photoshop and junk who do good paneling... A lot who don't.) Watchmen's paneling is pretty cut and dry, one to the next to the next. Blah.

I am looking forward to watching the movie. Going into it knowing that it has to be pretty different. That there's going to be a lot lost. But, if they do it well, that they could make a good product anyway.