Watchmen (1986) comic review -by James M

 

For decades, superheroes have been beloved by the public in pop culture. And yet, one rarely asks the question; "What if superheroes were real?"

There have been a handful of stories that answer the question, and one of them was published by the company that produced the likes of Superman and Batman. In 1986, with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, DC Comics produced WATCHMEN, a story set in an alternate world where costumed superheroes were thriving before being outlawed with only one individual having superpowers. This one is real dark and gritty, and risqué, so, if anyone wants to read it, be warned, you may be diving into mature territory.

So, allow me to summarize Watchmen's story.

In the late 1930s, costumed heroes rose up to fight crime and protect the innocent, inspired by comic book superheroes, leading to the formation of superhero groups such as the Minutemen and, later, the Watchmen. Years later, the government has outlawed superheroes, with a few individuals like Doctor Manhattan and The Comedian still working for the government while a mysterious man named Rorschach strikes out on his own against the scum of the world. In 1985, the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union is reaching its peak as The Comedian is murdered, setting in motion a mysterious plot that will forever change a world on the brink of nuclear war.

I discovered this comic after discovering the existence of the 2009 Zack Snyder film a couple years back (and after being informed of it by an old friend on Twitter). And, having watched the motion comic version on YouTube and, after reading it for myself on READ COMICS ONLINE while watching videos on it and finding information about this story across different websites, I will say, Watchmen is one heck of a story.

Well before this comic was written, superhero comics, and comics in general, were mostly for kids. However, the game changed in the 1980s with the likes of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Killing Joke being published, along with Watchmen. Times had changed, comics weren't just for younger audiences anymore. Watchmen examines the superhero genre, and offers a look into a world where superheroes are real, offering an alternate universe where events played out differently. In fact, while America lost the Vietnam War in our world, in Watchmen, we won the war. And yet, the existence of superheroes in this alternate world doesn't advert the Cold War period between the US and the Soviet Union.

Written by Alan Moore, WATCHMEN has some colorful artwork and engaging dialogue, but do not let the gorgeous coloring fool you, especially as this comic was not intended for younger readers. At best, Watchmen is aimed at ages 17 and up. And yet, if you like alternate history and want to see a world where superheroes are real, this one is basically for you. To be honest, I would give WATCHMEN a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and perhaps we should be fortunate superheroes don't exist in our world.

Thank you for joining me today, people, and take care of yourselves. Merry Christmas.