Watchmen

[Jingus 0]

Mac, seriously, why would you expect a guy named "Anakin" to have read Miracleman? Hell, I'm as big a sheeplike Moore mark as anyone, and even I've barely read that one (someone posted links to it online here years ago, never ponied up for whatever Ebay's charging for the collection now).

 

But if he's only been mostly exposed to the type of art which got popularized in the 90s (I think of it as the "The X-Men All Get Steroids And/Or Implants" phenomenon) I could understand how he wouldn't be used to a more old-fashioned style. Especially in the more relatively primitive books like V For Vendetta or From Hell. But of all of them, it does seem to complain about Watchmen, since aside from the aforementioned Killing Joke, it's the most standard and modern of artwork for anything Moore's ever done. Well, from his classic days anyway, not counting more recent stuff like Top 10.

[Nighthawk 0]

Are you shitting me Jingus, because Miracleman is the greatest comic ever. Watchmen is number one, and then it's sort of Dark Knight Returns, Long Halloween, Preacher, maybe Welcome Back Frank, and Miracleman is right in there on that level.

[Jingus 0]

Shitting you how? Not denying it's great. Just repeating the oft-made complaint about how damned hard it is to find. Since they never rerelease it, you pretty much have to go hunt down all the individual issues yourself in comic shops or online auctions. It's not like most of Moore's other stuff, which is easily available at any decent bookstore.

[Nighthawk 0]

Do it anyway. It's that good.

[Jingus 0]

I have read it, I said so in the first post. I just added the "barely" because the only way I was exposed to it was that some forgotten kind soul posted the link to for some online archives of the entire Moore run, in the Comics folder like six years ago. I've never read the Gaiman run though. Speaking of which, would you add Sandman in with those other top tier comics you mentioned?

[Nighthawk 0]

As fucking dorky as I am, I've seriously never read it.

[Jingus 0]

Give it a shot sometime, I think you'd like it. A little heavy on the pretentious literary allusions and faggy poetic shit, but still a rather great experience overall. Easily the best thing Gaiman's ever done, at least of the stuff I've read.

[Ravenbomb 0]

I've only read half of them, but the bit with John Dee in the diner early on is some of my favorite comic book material.

[DarKnight 0]

I saw the trailer for this before The Dark Knight, and I didn't think this trailer looked very good ( and it didn't help it had the song from Batman & Robin!). I think the movie might be good, since I think it will have stunning visuals, but I pretty much know nothing about Watchmen, and a lot of people keep saying its pretty much unfilmable, so that doesn't look like a good sign. Is the plot of Watchmen something about superheroes that really exist in an alternate reality 1985?

[ZGangsta 0]

I saw the trailer for this before The Dark Knight, and I didn't think this trailer looked very good ( and it didn't help it had the song from Batman & Robin!). I think the movie might be good, since I think it will have stunning visuals, but I pretty much know nothing about Watchmen, and a lot of people keep saying its pretty much unfilmable, so that doesn't look like a good sign. Is the plot of Watchmen something about superheroes that really exist in an alternate reality 1985?

Dude, having the song from Batman and Robin in the trailer was a brilliant move. It's just the sort of subversive, referential stuff you'd expect from Watchmen.

 

And just go buy Watchmen and read it. It's cheap and you'll find it in any book store.

[DarKnight 0]

Dude, having the song from Batman and Robin in the trailer was a brilliant move.

 

I actually like that song, but its just funny when your going to see The Dark Knight, and yet there's something that reminds you of Batman & Robin. Once I realized it was that song, I was almost laughing hysterically.

[Ted the Poster 0]

Are you shitting me Jingus, because Miracleman is the greatest comic ever. Watchmen is number one, and then it's sort of Dark Knight Returns, Long Halloween, Preacher, maybe Welcome Back Frank, and Miracleman is right in there on that level.

I'd add James Robinson's run on Starman to that list as well.

[dubq 0]

Dude, having the song from Batman and Robin in the trailer was a brilliant move.

 

I actually like that song, but its just funny when your going to see The Dark Knight, and yet there's something that reminds you of Batman & Robin. Once I realized it was that song, I was almost laughing hysterically.

 

Holy crap, people actually remember that?

[DarKnight 0]

I was only 7 at the time, and I still remember it. Its kind of hard to forget anything about that movie actually. I wish I could, but I can't.

[dubq 0]

I would think that that would be pretty minimal. I didn't even realize it was the same song. Sounds totally different than what I remember.

[ZGangsta 0]

I would think that that would be pretty minimal. I didn't even realize it was the same song. Sounds totally different than what I remember.

The one in the Watchmen trailer was a remix (or rather re-recording) I believe.

[At Home 0]

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I would think that that would be pretty minimal. I didn't even realize it was the same song. Sounds totally different than what I remember.

The one in the Watchmen trailer was a remix (or rather re-recording) I believe.

Both songs were on the soundtrack album.

 

The main one that was used for Batman and Robin was "The End is the Beginning is the End"...which was more hard edged.

 

The one in the Watchman trailer is "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning"...

[cabbageboy 0]

I probably need to find a Watchmen trade/graphic novel (whichever) and check it out before the movie comes out next year. I have to admit though, the trailer didn't really amaze. It hyped the fact that it was based on the series and all, but it didn't really explain much about what it is. Maybe there will be another trailer that is clearer nearing the time of release?

[Jingus 0]

Therein lies the problem.

 

Non-fan: "Explain the plot of Watchmen in thirty seconds or less."

 

Me: . . .

 

 

It's... really, really complicated.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Wikipedia does a fair job of it:

 

Watchmen is set in 1985, in an alternate history United States where costumed adventurers are real and the country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union (the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight). It tells the story of a group of past and present superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own. Watchmen depicts superheroes as real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who struggle with neuroses and failings, and who—with one notable exception—lack anything recognizable as super powers. Watchmen's deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism, multi-layered dialogue, and metafiction, has influenced both comics and film.

 

And that's the barest of summaries.

[DarKnight 0]

Watchmen is set in 1985, in an alternate history United States where costumed adventurers are real and the country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union (the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight). It tells the story of a group of past and present superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own. Watchmen depicts superheroes as real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who struggle with neuroses and failings, and who—with one notable exception—lack anything recognizable as super powers. Watchmen's deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism, multi-layered dialogue, and metafiction, has influenced both comics and film.

 

This sounds pretty cool. Can someone explain what the smiley face logo means?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Not without ruining the entire thing. Just read it.

[dubq 0]

The trade paperback that's out now is a really good deal. I think it's only around $15 on Amazon. That said there's also a deluxe re-release in hardcover coming out in September, I believe.

[Steviekick 0]

They're also putting out an 11 x 17 Absolute addition.

 

 

 

[Nighthawk 0]

That was out long ago. But the price might go down... good, because I want it.

[AmericanDragon 0]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37643

 

[Special K 0]

Miracleman's fantastic. Almost as good as Watchmen. I'll post links to it again soon.

 

Moore's just on a different level. I haven't read anything bad by him.

[DarKnight 0]

When I saw The Dark Knight in IMAX yesterday, I saw the Watchmen trailer again. I liked the trailer much better this time. I don't know why either, maybe because the first time I was too busy laughing at the song reminding me of Batman & Robin. I also read the article from Entertainment Weekly, and I am really hyped for this now. I need to get the graphic novel at some point.

[Anakin Flair 0]

For your reading pleasure, Watchmen is now up in the Comic Request thread. And having started to read it again, the art's not as bad as I remember.