Transcript Introduction to Watchmen

INTRODUCTION TO
WATCHMEN
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Dave Gibbons
Colors by John Higgins
Published as a 12 issue limited series in 1986 and 1987
Recognized on TIME magazine’s list of greatest novels published
since 1923
The granddaddy of many shifts to dark and gritty superhero stories
throughout other 80s comics
Spawned a mildly successful movie adaptation in 2009. One of the
few R-Rated superhero movies. It’s better than it should be but the
book is largely unfilmable.
A prequel series, Before Watchmen, was published in 2012. Most
of us try to pretend it didn’t happen– including Moore and Gibbons
DC ACQUIRES CHARACTERS FROM CHARLTON COMICS
DC SAYS NO
DC realized their expensive new character
acquisitions would end up “either dead or
dysfunctional.”
Moore wanted to write “the Moby Dick of
superhero stories” and “the last superhero story
that would ever need to be told.”
DC didn’t want that with their Charlton characters.
Moore asked Gibbons to design related but new
characters, though he feared some emotional
resonance might be lost.
MEANWHILE IN 80S COMICS
A Jerry Curled,
mulleted, God-like
Being is making all the
heroes fight each other
and threatening to end
the world and blah
blah blah
ALTERNATE WORLD HISTORY
Diverges from our known world on October 13, 1938
when a masked hero named Hooded Justice stops a
robbery.
This incident inspires Hollis Mason to become the first
Nite Owl.
In 1939, The Minutemen are formed
-- Captain Metropolis
-- Original Silk Spectre (Sally Jupiter, Laurie’s mom)
-- Hooded Justice
-- Original Nite Owl (Hollis Mason)
-- Silhouette
-- Dollar Bill
-- Mothman
-- The Comedian (killed in 1985 in chapter 1)
ALTERNATE WORLD HISTORY
December 7, 1941
US enters World War II
Silk Specter and Silhoute do pin-up shoots to inspire
soldiers
1945
Atomic Bomb is dropped
on Hiroshima by
The Miss Jupiter
1946
Silhoute is kicked out of Minutemen for having a
lesbian lover. Both are soon murdered.
1960
Dr. Manhattan is introduced to the world as America’s
superpower.
ALTERNATE WORLD HISTORY
1960s
Our heroes emerge. A mix of legacy heroes, original
heroes, and the Comedian carrying on from the original
Minutemen
-- Silk Spectre II (Sally Jupiter’s daughter)
-- Dr. Manhattan
-- Nite Owl II (taken over from Hollis Mason)
-- The Comedian
-- Ozymandias
-- Rorschach
ALTERNATE WORLD HISTORY
1965
Nite Owl II and Rorschach team up to fight crime
1971
President Nixon asks Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian
to take care of the Vietnam situation
1977
Police go on strike in reaction to the work of masked
superheroes
The Keene Act is passed.
The Doomsday Clock is ticking
WATCHMEN’S OPENING-- 1985
8 years have passed since the Keene Act– a law that
outlawed putting on a mask and fighting crime.
Superheroes are vigilantes.
-- Yes, The Incredibles stole that from here
3 heroes are still active
-- Doctor Manhattan and the Comedian work for
the US government and Rorschach breaks the
law and does his own thing
Political tensions with the Soviet Union have the world
on the brink of mutually ensured world destruction.
PACKED PANELS
• Moving of characters to background to
foreground city residents– those the
Watchmen proport to watch over
• Gunga Diner. Appears in many panels
(Dan and Laurie eat there) and is
reference to Kipling poem “Gunga Din”
about a British soldier who’s life is
saved by an Indian native who dies in
the process
• Also hints at global,
multiculturalism of world
• “End is Nigh” protester with sign
reminding us of the danger the world is
in.
• Electrically powered vehicles (that’s
why they look strange)
PACKED PANELS
Posters for the band Pale Horse are seen in many panels
across all the issues. The band plays a concert on the night
of the last issue’s events.
Page 9, Issue 1– Technically
the sign outside Hollis Mason’s
repair yard but also a comment
as Dan walks past it after being
asked if he misses being
Nite Owl (and he lies, “No”)
When the lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of
the fourth living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was
a pale horse! Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed
him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth
to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild
animals of the earth.~ Revelation 6:7-8
SYMMETRY