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crack_van2008-05-15 06:07 am
apathocles.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2008-05-15 06:07 am
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Watchmen overview
Apologies for the late start! I'm Apathy, and I'll be driving the van for Alan Moore's Watchmen, the comic book series that redefined the superhero genre. You may recognise Alan Moore from such comics-turned-films as V for Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and From Hell, although he probably wishes you didn't.
Sadly, with the exception of V for Vendetta, adaptations of his work don't have a great track record. With the Watchmen movie slated for release in March 2009, now is a great time to get into the original comic, so that you, too, can authoritatively bitch and moan about the movie when it comes out. (Although it's possible that it won't suck. Here's hoping.)
In all seriousness, though: it is a fantastic and haunting read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Anyway, on to the overview!
It's 1985, and the world is on the brink of nuclear war.
When former masked crime-fighters start turning up dead, one of their old teammates begins the search for answers. However, this is more than just some vendetta against old superheroes....
Background Info
(Please note that I have been deliberately vague on major spoilers, both in terms of plot and things that impact heavily on characters' lives, because the original story is so much better if you don't know what's going to happen. Watchmen is only twelve issues long, and all of these issues are collected together in one trade paperback. The whole thing can be read in one or two sittings without too much trouble, so I would definitely recommend reading it first, if possible.)
Watchmen is set in an alternate history 1985, with frequent flashbacks to different eras. In this universe, the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight, the result of an accelerated arms race due to the emergence in 1959 of Doctor Manhattan, a superpowered being who has a near-unlimited range of abilities.
Doctor Manhattan is the only crimefighter in this universe with powers (although psychics exist outside of crimefighting teams). All other crimefighters rely on their natural strength, skill, and intelligence.
There are two superhero teams, both started by Captain Metropolis: The Minutemen, who are together from 1939 to 1949, and the Crimebusters, who get together briefly in 1966, but quickly disband. The Crimebusters-era vigilantes operate until 1977.
Many of the characters are inspired by pre-existing comics characters, particularly those characters from Charlton Comics that were acquired by DC in the early '80s, such as Blue Beetle, the Question, and Captain Atom.
The story is divided into twelve chapters, all of which (except the last) contain relevant Watchmen-universe primary documents at the end. Other media are scattered throughout the book, from the comic-within-the-comic Tales of the Black Freighter, to fragments of Rorschach's journal. Dave Gibbons' art is full of subtle symbolism, a lot of which doesn't become apparent until second, third, or fourth readings.
Watchmen is the first real exploration in comics of superheroes as deeply flawed beings, struggling with their own shortcomings and moral choices. With the exception of Doctor Manhattan, all are regular human beings, down on the same level as those they seek to protect; they make mistakes, have moments of weakness, judge criminals according to their own belief systems, and have their own motivations for working as crimefighters. Watchmen gives us an idea of what superheroes would be like if they were real people, and the answer isn't pretty.
In short, it is the comic that introduced us to the idea of the grim'n'gritty superhero story, but without the suck that is so commonly associated with grim'n'gritty comics today. If there is one downside to Watchmen's existence, it's that it spawned a generation of cheap, crude imitations.
Plot
In 1985, Edward Blake is found dead on the footpath outside his highrise New York apartment. This attracts the attention of vigilante Rorschach, who has been operating illegally ever since the Keene Act of 1977 outlawed unregistered costumed heroes. The Keene Act led the majority of crimefighters to retire, although some, such as the Comedian and Doctor Manhattan, chose to work for the government.
Rorschach discovers that Blake had, in fact, been the costumed adventurer known as the Comedian, leading Rorschach to develop a theory that a 'mask killer' is knocking off all the old heroes.
He sets out to warn his old colleagues. Although he's met with scepticism, the increasing number of attacks on former heroes leads to the eventual realisation by some that his theory may be correct. However, before he can find the mask killer, he is framed for murder, arrested, and made to undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Among the attacks on former costumed adventurers is an attempt to discredit Doctor Manhattan via revelations that a number of his old co-workers (including his former girlfriend) have been diagnosed with cancer. As such, he relocates himself to Mars, where he's unable to present a threat to anyone. His removal from the equation causes the US to lose its advantage in the global arms race, leading to rising tensions.
Meanwhile, people have been going missing: scientists, artists, musicians, and authors. Additionally, the corpse of a young psychic is defiled, his head stolen by persons unknown.
Dan and Laurie, former crimefighting colleagues of Rorschach, start to believe that Rorschach's mask-killer theory may be true. They pull on their old costumes, and, as Nite Owl and Silk Spectre, bust Rorschach out of prison. Laurie then goes to try to convince Doctor Manhattan that humanity is worth saving, while Dan and Rorschach close in on the identity of the mask killer.
If you want to know how it all ends, go here. However, fic doesn't tend to deal with the story's ending, and there will be warnings for any stories that do spoil the ending.
Minutemen era (1939-1949)
Sadly, these guys get very little love, fic-wise, so they'll only get a brief look here:
Nite Owl I (Hollis Mason)
A police officer before he becomes a costumed adventurer, Mason eventually retires from crime fighting to work on cars, and writes a tell-all book called Under the Hood.
Silk Spectre I (Sally Jupiter)
A former burlesque dancer, Sally is sexually assaulted by the Comedian, but retains some feelings for him for the rest of her life, despite the fact that she knows it's messed-up. The mother of Laurie Juspeczyk, the second Silk Spectre, she pushes her daughter into following in her footsteps.
Captain Metropolis (Nelson Gardner)
Founder of both the Minutemen and the Crimebusters, Gardner is in the business in order to fight 'social evils' such as promiscuity and anti-war sentiment.
Hooded Justice (real name unknown; suspected to be Rolf Muller)
The very first of the costumed adventurers, Hooded Justice becomes involved in a homosexual relationship with Captain Metropolis, although he maintains a fake public relationship with Sally Jupiter in order to protect the group's image. He goes missing when the Minutemen are questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and is never seen again.
Mothman (Byron Lewis)
Coming under pressure from the House Un-American Activities Committee over his 'left-wing friends', Lewis falls victim to a self-destructive cycle of alcoholism, damaging his mental state. However, he is well-liked amongst his peers. Minor character.
Dollar Bill
Hired by a bank as a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary security guard, Dollar Bill dies when his cape gets stuck in the revolving door, giving the robber the opportunity to shoot him. Minor character.
Silhouette (Ursula Zandt)
An Austrian Jew who emigrated due to the rise of Nazism, Zandt is outed as a lesbian in 1946, and is subsequently kicked out of the team. She and her lover are killed six weeks later by one of her old adversaries. Minor character.
Crimebusters era (1966-1977)
Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)
Rorschach is just a little less than entirely sane, which probably explains why he's such a fan favourite. He has Freudian issues, comes up with conspiracy theories, refers to his mask as his face, and is generally awesome.
He has an extremely black-and-white view of morality, which becomes reinforced in 1975, when he uncovers the brutal murder of a six-year-old girl. From this point on, he takes the law into his own hands, ignoring official channels and dealing out his own rather grisly punishments.
However, despite his issues and his personality, he is not entirely isolated – he shares a slightly uncomfortable friendship with Dan, who was his crime-fighting partner back in the day.
He has a fondness for hiding in other people's fridges, and then leaping out when they open the door.
Nite Owl II (Dan Dreiberg)
Dan is one of the few truly likeable characters in the story. Based heavily upon the second Blue Beetle, he's an inventor and geek, creating his own flying craft and tech to aid in the pursuit of criminals. He idolises the original Nite Owl, Hollis Mason, who is his good friend.
Since he stopped fighting crime, he has let his physical condition lapse somewhat, but is still capable of kicking butt, particularly when it comes to situations where intellect is required. It is he and Rorschach who get to work tracking down the mask killer.
Doctor Manhattan (Jon Osterman)
Doctor Manhattan is Watchmen's only superpowered crimefighter. His life as human scientist Jon Osterman is ended during an accident with a machine designed to separate objects from their intrinsic fields, in which his body is disintegrated. However, over the coming months, he slowly pulls himself back together, rebuilding himself until he becomes the blue-skinned, ultra-powerful Doctor Manhattan.
As Doctor Manhattan, he is virtually godlike, with just about every superpower imaginable. However, he becomes more and more detached from humanity. Apparently able to exist outside of time, perceiving all of his life at once, he nevertheless cannot interfere with the outcome of events. Valuing intellectual pursuits above all else, he has difficulty relating to people and understanding emotions, putting a strain on his relationship with Laurie.
His level of detachment from humanity can be judged by how much he is (or isn't) wearing.
Silk Spectre II (Laurie Juspeczyk)
Laurie is the daughter of Silk Spectre I, Sally Jupiter. Pressured into the crimefighting business by her mother, she is somewhat reluctant to pull on the costume.
She is involved in a relationship with Doctor Manhattan during the earlier parts of the story, becoming increasingly frustrated and disturbed by his growing detachment from humanity. In the end, she helps him realise the value of human life, and they part on good terms, leaving Laurie free to pursue her relationship with Dan.
Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)
Veidt is supposedly the world's smartest man, and has managed to do better for himself than the other Crimebusters. Once he realises that he can do more for humankind through more legitimate channels than he can through vigilantism, he retires from crime-fighting, two years before his teammates are forced to step down due to the Keene Act. He then quickly builds his own corporate empire.
Veidt takes his inspiration from Alexander the Great, and keeps himself in peak physical condition long after his crime-fighting days are over. A philanthropic sort, he gave away his inherited fortune in his younger years; even now, he continues to lend his time to worthy causes, and believes in striving towards a utopian future for humankind. However, he is also extremely ambitious and ruthless.
He has his own tropical getaway in Antarctica. Complete with manservants.
The Comedian (Edward Blake)
It is the death of Edward Blake – formerly known as the Comedian – via an apparent suicide that kicks off the events of the book.
The Comedian is one of only two characters to have been a part of both the Minute Men and the Crimebusters (the other being Captain Metropolis, who does not feature prominently). An extremely brutal and effective crimefighter, he is not above acts such as rape, or murdering innocent women and their unborn children. However, it is later demonstrated that even he has his limits.
One of the few vigilantes to register with the government, the Comedian works for Richard Nixon, who is a popular and long-serving president in the Watchmen universe.
The Comedian is pretty much a jerk.
Pairings
Watchmen fic tends to be mostly gen, so pairings don't come into it very often. A lot of fic tends to be about Dan and Rorschach hanging out and generally being awesome.
Links
While Watchmen has a lot of fans, it doesn't really have a fandom, per se; fic is extremely difficult to find, and, as far as I know, there are no centralised communities or archives where fans hang out in large numbers. Additionally, most of the comms that do exist are more or less dead. As such, the links section here is kind of pitiful. If any of you know of any major sites I've missed, please let me know, and I'll edit them in.
Hopefully, the fandom will start to see more action once the movie comes out.
Watchmen on Wikipedia
Official Watchmen movie site
News on the Watchmen movie at Comics2Film
The Annotated Watchmen
A.V. Club Primer: Alan Moore
Alan Moore Portal: Watchmen
Watching the Detectives: An Internet Companion for Readers of Watchmen
Tales of the Black Freighter, rearranged into a single coherent comic issue.
Unproduced Watchmen screenplay adaptation from the early '90s.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
we_watch (the only Watchmen comm I know of that is updated semi-regularly)
watchmenfic
And that's about it. Hopefully there will be something here to everyone's tastes!
(All scans nicked from Wikipedia.)
Sadly, with the exception of V for Vendetta, adaptations of his work don't have a great track record. With the Watchmen movie slated for release in March 2009, now is a great time to get into the original comic, so that you, too, can authoritatively bitch and moan about the movie when it comes out. (Although it's possible that it won't suck. Here's hoping.)
In all seriousness, though: it is a fantastic and haunting read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Anyway, on to the overview!
It's 1985, and the world is on the brink of nuclear war.
When former masked crime-fighters start turning up dead, one of their old teammates begins the search for answers. However, this is more than just some vendetta against old superheroes....
Background Info
(Please note that I have been deliberately vague on major spoilers, both in terms of plot and things that impact heavily on characters' lives, because the original story is so much better if you don't know what's going to happen. Watchmen is only twelve issues long, and all of these issues are collected together in one trade paperback. The whole thing can be read in one or two sittings without too much trouble, so I would definitely recommend reading it first, if possible.)
Watchmen is set in an alternate history 1985, with frequent flashbacks to different eras. In this universe, the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight, the result of an accelerated arms race due to the emergence in 1959 of Doctor Manhattan, a superpowered being who has a near-unlimited range of abilities.
Doctor Manhattan is the only crimefighter in this universe with powers (although psychics exist outside of crimefighting teams). All other crimefighters rely on their natural strength, skill, and intelligence.
There are two superhero teams, both started by Captain Metropolis: The Minutemen, who are together from 1939 to 1949, and the Crimebusters, who get together briefly in 1966, but quickly disband. The Crimebusters-era vigilantes operate until 1977.
Many of the characters are inspired by pre-existing comics characters, particularly those characters from Charlton Comics that were acquired by DC in the early '80s, such as Blue Beetle, the Question, and Captain Atom.
The story is divided into twelve chapters, all of which (except the last) contain relevant Watchmen-universe primary documents at the end. Other media are scattered throughout the book, from the comic-within-the-comic Tales of the Black Freighter, to fragments of Rorschach's journal. Dave Gibbons' art is full of subtle symbolism, a lot of which doesn't become apparent until second, third, or fourth readings.
Watchmen is the first real exploration in comics of superheroes as deeply flawed beings, struggling with their own shortcomings and moral choices. With the exception of Doctor Manhattan, all are regular human beings, down on the same level as those they seek to protect; they make mistakes, have moments of weakness, judge criminals according to their own belief systems, and have their own motivations for working as crimefighters. Watchmen gives us an idea of what superheroes would be like if they were real people, and the answer isn't pretty.
In short, it is the comic that introduced us to the idea of the grim'n'gritty superhero story, but without the suck that is so commonly associated with grim'n'gritty comics today. If there is one downside to Watchmen's existence, it's that it spawned a generation of cheap, crude imitations.
Plot
In 1985, Edward Blake is found dead on the footpath outside his highrise New York apartment. This attracts the attention of vigilante Rorschach, who has been operating illegally ever since the Keene Act of 1977 outlawed unregistered costumed heroes. The Keene Act led the majority of crimefighters to retire, although some, such as the Comedian and Doctor Manhattan, chose to work for the government.
Rorschach discovers that Blake had, in fact, been the costumed adventurer known as the Comedian, leading Rorschach to develop a theory that a 'mask killer' is knocking off all the old heroes.
He sets out to warn his old colleagues. Although he's met with scepticism, the increasing number of attacks on former heroes leads to the eventual realisation by some that his theory may be correct. However, before he can find the mask killer, he is framed for murder, arrested, and made to undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Among the attacks on former costumed adventurers is an attempt to discredit Doctor Manhattan via revelations that a number of his old co-workers (including his former girlfriend) have been diagnosed with cancer. As such, he relocates himself to Mars, where he's unable to present a threat to anyone. His removal from the equation causes the US to lose its advantage in the global arms race, leading to rising tensions.
Meanwhile, people have been going missing: scientists, artists, musicians, and authors. Additionally, the corpse of a young psychic is defiled, his head stolen by persons unknown.
Dan and Laurie, former crimefighting colleagues of Rorschach, start to believe that Rorschach's mask-killer theory may be true. They pull on their old costumes, and, as Nite Owl and Silk Spectre, bust Rorschach out of prison. Laurie then goes to try to convince Doctor Manhattan that humanity is worth saving, while Dan and Rorschach close in on the identity of the mask killer.
If you want to know how it all ends, go here. However, fic doesn't tend to deal with the story's ending, and there will be warnings for any stories that do spoil the ending.
Minutemen era (1939-1949)
Sadly, these guys get very little love, fic-wise, so they'll only get a brief look here:
Nite Owl I (Hollis Mason)
A police officer before he becomes a costumed adventurer, Mason eventually retires from crime fighting to work on cars, and writes a tell-all book called Under the Hood.
Silk Spectre I (Sally Jupiter)
A former burlesque dancer, Sally is sexually assaulted by the Comedian, but retains some feelings for him for the rest of her life, despite the fact that she knows it's messed-up. The mother of Laurie Juspeczyk, the second Silk Spectre, she pushes her daughter into following in her footsteps.
Captain Metropolis (Nelson Gardner)
Founder of both the Minutemen and the Crimebusters, Gardner is in the business in order to fight 'social evils' such as promiscuity and anti-war sentiment.
Hooded Justice (real name unknown; suspected to be Rolf Muller)
The very first of the costumed adventurers, Hooded Justice becomes involved in a homosexual relationship with Captain Metropolis, although he maintains a fake public relationship with Sally Jupiter in order to protect the group's image. He goes missing when the Minutemen are questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and is never seen again.
Mothman (Byron Lewis)
Coming under pressure from the House Un-American Activities Committee over his 'left-wing friends', Lewis falls victim to a self-destructive cycle of alcoholism, damaging his mental state. However, he is well-liked amongst his peers. Minor character.
Dollar Bill
Hired by a bank as a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary security guard, Dollar Bill dies when his cape gets stuck in the revolving door, giving the robber the opportunity to shoot him. Minor character.
Silhouette (Ursula Zandt)
An Austrian Jew who emigrated due to the rise of Nazism, Zandt is outed as a lesbian in 1946, and is subsequently kicked out of the team. She and her lover are killed six weeks later by one of her old adversaries. Minor character.
Crimebusters era (1966-1977)
Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)
Rorschach is just a little less than entirely sane, which probably explains why he's such a fan favourite. He has Freudian issues, comes up with conspiracy theories, refers to his mask as his face, and is generally awesome.
He has an extremely black-and-white view of morality, which becomes reinforced in 1975, when he uncovers the brutal murder of a six-year-old girl. From this point on, he takes the law into his own hands, ignoring official channels and dealing out his own rather grisly punishments.
However, despite his issues and his personality, he is not entirely isolated – he shares a slightly uncomfortable friendship with Dan, who was his crime-fighting partner back in the day.
He has a fondness for hiding in other people's fridges, and then leaping out when they open the door.
Nite Owl II (Dan Dreiberg)
Dan is one of the few truly likeable characters in the story. Based heavily upon the second Blue Beetle, he's an inventor and geek, creating his own flying craft and tech to aid in the pursuit of criminals. He idolises the original Nite Owl, Hollis Mason, who is his good friend.
Since he stopped fighting crime, he has let his physical condition lapse somewhat, but is still capable of kicking butt, particularly when it comes to situations where intellect is required. It is he and Rorschach who get to work tracking down the mask killer.
Doctor Manhattan (Jon Osterman)
Doctor Manhattan is Watchmen's only superpowered crimefighter. His life as human scientist Jon Osterman is ended during an accident with a machine designed to separate objects from their intrinsic fields, in which his body is disintegrated. However, over the coming months, he slowly pulls himself back together, rebuilding himself until he becomes the blue-skinned, ultra-powerful Doctor Manhattan.
As Doctor Manhattan, he is virtually godlike, with just about every superpower imaginable. However, he becomes more and more detached from humanity. Apparently able to exist outside of time, perceiving all of his life at once, he nevertheless cannot interfere with the outcome of events. Valuing intellectual pursuits above all else, he has difficulty relating to people and understanding emotions, putting a strain on his relationship with Laurie.
His level of detachment from humanity can be judged by how much he is (or isn't) wearing.
Silk Spectre II (Laurie Juspeczyk)
Laurie is the daughter of Silk Spectre I, Sally Jupiter. Pressured into the crimefighting business by her mother, she is somewhat reluctant to pull on the costume.
She is involved in a relationship with Doctor Manhattan during the earlier parts of the story, becoming increasingly frustrated and disturbed by his growing detachment from humanity. In the end, she helps him realise the value of human life, and they part on good terms, leaving Laurie free to pursue her relationship with Dan.
Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)
Veidt is supposedly the world's smartest man, and has managed to do better for himself than the other Crimebusters. Once he realises that he can do more for humankind through more legitimate channels than he can through vigilantism, he retires from crime-fighting, two years before his teammates are forced to step down due to the Keene Act. He then quickly builds his own corporate empire.
Veidt takes his inspiration from Alexander the Great, and keeps himself in peak physical condition long after his crime-fighting days are over. A philanthropic sort, he gave away his inherited fortune in his younger years; even now, he continues to lend his time to worthy causes, and believes in striving towards a utopian future for humankind. However, he is also extremely ambitious and ruthless.
He has his own tropical getaway in Antarctica. Complete with manservants.
The Comedian (Edward Blake)
It is the death of Edward Blake – formerly known as the Comedian – via an apparent suicide that kicks off the events of the book.
The Comedian is one of only two characters to have been a part of both the Minute Men and the Crimebusters (the other being Captain Metropolis, who does not feature prominently). An extremely brutal and effective crimefighter, he is not above acts such as rape, or murdering innocent women and their unborn children. However, it is later demonstrated that even he has his limits.
One of the few vigilantes to register with the government, the Comedian works for Richard Nixon, who is a popular and long-serving president in the Watchmen universe.
The Comedian is pretty much a jerk.
Pairings
Watchmen fic tends to be mostly gen, so pairings don't come into it very often. A lot of fic tends to be about Dan and Rorschach hanging out and generally being awesome.
Links
While Watchmen has a lot of fans, it doesn't really have a fandom, per se; fic is extremely difficult to find, and, as far as I know, there are no centralised communities or archives where fans hang out in large numbers. Additionally, most of the comms that do exist are more or less dead. As such, the links section here is kind of pitiful. If any of you know of any major sites I've missed, please let me know, and I'll edit them in.
Hopefully, the fandom will start to see more action once the movie comes out.
Watchmen on Wikipedia
Official Watchmen movie site
News on the Watchmen movie at Comics2Film
The Annotated Watchmen
A.V. Club Primer: Alan Moore
Alan Moore Portal: Watchmen
Watching the Detectives: An Internet Companion for Readers of Watchmen
Tales of the Black Freighter, rearranged into a single coherent comic issue.
Unproduced Watchmen screenplay adaptation from the early '90s.
we_watch (the only Watchmen comm I know of that is updated semi-regularly)watchmenficAnd that's about it. Hopefully there will be something here to everyone's tastes!
(All scans nicked from Wikipedia.)
no subject
Great summary — informative, but not spoilery.
no subject
no subject
My mind. It is blown.
no subject
no subject
http://crack-van.livejournal.com/4706780.html
Thank you to