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crack_van2010-11-01 02:57 pm
Watchmen: An Overview (by Sandoz-Iscariot)
Overview:
Author: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
sandoz_iscariot
Watchmen is a 12-issue limited series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, first published by DC Comics in 1986. Originally conceived as a story featuring characters from Charlton Comics, Moore and Gibbons instead used Charlton as a springboard for a brand new cast of archetypal superheroes. (The hard-boiled masked detective, the millionaire inventor, the godlike superman, etc.) The story itself is a complex, dense deconstruction of the Golden and Silver Age of comic books, full of recurring imagery and motifs (for example, the bloody smiley face badge of the first panel), fictional book and magazine excerpts that flesh out the characters' histories, and even a comic book within the comic, Tales of the Black Freighter. Also groundbreaking is its depiction of superheroes as real people: the flaws and their strengths, their dreams and neuroses, their kinks and their compromises.
Watchmen takes place in an alternate universe that closely resembles our world. Nixon is still president, people drive electric cars, and superheroes have been part of the cultural and political landscape for forty years. In the 1940s, a "masked hero fad" inspired by comic books leads to the formation of the Minutemen in New York City. Years of scandals and deaths force the group to disband, but not before heroes like Nite Owl inspire younger followers. Those older heroes are made obsolete by the appearance of a genuine superman--Dr. Manhattan. A scientist with unlimited control over matter, Dr. Manhattan is the United States' ultimate weapon, winning the Vietnam War. However, Manhattan's very existence escalates Cold War tension until nuclear war seems inevitable. Amid this changing climate, public favor turns against masked heroes, and the Keene Act of '77 outlaws them entirely. Some retire voluntarily, others become government-sanctioned agents, but only one, Rorschach, fights crime outside the law.
In 1985, a man named Edward Blake is murdered by being thrown out of his penthouse window. Rorschach, now past his prime, investigates and discovers that Blake was the Comedian, a member of the Minutemen and a government agent. Rorschach quickly suspects that a "mask killer" is on the loose and seeks to warn his former associates--Nite Owl II, Silk Spectre, Ozymandias, and Dr. Manhattan--of the danger. As the investigation deepens, it soon becomes clear that the truth is more horrible than they could have imagined, all while the Doomsday Clock ticks closer to nuclear annihilation.
Watchmen is one of the most important comic books of the last 25 years, influencing not only countless comics, but also popular movies and television shows such as The Incredibles and Lost. It won the Hugo Award upon its completion and Time magazine gave it the honor of being the only comic on their list of the 100 greatest novels of the 20th century. The characters of Watchmen, particularly Rorschach, frequently appear on "Best Superhero" lists across message boards and comic book sites.
After nearly 20 years of development hell (including an infamous proposal with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Manhattan), Watchmen was made into a feature film directed by Zack Snyder and released in 2009.
Major Characters:
Watchmen
(Note: the comic's title comes from the Juvenal quote "Who Watches the Watchmen?" and does not refer to any superhero group within the story. However, for the 2009 film the second generation heroes were dubbed the Watchmen for simplicity and marketing purposes.)
The Comedian/Edward Blake (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan)
A former member of the Minutemen and a Vietnam War veteran, the Comedian is one of the two government sponsored heroes active after the Keene Act outlaws masked vigilantes. Contrary to his name, he is known for his brutality and nihilistic worldview. As a young man he attempted to rape his teammate Sally Jupiter, the reverberations of which are felt for decades. Part of his costume is a yellow smiley badge that, when splattered with his blood, becomes the most iconic image of the series. The Comedian's murder sets the plot of Watchmen into motion.
Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman (played by Billy Crudup)
The son of a watchmaker, Jon Osterman was a talented nuclear physicist when he was caught in a gruesome "Intrinsic Field Subtractor" accident. Reborn with control over matter and a non-linear perception of time, Dr. Manhattan has been likened to a superman, or God. As a government-sponsored hero, he is the United States' ultimate deterrent against nuclear war. His interest in human affairs dwindles over decades to the point where he finds Mars to be a more suitable home. Dr. Manhattan is the only character in Watchmen with superhuman powers.
Rorschach/Walter Joseph Kovacs (played by Jackie Earle Haley)
Walter Kovacs, the abused son of a prostitute, took on a secret identity to fight back at the crime and injustice he saw in everyday society. Rorschach was "soft" on criminals (letting them live) until a horrific child murder gave him a dark epiphany. Consumed by his costumed identity, he considers his symmetrical, ever-changing black ink-on-latex mask (sewn from the dress of a murder victim) to be his true face. Rorschach walks the streets at night in direct violation of the Keene Act. Paranoid, nationalistic, bigoted and isolated, Rorschach writes his misanthropic musings in a journal. He investigates Edward Blake's murder and soon becomes convinced that there is a larger conspiracy afoot to kill and discredit all superheroes.
Nite Owl II/Daniel Dreiberg (played by Patrick Wilson)
Dan Dreiberg followed the footsteps of his hero Hollis Mason by becoming the second Nite Owl. An ornithologist with a love of mythology, Dan uses his wealth and technological genius to fight crime. His greatest invention is an airship called the Owlship, or "Archie" (after Archimedes, Merlin's pet owl). Of all the costumed heroes, Dan was perhaps the most naive; his crime-fighting efforts are dismissed as "schoolboy heroics," though his alter ego is crucial to his personal and sexual identity. Dan and Rorschach were partners until the Keene Act outlawed superheroes; Dan's retirement is a source of conflict between them. By 1985 Dan is out of shape and without purpose, until he is inspired to put on the cape and cowl once more.
Silk Spectre II/Laurie Juspeczyk (played by Malin Ackerman)
Laurie Juspeczyk is the only female masked hero of her generation. Groomed since childhood to take her mother's place as the second Silk Spectre, Laurie is resentful of the vocation she didn't choose for herself. Laurie is a skilled as a hand-to-hand fighter even years after her retirement. A bold and outspoken presence (her interests include smoking, Devo records, and heaps of profanity) Laurie regrets that her life has been spent mostly in the shadow of others. By 1985 her 20-year love affair with Dr. Manhattan has disintegrated, and she forms a new romance with Nite Owl, embracing her superhero identity on her own terms.
Ozymandias/Adrian Veidt (played by Matthew Goode)
Called "The Smartest Man in the World," Adrian Veidt retired from the superhero business early to run Veidt Enterprises, which markets action figures and diet books with his image. Unlike many of his compatriots, Ozymandias has a very popular public image and is known for his philanthropy. Honed to complete mental and physical perfection, Ozymandias claims that he can even catch a bullet. His deep admiration of the ancient rulers Alexander the Great and Ramses II has startling, world-changing consequences. Ozymandias owns a "fortress of solitude" in Antarctica, Karnak, and a genetically engineered lynx named Bubastis.
The Minutemen
(From left: Silhouette, Mothman, Dollar Bill, Nite Owl, The Comedian (sitting), Captain Metropolis, Silk Spectre, and Hooded Justice)
Hooded Justice/Rolf Muller: The first costumed hero. A former circus strongman, it is implied that he took sexual pleasure out of violently beating criminals. He disappeared under mysterious circumstances after refusing to reveal his secret identity to the government.
Nite Owl I/Hollis Mason: A police officer who became the second costumed hero after reading about Hooded Justice. He retired to run an auto repair shop and wrote an autobiography about his superhero life, Under the Hood. He still has weekly beer sessions with his protege, Dan.
Silk Spectre I/Sally Jupiter: Sally was a waitress and burlesque star who initially saw her crimefighting career as a stepping stone for larger fame. She became a superhero "stage mother" for Laurie, and though this caused tension in their relationship there is no one Sally loves more than her daughter. She lives in a retirement home in California.
Captain Metropolis/Nelson Gardener: Nelson had the idea of forming the Minutemen group and, years later, unsuccessfully tried to start a second team, the Crimebusters. Hooded Justice's secret lover. Earnest but bigoted, Nelson was dismissed by the Comedian as wanting to "go on playing cowboys and Indians" past his prime. Died in an auto crash.
The Silhouette/Ursula Zandt: Ursula was a Jewish Austrian aristocrat who fled the Nazis to New York City. She enjoyed the adventurous crime-fighting lifestyle but often clashed with her teammates (Hooded Justice, for his Nazi sympathies; Silk Spectre, for her suppression of her Polish heritage). After she was outed as a lesbian she was voted off the Minutemen, and was subsequently murdered by an old foe.
Mothman/Byron Lewis: A rich playboy from Connecticut who designed functional wings for his costume. During the height of the Red Scare he was demonized for his leftist politics, which led him to alcoholism and a mental breakdown. He lives in an asylum in Maine.
Dollar Bill/Bill Brady: A football player from Kansas who became a bank-sponsored costumed hero. The company designed his costume with a cape, which led to his death when it was caught in a revolving door during a bank robbery and Bill was shot in the head.
Other Characters:
Moloch/Edgar William Jacobi: A theatrical stage magician turned crime lord, he fought the Minutemen and Dr. Manhattan. Went straight after prison and lives alone, trying to forget his former life.
Twilight Lady/Leslie Chadwicke: A vice queen with a dominatrix theme, and an enemy (or something more?) of Nite Owl II. A very minor character in the comic (appearing only in a photograph and a dream) she is nonetheless very popular in fanfiction, and her history is expanded in the Watchmen RPG Sourcebook and the End is Nigh video game.
Fandom Resources:
Livejournal Communities:
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
watchmenfic
watchmen_slash
watchdom (all-purpose Watchmen comm. Fanfics, fanart, discussion, crack, cosplay--it's all there.)
watchfic_dir (Comprehensive Watchmen fanfic directory. Can search by character, pairing, rating, kink, etc.)
watchmen_canon (Got a question about Watchmen canon and don't have your book handy? Just ask here.)
watchmenpchat (Gallery for the Watchmen paintchat. NSFW!)
newfrontiersmen (Moderated/apply for application comm. For quality fanworks.)spam_monster's Watchmen Kink Meme 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
findmyantidrug 's large Watchmen fanfic rec list. Includes summaries, characters/pairings, ratings and warnings. A good place to start if you're a newbie looking for quality fic.
Pairing Comms:mad_bertha: the following list of pairing communities has been added after posting, may not be complete and is compiled with the aid of helpful folk in the comments of this post (hint hint). The later you read this, the more likely it is not up to date and you are advised to do a lj search:cigarblots (Comedian/Rorschach)knownidentities (Ozymandias/Nite Owl II)ozycom (Comedian/Ozymandias)rraaarrlship (Nite Owl II/Rorschach)strapsandstars (Dollar Bill/Mothman)
wwhjd (Hooded Justice/Captain Metropolis)
Off Livejournal:
Watchmen Paintchat (possibly NSFW!)
Who Watches the Writers? (Fanfic archive)
Watchmen on Wikipedia (A featured article!)
Watchmencomicmovie.com (Large Watchmen fansite with tons of info, images, and interviews about the comic and film. Also includes a forum.)
The Annotated Watchmen
Goodies:
Here are .pdfs of three Watchmen RPG modules put out by Mayfair Games and DC Comics in the late 80s. The first two were released before Alan Moore's split with DC Comics and were created with his input and involvement, thus containing information not in the Watchmen comic book. They also include original art by Dave Gibbons.
I am sharing these because they are long out of print and hard to find, and a great source of information for anyone who wants to play in this fictional world. (hxxp --> http)
Adventure Module 1: Who Watches the Watchmen?: hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?yugmmtmvmgj
Adventure Module 2: Taking Out the Trash: hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?d2jjjzjyz4z (Includes the essay "The World of the Watchmen" co-written by Alan Moore)
Watchmen RPG Sourcebook: hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?nmwyyzxdyjm
This overview was written by
sandoz_iscariot and posted with her permission.
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I was just wondering, though, if we could add some more pairing comms to the fandom resources list.
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Wondering if the present volunteers need to comment there or just the new ones?
Comms to add to the overview
Was going to add Dan/Laurie and Eddie/Sally too, but apparently the comms have been deleted. :( Well, maybe someone will make new ones some day.
Anyway, hope this is helpful. :)
PS: Do we want character comms as well? I could list some of those too.
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Re: Comms to add to the overview
I don't know about the character comms--I think the overview needs a certain level of detail, but too much and it'll date quickly. OTH, if it's not too big a list, it should be fine. In any case, pop them in here if you have them.
Re: Comms to add to the overview
Ok, those are the ones I can come up with just now. Don't worry if it's too many, though. ^__^