“Watchmen” is one of the bestselling novels of the comic book world. It is the only comic book on Time magazine’s list of the 100 greatest novels. The comic book that put an end to the study and deconstruction of superheroes and on which a wide variety of filmmakers and producers have wizened for decades. The latest comic book by the great Alan Moore for DC Publishing.
The comic is set in a world very similar to our own; the only difference is that superheroes existed in that world. But in 1985, they are banned; most of the defenders of justice have retired. Only the all-powerful Dr. Manhattan continues to symbolize the power of the United States, thereby upsetting the delicate balance of the Cold War. The world is on the brink of catastrophe – and at this point, for some reason, the hunt for former heroes begins and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ grand tale of war, peace, justice, humanity, cruelty, and, of course, men in masks and cloaks.
Today, Watchmen is considered a must-have classic that anyone who reads comic books should definitely become familiar with. And especially those who are tired of the monotonous superheroics of Marvel and DC.
“Watchmen” is a comic book at the crossroads of several genres. It is both a detective, a chronicle of the Cold War through the eyes of citizens, a sci-fi story, and a deconstruction of superheroics.
Using the example of Dr. Manhattan, we are shown the story of a superhero who, realizing his changed role in this world, makes the most logical decision possible – to distance himself.
It’s a look at the familiar pattern from a different perspective. “Classic” superhero comics have accustomed us to the idea that once a hero is given “great power,” he must bear “great responsibility.” But that doesn’t work with Dr. Manhattan. He understands that he literally can do anything. For him, the world of men, their problems, and even wars lose meaning. He wants more, to know the universe, to get to the knowledge that is inaccessible to humans because of the emotions that drive them to war.
In the comic book, Manhattan is explicitly called a “god,” implying that when he was reborn, he became something else.
This is no longer John Osterman, the talented nuclear physicist who was in the wrong place at the wrong time–he is a true superhuman, capable of being everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
And in parallel, we are shown people. Ordinary people who put on hero costumes and pretend to be others. They want to save the world, find out who’s after them, and figure out who’s behind it. And this despite the fact that superheroes have become illegal. Their activities go against Nixon’s policies, so he decided to deprive the masked vigilantes of the opportunity to sow their justice. Some took off their masks, others found a new lease on life, but there were those who continued to fight no matter what.
The Comedian, for example, does not take the reality around him seriously. For him, the world is one big, silly joke, and fighting crime is an opportunity to vent his anger on those who deserve it without judgment.