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scoobygirl93's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This ambitious and nearly flawless work has already made history and there is little I want to add here to that: it's complex and tightly-woven with nuanced and genuine characters acting as best they are able. As clumsy and human as they are, their physical and emotional frailties are foremost at focus as they try to do nothing less than every superhero comic: save the world.
Moore's alternate history is (especially today) too too plausible, and the dozens of different readings his characters make of it could as easily be applied to today's news. He details only one of the key differences between universes, however, and that is the step a few individuals make from reading 1930s hero comics to themselves donning vigilante costumes. After that, the political and sociological changes seem relatively inevitable.
And that, as many have argued, offers us a deeper and unsettling look at our affinity for superheroes, the nature of justice and authority and legitimacy, of our collective psychological desperations created by and answered by marketing lifestyles. And, in the truths spoken by Dr. Manhattan, how utterly trivial and uninteresting it all is.
So why not a full 5 stars? The storytelling and artwork are fine enough, the complete work ambitious enough, its execution almost as much. And it's the almost. As immersive as Watchmen is, there are several moments when readers are thrown out of it, where the authorial crafting is too obviously authorial crafting. I'm thinking of a parallel pirate comic that is read at a newsstand, as a for instance, or chapters where each page is a different scenic moment which all (seemingly coincidentally but cosmically) align in word and concept. They are clever, and calculated . . . and so also first clever and calculated, second impactful as narrative. Moore is too excited to show us what he can do, and that excitement--especially for me--was loud enough to disturb the reading.
A quibble, perhaps, but Moore has gone on to do other works. A mesmerizing standard for graphic novels which follow, Watchmen's imitators in later years still pale.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
manjal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
amelierawr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The heavy grief and trauma really gets to you.
For the love of god, before reading look at the damn content warnings!!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Racism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Homophobia, Vomit, and War
raynestorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault
noahhare's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Blood, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Homophobia, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, and War
nojerama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
This is 18+ for a reason. Do not give this to a kid. I can’t have that on my consciencemsib129's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sulinde's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
There's a place for grotesque, brutal, depressing stories--I don't feel like Watchmen makes it to that place.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Sexual content
tenten's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
but i think that's what makes the story compelling and stand up to the test of time....or whatever? i think it's not as deep as it was trying to be in some places. but it was good for what it's worth and i can see why it's considered a classic. i definitely prefer it to Moore's other famous work, The Killing Joke — the only good thing to have come out of that was Oracle, then DC went and ruined her by ~curing~ her disability 🙄
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Torture, and Trafficking