brnineworms's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What can I say about Watchmen that hasn’t been said already? You don’t need me to tell you it’s good. Its reputation as a well-crafted masterpiece and an exemplary demonstration of the comic book medium/superhero genre precedes it. The characters are complex and compelling, the story has depth and pathos, the artwork has a good amount of detail and strikes a healthy balance between realism and stylisation. Each chapter is followed by an extract from an in-universe autobiography, magazine article, or other such document. Not only does that introduce some lore, it’s also a welcome break in format which prevents the regular panels becoming monotonous.
I don’t want to say too much about the story, partly for the sake of avoiding spoilers but also because I want to avoid underselling it. It’s hard-hitting and intricate. I knew it’d be good but even with my expectations set high it blew me away.
A must-read. If you’ve already read it, read it again.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Violence, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, and War
Moderate: Antisemitism, Body horror, Police brutality, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Stalking, Rape, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Lesbophobia, and Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicide, Vomit, Addiction, Alcoholism, Outing, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Excrement, Fatphobia, and Car accident
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