tarakingwrites's review against another edition
4.0
Paul had a best-of-comics book that included Watchmaker (chapter 4)--entirely from the perspective of Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan. That chapter was beautiful, full of parallels and metaphors both visual and textual. The image of the meteor shower and the fall of the watch pieces from Osterman's childhood balcony. The question of the watchmaker god, and Manhattan's mechanical view of the universe.
So, when he picked up the whole book, I figured I'd read that, too.
I struggled a LOT with Rorschach, especially the opening focused on his journal. The ... logic/philosophy feels so so so so relevant to the gamergate/MRA/red pill nonsense circulating today, and I just didn't *trust* that the book wasn't holding him up as How A Person Should Be. The misogyny, self-righteousness, arrogance....it was a lot to take.
I kept reading though, and while I still feel a bit unbalanced by the politics of the book, the book itself delivered on the promise of the initial chapter I read. It rewarded close reading, with themes recurring and braiding throughout. The Black Freighter storyline offered a beautiful and disturbing commentary on a number of other characters/plotlines.
Plus, it's so meta. Filled with "found texts" commenting on the place of superheroes and the culture around them, filled with questions about comic books and justice, I found the whole thing brainy and strange. I came in expecting the certainty of Superman, and walked away with a feeling that it's all a little more complicated than it seems.
And who doesn't admire a story that ends with a quote like this: "In the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends." --Dr. Manhattan
So, when he picked up the whole book, I figured I'd read that, too.
I struggled a LOT with Rorschach, especially the opening focused on his journal. The ... logic/philosophy feels so so so so relevant to the gamergate/MRA/red pill nonsense circulating today, and I just didn't *trust* that the book wasn't holding him up as How A Person Should Be. The misogyny, self-righteousness, arrogance....it was a lot to take.
I kept reading though, and while I still feel a bit unbalanced by the politics of the book, the book itself delivered on the promise of the initial chapter I read. It rewarded close reading, with themes recurring and braiding throughout. The Black Freighter storyline offered a beautiful and disturbing commentary on a number of other characters/plotlines.
Plus, it's so meta. Filled with "found texts" commenting on the place of superheroes and the culture around them, filled with questions about comic books and justice, I found the whole thing brainy and strange. I came in expecting the certainty of Superman, and walked away with a feeling that it's all a little more complicated than it seems.
And who doesn't admire a story that ends with a quote like this: "In the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends." --Dr. Manhattan
jillianjrb's review against another edition
5.0
I'm no comic book afficionado, but the GF cited this as one of her favorite stories of all time and I found myself quite intrigued to pick it up.
Absolutely incredible view of the world at large and reimagining of superheroes (as someone who can't be bothered to sit down to a Marvel film). Will hold a special place in my heart for a long time. Could only dream of writing a story that makes someone feel this way.
Absolutely incredible view of the world at large and reimagining of superheroes (as someone who can't be bothered to sit down to a Marvel film). Will hold a special place in my heart for a long time. Could only dream of writing a story that makes someone feel this way.
snorlaxative's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bryangeles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
samidhak's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t know what was it about this comic that made me so uncomfortable. The colour and the drawings made me a little nauseous for some reason. Plus it didn’t end, it kept going and going. And also I am fairly new to the comic world, so half the time I couldn’t tell the flawed, pretentious “superheroes” apart. Some I liked, but some were pretty generic.
ixjewell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
3.25
dreyesbo's review against another edition
5.0
Re-read. Definitely took in more about what it was intending to do than I did when I first read it 10 years ago. Still timeless.
rumbledethumps's review against another edition
5.0
This is the third time I've read Watchmen, and it just gets better every time I read it. It is a classic for a reason.
In-depth characters, cinematic techniques, subtle foreshadowing, so many other things that are too numerable to mention, all make this a great work of literature.
In-depth characters, cinematic techniques, subtle foreshadowing, so many other things that are too numerable to mention, all make this a great work of literature.