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Watchmen

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Cartoons

                                  Watchmen
   Cover art for the 1987 U.S. (left) and UK (right) collected editions of
   Watchmen, published by DC Comics and Titan Books.

   Publisher         DC Comics
   Schedule          Monthly
   Format            Limited series
   Publication dates September 1986 – October 1987
   Number of issues  Twelve
   Main character(s) Nite-Owl
                     Dr. Manhattan
                     Rorschach
                     Silk Spectre
                     Ozymandias
                     The Comedian

        Creative team
   Writer(s)    Alan Moore
   Artist(s)    Dave Gibbons
   Colourist(s) John Higgins

   Watchmen is a twelve-issue graphic novel written by Alan Moore and
   illustrated by Dave Gibbons. Originally published by DC Comics as a
   monthly limited series from 1986 to 1987, it was later republished as a
   trade paperback. It was one of the first superhero comics to present
   itself as serious literature, and it also popularized the "graphic
   novel" format. Watchmen is the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award,
   and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time magazine's 2005
   list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the
   present."

   Watchmen is set in 1985, in an alternative history United States where
   costumed adventurers are real and the country is edging closer to a
   nuclear war with the Soviet Union. It tells the story of a group of
   past and present superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious
   murder of one of their own. In Watchmen, superheroes are depicted as
   real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who have
   neuroses and failings, and who--with one notable exception--completely
   lack anything recognizable as a "super power". Watchmen's
   deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with
   its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of
   symbolism and multi-layered dialogue, has changed both comics and film.

Background

   Alan Moore, who wanted to transcend the perceptions of the comic book
   medium as something juvenile, created Watchmen as an attempt to make "a
   superhero Moby-Dick; something that had that sort of weight, that sort
   of density." Moore also named William S. Burroughs as one of his "main
   influences" during the conception of Watchmen and admired Burroughs'
   use "of repeated symbols that would become laden with meaning" in
   Burroughs's one and only comic strip, which appeared in the British
   underground magazine Cyclops.

   Moore and Gibbons originally conceived of a story that would take
   "familiar old-fashioned superheroes into a completely new realm."
   Initially, Moore looked towards the defunct MLJ Comics line of
   superheroes for inspiration. "I’d just started thinking about using the
   MLJ characters—the Archie super-heroes—just because they weren’t being
   published at that time, and for all I knew, they might’ve been up for
   grabs. The initial concept would’ve had the 1960s-’70s rather lame
   version of the Shield being found dead in the harbour, and then you’d
   probably have various other characters, including Jack Kirby’s Private
   Strong, being drafted back in, and a murder mystery unfolding. I
   suppose I was just thinking, “That’d be a good way to start a comic
   book: have a famous super-hero found dead.” As the mystery unraveled,
   we would be lead deeper and deeper into the real heart of this
   super-hero’s world, and show a reality that was very different to the
   general public image of the super-hero. So, that was the idea."

   Dick Giordano, who had worked for Charlton Comics, suggested using a
   cast of old Charlton characters that had recently been acquired by DC;
   but since Moore and Gibbons wanted to do a serious storyline in which
   some of the newly acquired characters would die, this was not feasible.
   Giordano then suggested that Moore and Gibbons simply start from
   scratch and create their own characters. So while certain characters in
   Watchmen are loosely based upon the Charlton characters (such as Dr.
   Manhattan, who was inspired by Captain Atom; Rorschach, who was loosely
   based upon the Question; and Nite Owl, who was loosely based on the
   Blue Beetle), Moore decided to create characters that ultimately would
   scarcely resemble their Charlton counterparts.

   Originally, Moore and Gibbons only had enough plot for six issues, so
   they compensated "by interspersing the more plot-driven issues with
   issues that gave kind of a biographical portrait of one of the main
   characters." During the process, Gibbons had a great deal of autonomy
   in developing the visual look of Watchmen and inserted details that
   Moore admits he did not notice until later, as Watchmen was written to
   be read and fully understood only after several readings.

Composition

Title

   The title Watchmen is derived from the phrase Quis custodiet ipsos
   custodes?, from Juvenal's Satire VI, "Against women" (c. AD 60-127),
   often translated as "Who watches the watchmen?"

          noui consilia et ueteres quaecumque monetis amici,
          "pone seram, cohibe".
          sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes
          cauta est et ab illis incipit uxor

          "I hear always the admonishment of my friends:
          'Bolt her in, and constrain her!'
          But who will watch the watchmen?
          The wife arranges accordingly, and begins with them."

   Juvenal was credited with exposing the vice of Roman society through
   his satires, and in a similar fashion, Watchmen examines the trope of
   the costumed adventurer or superhero by examining the human flaws of
   its "superhero" characters in lieu of the traditional comic book focus
   on its characters' strengths. In Watchmen, Moore shows a "grittier"
   side to the conceived notion of the superhero.

   The graffiti "WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN" appears scrawled upon walls
   throughout New York City during the story (though the complete phrase
   is never seen; the sentence is always partially obscured or cut out of
   the panel). The graffito occurs following the proposition of
   legislation which would require superhero registration, depicting the
   change of public opinion towards the practice of vigilantism. This
   viewpoint is exemplified by the character of the second Nite Owl, who
   asks, during an anti-vigilantism riot, "Who are we protecting [society]
   from?" As if to illustrate the many problems with vigilantes who
   sometimes serve as judge, jury and executioner, the Comedian glibly
   replies, "From themselves."

   The title, therefore, refers to the idea of superheroes, police, the
   government, or any group of people who assume the responsibility of
   protecting others from themselves. It does not refer to any group of
   characters within the Watchmen universe. The heroes belong to either
   the 30's-era supergroup The Minutemen or the short-lived 60's group The
   Crime-Busters.

Structure

   The graphic novel Watchmen is composed of twelve chapters. These
   chapters were originally separate issues of the comic book series,
   which were released sequentially starting in 1986. Each chapter begins
   with a close-up of the first panel, originally the cover to each issue.
   Each chapter has an epigraph from classical or pop literature, which
   appears in abbreviated form early on, and acts as the chapter's heading
   or title. The quote is given in its entirety at the end of the chapter,
   summarizing the events that have just occurred.

   Watchmen also contains many fictional primary documents, which are
   appended to the end of every chapter (except the final one), and
   represented as being a part of the Watchmen universe's media.
   Biographies of retired costumed adventurers, such as the retrospective
   Under the Hood by the retired first Nite Owl, are used to help the
   reader understand the chronology of events, and also the changes in
   public opinion and representation of costumed adventurers through the
   decades. These documents are also used to reveal personal details of
   the costumed adventurers' private lives, such as Rorschach's arrest
   record and psychiatric report. Other documents used in this way include
   military reports and newspaper and magazine articles.

   Watchmen's structure has been analyzed by many reviewers, with The
   Friday Review calling Watchmen "a complex, multi-layered narrative,
   populated with well-realized characters and set against a background
   that is simultaneously believable and unfamiliar".

Perspective

   When reading Watchmen, the reader is mostly presented with only an
   objective Point of View, able to see all the characters' actions,
   facial expressions, and body language; but, in a move unusual for comic
   books of its time, Moore did not rely much upon thought balloons to
   clarify his characters' thoughts, although several sections consist of
   long episodes that replay the characters' memories. The documents that
   are appended to the end of each chapter except the last, as well as
   media such as Rorschach's diary, help to elucidate characters' thoughts
   and feelings throughout the novel, without mentioning them explicitly.
   This is in keeping with Watchmen's largely cinematic presentation.

   First person perspective is also used, albeit more infrequently.
   Flashbacks are employed to help facilitate the reader's understanding
   of events occurring in the present, but also as a means of chronicling
   the differences in history between the Watchmen universe and our own.
   Thus, Dr. Manhattan's flashback to the Vietnam War highlights how both
   his and the Comedian's existence altered their world's history in
   comparison to our own.

   "Watchmen Observations" notes that Watchmen uses a three by three panel
   structure and that there is little variation in this format. The effect
   is to "reduce the scope for authorial voice--the reader has fewer clues
   how she should react to each scene; also, they heighten the feeling of
   realism and distance the novel from standard action comics."

Story

Characters

   The cast of Watchmen was initially based upon old MLJ Comics characters
   . Moore and Gibbons agreed that Watchmen required a cast of characters
   that had continuity and a history upon which a story could be based. DC
   Comics had recently acquired the rights to some old Charlton Comics
   characters. This prompted former DC Editing Manager Dick Giordano to
   suggest that Moore use some of these characters. However, to avoid
   continuity issues with the recently acquired characters, and due to the
   fact that some of them would have become useless for future series,
   Moore decided to create new characters, using the recently acquired
   Charlton Comics characters as templates. This allowed for a more
   dynamic and unique set of characters. The Comedian (Edward Blake) is
   based on Peacemaker with elements of Marvel Comics' Nick Fury. Doctor
   Manhattan (Jon Osterman) is derived from Captain Atom, while the first
   and second Nite Owls (Hollis Mason and Dan Dreiberg) are based upon
   Blue Beetle. Thunderbolt serves as the inspiration for Ozymandias
   (Adrian Veidt), while the Question and Mr. A do the same for Rorschach
   (Walter Kovacs). Finally, the first and second Silk Spectres (Sally
   Jupiter and Laurie Juspeczyk) are based on Nightshade with elements of
   Black Canary and Phantom Lady.

   Although the cast of Watchmen are commonly called "superheroes," the
   only superhuman character in the principal cast is Dr. Manhattan — the
   others are normal human beings with no special abilities aside from
   peak physical condition and access to high-class technology and
   weapons. In the comic, they refer to themselves as "costumed
   adventurers."

Plot summary

   Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

   In October 1985, Walter Kovacs (Rorschach) investigates the murder of
   New Yorker Edward Blake and discovers that Blake was the "Comedian," a
   veteran costumed adventurer and government agent. Forming a theory that
   Blake's murder is part of a greater plot to eliminate costumed
   adventurers (or "masks," as Rorschach calls them), Kovacs warns others:
   Jon Osterman (Dr. Manhattan), Laurel Jane Juspeczyk (the second Silk
   Spectre), Daniel Dreiberg (the second Nite Owl) and Adrian Veidt
   (Ozymandias). Veidt, Juspeczyk and Dreiberg are long retired from
   crime-fighting, the latter two because of the 1977 passage of the Keene
   Act, which had banned costumed vigilantes (a law that Kovacs, deeply
   immersed in his Rorschach identity and uncompromising moral code,
   ignores). Veidt retired voluntarily in 1975, disclosing his identity
   publicly and using his reputation and intelligence to build a
   successful commercial enterprise and a large personal fortune. Like
   Blake, Osterman remained exempt from the Keene Act as an agent of the
   U.S. government. He no longer engages in crime fighting, having become
   an important element of the ongoing Cold War.

   The United States and the Soviet Union have been edging toward a
   nuclear showdown since the 1959 nuclear accident that transformed
   Osterman into the super-powered Dr. Manhattan. Due to Osterman's
   near-godlike powers and allegiance to the American government, the U.S.
   has enjoyed a distinct strategic advantage, allowing it to defeat the
   Soviet Union in a series of proxy wars. In this timeline, it won the
   Vietnam War. Moreover, Richard Nixon suppressed the existence of the
   Watergate scandal in this world, and apparently engineered a
   constitutional amendment enabling more than two consecutive
   presidential terms

   This imbalance accelerated the nuclear arms race, and dramatically
   increased global tension. In seeming anticipation of global war,
   American society has assumed a general sense of fatalism about the
   future. Signs of this in daily life range from "Meltdowns" candy to
   graffiti inspired by the Hiroshima bombing to the designation of many
   buildings in New York as fallout shelters.

   Veidt, observing Osterman's increasing emotional detachment from
   humanity, forms a theory that military expenditures and environmental
   damage will lead to global catastrophe no later than the mid-1990s. As
   part of an elaborate plot to avert this, Veidt acts to accelerate
   Osterman's isolation by secretly exposing more than two dozen of
   Osterman's former associates to harmful radiation, inflicting a variety
   of cancers on them. Meanwhile, Veidt manipulates the press into
   speculating that Osterman himself was the cause of these cancers.

   Now hounded by media allegations and quarantined as a result, Osterman
   teleports himself to the planet Mars to contemplate the events of his
   life. His break with the U.S. government prompts Soviet opportunism in
   the form of an invasion of Afghanistan (a delayed version of the
   real-life event), greatly aggravating the global crisis; as the
   situation continues to escalate, the U.S. government and public alike
   realize that nuclear war could be only days away. Investigating the
   calamities that have befallen other heroes, Dreiberg and Kovacs
   discover information incriminating Veidt; Kovacs, Juspeczyk, Osterman
   and Dreiberg confront Veidt at his Antarctic retreat, but too late to
   prevent the final phase of his plan. Using a teleportation device,
   Veidt moves a massive, genetically-engineered, psionic creature into
   the heart of New York City, knowing that the teleportation process will
   kill it. In its death-throes, the creature releases a "psychic
   shockwave" containing imagery designed to be so violent and alien as to
   kill half the residents of the city and drive many survivors insane.
   With the world convinced that the creature is the first of a potential
   alien invasion force, the United States and Soviet Union withdraw from
   the brink of war and form an accord to face this apparent
   extraterrestrial threat.

   The murderer of Blake is revealed to be Veidt himself, acting after
   Blake had accidentally discovered details of Veidt's plot. Veidt has
   also eliminated numerous employees and minions. At the end, the only
   people aware of the truth are Veidt, Dreiberg, Juspeczyk, Kovacs and
   Osterman. Dreiberg, Juspeczyk and Osterman agree to keep silent out of
   concern that revealing the plot could re-ignite U.S.–Soviet tensions,
   but Kovacs refuses to compromise and is killed by Osterman in what is
   almost the equivalent of a "cop-assisted suicide".

   The ending is deliberately ambiguous about the long-term success of
   Veidt's plan to lead the world to utopia. After killing Kovacs,
   Osterman talks briefly to Veidt. Professing his guilt and doubt, Veidt
   asks the omniscient Osterman for closure: "I did the right thing,
   didn't I? It all worked out in the end." Osterman, standing within
   Veidt's mechanical model of the solar system, replies cryptically: "In
   the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends." He then disappears,
   leaving Earth forever and leaving the entire orrery framed by a residue
   appearing distinctly similar to an atomic mushroom cloud.

   However, before confronting Veidt, Kovacs had mailed his journal
   detailing his suspicions to The New Frontiersman, a far right-wing
   magazine he frequently read. The final frame of the series shows a New
   Frontiersman editor contemplating which item from the " crank file" (to
   which Kovacs's journal had been consigned) to use as filler for the
   upcoming issue.

Tales of the Black Freighter

   Tales of the Black Freighter is a comic book within the Watchmen
   universe, an example of post-modern metafiction that also serves as a
   foil for the main plot. The specific issues shown in Watchmen chronicle
   a castaway's increasingly desperate attempts to return home to warn his
   family of the impending arrival of the Black Freighter, a phantom
   pirate ship which houses the souls of the dead. As the man's journey
   progresses, he becomes more and more unscrupulous, attempting to
   justify his increasingly irrational, paranoid disposition, and his
   criminal acts.

   A pirate comic book was conceived by Moore because he and Gibbons
   thought that since the inhabitants of the Watchmen universe experience
   superheroes in real life, then "they probably wouldn't be at all
   interested in superhero comics." A pirate theme was suggested by
   Gibbons, and Moore agreed because he is "a big Brecht fan."

   The comic is being read by a teenage boy whilst he sits beside a
   newsstand, whose proprietor, meanwhile, contemplates the latest news
   headlines and discusses them with his customers. This juxtaposition of
   text and images from the story within a story and its framing sequence
   uses the former to act as a parallel commentary to the latter — which
   is the plot of Watchmen itself. Specifically, Moore has said that the
   story of The Black Freighter ends up describing "the story of Adrian
   Veidt" (who admits, in his final scene, to having a recurring nightmare
   resembling a prominent image from The Black Freighter. In addition, the
   comic can also be seen to relate "to Rorschach and his capture; it
   relates to the self-marooning of Dr. Manhattan on Mars; it can be used
   as a counterpoint to all these different parts of the story." Moore
   also intended the opening panel in Chapter III to reinforce the
   reader's identification with the radioactive warning trefoil; Moore
   thought that the close-up of the trefoil in the first panel looked like
   a "stylised picture of a black ship". The trefoil then came to
   represent "a black ship against a yellow sky."

   It is done in more prominent Benday Dots than the rest of the comic.

Artwork

   Penciller and inker Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins are credited
   with giving life to the various characters in Watchmen. They employed a
   variety of innovative techniques, a style that contained elements of
   the Golden Age of Comics and a deliberate attempt to inject cinematic
   realism, uncommon in comic-books in the 1980s. Gibbons, who had worked
   with Moore on previous occasions, including a notable 1985 Superman
   story (Annual 11, "For the Man Who Has Everything"), avoided convention
   in his work and developed a storyboard-like style to present the
   dialogue written by Moore. Nearly every panel includes significant
   details of the story-line or visual motifs (such as triangles and
   pyramids) with themes important to the plot. Gregory J. Golda describes
   the artwork as "both a tribute to the Gold and Silver Age style[s] of
   super hero comics." He also writes that there "are symbols embedded in
   this work that require a book to fully discover." Gibbons used other
   cinematic techniques such as having two main characters somewhat
   obscured by their surroundings and background characters in order to
   avoid the usual extreme focus upon the primary characters prevalent in
   most comicbook art. Moreover, Watchmen rarely uses motion lines to
   indicate motion, another technique often utilised in the comic book
   industry. In Watchmen, motion lines are only used to indicate small
   actions, and are not utilised in fight scenes. Instead, Gibbons uses
   "posture and blood" to highlight the motion and movement of the
   characters, which "[adds] to the feel of realism and [limits the]
   authorial voice" Also missing are the written, onomatopoetic sound
   effects that are a traditional comic book storytelling technique.

   Gibbons described his design of the characters as his own, derived from
   Moore's character notes. Moore credits Gibbons with coming up with many
   of the signature symbols in Watchmen, including the iconic smiley face,
   which was "derived from behavioural psychology tests. They tried to
   find the simplest abstraction that would make a baby smile." The
   "smile" often appears in the body of the work, either on the Comedian's
   actual button or displayed in a subtle fashion (such as red smoke
   rising across the Nite Owl's Owlship while passing by the moon, Hollis
   Mason's jack-o-lantern, or the damaged spark hydrant in the apocalyptic
   scene). It often appears when something important is being discussed or
   when something important is soon to happen. Contrary to popular
   opinion, Gibbons contends that Rorschach's subtle body language and not
   his Rorschach test-inspired mask are the real indications of his mood.
   In addition, John Higgins' colouring technique was to rely upon primary
   colors, again indicative of the Golden Age style, rather than a wider
   colour selection.

   Gibbons, who had no formal art training, notes among his inspirations
   Norman Rockwell, who was sometimes described as an illustrator with an
   idealized portraiture style, and Jack Kirby. The art, while deriving
   inspiration from various predecessors including Will Eisner and Wally
   Wood (also named by Gibbons as major influences), is at once original
   in its execution and can be seen as a precursor to later 'realistic'
   comic book artists such as Alex Ross.

Themes

   Realism is a primary mode in Watchmen, which features themes that
   relate superheroes to the human condition. Moore explores the fantastic
   world of costumed adventurers by raising various social issues that
   begin with the perception of authority. The novel's examination of
   trust in authority can be summed up in the phrase, "Who watches the
   Watchmen?" In a Weberian sense, authority is seldom endorsed morally by
   those who do not have it, with institutionalized authority being
   unchallenged simply due to intrinsic aspects of social power. The
   vigilantes in Watchmen, before the Keene Act, represent superheroes as
   an institution, generally unquestioned until the issues of
   responsibility and culpability are raised. This questioning of
   authority mirrors the Opposition to the Vietnam War and the Civil
   Rights Movement, both of which are discussed in Watchmen.

   These ideas are also apparent in what post-modernist Gregory J. Golda
   calls the "anti-veneration" throughout the novel, illustrated by
   depicting superheroes as "cranky and inept old timers". Golda's
   anti-veneration "treats destructive societal norms as the direct
   responsibility of the viewer by attacking the principles society holds
   most dear. This lack of respect for the past is the crux of the
   Watchmen."

   The subject of anti-veneration explores superheroes who are treated as
   veritable gods to be worshipped at one point (with Dr. Manhattan taking
   on the literal manifestation of a deity) and then are deconstructed in
   order to reveal flaws, which makes them less worthy of hero worship in
   the eyes of the public. Nonetheless, heroes can still be worthy within
   the valetism form of hero worship as theorised by essayist and
   historian Thomas Carlyle and expressed in Watchmen. Carlyle, who was
   influential on early fascist philosophy, developed a concept of hero
   worship that was meant to overlook human flaws, as he contended that
   there was no need for "moral perfection." Along these lines, Rorschach
   even belittles what he terms as "moral lapses" when discussing the
   Comedian's past acts of violence. These Carlyle-inspired ideas are
   depicted throughout Watchmen, as Ozymandias, during a discussion with
   Rorschach, refers to the Comedian as "a Nazi." To further exemplify
   this issue of superheroes as fascists, the extreme right-wing
   publication New Frontiersman appears to be the most ardent supporter of
   masked vigilantism with one headline reading, "Honour is like the Hawk:
   Sometimes it must go Hooded."

   Apocalypticism and conspiracy theory are elements of both plot and mood
   in the series. The threat of nuclear annihilation is ever-present
   throughout the novel. According to an interpretation by director Darren
   Aronofsky, "the whole motivation for Ozymandias is the impending doom
   of the world." The plot is based around a conspiracy. Rorschach is
   obsessed with conspiracy theories, and appears to derive much of his
   thinking from the New Frontiersman. Aronofsky argues that Watchmen's
   treatment of the subject was pioneering, but has since "become so 'pop'
   because of JFK and The X-Files, it’s entered pop culture consciousness,
   and Rorschach’s vision is not that wacky any more."

   Conspiracy theories invoke a lack of control on the part of characters
   like Rorschach and lead to the examination of other themes in Watchmen,
   such as determinism. Gregory J. Golda describes the relationship
   between the philosophy of determinism and Dr. Manhattan, who "lives his
   now immortal life with a perception of time and events as unchangeable.
   He becomes the symbol of Determinism" and "lives his own life under
   this illusion of determinism[,] failing to see that there was a
   superior intellect that could outsmart even an 'all knowing' being." As
   a reference to the Watchmaker Analogy Determinists use to describe God,
   Dr. Manhattan--who will become a kind of God--initially grows up as a
   watchmaker.. It is often Dr. Manhattan who discusses issues of
   determinism and free will, as when he explains to the second Silk
   Spectre, "We're all puppets, Laurie. I'm just a puppet who can see the
   strings."

   Watchmen also explores issues dealing with memory by utilizing
   flashbacks, which define the characters and how they are remembered by
   their peers. For example, the past actions of the Comedian are all
   selectively recalled by Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, and the second Nite
   Owl as each recalls some significant event that defined who the
   Comedian was to them and how he influenced them. Further flashbacks by
   Dr. Manhattan and the first and second Silk Spectres also relate to the
   power of memories as they serve to provide epiphanies or an idealised
   past. "Even the grimy parts of it, well, it just keeps on getting
   brighter all the time," as the retired first Silk Spectre explains to
   her daughter. It is Rorschach, though, who constructs the most idyllic
   past, with a father he never knew and an idealized portrayal of
   President Truman.

   Megalomania is also addressed in Watchmen, but not with conventional
   "villains". Instead, Ozymandias is presented as an idealist who looks
   to the past for inspiration so that he may better utilise his
   prodigious intellect to help mankind. At first idolising Alexander the
   Great, he later relates himself to Ramses II (and adopts his Greek name
   Ozymandias) and the golden age of the Pharaohs. This has parallels with
   the Golden Age superhero Hawkman, who believed himself to be the
   reincarnation of an Egyptian prince as well.

   Many of the themes in Watchmen are explored in Moore's other works,
   including V for Vendetta, which also dealt with issues relating to
   fascism and hero worship. In addition, Nietzchian themes are often
   evidenced: the Übermensch (literally, "Overman," but more colloquially
   and to the point, "Superman") recurs throughout much of Moore's work,
   including Dr. Manhattan in Watchmen, Miracleman, and Tom Strong.
   Likewise, Osterman's final words in regards to the nature of the
   universe, "Nothing ever ends," are a succinct expression of Nietzsche's
   philosophy of eternal recurrence.

Significance

Reception and criticism

   In 2005, Time magazine placed Watchmen on its list of the 100 Greatest
   English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present, stating that it was
   "told with ruthless psychological realism, in fugal, overlapping
   plotlines and gorgeous, cinematic panels rich with repeating motifs...a
   heart-pounding, heartbreaking read and a watershed in the evolution of
   a young medium." Watchmen was the only graphic novel to be listed.
   Watchmen has also received several awards spanning different categories
   and genres including: Kirby Awards for Best Finite Series, Best New
   Series, Best Writer, and Best Writer/Artist, Eisner Awards for Best
   Finite Series, Best Graphic Album, Best Writer, and Best Writer/Artist,
   and a Hugo Award for Special Achievement.

   Watchmen received praise from those working within the comic book
   industry, as well as external reviewers, for its avant-garde portrayal
   of the traditional superhero. Watchmen became known as a novel which
   allowed the comic book to be recognised as "great art," rather than a
   low brow or unsophisticated genre. Don Markstein of Toonopedia wrote
   that, "What The Maltese Falcon did for detective stories and Shane did
   for Westerns, Watchmen did for superheroes. It transcended its origins
   in what was previously considered a low brow form of fiction."

   Watchmen's status as a seminal book in the comic book field was
   recently boosted when acclaimed comic book author Stan Lee called it
   his "all-time favorite comic book outside of Marvel." A review by
   "Revolution SF" goes on to say that Watchmen is "one of the most
   important stories in comic book history..."

   There has also been criticism of Watchmen. In terms of the artwork, the
   colours have been characterized as "flat" and too "contrasting" by one
   reviewer. Others question the complexity of Watchmen, as well as
   Gibbons' involvement in it, and criticize both the long-term influence
   of the work and Alan Moore generally, asking "did the comic book have
   to 'grow up'?"

Editions

   Originally published as twelve individual issues, Watchmen was later
   reprinted as a graphic novel ( ISBN 0-930289-23-4). A special hardcover
   edition was produced by Graphitti Designs in 1987, containing 48 pages
   of bonus material, including the original proposal and concept art. On
   5 October 2005, DC released Absolute Watchmen ( ISBN 1-4012-0713-8), a
   hardcover edition of Watchmen in the Absolute Edition series, to
   celebrate its upcoming 20th anniversary. The book features a slipcase
   as well as restored and recoloured art by John Higgins at Wildstorm FX,
   under the direction of Dave Gibbons. The new book also includes the
   bonus material from the Graphitti edition, marking the first time this
   material has been widely available.

Merchandising and adaptations

Roleplaying Game

   In 1987, Mayfair Games produced two adventure modules based on Watchmen
   for its DC Heroes role-playing game. These modules, entitled "Who
   Watches the Watchmen?" and "Taking out the Trash", included background
   information about the fictional Watchmen universe, approved by Alan
   Moore. His approval made these publications valuable to fans as the
   only outside source of supplemental information about the characters in
   the story (especially minor characters, such as the Minutemen and
   Moloch).

Limited Edition Tie-Ins

   DC Comics also released a limited edition badge set featuring
   characters and images from the series, including a replica of the
   blood-stained smiley face badge worn by The Comedian that was featured
   so prominently in the story. It is claimed that this badge set caused
   friction between Moore and DC Comics — DC claimed that they were a
   "promotional item" and not merchandising, and therefore the company did
   not have to pay Moore or Gibbons royalties on the sets.. In addition to
   the badge set, DC also produced a Watchmen "Smiley" logo watch, as
   well.

DC Direct Figures

   DC Direct was going to produce a line of Watchmen based action figures,
   which made it to the prototype stage before being canceled. Neither
   party has stated the exact reason for the withdrawal of the figures, DC
   Comics did say in a press release that they would not go forward
   without the author's approval.

Film

   A film adaptation has been attempted several times, with none reaching
   even the casting phase. At one point Arnold Schwarzenegger was
   approached about starring in a Watchmen film, specifically for the role
   of Dr. Manhattan. When Terry Gilliam was attached to direct in the late
   1980s he met with Moore and after Gilliam asked "How would you make a
   film of 'Watchmen'?" Moore responded "Don't." Gilliam eventually
   abandoned the project declaring it "unmakeable." While Moore said that
   he felt David Hayter's screenplay to be "as close as I could imagine
   anyone getting to Watchmen", he stated that he would not have gone to
   see the final film version, had it ever been made. Alan Moore "refuses
   to have his name attached to any...films." On June 23, 2006 it was
   confirmed by Warner Bros. Studios that Zack Snyder would direct the big
   screen adaptation of Watchmen.

   In April 2005, film writer and director Darren Aronofsky revealed in an
   interview that singer David Bowie was at one point working on a rock
   opera adaptation of Watchmen. Little else is known about the project.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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