Watchmen

Who Watches the Watchmen?

I suppose that Watchmen by Alan Moore is a heady book to start with, but I have it in front of me at the moment, and no access to anything else. If you aren't familiar with it already, it is the story of the disenchanted super hero. Think the Incredibles, but R rated. Set in the 80s, Watchmen follows the story of several "costumed heroes" struggling to survive and even save a world embroiled in the Soviet conflict and on the brink of destruction. Rorschach, one of the characters, puts it rather succinctly; "Now the whole world stands on The Brink, staring down into the bloody hell." I forgot to mention, its a comic book.

Like any fine comic book, the story is about super heroes, but with a twist. None, save one, actually have any super powers and superheroing is illegal. It is the story of normal people - you and I, your neighbor next door - trying to save the world. Perhaps not an entirely new take, Batman after all is entirely human, but it does lead to an unconventional super hero book. One person does in fact have super powers, but he ultimately refuses to save the world. Similarly, another character, one with pseudo-super powers, exists in some nebulous zone between hero and anti-hero. The only true heroes of the book are entirely human.

So how do you save a world threatened by the prospect of nuclear war? Where do you even start? I don't know. Like many good stories it starts in medias res. The world has been happily heading into the bowels of hell for quite some time. The reader is thrust into this violent and turbulent world. However, the story does attempt to explain itself. At the end of each chapter, a short two or three pages are devoted to a variety of short interludes which help explain the world. The first is devoted to fictional character Hollis Mason's Under the Hood. A declared autobiography which contextualizes the phenomena of the "costumed hero" and roots the reader in the story. These are later replaced with letters, articles, and a variety of other materials.

Ultimately, The characters drive the story. Throughout the novel/comic the exploration of human character reigns supreme. From the very beginning, the question of "what brings a person to behave the way that [Hollis Mason] and people like [him] behave, what makes [them] do the sort of things [they] do." Like any good story, all the characters could use a good session in the shrink's chair (one does, but that's neither here nor there). I suppose that is what makes any story good; empathy, or the ability for you and I to relate to the characters in the story. These characters are much more approachable than the invincible Superman or the calculating Batman.

Alan Moore weaves his delightful characters through an incredibly imaginative world, delighting the reader at every turn. Overall its an incredibly well done tale, full of exciting visuals, enthralling characters, and a fully realized idea. I'm sure you will have complaints about the novel - still I imagine they will be few and far between and ultimately individual. I would be surprised if you and I complained of the same aspect of the book. Well done Mr. Moore, your hair is even crazier than mine, and your story is simply marvelous.

PS - The movie is comes out March 2009 - it looks good so far, and true to the book.

If you like read:
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Hart's Hope - Orson Scott Card