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) Rorschach Nite-Owl Dr. Manhattan Silk Spectre Ozymandias Comedian Creative team Writer(s) Alan Moore Artist(s) Dave Gibbons Colorist(s) John Higgins

Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. Originally published by DC Comics as a monthly limited series from 1986 to 1987,^[1] it was later republished as a trade paperback,^[2] which popularized the "graphic novel" format. To date, Watchmen remains the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award,^[3] 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."^[1] A security guard is a private person who is employed to protect property and people. ... Watchmen will be a 2009 film adaptation of Alan Moores twelve-issue Hugo Award-winning comic book limited series Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder. ... Both UK and US Watchmen covers in one image I created this image from Image:Watchmen. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Titan Books is a UK publisher of graphic novels. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... The limited series is a term referring to a comic book series with a set finite number of issues. ... Rorschach (pronounced Ror-shock) is a fictional character, a superhero featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics series Watchmen. ... Nite Owl is the name of two fictional characters in the comic book series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. ... Doctor Manhattan (Dr. Jon Osterman) is a fictional character featured in the acclaimed DC Comics series Watchmen. ... Silk Spectre is the name shared by a mother and daughter, fictional characters in the comic book series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics. ... For other uses, see Ozymandias (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... Dave Gibbons (born April 14, 1949) is a British writer and artist of comics. ... John Higgins is an English comic book artist and writer. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... The limited series is a term referring to a comic book series with a set finite number of issues. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... Dave Gibbons (born April 14, 1949) is a British writer and artist of comics. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... The limited series is a term referring to a comic book series with a set finite number of issues. ... In comics, a trade paperback (TPB) specifically refers to the periodic collections, published in book format, of stories published in comic books, usually capturing one story arc in the series. ... Trade paperback of Will Eisners A Contract with God (1978), often mistakenly cited as the first graphic novel. ... The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ... Time (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ...

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 (the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight). It tells the story of a group of past and present superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own. Watchmen depicts superheroes as real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who struggle with neuroses and failings, and who - with two notable exceptions - lack anything recognizable as super powers. Watchmen's deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism, multi-layered dialogue, and metafiction, has influenced both comics and film. Alternate history (fiction) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... This article is about nuclear war as a form of actual warfare, including history. ... The Doomsday Clock now stands at five minutes to midnight. ... In modern psychology, the term neurosis, also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, is a general term that refers to any mental imbalance that causes distress, but (unlike a psychosis or personality disorder) does not prevent rational thought or an individuals ability to function in daily life. ... Comic book fiction traditionally features characters with superhuman, supernatural, or paranormal abilities, often referred to as superpowers (also spelled super-powers). Below is a list of many of those that have been known to be used. ... Batman and Superman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Cinematic techniques are methods employed by film makers to communicate meaning, entertain, and to produce a particular emotional or psychological response in an audience. ... Look up metafiction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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."^[4] 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.^[4] Moby-Dick book cover Moby-Dick - the official title of the first edition - is a novel by Herman Melville. ... William Seward Burroughs II (February 5, 1914) - August 2, 1997), more commonly known as William S. Burroughs (pronounced ), was an American novelist, essayist, social critic, painter and spoken word performer. ...

Moore and Gibbons originally conceived of a story that would take "familiar old-fashioned superheroes into a completely new realm."^[5] 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 harbor, 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 led 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."^[6] Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Forsythe Jughead Jones. ... The Shield is the name of several patriotic super heroes created by MLJ (now known as Archie Comics). ... Jack Kirby (August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds of others stretching...

Dick Giordano, who had worked for Charlton Comics, suggested using a cast of old Charlton characters that had recently been acquired by DC. However, the Charlton heroes were being slowly integrated into the normal DC continuity. Because Moore and Gibbons wanted to do a serious storyline in which some of the newly acquired characters would die, using the Charlton heroes 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 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. Richard Joseph Dick Giordano (born July 20, 1932) is an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics Action Heroes stable of superheroes, and serving as editor of then industry-leader DC Comics. ... Big C logo, used from Sept. ... Doctor Manhattan is a fictional superhero who is a central character in the classic comic book series, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. ... Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero. ... Rorschach (pronounced Ror-shock) is a fictional character, a superhero featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics series Watchmen. ... The Question is an American comic book superhero. ... Nite Owl is the name of a pair of fictional characters in the comic book series, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. ... Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional comic book superheroes. ...

Originally, Moore and Gibbons had enough plot for only 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."^[7] 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.^[4]

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?" Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? is a Latin phrase that translates to Who will guard the guards? or Who shall watch the watchers themselves? The question was first asked by Plato in the Republic, his great work on government and morality. ... Woodcut of Juvenal from the Nuremberg Chronicle Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis, Anglicized as Juvenal, was a Roman satiric poet of the late 1st century and early 2nd century. ... Satire VI of Juvenal is often titled Against Women in English translation. ...

Juvenal was credited with exposing the vice of Roman society through his satires,^[8] 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.^[9] In Watchmen, Moore shows a "grittier" side to the conceived notion of the superhero.^[10] Julius Caesar, from the bust in the British Museum, in Cassells History of England (1902). ... 1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch, a British satirical magazine, ground-breaking on popular literature satire. ... Batman and Superman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ...

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, or, in one case, is unfinished by the graffiti artist). The graffiti 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?"^[11] The Comedian glibly replies, "From themselves."^[11] For other uses, see Graffiti (disambiguation). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... In Marvel Comics fictional Marvel Universe, the Registration Acts - the Mutant Registration Act (or MRA) and Super-human Registration Act (SRA or sometimes SHRA) - are legislative bills which, when passed into law, enforce the mandatory registration of super-powered individuals with the government. ... For other uses, see Vigilante (disambiguation). ...

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.

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. The limited series is a term referring to a comic book series with a set finite number of issues. ... Close Up is a half hour long New Zealand current affairs program produced by Television New Zealand. ... In literature, an epigraph is a quotation that is placed at the start of a work or section that expresses in some succinct way an aspect or theme of what is to follow. ...

Watchmen also contains many fictional primary documents, which are appended to the end of every chapter (except the final one), and are 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. A false document is a form of verisimilitude that attempts to create in the reader (viewer, audience, etc. ...

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".^[12]

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 use any thought balloons to clarify his characters' thoughts,^[13] although several sections consist of long episodes that replay the characters' memories or include entries from diaries. 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.^[14] This is in keeping with Watchmen's largely cinematic presentation. The Narrator is the entity within a story that tells the story to the reader. ... The three most common speech ballons (top to bottom: speech, thought, scream). ...

First person perspective is also used, albeit less frequently. 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.^[15] Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to the participant role of a referent, such as the speaker, the addressee, and others. ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

"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 he/she should react to each scene; also, they heighten the feeling of realism and distance the novel from standard action comics."^[16]

Story

The cast of Watchmen; Clockwise from top: Doctor Manhattan, the Comedian, Ozymandias, the second Nite-Owl, Rorschach, Captain Metropolis, and the second Silk Spectre. Art by Dave Gibbons, coloured by John Higgins.

See also: List of Watchmen characters

Watchmen is set in an alternate reality that closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. The main difference is the existence of superheroes. Their presence in this history has altered the outcomes of real-world events such as the Vietnam War and presidency of Richard Nixon.^[17] Although the cast of Watchmen are commonly called "superheroes", the only character in the principal cast who possesses superhuman powers is Dr. Manhattan.^[18] In the comic, they refer to themselves as "costumed adventurers". This image is a book cover. ... This image is a book cover. ... Doctor Manhattan (Dr. Jon Osterman) is a fictional character featured in the acclaimed DC Comics series Watchmen. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Ozymandias (disambiguation). ... Nite Owl is the name of a pair of fictional characters in the comic book series, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. ... Rorschach (pronounced Ror-shock) is a fictional character, a superhero featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics series Watchmen. ... Captain Metropolis is a fictional character appearing in the Watchmen graphic novel published by DC Comics in 1986. ... Silk Spectre is the name shared by a mother and daughter, fictional characters in the comic book series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics. ... Dave Gibbons (born April 14, 1949) is a British writer and artist of comics. ... The cast of Watchmen. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ...

As stated above, the cast of Watchmen was initially based upon old MLJ Comics and then Charlton Comics characters. The Comedian (Edward Blake) is based on Peacemaker. 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 roughly analogous to Nightshade, but only in that they are female. Moore has stated that the Silk Spectres are more directly inspired by elements of Black Canary and Phantom Lady.^[19][20] Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Forsythe Jughead Jones. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Peacemaker is the name of a series superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and was later acquired by DC Comics. ... Doctor Manhattan (Dr. Jon Osterman) is a fictional character featured in the acclaimed DC Comics series Watchmen. ... Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero. ... Nite Owl is the name of a pair of fictional characters in the comic book series, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. ... Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional comic book superheroes. ... Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt is a fictional character originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. ... For other uses, see Ozymandias (disambiguation). ... The Question is an American comic book superhero. ... Mr. ... Rorschach (pronounced Ror-shock) is a fictional character, a superhero featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics series Watchmen. ... Silk Spectre is the name shared by a mother and daughter, fictional characters in the comic book series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics. ... Nightshade (Eve Eden) is a fictional character, a superheroine who was owned and published by Charlton Comics and was later acquired by DC Comics. ... Black Canary is a fictional character, a DC Comics superheroine. ... For other uses, see Phantom Lady (disambiguation). ...

Plot summary

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. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

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, including victory in Vietnam. Richard Nixon used this success and, unmarred by the Watergate scandal which attracted little or no attention, encouraged a repeal of the 22nd Amendment, removing Presidential term limits. He remains President in 1985, on an unprecedented fifth term of office. This article is about nuclear war as a form of actual warfare, including history. ... A proxy war is a war where two powers use third parties as a supplement or a substitute for fighting each other directly. ... “Watergate” redirects here. ... (Redirected from 22nd Amendment) The Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution establishes a two-term limit for the Presidency. ... A term limit is a provision of a constitution, statute, or bylaw which limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. ...

This imbalance of power 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. It has been suggested that Theological fatalism be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Graffiti (disambiguation). ... The mushroom cloud over Hiroshima after the dropping of Little Boy. ... A sign pointing to an old fallout shelter in New York City. ...

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. Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or moving subatomic particles. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ...

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 and prompting Nixon to consider nuclear options. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the satellite communications facility. ... Adjectives: Martian Atmosphere Surface pressure: 0. ... Combatants USSR DRA Mujahideen of Afghanistan supported by: USA Saudi Arabia Pakistan Iran China and others. ...

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. For other uses, see Antarctica (disambiguation). ... Kenyans examining insect-resistant transgenic Bt corn. ... Psionics is a term used mostly in fiction and games to denote a variety of paranormal psychic abilities. ...

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 leaves to tell the world about Veidt's actions. Osterman attempts to dissuade Kovacs, but when Kovacs makes it clear that the only way to silence him is through murder, Osterman kills him.

The ending of Watchmen 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 precognitive 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. Left panel (The Earthly Paradise, Garden of Eden), from Hieronymus Boschs The Garden of Earthly Delights. ... Precognition (from the Latin præ-, “prior to,” + cognitio, “a getting to know”) denotes a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person is able to perceive information about places or events before they happen through paranormal means. ... A small orrery showing earth and the inner planets An orrery is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system in heliocentric model. ... A small orrery showing earth and the inner planets An orrery is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system in heliocentric model. ... The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945 A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke, flame, or debris resulting from a very large explosion. ...

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. The final line of the story is that of the editor's superior, indifferent as to which piece from the crank file is selected. He tells his subordinate: "I leave it entirely in your hands." It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ... Crank is a pejorative term for a person who holds some belief which the vast majority of his contemporaries would consider false, clings to this belief in the face of all counterarguments or evidence presented to him. ...

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. The man slowly loses his sanity as his journey progresses, eventually becoming so delusional that he commits several heinous crimes under the impression that he is doing what he must to protect his family. When he does return home it is to find that the pirate attack has not taken place and that the crimes he has committed have been for nothing. The man returns to the beach to see the Black Freighter approaching and realizes that he was its true target all along. A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Postmodernism (sometimes abbreviated pomo) is a term applied to a wide-ranging set of developments in critical theory, philosophy, architecture, art, literature, and culture, which are generally characterized as either emerging from, in reaction to, or superseding, modernism. ... Look up metafiction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... U.S. merchant seamen try to revive a shipwrecked Filipino fisherman rescued in the South China Sea. ... This article is about maritime piracy. ...

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."^[21] A pirate theme was suggested by Gibbons, and Moore agreed because he is "a big Brecht fan." (The Black Freighter alludes to the song "Seeräuberjenny" from Brecht's Threepenny Opera.) The real-life artist Joe Orlando is credited in Watchmen as a major contributor to Tales of the Black Freighter. Brecht redirects here. ... Die Dreigroschenoper, original German poster from Berlin, 1928. ... Joe Orlando was an illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist who was born April 4, 1927, in Bari, Italy, and died December 23, 1998, in Manhattan. ...

The comic is being read by a teenage boy while 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.^[22] 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."^[21] 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." A newsagent (British English), newsagency (Australian English) or newsstand (American English), is often a small business that sells newspapers, magazines, stationery, snacks and often items of local interest such as postcards and clothing emblazoned with sports team mascots. ... A story within a story is a literary device or conceit in which one story is told during the action of another story. ... A frame story (also frame tale, frame narrative, etc. ... For other uses, see Ozymandias (disambiguation). ... The radiation warning symbol (trefoil). ... Architecture Architectural Trefoil (also a Christian symbol) Trefoil (from Latin trifolium, three-leaved plant, French trèfle, German Dreiblatt and Dreiblattbogen) is a term in Gothic architecture given to the ornamental foliation or cusping introduced in the heads of window-lights, tracery, panellings, etc. ...

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. For other uses, see Human condition (disambiguation). ... Authority- is a very talented rocknroll band out of Columbia, S.C. This power rock trio has its roots in rock, funk, hardcore, and a dash of hip hop. ... For the politician, see Max Weber (politician). ... Much of the recent sociological debate on power revolves around the issue of the constraining and/or enabling nature of power. ... Culpability (Blameworthiness) is the state of deserving to be blamed for a crime or offence. ... Opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War began slowly and in small numbers in 1964 on various college campuses in the United States. ... Martin Luther King is perhaps most famous for his I Have a Dream speech, given in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom This article is about the civil rights movement following the Brown v. ...

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."^[23]

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. In one of the picto-essays at the end of each chapter, Osterman's mentor, Milton Glass, says that his first reaction to a newspaper reporter on learning of Dr. Manhattan's existence was that "God exists and he's American". 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.^[24] 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."^[25] Along these lines, Rorschach even belittles what he terms as "moral lapses" when discussing the Comedian's past acts of violence.^[26] These Carlyle-inspired ideas are depicted throughout Watchmen, as Ozymandias, during a discussion with Rorschach, refers to the Comedian as "a Nazi."^[27] 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, "Honor is like the Hawk: Sometimes it must go Hooded."^[28] Look up deity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Hero (disambiguation). ... An essayist is an author who writes compositions which can be about any particular subject. ... A historian is an individual who studies history and who writes on history. ... The most familiar view of Carlyle is as the bearded sage with a penetrating gaze. ... Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers individual and other societal interests subordinate to the needs of the state, and seeks to forge a type of national unity, usually based on, but not limited to, ethnic, cultural, or racial attributes. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ...

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."^[29] The plot is driven by a central 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."^[29] Apocalypticism is a worldview based on the idea that important matters are esoteric in nature (hidden) and they will soon be revealed in a major confrontation of earth-shaking magnitude that will change the course of history. ... For other uses, see Conspiracy theory (disambiguation). ... Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. ... JFK is an American film directed by Oliver Stone, first released on December 20, 1991. ... The X-Files is a Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning science fiction television series created by Chris Carter, which first aired on September 10, 1993, and ended on May 19, 2002. ...

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."^[23] 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.^[30]. 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."^[31] Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition and behavior, decision and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. ... The watchmaker analogy, or watchmaker argument, is a teleological argument for the existence of God. ... Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition and behavior, decision and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. ...

Watchmen also explores issues dealing with memory by utilizing flashbacks, which define the characters and how they are remembered by their peers.^[32] 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.^[33] It is Rorschach, though, who constructs the most idyllic past, with a father he never knew and an idealized portrayal of President Truman.^[34] For other uses, see Memory (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Harry Truman, see Harry Truman (disambiguation). ...

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.^[35] This has parallels with the Golden Age superhero Hawkman, who believed himself to be the reincarnation of an Egyptian prince as well. Look up megalomania in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the film of the same name, see Alexander the Great (1956 film). ... Usermaatre-setepenre The Justice of Re is Powerful, Chosen of Re Nomen Ramesses (meryamun) Born of Re, (Beloved of Amun) Horus name [2] Kanakht Merymaa Golden Horus [2] Userrenput-aanehktu[1] Consort(s) Henutmire, Isetnofret, Nefertari Maathorneferure Issue Bintanath, Khaemweset, Merneptah, Amun-her-khepsef, Meritamen see also: List of children... OZYMANDIAS I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. ... Pharaoh was the ancient Egyptian name for the office of kingship. ... For other meanings of the term, see Hawkman (disambiguation) Hawkman is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. ...

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 realism. 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.^[36] 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."^[23] 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 comic book art.^[37] Moreover, Watchmen rarely uses motion lines to indicate motion, another technique often utilised in the comic book industry.^[38] 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"^[16] Also missing are the written, onomatopoeic sound effects that are a traditional comic book storytelling technique. A penciller (or penciler) is one of a number of artists working within the comic industry. ... The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book, or graphic novel. ... A colorist is an artist who colors comic art reading it for production as a comic book. ... John Higgins is an English comic book artist and writer. ... Superman, the catalyst of the Golden Age, from Superman #14, January-February 1942. ... Superman began as a feature in Action Comics #1 in June 1938. ... For the Man Who Has Everything is both a comic book story and a Justice League Unlimited episode // For the Man Who Has Everything is a story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons published in Superman Annual #11. ... Motion lines (or movement lines or action lines) is a term that refers to the abstract lines that appear behind a moving object or person to make them look like theyre moving quickly. ... For the supervillain, see Onomatopoeia (comics). ...

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."^[4] 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.^[39] 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.^[40] For other uses of smiley and smiley face, see Smiley (disambiguation). ... A black outline of the first of the ten cards in the Rorschach inkblot test. ...

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.^[39] 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. Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was a 20th century American painter. ... Jack Kirby (August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds of others stretching... William Erwin Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an acclaimed American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. ... Wallace Wally Wood (born June 17, 1927, Menahga, Minnesota, United States; died November 2, 1981), was an American writer-artist best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. ... Nelson Alexander Alex Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book painter, illustrator and plotter, acclaimed for the photorealism of his work. ...

Allusions to iconography, art, and history

The blood-stained smiley face is a recurrent image in the story, either shown in its original form (badge worn by the Comedian, the Comedian's face when he is cut by a Vietnamese woman, a t-shirt stained with ketchup) or suggested—in Jon Osterman and Janey Slater's old picture at the carnival, it can be seen in the background, made by a balloon and its cord, a tower and a roller coaster section; by craters on the surface of Mars (the Galle crater), where Dr. Manhattan's vehicle crashes; by an electrical plug spilled with blood, in a vehicle charger near the newsstand; in a radar screen in a military base by the time of president Nixon's visit; in NY streets just before the teleport, by the moon and buildings; the shark in the Tales of the Black Freighter, which is wounded in the eye. At the beginning of Chapter 11, a splotch of melted snow on the window of Veidt's Antarctic vivarium is shaped like the blood stain. The smiley has gone through many incarnations over the years, but it consistently retains the same features. ... For the crater on the moon, see Galle (lunar crater). ...

The covers on the original issues have a clock which advances one minute per issue towards twelve o'clock (midnight). This is a reference to the Doomsday Clock maintained by the Board of Directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago. A newspaper can be seen on top of Adrian Veidt's desk referring to this clock being set at "Five Minutes to Midnight". The Doomsday Clock now stands at five minutes to midnight. ... Cover of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists with the famous Doomsday Clock set at seven minutes to midnight. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ...

The chapter Fearful Symmetry is drawn so the first page mirrors the last (in terms of frame disposition), the second mirrors the one before the last and so on. The first frame on the first page and the last frame on the last page are identical. There are some "symmetry" allusions on the chapter, as a poster of Aoxomoxoa (a palindrome) album by the Grateful Dead. Aoxomoxoa is the third studio album by the Grateful Dead. ... Look up Palindrome in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the band. ...

There are many references to watches and clocks throughout the story, as Jon Osterman being trained initially as a watchmaker, Janey Slater's watch (which causes the test vault accident), the street watch seller (who dies holding a watch showing 11:25), the many watches showing "11:25" shortly before the "Alien" teleport, the destroyed watch on the cover of Time magazine, Veidt's orrery. Adrian Veidt's teleportation technique uses tachyons, hypothetical particles with space-like four-momentum and imaginary proper time. There are also almost as many clocks set to 11:55, a reference to the setting of the Doomsday Clock. In addition, the recurring smiley button also resembles a clock face, with the blood stain appearing as a hand on the 55-minute position. A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. ... A small orrery showing earth and the inner planets An orrery is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system in heliocentric model. ... A tachyon (from the Greek ταχύς {takhús}, meaning swift) is a hypothetical particle that travels at superluminal velocity. ...

Amid the debris on the floor in Hollis Mason's home is a copy of the novel Gladiator by Philip Wylie, which is thought to have inspired the creation of Superman. Gladiator is an American science fiction novel first published in 1930 and written by Philip Wylie. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ...

Adrian Veidt mentions the fact that Richard Nixon was in Dallas on the day President John F. Kennedy was murdered. This actually happened. In the same occasion, someone comments on Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein being found dead, resulting in the Watergate scandal being violently avoided in the universe of Watchmen, where Nixon was re-elected many times over. Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Dallas redirects here. ... John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... ... Bob Woodward signs his book State of Denial after a talk in March 2007. ... Carl Bernstein (left) and Bob Woodward (right)This image is pending deletion. ... “Watergate” redirects here. ...

Kitty Genovese, whose story is told by Rorschach, was a real life person. Interestingly, in another Alan Moore work, V for Vendetta, Stanley Milgram's infamous conformity experiments are explicitly referenced, which are considered by many psychologists to be a major influence on Darley and Latane's later experiments (which were inspired by the behaviour of Kitty Genovese's neighbours witnessing her rape and murder). Catherine Susan Genovese (July 7, 1935[1] — March 13, 1964), commonly known as Kitty Genovese, was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death near her home in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comic book series. ... Stanley Milgram Stanley Milgram (August 15, 1933 – December 20, 1984) was a psychologist at Yale University, Harvard University and the City University of New York. ...

Nova Express, Adrian Veidt's magazine which accuses Dr. Manhattan of causing cancer, is the title of a novel by William Burroughs. Burroughs' "cut-up" technique is mentioned by Veidt when watching multiple TV screens. Nova Express is a 1964 novel by William Burroughs, whose plot cannot easily be described. ... William S. Burroughs. ...

The Soviet Union actually invaded Afghanistan in 1979 (not in 1985).

Reception

Watchmen was published in single-issue form over the course of 1986 and 1987. The miniseries was a commercial success, and its sales helped DC Comics briefly overtake its competitor Marvel Comics in the comic book direct market.^[41] 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 Other Forms.^[42] This article is about the comic book company. ... The Kirby Awards were a short lived set of awards given for achievement in comic books. ... The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award is given for creative achievement in comic books. ... The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ...

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.^[43] Time magazine, which noted that the series was "by common assent the best of breed [sic]" of the new wave of comics published at the time, praised Watchmen as "a superlative feat of imagination, combining sci-fi, political satire, knowing evocations of comics past and bold reworkings of current graphic formats into a dysutopian mystery story."^[44] 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."^[45] A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... Lowbrow can refer to lowbrow (art movement) low culture with its antonyms high culture or highbrow This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... A genre [], (French: kind or sort from Greek: γένος (genos)) is a loose set of criteria for a category of literary composition; the term is also used for any other form of art or utterance. ... Actors Bogart, Lorre, Astor and Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon (1941) The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel by Dashiell Hammett that has been adapted several times for the cinema. ... Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes Detective fiction is a branch of crime fiction that centers upon the investigation of a crime, usually murder, by a detective, either professional or amateur. ... Shane is a 1953 western film made by Paramount Pictures. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Low culture is a derogatory term for some forms of popular culture. ... For other uses, see Fiction (disambiguation). ...

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."^[46] A review by "Revolution SF" goes on to say that Watchmen is "one of the most important stories in comic book history..."^[46] In 2005, Time 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.^[1] For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ...

There has also been criticism of Watchmen. Tom Shone questioned the complexity of Watchmen, as well as Gibbons' involvement in it, and criticized both the long-term influence of the work and Alan Moore generally, asking "did the comic book have to 'grow up'?".^[47] Moore himself acknowledged that the plot closely resembles an Outer Limits episode called "The Architects of Fear".^[48] and accepted responsibility for the proliferation of "dark" comic stories, featuring classic characters, that followed Watchmen. In his review of the Absolute Edition of the collection, Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times wrote that the dark legacy of Watchmen, "one that Moore almost certainly never intended, whose DNA is encoded in the increasingly black inks and bleak storylines that have become the essential elements of the contemporary superhero comic book," is "a domain he has largely ceded to writers and artists who share his fascination with brutality but not his interest in its consequences, his eagerness to tear down old boundaries but not his drive to find new ones."^[49] Opening titles – 2002 The Outer Limits was an American science fiction anthology television series. ... The Architects of Fear is an episode of the original The Outer Limits television show. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ...

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. is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... DC Comics Absolute Editions are a series of archival quality printings of graphic novels published by DC Comics and Wildstorm Productions. ... Wildstorm FX is a company which has done business as colorists in the comics industry. ...

Merchandising and adaptations

Roleplaying Game

In 1987, Mayfair Games produced two adventure modules and one supplemental 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. The supplemental, "Watchmen Sourcebook"(1990) provided additional background information on the Watchmen universe and its characters. In 1987, Grenadier Miniatures produced a metal figure set of Watchmen miniatures to be used exclusively with the DC Heroes role-playing game. The Watchmen metal figure set included lead miniatures of the Comedian, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Ozymandius, Rorschach, Captain Metropolis, Dr. Manhattan, Hooded Justice, Moloch, and the Archimedes ship. Moore's 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).^[50] Mayfair Games is a publisher of board and roleplaying games in the United States and United Kingdom. ... DC Heroes is an out-of-print superhero role-playing game set in the DC Comics universe, published by Mayfair Games. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... This article needs to be wikified. ... DC Heroes is an out-of-print superhero role-playing game set in the DC Comics universe, published by Mayfair Games. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... Moloch the Mystic, real name Edward Jacobi, is a fictional character in the 1987 graphic novel Watchmen. ...

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.^[51] In addition to the badge set, DC also produced a Watchmen "Smiley" logo watch. In 1988 DC Comics released the Watchmen Portfolio, a slip cased set of 12 high quality prints comprising 6 French covers and 6 promotional posters. Each print is 25 cm by 38 cm. Portfolios fetch as much as $100 on ebay.com.

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 cancelled. 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.^[52] DC Direct[1] is the exclusive collectibles division of DC Comics, the Time Warner subsidiary that publishes comic books and licenses characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Batgirl and Hawkgirl. ...

Film

Main article: Watchmen (film)

Warner Bros. Studios confirmed in June 2006 that Zack Snyder would direct a film adaptation of Watchmen,^[53] which is set for release on March 9, 2009.^[54] The cast includes Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.^[55] Previously, directors including Terry Gilliam,^[56] Darren Arronofsky,^[57] and screenwriter David Hayter have been attached to the project over the years.^[58] While Moore believes that David Hayter's screenplay was "as close as I could imagine anyone getting to Watchmen," he asserted he did not intend to see the film if it were made.^[59] Moore "refuses to have his name attached to any...films."^[60] However, Gibbons feels Snyder can make a good film and is supporting him.^[61] Watchmen will be a 2009 film adaptation of Alan Moores twelve-issue Hugo Award-winning comic book limited series Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder. ... The WB Shield, used from 2001 to late 2003. ... Zack Snyder (born March 1, 1966, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA) is an American film director. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Patrick Wilson (born July 3, 1973) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated American theater and film actor and singer. ... Actress that was in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. ... Jackie Earle Haley (born July 14, 1961 in Northridge, California, USA) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor who is best known for his portrayal of Kelly Leak, the motorcycle-riding, cigarette-smoking little leaguer in The Bad News Bears and its sequels. ... William Crudup (born July 8, 1968) is an American actor. ... Matthew Goode (born April 3, 1978) is a British actor. ... Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born April 22, 1966 in Seattle, Washington) is an American actor. ... Terrence Vance Gilliam (born November 22, 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, animator, and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. ... Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. ... David Bryan Hayter (born February 6, 1969 in Santa Monica, California), is an American voice actor, actor, and screenwriter. ...

Footnotes and references

April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the comic book series. ... The three most common speech ballons (top to bottom: speech, thought, scream). ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mayfair Games is a publisher of board and roleplaying games in the United States and United Kingdom. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... Zarbon action figure of from Dragon Ball Z made by Bandai An action figure is a posable plastic figurine of a character, often from a movie, video game, or television program. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Watchmen will be a 2009 film adaptation of Alan Moores twelve-issue Hugo Award-winning comic book limited series Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder. ... is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see IGN (disambiguation). ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Watchmen will be a 2009 film adaptation of Alan Moores twelve-issue Hugo Award-winning comic book limited series Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture (originally titled Wizard: The Guide to Comics and Wizard: The Comics Magazine) is a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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Watchmen

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• Ralf Hildebrandt's Annotations
• Doug Atkinson's Annotations
• Samuel Effron's Analysis
• Spanish article about the comic, its authors and its repercussions
• Alan Moore Interview
• Watching the Detectives: An Internet Companion for Readers of Watchmen
• Tales Of The Black Freighter: "Marooned" (The Reconstruction), an attempt to recreate the comic as it may have looked.
• Original Alan Moore Interview regarding his decision to leave DC Comics for Top Shelf.
• An article (in French) by Renaud Pasquier & Clotilde Thouret "Watchmen : à deux voix" in the journal Labyrinthe #25 "La bande dessinée : ce qu'elle dit, ce qu'elle montre", 2006.
• Comics as Philosophy book chapter on Watchmen and existentialism
• Watchmen Chapter Plot Summaries