Moore, Alan and David Gibbons. The Watchmen. New York: DC Comics, 1986.
Annotation: The fate of the world rests in the hands of retired superheroes who have longed since hidden their identities due to a law outlawing vigilante superhero organizations.
Justification For Nomination: While your first instincts find these caped crusaders sort of boring, each issue is dedicated to revealing their humanity and troubled past. Some rise, while others fall to get where they are, but they all have one thing in common. They're ordinary superheroes who work with their intelligence or strength.
Unlike other stories like X-men or The Incredible Hulk, this collective group were either raised into a league or simply joined it. They all have their own identities, but the interesting fact is that there is only one character with abnormal abilities.
Living in a world where you just don't feel you fit in is an identifiable theme, but some of the content may be too graphic for young adults.
Sex, nudity and violence are contained in this story but play out like any R-rated or even PG-13 superhero film. I'd compare it to Frank Millers "Sin City" but this story doesn't revolve around an unusual futuristic world. The setting takes place in an ordinary world during the 80's and covers the contemporary figures and past events as it would if it were placed in 2009.
The artwork and colors are beautifully illustrated by Dave Gibbons/John Higgins and simulate real events like a storyboard or well crafted film. Even characters drawn into a scene that are fully designed in the background start to catch your eye and act as subtle hints that they will somehow play into the story later.
The dialogue is fairly simple to read and at times feels a little cluttered, but isn't anything too overwhelming. Your eyes naturally follow the blocking and speech bubbles and the flows of each characters story catches your attention.
My only critique for the series is that there is a sub-plot that cuts away from the main storyline. It acts as a mini-story that a character in the book is reading about and doesn't prove much interest or necessity to the overall theme or plot. It sort of unifies two characters but took me away from everything else and proved to be more of a nuisance than anything.
Overall, I enjoyed this piece and loved the realistic intermingling conflict of superhero deaths, hate, conspiracy, peace and love around the world. It leaves you wonder "What would the world be like without heroes in the world?"
Annotation: The fate of the world rests in the hands of retired superheroes who have longed since hidden their identities due to a law outlawing vigilante superhero organizations.
Justification For Nomination: While your first instincts find these caped crusaders sort of boring, each issue is dedicated to revealing their humanity and troubled past. Some rise, while others fall to get where they are, but they all have one thing in common. They're ordinary superheroes who work with their intelligence or strength.
Unlike other stories like X-men or The Incredible Hulk, this collective group were either raised into a league or simply joined it. They all have their own identities, but the interesting fact is that there is only one character with abnormal abilities.
Living in a world where you just don't feel you fit in is an identifiable theme, but some of the content may be too graphic for young adults.
Sex, nudity and violence are contained in this story but play out like any R-rated or even PG-13 superhero film. I'd compare it to Frank Millers "Sin City" but this story doesn't revolve around an unusual futuristic world. The setting takes place in an ordinary world during the 80's and covers the contemporary figures and past events as it would if it were placed in 2009.
The artwork and colors are beautifully illustrated by Dave Gibbons/John Higgins and simulate real events like a storyboard or well crafted film. Even characters drawn into a scene that are fully designed in the background start to catch your eye and act as subtle hints that they will somehow play into the story later.
The dialogue is fairly simple to read and at times feels a little cluttered, but isn't anything too overwhelming. Your eyes naturally follow the blocking and speech bubbles and the flows of each characters story catches your attention.
My only critique for the series is that there is a sub-plot that cuts away from the main storyline. It acts as a mini-story that a character in the book is reading about and doesn't prove much interest or necessity to the overall theme or plot. It sort of unifies two characters but took me away from everything else and proved to be more of a nuisance than anything.
Overall, I enjoyed this piece and loved the realistic intermingling conflict of superhero deaths, hate, conspiracy, peace and love around the world. It leaves you wonder "What would the world be like without heroes in the world?"
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