A girl reads Watchmen

[ComicChick]

ok, so me and my friends are sitting in our chairs for the midnight release of Batman. Trailers role through, some meh, some promising, and then Terminator 4 trailer ends. Smashing Pumpkins start to play, and you can hear a pin drop.

I can't remember much of the next 2 minutes or so, cuz I actually sat there wide eyes, mouth agape. Sure, I'd heard of Watchmen (what comic fan hasn't) but if you were to ask me what it was about, I never would've been able to tell you. Needless to say, Day 1 that it comes out, whether it's 3 Hours or what, I will be there watching.

Ok, well I went to see TDK with a guy friend who is a total Watchmen fanatic and when he saw that they were doing a movie, and how awesome it looked, needless to say he couldn't stop talkin about TDK and Watchmen the whole ride home.

So I casually mention it in all the various TDK inspired convos I partake/eavesdrop on and no one has a clue. One guy even says, 'girls don't read that stuff'. I ask my friend, who's still on cloud 9 about it, and lucky for me, he has the graphic novel (not a reprint either).

I'm reading Watchmen now, so I know the story before I go into it, to prove the dude wrong, and to show that girls do read graphic novels, yadda yadda.

I will be posting my insight into this Graphic Novel as I read, so if anyone who has read it has any questions about what I think or even someone who hasn't read it who wants an opinion, by all means post here.

 

[.Rorschach.]

Can't wait to see what you think of it:]

 

[ComicChick]

I'm liking this series more than I ever thought I would. I've never read a graphic novel, sure i've read comics, but whoever says they're just alike, is wrong. Also, I apologize for misspellings as I'm sure I'll spell Rorschach wrong a hundred times.

Being an art geek, I'll start there so it's easier for me to ease my way into this. I like the art. It's not overly detailed, and it's not so loose that it gets muddled in the story. I really enjoy the art, except for Sally's hair lol but I can live with that. The colors are lovely and compliment the story and I like the details going into the backgrounds.

That being said, Chapter 1 starts off with the murder of Blake. Rorschach investigates, finds a false backing in the closet and a whole new world into the Blake murder. I'm purposely being vague as I don't want to spoil it too much for anyone who hasn't read it. Usually I'm quick to pick up on details, but I'm slightly embarrassed to admit I didn't notice that Rorshach's mask changes it look almost every panel (found out why later).

First chapter you meet a lot of the older players, people who knew Blake and so far Rorschach is my fave character. Sure it doesn't help that most is told through him, but he sees the world for its ugliness and in the times they are living in, at least he's trying to right some wrongs, even if his methods are questionable. He's identifiable and unpredictable at the same time.

You learn about old crimefighters who are gone or missing. Nite Owl 1 (hollis) opened an auto shop. Silk Spectre 1(sally) is in a rest home, Capt. Metropolis died in a car accident, Mothman is in an asylum, the Silhouette was murdered, Dollar Bill was shot and the Hooded Justice just disappeared. And now, the Comedian (blake) is dead.

Rorschach checks in on some of the people he used to run around with, including a blue man (Dr. Manhattan) who actually have powers while the others don't. Laurie has a lot of hate for Blake and we find out why.

At the end of the "chapter" there's an insert from Hollis Mason's Under the Hood. I found that very enjoyable, most likely because I have read so much prose and stuff lately, that I'm so used to reading things like that. It's a nice addition and gives great insight and back story to Watchmen. I can see why this is so epic.

 

[Quinzel]

I"M A GIRL!!

i read it. haha.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

I'm currently reading it...I left it by my bed and my girlfriend picked it up and started reading it...saying it was good. She doesn't even read comics haha.

 

[Angel_Faerie]

I'm a girl and I'm going to read it very soon, as soon as the Barns and Noble in my town gets some copies.

 

[Watson]

Everyone always forgets I'm a girl

I'm glad to see you're enjoying this ComicChick

 

[Silk Spectre]

I'm a girl, and I've read it twice. It's a great story on so many levels.

 

[Nepenthes]

my mum is reading it but she's like 50 something. I tried to make a girlfriend at uni read it but she got through the first two chapters and just said 'got anymore Sandman?'

 

[arachnid-guy]

I'm a girl and i read it.

I'm also a boy.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Holy mother of Hemaphrodite!

 

[ComicChick]

glad to see so many ppl are reading this, especially girls. i knew the dude was full of it when he said girls don't read stuff like this. i'm really digging it so far

i'll post my next installment soon lol

 

[arachnid-guy]

I read it last year during my study leave. Best procrastination of my whole life!
I bought my own copy recently, as I had read it online. And really, it is better in print.

 

[arachnid-guy]

Holy mother of Hemaphrodite!

I'm whatever you want me to be, sugar!

 

[Sawyer]

Women???
Reading Watchmen? What's next? The right to vote?

 

[Rando Aces]

this post made me go two feet to my dresser and grab it.

good job!

 

[Compi716]

Women???
Reading Watchmen? What's next? The right to vote?

t:

 

[ComicChick]

wow people have actually commented in here. something i wasn't really expecting lol that being said. here's my take on chapter 2:

Laurie is visiting her mom. Still hate Sallys's hairdo lol but I can get over it. They discuss Blake's funeral. We find out that there's only 3 Minutemen left now; Hollis, Bryon and Sally. Blake was the youngest and said he'd be the one to bury them. oh the irony

The story behind the photograph comes out. Something happens between Blake and Sally (vague ftw) and Hooded Justice steps in to save the day. Then it goes back into another flashback ala Capt Metropolis and the formation of the Crimebusters.

The next POV comes from Jon the naked lol. Jon's in Vietnam with the Comedian. Comedian's knocked up a Vietnamese woman and he couldn't care less. The origin of his scar is revealed (right on chick!) and then I don't know what's worse, Comedian shooting her down in cold blood, or Jon not doing anything about it. Major morality issue there? For all his ugliness, I've seen more humanity in Blake thus far than Jon. Next Pov is Nightowl. I recognize the flying machine from the Watchmen trailer yay!

Rorschach drops in on Moloch, a former villain, who attended the funeral. he sure ain't too pretty these days. Comedian came to Moloch a week before he died, drunk and rambling. Moloch's got cancer, Rorschach found his illegal drugs for it. After leaving, he makes his way to the cemetary and reflects.

Really nice monologue here (not the word I want, but can't think of it), particularly the Pagliacci joke. I've heard it before, fits lovely here.

Another excerpt from Under the Hood. The Origin of Night Owl and some backstory on the other members of the Minutemen and how they came to be. If Under the Hood was a real full length book, I'd probably read it.

Really diggin the pacing of the book so far and how it jumps between present and past so smoothly. dialogue is good. so far, i'm glued to it

 

[[A]]

I'd marry you if you lived around the corner

 

[Nepenthes]

I'd marry the girl in her avatar in a second


glad you're enjoying it comicchick. You read kinda slow though, no?

 

[little_ceeg]

Ooh, rock, female Watchmen reader awesomeness.

I just reread it again last week.

I'm using Dr. Manhattan as a case study in empathy (or the lack thereof) for my dissertation.

My boyfriend doesn't even understand my love of this book.

Yay, this thread.

 

[Harlekin]

I ask my friend, who's still on cloud 9 about it, and lucky for me, he has the graphic novel (not a reprint either).

The 'graphic novel' IS the reprint. Watchmen was originally a 12-issue maxi-series.

 

[Dark Victory]

I remember last year in school we had to do a rport on Watchmen and I jumping up and down with joy while one girl in my class was almost in tears saying that she hated comics. I gave her a dirty look.

 

[ComicChick]

The 'graphic novel' IS the reprint. Watchmen was originally a 12-issue maxi-series.

i guess i phrased that wrong. i knew it wasn't printed as a graphic novel. when it was first available as a GN, he got this copy I should say.

 

[ComicChick]

Chapter III

Ok, we've got a newspaper stand. I really like studying the panels and looking at all the tidbits of details in there (missing author, dick's 3rd heart-op, etc). that's probably the art geek in me. the pirate story the boy is reading runs parallel to the story going on. The end-of-the-world sign holder picks up his copy of the New Frontiersman .

John and Laurie have some problems in the bedroom. I know that I'd be pretty pissed off if the guy I was in bed with, was also preoccupied in the other room at the same time. Janey Slater is being interviewed as Laurie leaves John and goes to Dan's house. The dialogue is catchy and I'm surprised at how smooth this has been flowing. John's still hard for me to care about, ironically enough since he doesn't seem to care for anything.

Laurie and Dan kick some butt in the alley The Nova express reporter throws John for a loop with his allegations and John makes everyone in the studio disappear. John heads to the Gila Flats Test Base and takes a photograph. Then he heads to mars lol. These are the first panels where I've seen any true sentimentality from John.

Rorschach goes to see Dan, leaving a newspaper with him; Russians invade Afghanistan. With John not on Earth, the US isn't feared anymore. Their biggest weapon is walking around the red planet.

Another snippet from Under the Hood. More back story on the original vigilantes that I found interesting. The Hooded Justice never revealed himself, and no one ever knew what happened to him.

Still enjoying this, wish I had more time to read, but working 6 days a week and softball on the weekends, well, I haven't really had the time. Laurie is kinda in a sucky situation. She's in love with a man who seems to lose his humanity more and more as times goes by. I'll be trying to squeeze in some time to read chapter 4 asap