My Thoughts on Watchmen

               As someone who has seen the Watchmen movie already, it's very interesting to see the story told through a different medium like the original comic. I really enjoy the way that the comic is illustrated, it sets the tone of the story as dark and bleak. I was also very surprised with how well the story is told by using only pictures and captions. The transitions from setting to setting are smooth, and the book does not seem choppy at all. One thing I like more about the book than the movie is how you easy it is to find symbolism in the panels. There is often some sort of alternate meaning in the background of a picture that's not essential to the story, but can help further the readers understanding of the plot. So far, I've enjoyed reading the comics more than I did watching the movie. I can't wait to see how the rest of the story is told...

Rorschach the Outlaw, will he cause problems?

It's very clear, just from reading book one in Watchmen, that Rorschach is an Outlaw, this kind of crazy guy who really has no ethical subjectivism at all. He is so black and white, right or wrong, that he can't truly be taken seriously by the other members his this Superhero team, which is problematic in its own right, as he is the only one taking it seriously to begin with. A couple of examples of this are when he calls rape "a moral lapse" or says that people had a chance to be good, and should have been good men, like his father or Harry Truman. He isn't keen on picking up other's emotions, this is especially clear when he can't really tell that nobody else is taking him seriously. I also believe his mask is very symbolic of his character. It's black and white, much like Rorschach's views on the world, but it's also always symmetric. I think that kind of fits Rorschach in a way because, while he is an outlaw, and does stuff his way, he has this sort of view on the world that is kind of "even" to him, which I think the symmetry might symbolize. Your thoughts?

Rorschach causing problems

It's quite obvious that, from the first chapter 1 in Watchmen, Rorschach is the only one that is really tang this superhero team seriously. This could prove to be problematic come the time when they re-form the team of superheroes. Also, Rorschach is crazy. It also seems that the other Watchmen have become used to seeing this craziness from Rorschach. An example of this is when Dan and Laurie start laughing about when Rorschach threw someone down an elevator shaft. Something that could prove to be problematic would be the fact that Rorschach is not very sensitive to other's emotions. Examples are when he says that "rape is a moral lapse" and when he makes Danny feel guilty for quitting their partnership. I could very easily see there being internal problems within the superhero group when they finally get together, and I believe it all comes back to Rorschach's problems.

Character Development in Watchmen

As readers we can already see a great amount of character development in this story. The heroes of the past are detached from their old life and the modern view of their work isn't viewed in a positive light. The result of this detachment has left the watchmen without a sense of purpose. The entrance into the special world is what has given these heroes a sense of purpose in their past lives. Without even knowing the Comedian, his impact on the Watchmen is central to the plot of this story. While the death of the comedian is tragic, it also fuels a sense of purpose in the Watchmen. It is almost as if his murder has forced the Watchmen back into the special world.

blog post about watchmen

A particularly effective scene in the first chapter was the reader's introduction to Ozymandias and the profits he's made off of his masked alter ego-- Rorschach condemns this as "prostitution." Ozymandias contends he's "never claimed to be anyone special" and his superhuman reputation is the work of "over enthusiastic PR men." It's a parody of the extensive merchandise spawned by superhero comics, but also points out the power of public image and its distance from reality.  Receptiveness to good marketing can make us less inclined to question the qualifications and actions of people in power, something that fits with the context of post-Vietnam disillusionment the comic was written in. Are there other instances where this gap is brought up?

Initial Thoughts On Watchmen

The first thing I noticed when reading watchmen was how dark it was. The first scene is a shop owner hosing a pool of human blood off the sidewalk. As I continued reading I noticed how dark the comic is drawn. The colors and scenes are intentionally not vibrant like in Superman or Spider man.
The characters are often portrayed in low light and there is a film noir feel to the whole setting of the book. Deep brooding characters, constant smoking, wind and rain in a back alley, not the normal setting for a superhero comic. For example Superman is depicted in a gleaming metropolis. This feels like a darker version of Batman with the central character, Rorschach, seeming to be a Batman without a moral code.
The next thing I noticed was the attention to detail. All of the small references meticulously drawn into each frame. For example the graffiti that says "who watches the watchmen" or the legacy of the sugar cube Rorschach took from the house ate in the government building, then the wrapper being cleaned up by Miss Jupiter. The detail is incredible.
I'm interested to see where the story line goes. The heroes that have been showed to us thus far seem to be at odds with one another and I assume at one point they will unite. The eclectic personality that have been shown thus far will make for an interesting team. I look forward to reading this comic and watching the story progress.    


 

Small Details of Moore and Gibbons

After reading the first chapter of Watchmen, one of the first things that I noticed were the intricate details of each panel created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Many of these details provide context to the time that is created within the comic, most of the subtleties are reflections of the political situation in the time period. I believe that the reflection of nuclear anxiety in this story is still relevant in today's society as the nuclear clock has moved a minute closer to midnight (nuclear armageddon). With words like 'Viet Bronx', 'Krystalnacht' depicted in graffiti on the walls and hints in newspaper headlines we get a very clear idea of what is happening in this alternate universe where Richard Nixon serves another term.

In regards to the smiley face that belonged to The Comedian, I think that the blood splatter is reflective of the nuclear clock. In one of the newspaper headlines it says that scientists had moved the minute hand to five till midnight and the way the blood is splattered it looks very close to where the eleven is on the clock.

So far, my first impression has been good, I enjoy reading comics like these so it's easy to forget that this is homework. I'm looking forward to learning the backstories of these characters as the story continues to develop and looking for more tiny details in Moore and Gibbons writing and illustrations.

Initial Thoughts on Watchmen

My first impression of Watchmen has been very good. When I read it, I often forget it's even an assignment, because it's something I just enjoy. As I continue reading, I'm looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the characters and their backstories. I'm hoping that there are things I'm not supposed to know yet, like when unfamiliar characters' names are tossed around and I'm left wondering if I've missed something. I'm also looking forward to understanding anything about Dr. Manhattan, because as of now he is just a naked blue guy with some pretty wild powers and I'm sure he has a very interesting backstory.

The thing I'm most confused about is probably the meaning of the smiley face pin shown on the cover. I know it belonged to The Comedian, but that's about all I know. And the blood splatter is frustrating because, on the cover, there's a shadow underneath the blood, as if it's suspended above the smiley face, which makes it seem like its plastic or something.

The biggest thing I notice in Watchmen has to be the insane amount of detail. Every frame has something new and important, and the artwork is astounding. Every time I open the book I can't help but be blown away and overwhelmed with respect for the author and the illustrator for all the work and the careful attention to detail they paid while writing this story. Overall, I'm loving it so far and I can't wait to go deeper into the story.

Superheroes and their powers

So, after doing a little research about the characters I was able to figure out what they could do and what their superhuman abilities were. If you want to figure this out while reading then I suggest you stop reading here. The Comedian doesn't have any superhuman abilities but he is self taught in hand to hand combat and is in extremely good shape. Doctor Manhattan can basically do anything. He can heal, levitate, time travel, teleport and he's telekinetic. Nite Owl is similar to Batman. He's wealthy, stealthy, smart and is good with unarmed combat. Ozymandias has genius level intelligence, amazing athlete and martial artist, has a photographic memory and has limited super speed and reaction time. Rorschach also doesn't have any superhuman abilities and seems to be good at unarmed combat, intelligent, etc. Silk Spectre also doesn't have any abilities and like most of the characters is smart, agile, and good with unarmed combat. These are all of the main superhero characters that we have met so far and their abilities. It seems as if Doctor Manhattan is the only one with superhuman abilities. Do you think the villain, the one that killed The Comedian, has superpowers or will he be like most of the other characters so far and appear as an average human.

Rorschach

This guy is one seriously messed up, sick in the head dude that is creepy, but still he happens to be my favorite character so far. Being a fan of the newer, darker Batman, I can't help to feel like a product of my environment and liking the heavier movies, books, and even comics. Since this book was before the really heavy movies, what so you think the people felt back then? Most of the people who read this book would have known the goofy comics and the silly "BANG, POW" highlights, and then comes this over the top darkness that no one was expecting. What do you think the readers, and even the publishers thought the first time they had read this book?

Initial thoughts on watchmen

My first opinion on Watchmen was the corniness of Rorschach's diary. He only uses short punch lines in his diary and I love it. Even with the corniness he does a great job of displaying the depression and dirtiness of the city. The idea of superheroes has not taken a perspective like this before, which has led me to think more intensely about the dark side of heroes. The world these heroes live in is dark and depressing. Rorschach embraces this darkness while the other heroes that retired somewhat turned away from it. I also think that it's interesting that the ink blots on Rorschach's mask changes every pane. I feel like their is much more to that later in the book. I am also excited to see the flashbacks to when the Minutemen were together to fight crime. The writings and illustrations are amazing and have the perfect way to reflect each other. As I read on, I feel like their will be explanations and description that will help me with this book.

Artwork

When reading the first part of the book, I was really impressed with all the little details in the artwork. The characters and major objects are important, but there is so much going on in every image that is worth paying attention to, like the sign saying "The End Is Nigh" or the newspaper headline about the invasion of Afghanistan. I think these minor details are as important to the story as the major characters in the images and can give a good indication of the time and place of the story. Also, the artwork gives the book kind of a movie feel. The first page consists of the frame panning out from the smiley face with blood on it, something I would normally see in a film. In my opinion, the graphic novel is a great middle ground between the complexity and depth of a novel and the visualization that a film provides. Because of the role it provides, I think the artwork is definitely my favorite part of Watchmen so far.

Initial thoughts on Watchmen

After reading the first chapter of this graphic novel, I am very intrigued. One reason for this is the characters. Meeting heroes or former heroes such as Rorschach, the Nite-Owl's, and Dr.Manhattan for the first time is more interesting for me than reading other stories of superheroes I already know plenty about. Since I don't know anything about these characters, it makes the story unpredictable. This is something I struggle with when I watch superhero movies or read superhero stories. I feel like the majority of the time when I watch or read the famous heroes like Batman, Superman, and Spiderman I know what is going to happen and it makes me enjoy it less. Also, since there are so many different stories on each of the heroes it sometimes seems like they may be overused. With this novel, knowing none of the characters and their history makes me want to learn more about them. I'm wondering who they were before the Keene Act, and who they are now in the book. Does anyone agree?

Superhero PTSD

One thing I have noticed in Watchmen so far that interests me is how the various heroes consider their past. It reminds me of how soldiers have been portrayed thinking back to their time in war. Some of the heroes, like the two Nite Owls, think back with almost nostalgia. Others try to profit from their experience, selling relics and "prostituting" out their experiences, like Ozymandias. Dr. Manhattan seems unaffected, but I imagine that is just a facade. Keeping in line with this analogy, then, Rorschach would display signs of having extreme PTSD. Do you think it works like this with these superheroes, or do you think that they are not affected by their experiences in the same way that normal people are?

Lego Movie & Monomyth

In my opinion, the Lego Movie fits the monomyth very well. Although the film does not have many parts that fit the "return" portion of the monomyth, the other sections fit pretty well. The movie has a clear "normal" world, and a clear "special" world. The film starts off in quite literally a simple world, where everyone does the same, monotonous tasks each day. The main character Emmet has lived his whole life in this boring place; waking up and doing the same things he does every day. After he meets Wyldstyle, he travels into a different universe (The Wild West). Emmet's adventures then take him from world to world, where he accomplishes a variety of tasks that fit with the monomyth. When the cops are chasing Emmet and Wyldstyle out of different worlds, this is a Road of Trials because Emmet is tested as a "master builder". The Temptation part of the monomyth is very true throughout the entire movie, because Emmet is always second-guessing himself and telling himself that he's not a real builder. In fact, Emmet's own personal journey is him overcoming this negative mentality. The Lego Movie fits the monomyth very well, and there are only a few parts of the myth that are not present in the film.

Rorschach

There is something about Rorschach that is very sketchy to me. He wears this mask and acts as if everyone is bad, but he himself does not give off the friendliest vibe. He seems to be incredibly curious as to how the Comedian died, but I'm not convinced it wasn't him that killed him and this is all just cover up to get people thinking it couldn't be him. Also the women at the end of the chapter says while talking about the death of Captain Carnage on page 34, "Uh, well, he pulled it on Rorschach and Rorschach dropped him down an elevator shaft." Is it possible the author wants us to think Rorschach is sketchy or is there something more to this guy?

Watchmen First Chapter-First Impressions

I was very unsure about whether I would like Watchmen or not before reading it today. I have never been a comic fanatic, reading comics only occasionally in the newspaper. But I really enjoyed the first chapter of Watchmen. It has a very intriguing plot and the images really made the story have a greater impact for me. From the images I was really able to get a good feel of the setting and surroundings, because it is hard sometimes to imagine all the characters and settings, and these images allowed me to understand the story better.
At first I did not like how the novel started because I did not know who the characters were or their backgrounds, but as I got further into the chapter I started to like how they were slowly introducing new characters and building them up. In the end I enjoyed reading excerpts from Hollis Mason's autobiography, not only because it was interesting but it seems that by giving the Nite Owl's background he is soon going to become a more important figure throughout the story. After reading this first chapter I hope it only gets better and look forward to reading the rest of Watchmen.

The Effect of Illustration So Far in Watchmen

Starting out, I really had/still have little to no clue of anything about Watchmen. With every mention of a character's name, I am learning something completely new. Since this book does make references in to the past, it can be slightly difficult to keep up with all of the different aspects in it. I think that the intricately drawn illustrations are what make the story effective. Only so much can be said through words and dialogue, but with such detailed panels, way more is revealed. Small references such as the news paper's headline being snuck in there provides a greater depth that cannot be revealed through words. Not only do I find the illustrations to provide greater depth to the story, but I also find them quite helpful. Instead of having to imagine what someone may look like, there is a descriptive picture right there in front of you. I find the illustration of Rorschach particularly interesting because his "mask" and overall appearance portrays him as the seemingly dark man he is. Not to mention, the illustrations make the comic book read as if it was a movie. I think Mary mentioned this in class and I definitely agree with her. Just by simply looking from panel to panel you are able to watch the story line unfold, and I am looking forward to seeing how illustration is used throughout the rest of the novel. Do you think that this book would still be as "good" and descriptive without the pairing of illustration with it?

The Keene Act

The Keene act that was introduced in the first chapter of Watchmen is the act that makes vigilante heroes illegal in the Watchmen world. We talked in class about how The Incredibles universe has a law that does the same thing after Mr. Incredible hurt someone while trying to save his life, and how this concept was taken directly from Watchmen. Are there any other pieces that we can see in today's pop-culture that are taken from Watchmen?

New Topic: Watchmen

Use this space to discuss Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.  Use the discussion questions I gave you or your own ideas. Use this space to point out things you notice or wonder about in the text or illustrations.

Monomyth Post

Since The Interview is a parody adventure movie, it fit the monomyth very well. Though some elements were somewhat hidden, many aspects were perfect for the monomyth, such as the literal journey into a foreign country as the entrance to the spiritual world. The fact that it is purposefully made to be a stereotypical adventure movie allows it to be successful in completing Campbell's original monomyth. However, one thing I noticed in other group's films is the fact that they often had a difficult time finding a good fit for some elements. Sometimes the idea was a stretch and this makes me realize that although my movie was a good fit, it is very hard to get a perfect example of the monomtyh.

Refusal of the Call to adventure within Movies

While looking through the monomyth spreadsheet I noticed that the refusal of the call to adventure is usually a decision made by the main character which makes sense, but in the movie that my group watched, Casino Royale, the main character, James Bond, doesn't refuse the call in a generic manor, instead he is suspended from MI6, the company that he works for, and has to go on his own to complete his adventure, for the most part. This is an interesting adaptation to the monomyth, where the refusal is out of the control of the main character, because it provides the hero with more of an attitude of self-reliance and perseverance despite the circumstances. Another adaptation to the refusal of the call is the lack of refusal, such as in The Dark Knight and American Sniper. These movies have characters that are so self reliant and dedicated to their cause that refusing it would go against the principle of these heroes, This is also somewhat the case with James Bond, as he would do anything for his country, but his country doesn't believe in his ability to do it which is why they refuse him.

Gladiator and the Momonyth: How it Compares to Others

Gladiator follows the Monomyth very well. While it is a very simple, straight-forward movie, you can clearly see it follow almost all the parts of the Monomyth closely. It establishes Maximus, a Roman general, as a hero early in the film, by depicting his great win over the barbaric German tribes. It becomes clear that he will follow the Monomyth when Marcus Aurelius, the great emperor of Rome asks him to succeed him, and he declines, thus marking off the first things in the Monomyth, "The Call to Adventure" and "Refusal of the Call."

Gladiator definitely follows more closely to the Monomyth than some other movies. It is definitely easier to apply the Monomyth to a movie that is not in a series, rather than one that is. A movie like "Batman: The Dark Night" is going to be more difficult to hold to the Monomyth closely. Whereas, the entire series might hold to the Monomyth, a singular movie in a series is only helping you understand the parts necessary for you to get the greater story out of it. While you could certainly find pieces in any movie that closely correlate to Joseph Campbell's The Monomyth, not every movie is going to follow along with it.