Watchmen Movie In Theaters March 6th, 2009

It is 1985 and there are superheroes among us but costumed vigilante-ism has been outlawed since the Keene Act in 1977. Most of these costumed "superheroes" are either forced into retirement or are now working for the government. It is an alternate U.S. history that is edging closer towards a nuclear conflict with the Soviet Union while someone has decided to start the targeted killing of the retired heroes: "Mask Killing." The "heroes" force themselves out of retirement to solve the mysterious convergence between the killing of the heroes and the impending nuclear holocaust that edges closer each day. "One of the best damn stories to hit the comic industry in the past 30 years." - Ronando Long

Silk Spectre Laurie Juspeczyk	Nite Owl Dan Dreiberg	The Comedian Edward Blake	Rorschach Walter Kovacs	Ozymandias Adrian Veidt	Doctor Manhattan Dr. Jonathan Osterman

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Watchmen (The Comic), The Making Of

Alan Moore: Some say he might be eccentrically insane... we prefer to say he's a veritable genius.

"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." ? Alan Moore on the basis for Watchmen

Comic writer Alan Moore contemplated writing a story featuring a line or group of superheroes that he could revamp, with the killing of one of the major superheroes being the focal point in the story. Moore pitched the concept to DC managing editor Dick Giordano. Giordano liked the idea but convinced Moore to rework his vision to feature new and original characters instead of DC characters (that they were already heavily invested in).

Artist Dave Gibbons, who had worked with Moore before, wanted in on the project. Moore agreed to have Gibbons do the art and sent him the story outline. Once they started working on the project, Moore and Gibbons spent a day creating characters and drafting details for the story's framework. They were influenced by a Mad Magazine parody of Superman named "Superduperman"; Moore said, "We wanted to take Superduperman 180 degrees?dramatic, instead of comedic".

Moore and Gibbons were looking for something with real substance, something that would take "familiar old-fashioned superheroes into a completely new realm." Moore said his intention was to create "a superhero Moby Dick; something that had that sort of weight, that sort of density". He came up with the character names and descriptions, but left room for Gibbons to fill in the specifics of how they looked.

Moore uses Watchmen to not only deconstruct the superhero archetype but also as a reflection of the contemporary social and political anxieties that faced the nation in the late 1970s and 80s. As we follow the origin of each group of "heroes," from the original Minutemen in the '40s on through the Crimebusters in the '70s we see how the heroes themselves are a reflection of the times. The first generation is composed of naive, two dimensional adventurers who beat up purse snatchers and thieves whereas the final incarnation of the heroes, who are much more ruthless in breaking the law and go against the Keene Act and come out of retirement for the better good, they have now (de)evolved into complex archtypes with the Comedian being the most American-esk type hero with a complete lack of caring of the atrocities that not only he participates in but the country as well.

The Comedian: The Start Of The Watchmen Conspiracy.

Watchmen (The Comic), The Story Line

Watchmen is set in an alternate reality which closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. The primary divergence between the two is the presence of superheroes who have dramatically altered the outcomes of real-world events such as the Vietnam War and the presidency of Richard Nixon.

It is October 1985 and NYC police are investigating the murder of Edward Blake who has just been thrown out of his high rise apartment. The police, having no leads, and wanting to keep the murder low profile, were coming up empty handed. Costumed vigilante Rorschach decides to start his own investigation.

Rorschach discovers that Blake, the murder victim, is in fact The Comedian, a fellow ex-Costumed Adventurer/Superhero who was employed by the United States government since the Keene Act. It was in 1977 that the Keene Act came into existance outlawing costumed vigilante-ism. While many of the second generation heroes have gone into (forced) retirement, taking on a normal life such as an auto mechanic, two of them, Doctor Manhattan and the Comedian, operate as government-sanctioned agents.

Doctor Manhatten: Working for Milhouse.

Doctor Manhattan's employment with the U.S. government gives the U.S. a strategic advantage over the Soviet Union, which has dramatically increased tensions between the nations that we see escalating throughout the book.

After discovering that the murdered Blake is The Comedian, Rorschach warn his other fellow retired comrades: Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl II), Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre II daughter of the original Silk Spectre and sex kitten to Dr. Manhatten) and Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias). Rorschach's thoughts are considered nothing more than paranoia.

After Blake's funeral, Doctor Manhattan is accused on national television of being a carcinogenic threat to friends and colleagues. After a moments notice, Manhattan exiles himself to Mars and contemplates his existance. It is here we see the genious within Moore as he conveys to us the concept known to Manhatten that time is not linear. All events are actually occuring at the "same time" but in different streams.

With Manhatten's presence no longer checkmating the Soviets, the world is immedaiatly thrown into political turmoil, kicked off with the Soviet Union taking advantage of the newly ripened "American weakness" by invading Afghanistan. ... just like in real life.

Meanwhile, Rorschach's paranoid beliefs appear vindicated when Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias) narrowly survives an assassination attempt, while Rorschach himself is framed for murder and arrested. The plot thickens.

With Doctor Manhatten on Mars, and the U.S. government no longer needing her, Laurie Juspeczyk visits her old friend Dreiberg (Nite Owl II) to contemplate their existance. With Rorschach suddenly in prison, Dreiberg starts believing some of his conspiracy theories. While waxing sentiment in their old costumes, Juspeczyk and Dreiberg bond and grow closer. They then take it upon themselves to free Rorschach from custody in order to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.

Breaking Rorschach Out: Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre Kick Ass.

While Rorschach is in prison, we get to see what he's really made of. ... cold ice. He is unflappable and resolute in his goal of distributing justice. Nothing shakes this guy. With Doctor Manhatten on Mars, and the U.S. government no from custody in order to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.

Rorschach freed, Doctor Manhattan teleports his ex-lover, Silk Spectre II (Laurie Juspeczyk) to Mars, now his fortress of solitude. After correcting his mistake of forgetting that she needed to breath oxygen, the Manhatten and Spectre argue over the fate of the Earth. During the course of the argument, Spectre is forced to come to terms with the fact that Edward Blake, The Comedian, the man who raped Juspeczyk's mother...

Comedian and Silk Spectre: Not A Moment To Remember.

... is really (spoiler) her biological father. Gasp!! The discovery re-engages Manhattan's interest in humanity and he decides to interfere. Apparently, even a near-god like Manhatten who can "see" the future (since there really is no future and it is always, past, present and future, always occuring simultaniously with all the other time lines, even he can be surprised.

Back on Earth, Nite Owl and Rorschach follow the conspiracy surrounding the murder of The Comedian. They uncover evidence that their former costumed comrade, Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias is some how directly behind the labyrinthian conspiracy. The pair fly Nite Owl's vehicle, "Archie", to the Antardctic to confront Ozymandias.

Archie Taking Off: The conspiracy leads North.

Veidt explains his underlying plan is to save humanity from impending nuclear war between the United States and Soviet Union by faking an alien invasion in New York City, which he hopes will unite the nations against a perceived common enemy. He also reveals that he had killed The Comedian, as he had stumbled onto the construction of his weapon and was a threat to the plan. Also knowing that his former allies would likely investigate, he staged his fake assassination to place himself out of suspicion of involvement. Finding his logic callous and abhorrent, Dreiberg and Rorschach attempt to stop him but discover that Veidt has already enacted his plan.

When Doctor Manhattan and Juspeczyk arrive back to Earth, they are confronted by mass destruction and wide scale death in New York City. Doctor Manhattan notices his abilities are limited by tachyons emanating from the Antarctic, and the pair teleport there. They discover Veidt's involvement and confront him. Veidt shows everyone news broadcasts confirming the cessation of global hostilities, leading almost all present to agree that concealing the truth from the public is in the best interests of the world. Rorschach refuses to compromise and leaves, intent on revealing the truth. As he is making his way back, he is confronted by Manhattan. Rorschach tells Manhattan he'll have to kill him to stop him from exposing Veidt and his actions, and Manhattan responds by vaporizing him. Dreiberg and Juspeczyk go into hiding under new identities and continue their romance. Manhattan wanders through the base and finds Veidt meditating upon the millions of lives he ended in order to save millions more; he asks Manhattan if he did the right thing in the end. Manhattan's response is that "Nothing ever ends", then leaves Earth for a different galaxy without anwering Veidt's question.

Preview Watchmen: Read (then buy) the comic before seeing the movie! Buy the Trade Paperback

Watchmen Trade Paperback $17.99

Five Fabulous Decades of the worlds greatest comics, MARVEL. By Les Daniels, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc NY. A Times Mirror Co. p. 163-165.