Saturday, February 28, 2009

Who Watches the Watchmen?

Who watches the Watchmen? In the critical acclaimed graphic-novel The Watchmen ordinary citizens who live within the book ask this question: Who watches the Watchmen? This cannot never be known for certain but what can be known for certain is the history behind Watchmen and how this comic book became the greatest graphic novel of all time. Over twenty years ago writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons came together to ally in creating a very above average graphic novel. Since it's realease in 1987 Watchmen has been the only comic book to be awarded the Hugo Award for literature and featured in Time Magazine as one of the 100 greatest English of the 21 century.











The story line of Watchmen takes place in 1985 New York City during the high escalation and threat of nuclear war with the former Soviet Union. A group of super heros known as the Watchmen guard and protect the city as vigilantes against domestic and foreign threats. After a certain amount though the citizens of New York come to hate and distrust this group of vigilantes and want the police not the Watchmen to protect them. Espicially after a very sensitive article implements one of the super heros as a rapist and women hater. Following it in '78 a Senator Keene submits a bill which is passed into law called The Keene act forces all superheros put down their arms and retire from crime fighting. Only two remain on as government operatives while the rest retire or disband.


Years later after the Watchmen go their seperate ways one of them known as Rorscharch still continues his vigilante duties investigating a murder of one the Watchmen known as The Comedian who is still a government employee. Following the Comedian's death Rorscharch probe's his homicide further to find a much more massie plot involving the Watchmen group and the fate of planet Earth. Along the story line many things have changed in the American time frame. For instance ever since the transformation of Watchmen Jon Osterman into Dr. Manhattan because of a nuclear "freak accident" and the creation of his god like abilities America was able to win the Vietnam War. Generating awesome public relation from the victory Richard Nixon was able to ascend into a third term while maneuvering the Watergate incident.