I finally read the Watchmen trade paperback, and to be honest: It was a good book. But I would not call it the best comic book I ever read. Or even in my top 10 favorites of all time.

Spoilers here in my review, so be warned.

What I really hated was the last two pages. I thought it totally undermined the book. I’ll get into more detail in a bit.

I thought Dr. Manhattan, and Nite Owl were just filler characters who did not add much to the story.

The Comedian also embodied nothing more then the sterotype of a Vietnam soldier who is crazy, racist, and a patriot.

The only interesting main character who moved the plot and was like a detective was Rorschach.

I thought only he proved to be a main character focus and who moved the story and all that happened. The other two, the Doctor and Nite Owl did not add much.

Rorschach who I recall John Byrne saying he was disappointed when he learned he was crazy. I actually was not disappointed. I also wouldn’t even call the character crazy. He’s extreme to one degree on his principles and is clearly Moore’s attempt at defining Steve Ditko’s view on things. And the Rorschach character seems like Mr. A, and the Question. (And the Question was the original story character to use because Watchmen was supposed to star the Charlton heroes. When it was decided not to use them. Moore basically made the Watchmen characters carbon copies of what he planned for the Charlton heroes.)

Also the unmasked Rorschach, I think Marvel Comics Carnage, in the form of his human identity Cletus Kasady looks similar. I wonder if Erik Larsen used good old Rorsch as a template?

Back to Watchmen, I know the journal part as a plot point made sense to show up in the end.
BUT I thought it undermined the whole story, and made the whole series meaningless.

Basically at the end, the “Smartest Man in The World” who plotted everything to perfection. Has his plot undone by a factor of: Random Chance, and a stumbling idiot who fluke chances his way into the journalistic story of the century.

If the true story was not exposed, the bad guy might have won. But the cost would have been World Peace, and it would have made the sacrifice of millions in New York blown up mean something. Ozymandias should have won.

Instead the Ozymandias plot will be exposed, and the millions sacrificed mean nothing. And the world will still stay at war.

The bad guy loses again, and the good guys win. And in the end, there is no big change to the world. Other then the millions killed by the bad guy.

The story to me, would have had much more of an impact without those final two pages undoing the whole story of Watchmen and Ozymandias.

Overall to me: It’s a good story, but not one I’d call the greatest comic series of all time. Or even in my time 10. I also rank the original Dark Knight Returns as better. Probably because I know and like the Batman character more.

It’s also clear to see that the TV show HEROES series 1 plot of blowing up New York was heavily influenced by Watchmen.

As well as the current Heroes season of Costa Verde blowing up was influenced by Marvel Comics Civil War of Stamford blowing up.

Perhaps that’s a topic for another post in that the Heroes TV show is just ripping off comic characters and stories left and right. But the shows ratings are now down this season and I think the shows gimmick has worn off with the public.