Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26623 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

Synopsis
"Watchmen" redefined superhero conventions and re-introduced comics to an adult audience with a gripping, labyrinthine piece of comic art. Rorschach, a half-psychotic vigilante, must convince his ex team-mates, now middle-aged and retired, that he has uncovered a plot to murder the remaining superheroes - along with millions of innocent civilians...Even reunited, will the remnants of the "Watchmen" be enough to avert a global apocalypse? With a powerful storyline masterfully told by comics supremo Alan Moore and beautifully rendered artwork by the talented Dave Gibbons - this is the one that started it all and is definitely not one to miss!

Customer Reviews

An utter classic!
Reviewing a (nearly) twenty-five year old book may seem a bit strange, especially as quite a few others have already done so, but there's a couple of things I'd like to add.
I'm not going to say anything about the story itself - I think that at least the bones of it will be well known to anyone contemplating buying this edition.
The sheer quality of this edition absolutely shines out, and here we have a story and artwork that deserve this sort of treatment. For me though, the most interesting element of this package is not the graphic novel itself (I've read it an awful lot, starting with the original twelve comics...), but the additional material included. Of particular interest (especially in light of subsequent developments) is the original pitch/summary in which the main protagonists are based on the 1950's/60's Charlton characters - imagining what the book would have been if Moore and Gobbons had been allowed to pursue this idea was enough to keep me entertained for hours!
An excellent edition - absolutely (excuse the pun) recommended!

"I have lived life free from compromise and step into the shadow now without complaint"
The following is a passage from Alan Moore's Watchmen which sums it up in comparision to any past experiences you may have had with the 'super-hero' genre.

"Today he told me about a girl who got kidnapped."
"Oh Boy! Was she tied and gagged and helpless?"
"No. She was six. Her abductor killed her, butchered her and fed her to his german shepherds."

Yes, Watchmen is an adult book, not just because of the occasional gruesome passage, but because of the way it is written and the story it tells. Watchmen is essentially a murder mystery concerning the killing of a 'masked vigilante' and the efforts of the other vigilantes to discover who commited the crime. But this is not the focus of the story. Instead it focuses on the minds of would be heros, annalysing why they do what they do, be it for fame, fortune or just to make their (suprisingly bleak) world a better place.

Moore manages to create incredibally believable characters (something that must have been difficult considering they dress up in tight fitting costumes and fight crime) and gives us a very clear picture of their (staggeringly complex) psychological profiles. Like James Clavell's novel 'King Rat' you will probably be able to see yourself in some of these characters...and you may not like what you see.

The story itself is gripping, told through the eyes of a number of characters and using a chapter structure full of flashbacks in a similar fashion to TV's 'Lost'.

I have never read a graphic novel before this and i was initially concerned that the illustrations would ditract me from the dialouge, however I needen't have worried. The panel's are construced meticulously by illustrator and letterer Dave Gibbons, and the text qucikly merges with the images which allow the story to be read seamlessly.

In short this is a fantastic book (listed in Time Magazine's 100 greatest Novels of this century) which is essential reading. Forget any pre-conceptions you may have about graphic novels not being 'real' books and enjoy a fantastic story before hollywood ruins it.

Lets talk about the book - not just the contents
I'm going to give my opinion on the actual book itself. I would imagine most people reading reviews of the Absolute Edition have already read Watchmen. It is probably Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons finest hour - `nuff said.

So, for starters, the absolute edition is much bigger than the original trade paperback. It is hardback, has a paper cover wrap and comes in a well-made, sturdy slipcase to protect it. The slipcase fits perfectly and has very bold text down the spine (looks nice on the shelf!).

The paper is very good quality, bright white and heavy stock. The printing is the key to this edition. It is flawless in every way. The colours jump off the page and the ink saturation is perfect. All the details are extremely clear (which is also helped by the larger format) it makes the first colour job look very murky and dark in comparison. The original colourist has made a return to tweak and improve his work (rather than completely change it) and he has done a grand job.

There is quite a bit of supplemental material thrown in at the back of the book (interviews, original script / concept drawing highlights etc.) which adds alot of insight into this classic of the graphic novel form.

So my final word? If you love Alan Moore, and you re-read Watchmen alot, this absolute edition is an absolute MUST.