Customer Reviews
AN AQUIRED TASTE - By: Red Queen, 23 Sep 2008 
I bought this comic based partly on the positive feedback it has received & the hype surrounding it; however such hype can create unrealistic expectations. That isn't to say Watchmen isn't a fantastic work of fiction, simply it wasn't what I expected.
The story begins with an intriguing murder mystery that helps to introduce one the books greatest characters, Rorschach. After this promising start the story slows down considerably with the majority of the book dedicated more to the development of the main characters rather than the story itself. The deliberate slow pacing & exploration of the inner landscape can make reading Watchmen difficult as developmentsin the main story take an age to develop.
Some of the charactersin Watchmen are brilliantly realised &in the case of Rorschach & Dr. Manhattan are a joy to read about. Other characters such as the second Nite Owl are less interesting & are pretty unspectacular, both as a superhero & as a normal individual. This continued focus on the main characters could be considered one of the books greatest strengths. However for me it isin some areas a weakness with pacing & plot development sacrificed for a continued focus on the lives of the main characters. In an attempt to be genre defining Watchmen feels overly clever & self-indulgentin places.
Is Watchmen worth owning, that depends on what you want from this comic.
Watchmen is a slow read full of intricate characters with intricate relationships. This internal exploration can be frustrating as developmentsin the main story arcs happen very slowly. If you are looking for action then Batman: The Dark Night Returns offers characters that are just as rich & well developed with none of the baggage & a more exciting & involving story.
WATCHMEN - By: Mr. Christopher Morton, 16 Sep 2008 
I decided to buy this book after seeing the forthcoming movie trailer,it looked fantastic & I was really intrestedin finding out what it was about,I wasn't disappointed,it is a crackin read,could not put it down,don't be put off just thinkin'it's just a comic this is a book that demands your total concentration,can't wait for the movie now!
Hasn't aged well... - By: N. Megahey, 09 Sep 2008 Twenty years ago, Watchmen was undoubtedly the peak of the comic art form, a defining & influential work that gave credibility to the format of the graphic novel with its multiple overlapping narratives, its post-modern deconstructive outlook on the nature of comic superheroes, given psychological depth through realistic characterisation & documentary interludes, using them as a metaphor for covert US activityin the wider political world - a force with no accountability ("Who watches the Watchmen?") that can either deter or precipitate an international crisis.
Twenty years later as it is about to finally make its way onto the screen after numerous abortive attempts, Watchmen is however starting to show its age. The wordplay, juxtaposition of imagery, visual links & overlapping narratives that once seem sophisticatedin the world of comics now seems very arch & even cheesy, but it's the dark tone of dread of an imminent nuclear Armageddon that dates the novel the most.
Watchmen's placein the history of comic art is assured, Moore almost single-handedly shifting the whole concept of graphic novels onto a more sophisticated adult level, butin comparison to modern indie, autobiographical, & European works, Watchmen's heavyweight treatment of the superhero theme now seems more than a little pompous.
It's a classic for a reason - By: Guy Rogers, 05 Sep 2008 
A cleverly written interwoven story, which hasn't really dated & rings even more truein today's current environment. Well inked as well.
It will be interesting to see how it translates to the big screen.
Read it before the movie comes out! - By: The Kinniburgh Kid, 01 Sep 2008 Do not be put off by the comic book format; this is very good, imaginative, intelligent story telling with real depth & complexity.
The movie will no doubt be stunning, but read this before you see it.
