Watchmen

Author: Alan Moore
Year Published: 1987
Publisher: DC Comics
ISBN#: 0930289234
Pages:416
Media Type: Graphic Novel
Reader's Annotation:
As former members of a disbanded group of superheroes called the Crimebusters start turning up dead, the remaining members of the group try to discover the identity of the murderer before they, too, are killed.

Plot Summary:

Much of the graphic novel story is spent detailing information from the past, including the origins of Nite Owl I, Rorschach, and Doctor Manhattan. It also describes many cultural details which only turn out to be relevant at the end of the book; for example, the writer of a famous series of pirate comics is one of the people hired by Ozymandias to create his monster. It also spends a great deal of time detailing the everyday comings and goings of the people around a small newsstand in New York City, which turns out to be ground zero for the teleported monster. Knowing that Rorschach and others would investigate the murder of the Comedian, Ozymandias started the smaller falsehood of a serial killer or plot murdering masked heroes in order to hide the true reason for the Comedian's death. Ozymandias also orchestrated the media rumour and false evidence of cancer victims that forced the exile of Doctor Manhattan, the only figure he felt he could not completely control and counter.

Reading Level: 6
Interest Level: 9+
author's website: http://www.alanmoorefansite.com/


Trailer From the Movie Adaptation: