Watchman HC

[jbud73]

If you think that the ending to Watchmen doesn't seem realistic, consider a comparison to the 9/11 attacks in NYC.

 

Reminds me of a conversation some of us were having before in the Modern forum:

 

I've previously thought the ending was the weakest part, and also felt a big letdown based on what had been hinted at that the Comedian had learned. But I'll try to defend it now...

 

At the risk of appearing crass, put this into (fictional, conspiracy-theorist) 9/11 terms: Say you find out someone is planning to stage a disaster in New York City for the purpose of motivating society towards some end. Thousands of innocents are about to be killed in service of a hoax by someone you regarded as an ally. So it's not so much the plot itself that is terrifying, instead it is who is doing the plotting, and the casualness with which thousands are about to be sacrificed. And, just maybe, what's really terrifying is that you agree with what's about to happen, even though you know you cannot live with yourself if you let it proceed. So, was the Comedian's death a murder, or in some sense an assisted suicide? Hmmm...

 

For me, reading the Comedian as an almost-accomplice in Adrian Veidt's plot, and his death as a virtual assisted-suicide makes for a more satisfying resolution.

 

It is also a nice parallel to Rorschach's fate, a similar assisted-suicide by Dr. Manhattan.

 

Well Zonk that is an interesting arguement - the problem I see with the whole Apocalyptic bonding theme, is that it is a circular argument. There has never been an E.T. attack on the planet Earth so its easy to shape the outcome for your own convenience. The 9-11 analogy is not a very strong arguement either. How much solidarity has been gained in the 9-11 attacks?? I guess you colud argue for US solidarity, but its not a good will solidarity its a tacit compliance and acceptance. The president elect won by the hair of his chinny chin chin - certainly not the previous trend for nations faced with foreign agressors - the incumbent usually wins by a land slide.

 

How about US relations with the rest of the world not getting that warm fuzzy feeling there either.

 

There is a moral polemic at play in the Watchmen, but I stand behind my earlier ascertion that the ending is a trite conclusion to a complex and intelligently interwoven plot build-up. Sometimes I think People read too much into Moore - he brought a level of intelligence to the medium unheard of, but I will always be left with the feeling that he outsmarted him self and his audience in the Watchmen.

[bobpfef]

Some joker on the internet is saying the the print runs on the Absolute Editions are limited to 200

 

That can't be right, can it? Link

[chrisco37]

Some joker on the internet is saying the the print runs on the Absolute Editions are limited to 200

 

That can't be right, can it?

 

No chance. DC is going to make alot of money on this one. They'd never limit themselves to just 200 copies. Maybe there is a limited Absolute Edition as well as the regular version.

[Weird]

Sorry, this "absolute" edition sounds lame. They couldn't add any more material to the book? That's ridiculous. The Graphitti hardcover is great, but I'm sure they could have come up with something to add to this edition. More -script at least?

 

It intrigues me. I have never read my HC edition b/c I don't want to mess with it. Wasn't there a Euro edition of Watchmen (maybe it was a portfolio or something) that Moore and Gibbons did sign?

 

I remember getting Dave Gibbons to sign my Watchmen #1 at the Atlanta Fantasy Fest (Fair? I forget the name) when I was a teen in the 80s. Pretty cool...

 

This is what I was thinking of when mentioning the signed thing:

 

Vault

 

Pretty cool little insert.

[Tastysnacks-migration]

was there a Watchmen hardcover recently? or just the one from the 80s? sorry if i missed it

[chrisco37]

was there a Watchmen hardcover recently? or just the one from the 80s? sorry if i missed it

 

We were discussing the "Watchmen: Absolute Edition" which will be available later this year.

[wormboy]

There was the graphitti HC that came in a slipcase, but there was also a Book Club hardcover that did not come with a slipcase, but a dustjacket, just like most HC books. Both will cost you a pretty penny.

 

If I didn't have these, I would definitely buy the new absolute edition, but I can't see owning 3 copies of the same book (tempted though).

[kidcolt]

I think the original HC was sp to 200.

[mcd-migration]

No, seems to be stuck in the mire again. They made that announcement last fall when Bowen solicited the Miracleman statue and then everything stopped dead... the statue did come out in the end, but no sign of the comics.

Maybe Marvel's legal department isn't confident enough in Gaiman's right to publish to proceed.

 

I've been out of the loop for awhile as far as modern comics go but was a big fan of Miracle Man. Quite awhile back there was a rumor that Marvel planned to reveal that Sentry was Miracle Man. Is this still floating around or was it just a fly by night type rumor that stuck with me?