~illustrated and lettered by Dave Gibbons
~colored by John Higgins
1988 Eisner Award Winner
1988 Harvey Award Winner
1988 Hugo Award Winner
A groundbreaking work in comics, Watchmen is an incredibly complex series. Originally published in twelve issues, Watchmen has now been gathered together as a single volume graphic novel. Although a bit dated at times, it remains a remarkable accomplishment and continues to receive awards and recognition. Watchmen is one of several comics that helped establish the genre as a "respectable" format for literature.Superheros, or costumed adventurers, are no longer accepted or condoned by general society and most have retired in their own individual fashions. But when The Comedian (who was never particularly well liked) is murdered, one of his old compatriots is convinced that the remaining heroes are also under threat. But what he manages to discover is a plan much more devious, one that may change humanity forever.
Watchmen portrays these heroes as real people with real problems and personal conflicts. The fairly gritty story is juxtaposed against illustrations that use a fairly limited palette of mostly primary colors, creating a feeling of disjunction that is quite effective. Some may find the story itself tedious, but it is a book well worth reading.
