| In Association With... |  |
|
|
|
Watchmen | 
 enlarge | Author: Alan Moore
Creator: Dave Gibbons
Publisher: DC Comics
Category: Book
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $10.14
You Save: $9.85 (49%)
New (63) Collectible (2) from $10.14
Avg. Customer Rating:  532 reviews
Sales Rank: 16
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0930289234
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780930289232
ASIN: 0930289234
Publication Date: April 1, 1995
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new and direct from the distributor. Official 2008 DC Comics release, exactly as pictured. In stock. Buy from a trusted seller. We have three brick and mortar comic stores and have been serving the Bay Area since 1988.
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Has any comic been as acclaimed as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, but Watchmen remains the critics' favorite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller's fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre's finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to gather praise since. The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore's characterization is as sophisticated as any novel's. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling; rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control--indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making "adult" comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD's Rogue Trooper and DC's Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore's paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other "works" and "studies" on Moore's characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the finepace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up--it keeps its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. --Mark Thwaite
Product Description
This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.
One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial bestseller, WATCHMEN has been studied on college campuses across the nation and is considered a gateway title, leading readers to other graphic novels such as V FOR VENDETTA, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and THE SANDMAN series.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 527 more reviews...
 Just in Time September 6, 2008
This isn't really a review (what more can be said?), but more about how became acquainted with this masterpiece.
I've never been big on comics, but recently I began reading manga (already an anime fan). I discovered Watchmen on a forum that was questioning whether this or a manga called 20th Century Boys is better, which is a tough choice, but I choose Watchmen because of the symbolism, metafiction, and because Dr. Manhattan is a god. Anyway, I decided to buy it a week later, and then after three days or so of reading (decided to spread the 12 chapters over 12 days. It was very hard to do.) I discovered that a film version is basically done and coming out next year. My God! I'm glad that I was able to read this before the movie's release, and I respect the long-lasting fans that have been much more patient in waiting for the project to come to fruition.
The Greatest Graphic Novel Ever September 5, 2008
I wanted to get back into reading comic books/graphic novels for a while but was a bit hesitant. Maybe it was the surge of comic book inspired movies that made me want to see what behind these amazing movies or the need for a greater story that I felt was missing, but I decided to start my kick off with Watchmen. I couldn't have picked a better book!
The cover of Watchmen touts it as a "Winner of the Hugo Award" and "One of Time Magazine's 100 Best Novels", and as soon as you pick it up you will know why. It starts off heavy after the death of one of their own, the "hero" Comedian, and picks up steam after that. But the greatest things about this book aren't things you can see right away, it's what's underneath everything that keeps you reading.
The first thing is obviously the story; it is real. It has a back story that actually builds upon the current story. Everything written in this novel has a purpose, and I know that every time I read it it will show me something new. After the first read I'm still trying to piece everything together because I know there are more details that connect, I just haven't seen them yet. And the fact that I want to read it again is a major accomplishment considering it's size and the weight of the story alone.
Another are the characters. They aren't your usual cookie-cutter hero's. Sure, they are based on a lot of today's modern characters but they each have their own life and story. They have their own tendencies that make them human and their own person, and it's great to see how each person, no matter how different they are, interact with everyone. They are people just like you and me who have chosen to "adventure" for one reason or another, and their backstories are given to further strengthen the characters. They don't have any great powers (except for Dr. Manhattan) and they are wanted by the law throughout the book which makes it even more difficult for them.
Throughout the entire story you read along as these characters get themselves in and out of trouble and the entire time they handle it like you think they would, but never does the story reveal itself or are you aware of what is coming next. Especially when it comes to the ending. The ending blows me away even now thinking about it.
The bottom line is get this book because it's a story that will last longer than time and keep you hooked even longer.
A true classic September 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A significant crossover point between the comic book superhero genre with it's tenuous link to reality and modern literature. The back story is largely the whole story as the superheroes who save the world are given a canvas which is not merely black and white upon which to reveal their varied origins and inevitable flaws. Watchmen peels back a layer of our suspension of disbelief and tells a story that allows us to sink our teeth in. Batman would be proud.
Best Graphic Novel Ever!! September 5, 2008
Notice how I put 2 exclamation points in the title. They are well deserved! This is the best graphic novel ever, and I don't even like hero stories! I'm more of a horror reader. This is a must have for any book collection.
Let's hope the movie doesn't ruin it. September 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Absolutely phenomenal book. I know you can buy it anywhere now that the movie's coming out but Amazon's price is the most reasonable by far. This book is worth every cent I paid and it's definitely worth owning. I loved it!
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
