It was a long while back that I read Watchmen, but it was also long after it was first published as individual issues. I read it for the same reason we talked about reading Vonnegut, it’s a classic. My reaction to Watchmen was probably pretty close to yours of Slaughterhouse Five. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I got quite as much out of it as most folks did, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps I read it too late, perhaps I was too immature, maybe I’d been reading comics for too long and become a bit jaded at the time, maybe I wasn’t able to frame the story from the time it was written. This review shows your passion for it, so perhaps I should reread it one of these days, see if I can better appreciate it now. Great review.
Thanks, Todd. It is indeed a very heavy story that tackles a lot within one story, having multiple layers of themes and all intertwined with no necessary linearity to it all. It probably doesn’t help that each story comes with a piece of a novel that adds weight and forces the reader to focus immensely. I would definitely recommend a reread in the future, especially if it’s been a long time since there’s so much to appreciate of it.
Have you seen some of the episodes already?
It sounds like you enjoyed these volumes thoroughly. So much packed in there. Not just fun, but also substance.
Nop, I’ve been waiting for all the episodes to release but since the last one of season 1 came out on the 15th, I’ll probably tackle it soon. I definitely would also like to share a review of it when I finish it. And yes, the graphic novel is complex and packed with loads of substance. It’s usually also required reading in many university-level classes after all. 😀
Watchmen remains one of my favorite comics ever. It’s just amazing (even if I felt the pirate story was not entirely my thing and could have been shorter😉) For me, it’s one of the most thoughtful and ambitious works of popular culture. Great review, Lashaan! By the way, I’m a bit jealous of your copy 😉
Yep. I know that, and also know that you HATED Azzarello and Bermejo’s prequel. I have been putting it off for a while but I think I’ll test the prequels out in 2020 just to see what I’ll think of them hahaha And yes, you’re right about the pirate story, or just all the novel tidbits after each issue; they sort of kill the flow to an already heavy chapter. Thanks for the kind words, Ola. I appreciate it! 😀
Oh yeah, the prequel was absolutely horrible! I do wonder what you’ll think of it 😀 so I’ll be looking forward to your review!
You’re very welcome, as the pleasure of reading is mine 😊
From the comments above I get that its’ an oldie and a favorite! Though honestly just based on the art you showed above it has one of my major pet peeves in comics: too much text in a “box”! I get lost when this happens LOL But obviously you did not have the same issues as me 😉
You (ahem) ABSOLUTELY (ahem) do justice to this rightfully praised classic good sir, a wonderful review as ever. No matter how many times I’ve read Watchmen, each time it never ceases to amaze me – visually and conceptually. I believe Stan Lee was once quoted as saying it was his favourite comic and along with the Killing Joke, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing and Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns remains a constant reminder of what comics can be.
Have you seen any of the series yet? I was pretty please with it, very faithful to the world of the comic but at the same time doing something modern with it. Doomsday Clock was enjoyable as well, despite the long delays!
Thank you so much, Chris. I really appreciate the kind words. It is indeed an incredible graphic novel that will forever remain a favourite of mine. I’m really glad to have had the chance to read it and even more in this edition again. It never ceases to amaze me too. I’m almost compelled to try all the various editions of it now hahaha
I haven’t checked out the series yet; I was waiting for the season to wrap up. I’ll probably review the season once I finish it though. It definitely looks promising and your comment on it makes me hopeful! I also plan on reading and reviewing Doomsday Clock when each of the collected editions is released (1 more to go…) 😀
I’d love to read this comic book! The cover is so weird though, it contrasts with how the story sounds! Do you think there’s some sort of link between the two? 😯 your review is amazing 😊
Oh yes, there’s definitely a link between the smiley face and the story, on many levels. I highly recommend trying this one out. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to try comic books. It shows how good the medium can be, and why Alan Moore is a God! 😛 Thanks, Caroline! ❤
Eek, I’m always so excited to find a fellow comic book lover! I’ve seen the cover for Absolute Watchmen before but didn’t know what it was about or whether it was worth reading – I’ll definitely add it to my TBR and hopefully pick it up soon. Great review!
Ohhhh! I’m always thrilled to hear about fellow comic book lovers too! I review so many of them that finding new faces who enjoy them as much is always soooo exciting! I definitely recommend this edition for this masterpiece. It’s worth checking it out for sure. Thank you for reading! 😀
I know this is comic heresy, but I don’t really like Watchmen. I love V For Vendetta, Saga of the Swamp Thing and a lot of Moore’s other work, but for some reason, Watchmen has never really clicked with me. I think to say I dislike it would be exaggerating, but I think it’s very much the case that my expectations after decades of hype weren’t entirely met. Not the books fault, more my own for putting off reading it for so long!
No worries! I have encountered many who have hated Watchmen and never changed their minds too. It’s not for everyone and the praise it gets does force us all to have expectations for it. I think a lot of my love for it also comes from the fact that the whole superhero concept is something that interests me (see all the comic book reviews I post hahaha) and that Alan Moore rarely ever created anything that stunk in the end for me. 😛 Thanks for reading though, I appreciate it! 😀
Did you ever read any of his Lovecraftian stories? There’s a trilogy of them (as far as I know). The first two (The Courtyard and Neonomicon) were really good, but I’ve not got round to the third (Providence) yet, despite owning it for ages! (Currently making my way through Tom King’s Batman run for the first time. Not as good as Snyder’s New 52 so far, in my opinion).
I haven’t but I’m glad to hear how good they are! I have been meaning to dive into Lovecraft’s work first before indulging those myself!
As for Batman, I’m 20043104% with you. 😉 Nothing beats Snyder’s Batman run for me. King had some good ideas here and then but they’re weak compared to what Snyder achieved for me hahah
Bookidote 
It was a long while back that I read Watchmen, but it was also long after it was first published as individual issues. I read it for the same reason we talked about reading Vonnegut, it’s a classic. My reaction to Watchmen was probably pretty close to yours of Slaughterhouse Five. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I got quite as much out of it as most folks did, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps I read it too late, perhaps I was too immature, maybe I’d been reading comics for too long and become a bit jaded at the time, maybe I wasn’t able to frame the story from the time it was written. This review shows your passion for it, so perhaps I should reread it one of these days, see if I can better appreciate it now. Great review.
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Thanks, Todd. It is indeed a very heavy story that tackles a lot within one story, having multiple layers of themes and all intertwined with no necessary linearity to it all. It probably doesn’t help that each story comes with a piece of a novel that adds weight and forces the reader to focus immensely. I would definitely recommend a reread in the future, especially if it’s been a long time since there’s so much to appreciate of it.
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Have you seen some of the episodes already?
It sounds like you enjoyed these volumes thoroughly. So much packed in there. Not just fun, but also substance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nop, I’ve been waiting for all the episodes to release but since the last one of season 1 came out on the 15th, I’ll probably tackle it soon. I definitely would also like to share a review of it when I finish it. And yes, the graphic novel is complex and packed with loads of substance. It’s usually also required reading in many university-level classes after all. 😀
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The Whitcher is out! Time to tackle THAT.
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I need to go back and read this again… It’s been over 20 years.
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Definitely a classic that merits many rereads across time! 😀
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Watchmen remains one of my favorite comics ever. It’s just amazing (even if I felt the pirate story was not entirely my thing and could have been shorter😉) For me, it’s one of the most thoughtful and ambitious works of popular culture. Great review, Lashaan! By the way, I’m a bit jealous of your copy 😉
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Yep. I know that, and also know that you HATED Azzarello and Bermejo’s prequel. I have been putting it off for a while but I think I’ll test the prequels out in 2020 just to see what I’ll think of them hahaha And yes, you’re right about the pirate story, or just all the novel tidbits after each issue; they sort of kill the flow to an already heavy chapter. Thanks for the kind words, Ola. I appreciate it! 😀
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Oh yeah, the prequel was absolutely horrible! I do wonder what you’ll think of it 😀 so I’ll be looking forward to your review!
You’re very welcome, as the pleasure of reading is mine 😊
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From the comments above I get that its’ an oldie and a favorite! Though honestly just based on the art you showed above it has one of my major pet peeves in comics: too much text in a “box”! I get lost when this happens LOL But obviously you did not have the same issues as me 😉
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You (ahem) ABSOLUTELY (ahem) do justice to this rightfully praised classic good sir, a wonderful review as ever. No matter how many times I’ve read Watchmen, each time it never ceases to amaze me – visually and conceptually. I believe Stan Lee was once quoted as saying it was his favourite comic and along with the Killing Joke, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing and Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns remains a constant reminder of what comics can be.
Have you seen any of the series yet? I was pretty please with it, very faithful to the world of the comic but at the same time doing something modern with it. Doomsday Clock was enjoyable as well, despite the long delays!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Chris. I really appreciate the kind words. It is indeed an incredible graphic novel that will forever remain a favourite of mine. I’m really glad to have had the chance to read it and even more in this edition again. It never ceases to amaze me too. I’m almost compelled to try all the various editions of it now hahaha
I haven’t checked out the series yet; I was waiting for the season to wrap up. I’ll probably review the season once I finish it though. It definitely looks promising and your comment on it makes me hopeful! I also plan on reading and reviewing Doomsday Clock when each of the collected editions is released (1 more to go…) 😀
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I’d love to read this comic book! The cover is so weird though, it contrasts with how the story sounds! Do you think there’s some sort of link between the two? 😯 your review is amazing 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes, there’s definitely a link between the smiley face and the story, on many levels. I highly recommend trying this one out. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to try comic books. It shows how good the medium can be, and why Alan Moore is a God! 😛 Thanks, Caroline! ❤
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Oh I’m curious to know the link now 😍
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Eek, I’m always so excited to find a fellow comic book lover! I’ve seen the cover for Absolute Watchmen before but didn’t know what it was about or whether it was worth reading – I’ll definitely add it to my TBR and hopefully pick it up soon. Great review!
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Ohhhh! I’m always thrilled to hear about fellow comic book lovers too! I review so many of them that finding new faces who enjoy them as much is always soooo exciting! I definitely recommend this edition for this masterpiece. It’s worth checking it out for sure. Thank you for reading! 😀
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Haha glad to hear it! I don’t think my library has the collected edition so I might have to invest in this one. Thanks for the rec!
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I know this is comic heresy, but I don’t really like Watchmen. I love V For Vendetta, Saga of the Swamp Thing and a lot of Moore’s other work, but for some reason, Watchmen has never really clicked with me. I think to say I dislike it would be exaggerating, but I think it’s very much the case that my expectations after decades of hype weren’t entirely met. Not the books fault, more my own for putting off reading it for so long!
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No worries! I have encountered many who have hated Watchmen and never changed their minds too. It’s not for everyone and the praise it gets does force us all to have expectations for it. I think a lot of my love for it also comes from the fact that the whole superhero concept is something that interests me (see all the comic book reviews I post hahaha) and that Alan Moore rarely ever created anything that stunk in the end for me. 😛 Thanks for reading though, I appreciate it! 😀
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Did you ever read any of his Lovecraftian stories? There’s a trilogy of them (as far as I know). The first two (The Courtyard and Neonomicon) were really good, but I’ve not got round to the third (Providence) yet, despite owning it for ages! (Currently making my way through Tom King’s Batman run for the first time. Not as good as Snyder’s New 52 so far, in my opinion).
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I haven’t but I’m glad to hear how good they are! I have been meaning to dive into Lovecraft’s work first before indulging those myself!
As for Batman, I’m 20043104% with you. 😉 Nothing beats Snyder’s Batman run for me. King had some good ideas here and then but they’re weak compared to what Snyder achieved for me hahah
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