Watchmen 2?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Admiral_Young, Oct 23, 2011.

  1. I've been thinking a lot about why this particular projects bothers me so while other stuff in this vein don't, and it comes down to this: I think of Watchmen as something better than most comics, and it's kind of painful to see something triumphant be dragged down to the level of ordinary comics, with its spinoffs of various qualities, multiple writers of various qualities, etc etc.

    Moore finally summed it up for me when I read this interview (ignoring the fact how pompous it sounds to say this about your own work :lol:):

    "You see, part of the problem with all this--and the reason why Watchmen was such an extraordinary book during its time--was that it was constructed upon literary lines. It had a beginning, it had a middle, and it had an end. It wasn't constructed as an endless soap opera that would run until everybody ran out of interest in it. It was deliberately meant to show what comics could do if you applied some of those quite ordinary literary values to them. Like I've said, this was the one book that elevated the comics medium, the comics industry, above the point where it had previously been languishing. And where, when I had entered the American industry in the early '80s, it was close to death. They were going down the tubes, and they desperately needed the shot in the arm that all of the hype surrounding Watchmen provided for them.

    What the comics industry has effectively said is, "Yes, this was the only book that made us briefly special and that was because it wasn't like all the other books." It was something that stood on its own and it had the integrity of a literary work. What they've decided now is, "So, let's change it to a regular comic that can run indefinitely and have spin-offs." and "Let's make it as unexceptional as possible." Like I say, they're doing this because they haven't got any other choices left, evidently."
     
  2. The Borgified Corpse

    The Borgified Corpse Admiral Admiral

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    If they were doing a Watchmen sequel that took place after the original ended, I would be far more skeptical. Prequels are, IMO, a different story. One of the things I liked best about the original was how detailed the world was and how it seemed like everything came from somewhere. Since the entire story was about washed-up superheroes, I wouldn't mind seeing a few token stories about each of them back in their prime.

    Yeah. Like I said, there really isn't a good modern day equivalent to the Cold War that you can swap it out with.

    Granted, I'm not thoroughly familiar with the original V for Vendetta book. But whether it's about Thatcher or Bush, V for Vendetta is still an allegory, so what you take out of it will depend very much on your own personal outlook. On the other hand, Watchmen, although set in an alternate timeline, is still about the actual Cold War.

    BTW, in the above linked Alan Moore interview, he mentions a plot hole in the V for Vendetta movie that was fixed in the novelization. Does anyone know what that plot hole would be?
    I dunno. "The Black Freighter" was always my least favorite part of Watchmen.
     
  3. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

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    Apparently a statement by JMS regarding Moore and Watchmen has been taken seriously out of context and...well...he responded.

    No he wasn't. They actually *improved* his story in that adaptation by making it more character focused. And after WW got beaten bloody by that big yellow git, she deserved to be the one to deliver the coup de grĂ¢ce. Sod Robin.
     
  4. The Borgified Corpse

    The Borgified Corpse Admiral Admiral

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    Dear God! :wtf:This man is even more bitter, paranoid, & disturbed than I initially thought. Not to mention he has no problem with broadly insulting thousands of people that he has never met.
     
  5. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Hold me in contempt Alan.

    Actually I was on the fence about getting these. Now I'm sure I will.
     
  6. Set Harth

    Set Harth Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I like him already.
     
  7. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Okay, I guess that means I won't be buying any more Alan Moore stuff :)