Facts About The Watchmen:
Watchmen has been a fan favorite since its inception and it is regarded as one of the greatest comic books ever created. The movie adaptation has an ardent fan base of its own and after seeing the trailer for the Tv show, we are certain that it is going to be a huge hit as well. So, take a look at these facts before you watch the show.
#1: Creation and Debut
Watchmen was created by the visionary writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons and it first appeared in the 1985 issue of DC spotlight, the 50th-anniversary special. Moore wanted to do something different in the comic book industry, so he created a story that reflected the contemporary anxieties of society. He deconstructed the whole superhero concept.
#2: Moore wanted to use Pre-existing characters
Originally Alan Moore had a very different concept for the Watchmen. He wanted to use the characters which DC acquired from Charlton Comics, including Blue Beetle, Peacemaker, Nightshade and Captain Atom. The story would have revolved around the murder of Peacemaker. DC did not agree to this as they wanted fresh characters and so, the Watchmen we all know and love came into existence.
#3: Ownership Disputes rocked the franchise
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons broke their ties with DC due to disagreements over the ownership rights of the Watchmen. They were against the Work for hire arrangement and decided to sever their ties over this. This was a big story at that time as Watchmen was a hot property. Alan Moore and DC comics are still not on talking terms.
#4: Moore didn’t like that fans loved Rorschach
Alan Moore created Rorschach as a blatant homophobic, violent sociopath who liked to hurt criminals. He is one of the most violent and unpleasant characters ever created. Moore never intended to make him a role model but he failed in that aspect as fans idolized him. Moore was not happy with Rorschach’s popularity as he meant him to be a bad example.
#5: Dr. Manhattan – A God who doesn’t care
Dr. Manhattan is a peculiar character and he is possibly the most powerful character in the entire DC universe, a universe that is already cluttered with God-like characters. Dr. Manhattan can manipulate matter and he has subatomic perception and control. Dr. Manhattan is often used as an example of a post-human God, and as most of you must have seen in the movie, he doesn’t care much about humanity.
#6: Critically Acclaimed all over the world
Watchmen is not just loved by the fans, it is one of the favorite comic books of critics as well. Most notably, Time magazine has said that Watchmen was “by common assent the best of the breed”, and in 2010, it cited Watchmen as one of the 100 greatest novels published since the magazine’s inception in 1923 and branded it as a ‘watershed’ moment in the comic book industry.
#7: The iconic Bloody smiley was an afterthought
We all remember the iconic smiley button which is smeared in blood. The button perfectly incorporates the essence of Watchmen, but as it turns out it was not planned by the makers. After creating the character of Comedian, the makers realized that the character was too serious and they wanted to add something to his character which indicated his sense of humor. Hence, the button was designed.
#8: Watchmen is a Graphic Novel and not a Comic
The makers of Watchmen never intended it to be kid-friendly. They wanted to explore a darker and realistic world of superheroes. Watchmen had tons of violent and sexual content which could unnerve even the boldest fans. The makers and DC never promoted it as a comic book, they branded it as a Graphic novel, which gave them the liberty to keep the provocative tone constant.
#9: A story within a story
Watchmen became a fan favorite due to its unique storytelling. The most notable aspect of that being the comic books inside the world of Watchmen like Marooned, which told the story of a doomed pirate, whose ship is wrecked by the Black Freighter. You all must remember the story from the movie. This was a very unusual storytelling tactic which the fans completely loved.
#10: Justice League Vs Dr. Manhattan
Doomsday Clock is a direct sequel of the Watchmen which integrated the heroes of the DC universe with their Watchmen counterparts by using the concept of the Multiverse. This story particularly focused on Superman and Dr. Manhattan. At one point, many heroes came together to fight Dr. Manhattan, but they were no match for him.
