Watchmen in Reading 1001

Sep 27, 2008 Jessica Haider rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels, 1001-books, 1000_books

My coworkers have all been reading and raving about Watchmen lately. This graphic novel tells the story of several generations of masked heroes. I have read several graphic novels in the past but never a “super hero” one. I am not much of a comic book fan either, so Watchmen was new territory for me in many ways.

I also read Watchmen because one of my book clubs selected Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I’ve been told that the lead character in that book is a fan of Watchmen. I ...more

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Jan 15, 2009 Nanosynergy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2009read, reviewed, science-fiction, 1001-boxall, hugo-award, graphic-novel

I picked this up for a book club, not realizing it was a graphic novel (shows you how out of touch I am with this type of book). Goodreads.com has a lot of informative reviews of Watchmen that cover anything I would have to add. The reviews here and elsewhere are largely very positive and impact of this book apparently has been significant. The setting is 1985 New York, post-Vietnam, and Nixon is president. Watchmen is a dark, bloody, grown-up comic book with flawed, disfunctional superheros ...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Cora rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, classic, alternate-history, mystery, graphic-novels, superheroes, social-commentary, politics, movie, 1001-books

When someone appears to be murdering former masked adventurers (what we would call superheroes), Rorschach, an uncompromising masked vigilante, seeks to uncover who is responsible. Meanwhile, the world is on the brink of nuclear war and peace seems to rest on the shoulders of Dr. Manhattan, a former scientist that was turned into a super being after an accident in his lab. As I read this graphic novel, I was struck by the fact that the thing I liked most about it was also the thing that I liked ...more

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May 14, 2017 Dree rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-comic, 1001-read, 2017-reads

My 8th grader loves this book and begged me to read it. And it's on the 1001 books list--so sure, I'll read it!

And I got soooo bogged down. This book took me months to finish. I don't get why my kid loves it so much. It was fine til I got to blue atomic man (Jon--or John?), and then it got to weird for me. Anf the secondary comic in the story, about the pirate ships? Just why?

But, I'm done and my son is happy to have his book back. ...more

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Jun 16, 2016 Rachel N. rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016, play-book-tag, pbt-fiction-100, fantasy, 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, graphic-novel, alternate-history, superheroes

A graphic novel told in 12 parts chronicling a group of superheroes. All except one of these superheroes doesn't have any magical powers, they just dress up in costumes and fight crime. The book drops the reader in on the middle of a story and it took me awhile to figure out what was going on and who everybody was. The main story is that someone seems to be killing former superheroes and one man, Rorschach, is determined to find the killer. The story was much darker than I was expecting. I also ...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Kristel rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001-books, graphic-novel, 1001-challenge, npr-100-sf-fantasy-books

This graphic novel was published in 1986 and is more than a comic story, it an art form. The story is of the age past the need for superheroes. The Keene Act has outlawed superheroes as vigilantes. The superheroes have gone into retirement and some have not done so well in retirement, dying of alcoholism. A couple of superheroes are still employed as government agents, the Comedian and Dr. Manhattan. Rorschach who is more Nazi and sociopath is still active underground and states he will never re ...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Chinook rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, america

I've only read a handful of graphic novels (Maus, Persepolis, Pyongyang) and have long intended to read something more comic-y. The Big Bang episode inspired me to finally do it and this is what I had on hand.

At first I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of a story I didn't understand. But once I got into it, the pieces started making sense and it does all come together at the end. It's very smart, this comic. The gore factor was impressive too, with the raft of corpses and the immediacy ...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Sara rated it liked it

Shelves: 1001-books, social-commentary, politics, graphic-novel, pbt100, library

There is a reason why this is one of the most well-known and loved graphic novels on the market. Aside from the brilliant artistic renderings, this clearly a prime example of what happens to the comic book when it grows up. It is both mature in content and very intelligent. The author and illustrator both juggled multiple storylines effortlessly and seamlessly pulled them together at the end.

So why only three stars? To be honest it was so intelligent that I felt much of the novel went right ...more

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Jan 10, 2009 Eva rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-in-09, 1001-books, 1001-books-2008-version, 1001-books-2010-version, ny

I expected this book to be at quick read as it is a graphic novel, but it actually took me quite a while to read. It is very dark and sad and it effected my mood.
I have a feeling that in time I will like this book better - and I will be glad that I've read it. ...more

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