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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Watchmen: "They" Require Supervision
The Watchmen by Alan Moore and David Gibbons, reviewed by Steve on 2/23/2009.
For those of you who do not know, The Watchmen is a graphic novel by Alan Moore, one of the most talented graphic novelists of the century. Indeed, TIME even picked it as one of the one hundred best English novels. The novel also won a Hugo in 1988, which is one of the coveted awards of excellence for works in sci-fi/fantasy. Other works by Alan Moore include: V For Vendetta, and From Hell, both of which were successfully adapted to film.
The story takes place in a parallel world set during the 80's in New York City. A man named Edward Blake has been murdered, but the police have no idea who might have committed the crime. Despite the Keene Act, which banned superheroes from taking action and threatened prosecution for transgressors, one superhero, Rorschach, begins investigating Blake's murder. He discovers that Blake was formerly known as The Comedian, one of the superheroes who used to work with Rorschach and four other superheroes. Immediately, Rorschach concludes that he has uncovered a conspiracy to kill off superheroes, and he warns the others: Silk Spectre II, Doctor Manhattan, Nite Owl II, and Ozymandias.
Initially, the other superheroes do not believe Rorschach, who continues his unorthodox investigation in the underground of New York. Meanwhile, Doctor Manhattan, who has become the symbol of American innovation and power, is accused on TV of causing cancer in his friends and co-workers. Doctor Manhattan is horrified, especially when the U.S. government suddenly turns on him, apparently taking the accusations to heart. He then flees--teleports would be the better word--to Mars, leaving behind humans and their politics. Suddenly, Rorschach's assertions that a conspiracy exists to discredit or kill off former superheroes seems to be true, especially when Adrian Veidt (a.k.a. Ozymandias) narrowly escapes an assassination attempt.
Rorscach continues his investigation and gets caught by the police, who arrest him and throw him in jail. With Doctor Manhattan in self-exile, and Ozymandias preoccupied with his business, Dan Dreiberg (a.k.a. Nite Owl II) and Laurie Juspeczyk (a.k.a. Silk Spectre II) decide to don their costumes once more to save Rorschach and find out who is behind the conspiracy, before it is too late.
The Watchmen was the first graphic novel I have ever read, and was recommended to me by my friend, Matt. I was initially reluctant and uncertain about the graphic novel genre: it seemed to me that half of the fun I get from reading is in imagining the setting and characters as I mentally watch the story unfold. I thought that with a graphic novel, that half is more or less done for you; you have an artist's rendition of everything, leaving the reader with nothing to imagine. In some senses I was right, but my prediction that I would not enjoy it could not have been more wrong. I loved it.
The artwork itself is somewhat "dated," at least that's what I have been told and what I have heard from graphic novel connoisseurs. Nevertheless, I do think that the "dated" feel to the artwork is fitting. The story is supposed to be set in the 80's, in the middle of the Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, which feels like a long time ago even if it was not in actuality. Additionally, I would like to re-phrase things a bit, and say that the artwork is not so much "dated" as it is "classic." Sure, it's not as current and edgy as some of the new artwork out there, but the art still draws you in, just as an older film can. To be sure, if you have predispositions against "old" things, whether movies, art, or any other media, then you probably will not be able to move past this.
While the story itself is fantastic, and does not so much "progress" as it does unfold before you, I had a hard time keeping things straight in the beginning, especially because there seems to be no central character whose perspective directs the story. Initially, it seemed like the main character was Rorschach, because the beginning followed his investigation, but this changes and the story continues as though nothing had changed, which made me feel as though no one was the central character. This is not really a flaw, it's just something unexpected and different.
I am very pleased to say that I honestly loved this book, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. If you have not read a graphic novel yet, this is the one to try it out with. I give this 5 stars.
For those of you who do not know, The Watchmen is a graphic novel by Alan Moore, one of the most talented graphic novelists of the century. Indeed, TIME even picked it as one of the one hundred best English novels. The novel also won a Hugo in 1988, which is one of the coveted awards of excellence for works in sci-fi/fantasy. Other works by Alan Moore include: V For Vendetta, and From Hell, both of which were successfully adapted to film.
The story takes place in a parallel world set during the 80's in New York City. A man named Edward Blake has been murdered, but the police have no idea who might have committed the crime. Despite the Keene Act, which banned superheroes from taking action and threatened prosecution for transgressors, one superhero, Rorschach, begins investigating Blake's murder. He discovers that Blake was formerly known as The Comedian, one of the superheroes who used to work with Rorschach and four other superheroes. Immediately, Rorschach concludes that he has uncovered a conspiracy to kill off superheroes, and he warns the others: Silk Spectre II, Doctor Manhattan, Nite Owl II, and Ozymandias.
Initially, the other superheroes do not believe Rorschach, who continues his unorthodox investigation in the underground of New York. Meanwhile, Doctor Manhattan, who has become the symbol of American innovation and power, is accused on TV of causing cancer in his friends and co-workers. Doctor Manhattan is horrified, especially when the U.S. government suddenly turns on him, apparently taking the accusations to heart. He then flees--teleports would be the better word--to Mars, leaving behind humans and their politics. Suddenly, Rorschach's assertions that a conspiracy exists to discredit or kill off former superheroes seems to be true, especially when Adrian Veidt (a.k.a. Ozymandias) narrowly escapes an assassination attempt.
Rorscach continues his investigation and gets caught by the police, who arrest him and throw him in jail. With Doctor Manhattan in self-exile, and Ozymandias preoccupied with his business, Dan Dreiberg (a.k.a. Nite Owl II) and Laurie Juspeczyk (a.k.a. Silk Spectre II) decide to don their costumes once more to save Rorschach and find out who is behind the conspiracy, before it is too late.
The Watchmen was the first graphic novel I have ever read, and was recommended to me by my friend, Matt. I was initially reluctant and uncertain about the graphic novel genre: it seemed to me that half of the fun I get from reading is in imagining the setting and characters as I mentally watch the story unfold. I thought that with a graphic novel, that half is more or less done for you; you have an artist's rendition of everything, leaving the reader with nothing to imagine. In some senses I was right, but my prediction that I would not enjoy it could not have been more wrong. I loved it.
The artwork itself is somewhat "dated," at least that's what I have been told and what I have heard from graphic novel connoisseurs. Nevertheless, I do think that the "dated" feel to the artwork is fitting. The story is supposed to be set in the 80's, in the middle of the Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, which feels like a long time ago even if it was not in actuality. Additionally, I would like to re-phrase things a bit, and say that the artwork is not so much "dated" as it is "classic." Sure, it's not as current and edgy as some of the new artwork out there, but the art still draws you in, just as an older film can. To be sure, if you have predispositions against "old" things, whether movies, art, or any other media, then you probably will not be able to move past this.
While the story itself is fantastic, and does not so much "progress" as it does unfold before you, I had a hard time keeping things straight in the beginning, especially because there seems to be no central character whose perspective directs the story. Initially, it seemed like the main character was Rorschach, because the beginning followed his investigation, but this changes and the story continues as though nothing had changed, which made me feel as though no one was the central character. This is not really a flaw, it's just something unexpected and different.
I am very pleased to say that I honestly loved this book, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. If you have not read a graphic novel yet, this is the one to try it out with. I give this 5 stars.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Reading on the Rise!
I recently came across a press release by the National Endowment for the Arts that reveals some exciting news: the number of readers in America is increasing, especially amongst young adults. You can find the article here.
It seems pretty clear, to me anyways, that authors such as J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, who have both written a bestselling series that bookstores often have to struggle to keep a quantity in stock, have probably contributed the most to this rising readership in young adults. Additionally, it seems as though being an avid reader as a young adult has lost some of the nerdy stigma that used to come with it. To be sure, there are still teens who scoff at reading, and I see some of them in the bookstore when they reluctantly buy a book for a class they're taking. A young man was at the checkout line the other day and I saw he had a copy of The Great Gatsby in his hand. I nodded towards his hand and commented that it was a great story, to which he replied: "It's for class."
Since there was a long period of decrease in readership before this survey, spanning twenty years from 1982-2002, this sudden increase seems to be a rather sharp contrast, and it is difficult not to conclude that part of this (from 2007 to 2008, in particular) is undoubtedly caused by the sour economy. People seem to have cut back the most on the more costly entertainment sources, while continuing to purchase books, cds, and dvds, which are significantly cheaper. As an example, your average date (let's go with the typical dinner-and-a-movie arrangement) can cost $70 or more, depending on your requirements for the evening. The two movie tickets alone are at least $20, not to mention the popcorn and sodas. That being said, however, I would not say that there has been a boom in this area of entertainment, but it has not suffered as badly.
Although it is likely that the economy has played a part in this trend, I am hoping that a genuine interest in reading has spurred this the most. It would be wonderful to see a dramatic increase in American literacy, education, and readership, and I look forward to the day where almost everyone reads and does so willingly.
It seems pretty clear, to me anyways, that authors such as J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, who have both written a bestselling series that bookstores often have to struggle to keep a quantity in stock, have probably contributed the most to this rising readership in young adults. Additionally, it seems as though being an avid reader as a young adult has lost some of the nerdy stigma that used to come with it. To be sure, there are still teens who scoff at reading, and I see some of them in the bookstore when they reluctantly buy a book for a class they're taking. A young man was at the checkout line the other day and I saw he had a copy of The Great Gatsby in his hand. I nodded towards his hand and commented that it was a great story, to which he replied: "It's for class."
Since there was a long period of decrease in readership before this survey, spanning twenty years from 1982-2002, this sudden increase seems to be a rather sharp contrast, and it is difficult not to conclude that part of this (from 2007 to 2008, in particular) is undoubtedly caused by the sour economy. People seem to have cut back the most on the more costly entertainment sources, while continuing to purchase books, cds, and dvds, which are significantly cheaper. As an example, your average date (let's go with the typical dinner-and-a-movie arrangement) can cost $70 or more, depending on your requirements for the evening. The two movie tickets alone are at least $20, not to mention the popcorn and sodas. That being said, however, I would not say that there has been a boom in this area of entertainment, but it has not suffered as badly.
Although it is likely that the economy has played a part in this trend, I am hoping that a genuine interest in reading has spurred this the most. It would be wonderful to see a dramatic increase in American literacy, education, and readership, and I look forward to the day where almost everyone reads and does so willingly.
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