Watchmen Club Session 3 Qs

I love that you covered Watchmen. One of the best written works where is it shows the complexity of genuine human relationships. I think a by product of entertainment being so black and white- “they are the bad guy so no one is ok with them, we destroy the bad guy” ...is that people in real life carry this expectation. When in fact people hangout or are subjected to the vast spectrum of human shitty-ness. This is shown so well in Watchmen. I see more of the “sometimes good guys do bad things and bad guys do good things.” Theme in shows more, but it’s done sort of ham fisted. And yeh Laurie isn’t the best representative for the ladies but she’s realistic in the situation she’s in. It’s common if you’re born into a situation you’re going to be born “so like, over it” because you didn’t get to choose your own path. Also people tend to be the opposite of what ever their parents are by default (more often then not, at least) if you have a mom that likes being sexualized you’re more then likely going to be a tight ass. Because what ever your parents do is just sort of lame... poor parents, womp womp :/ I didn’t know where else to write my two cents on the book club, so I just put it here. Thanks for sharing ideas with everyone on the subject, I really enjoy it.

Next week

Kelle Martin

Ask this again!

Kelle Martin

This second act starting at chapter IV with Dr Manhattan leaving earth exposes the reader to his quantic perception of time and reality. Then Rorschach's nihilistic worldview is exposed. Both of these are very deep point of views that I feel like consist of the philosophical meat of the novel.

Rorscach’s mask is black and white, reflecting Rorschach’s black and white view of the world. But there has to be symbolic significance to the Rorschach ink blots themselves, which are open to interpretation. How do you reconcile that contradiction; that he sees the world in black and white but has ambiguous symbols on his mask?

Short question. What is your take on page 205 panel 5. I'm I the only one who sees the star.

Please talk about the triangle symbolism with the blood splatter on page 151 (last panel) and the connection with the triangle on the truck with the mud splatter on the next page. Both splatters look like spears to me which might suggest a sort of threat to the stability that Americans feel when faced with an impending war. The triangle representing that stability or harmony.

LetsGoToya

The line Rorschach gives Moloch about "make an omelette without breaking a few eggs" Do you think that was just a joke thrown in or is that foreshadowing to the end where essentially a LOT of eggs are broken to complete the final "omelette" so to speak, one in particular that ties to this specific panel. (sorry for sounding cryptic, IDK how much I can say in a question, as some ppl have said they havent read watchmen before)

QUESTION: Do you think that nuclear war is what the gang was intending when painting the silhouette on the wall across from the diner? Could there be a deeper meaning? It seems to be strategically placed in following panels. Thanks Team19! 🧠

I loved issue 6 and it's theme of looking into the abyss and that making a person go insane or loose sight of their humanity. (ie. Rorschach, the therapist, and the mariner) . Is it possible for people to see the truth (stare into the void) and not become insane or loose their humanity. Rorschach's view of the universe is compelling, but it is not the whole truth. He only sees the super grim and uses that viewpoint to justify the awful things he does. Also I loved the William Blake poem at the end of issue V please read for the class!

Reading the excerpt from the Treasure Island treasury of comics made me realize how meta things were getting. It seems like the Tales of The Black Freighter was in some ways the "watchmen" of the Watchmen universe. It is critically acclaimed comicbook with themes relevant thirty years after. Even the fictional writer Max Shea is reminscent of Alan Moore, in which he disappeared from the public eye after a falling out with DC. It seems Moore was kind of predicting the future. Do you think this was purposeful? What's your interpretation of the excerpt?

Jamal Forney

Totally! So R has been secretly in all these panels throughout the book starting with the first page.

Smaller and more fun question. We get to see Rorsach's birthday March 21st 1940. Making him an Aries. He doesn't seem really like an Aries to me, But that's cool. I see him more as a Capricorn. Have any guesses to the other characters zodiac signs?

When the police are surveying the scene at the beginning of issue 5 There is a poster of Buddha. It is in the main panel as they are discussing what this man did to his kids. There is bloodstains on it, and the police callously describe the scene in the same panel. Moore Seems to have commentary on almost all social constructs like religion and patriotism. In previous issues he seemed to attack the nationalistic ideals of some of the other heroes and show the ugliness of the deeds of the comedian as an American operative. It seems to me moore is specifically making commentary on how these beliefs and social constructs matter very little when doom is on the horizon. That we shead these ideas that once defined us so easily when it seems we are not long for this world. It also carries further the theme of showing the dark side of good things and the light side of bad things, In particular with the comedian and his philosophy. Do you think moore regards human morality as obsolete or fallible that they truly carry no meaning when the moment truly comes? With his characterization of Rorsach there truly is only black-and-white no Gray much like the material of his mask never mixing. Clearly Rorsach's actions are not always moral, in fact very immoral, but has the most effective approach to thwarting evil. Brutal but effective. As Rorsach recounts his metamorphosis into the vigilante persona, the doctor seems to be have his ideas challenged and questions what he truly believes and starts the sympathize with the 'madman' in front of him. I'm fascinated by how much more I'm getting out of reading this novel again. How much deeper in the concepts I can grasp now as an older man instead of a 13 year old kid. Is watchman anything like dune with you and you get something new every time you read it?

Did you notice the clues to the identity of Rorschach in Chapter V? On page 11, panel 1 of the comic, you see Rorschach wearing his watch on his right wrist just like our "The End Is Nigh" friend and if you look closely in panel 3 you'll see a stack of New Frontiersman. The biggest giveaway can be found on page 12, panel 9 and page 17, panel 8 with our friend rummaging through the trash across from the Gunga Diner to get Moloch's note.