Watchmen (2019 Edition) by Alan Moore
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Web ID: 16778555Gas
Good but why’d they have to show dr manhattans flaccid hog
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Woah
I can definitely see why this book is on many Top Book Lists. There are parts of it that definitely did not age well but overall the story made my head explode.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Genre groundbreaking book with serious flaws
This is a classic graphic novel. It was groundbreaking and it changed the genre. From the first page, you can see why. The art is phenomenal with details and darkness. The setting was based in the real world and dealt with political and social concerns of the time. Fantastical elements drip their way into the stories, but the realism is part of the hook to 'Watchmen'. There's also the meta of the series. Not only are there side storylines, but Moore added in excerpts from referenced works from the characters. You get a stronger feel to what the characters experience because we're given that insight into their world. There's also a comic within the comic. The struggle with this meta was that it didn't stick the landing. The initial issues were parallel or mirrored the main storyline, but by the halfway mark, they went their own route. Their purpose felt more like filler than content that I cared about. So why three stars? It comes down to the horrible view of the author about women. Dark characters are one thing. It's necessary and makes for great stories BUT Moore portrays every single female character as sexually motivated and vapid. If it had been the characters viewing or treating the females that way, fine. If it had been some of the female characters, fine. But Moore made every single female stupid, flighty, and focused on her sexual validity. It was disgusting. He goes so far as having a rape victim be hated by everyone for allowing herself into that situation. And then, she winds up admitting she loved her rapist. No. Just no. Even thirty years ago, this was not acceptable. None of that added to complexity of character or necessary darkness. Instead, it was Moore's distorted view of women seeping onto the page and it was hard to digest as a reader. I recommend this book if you want to read something that changed a genre. I do not recommend it as a quality book that you'll enjoy.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com