mind_philip
saw the light
I bought this while on a recent uneventful trip to California when I wanted something to read in my hotel. I don't have any great knowledge of the graphic novel genre, and the only comic I read as a child was 'Transformers', but at least this prevents me having any snobby pretentions about the medium...
I'm perplexed as to what the fuss is about. I struggled to find the supposed psychological realism in the work, all the characters seemed to be painted in the broadest strokes, expressed in painfully banal dialogue. The art was ok, but very few panels demanded a second look. In fact the part I enjoyed most was the ludicrous ending, primarily because it was the only element of the story that seemed unashamed of being fantastical.
Futhermore, after reading some of the subsequent criticism and praise that was lavished on the book, I was surprised at the rhetoric used - 'cinematic', 'novelistic', 'epic' - all of which pay obvious homage to other literary and artistic forms. Is Watchmen mainly revered because it allows people reading comic books to feel worthy somehow? Why do comics need to be cinematic or have pretentions to unrelated art forms?
I'm pretty sure I've read anti-Alan Moore comments from K-Punk in the past, but this is my first exposure to his work. I'm assuming lots of other people have read this and loved it, so, what am I missing...
I'm perplexed as to what the fuss is about. I struggled to find the supposed psychological realism in the work, all the characters seemed to be painted in the broadest strokes, expressed in painfully banal dialogue. The art was ok, but very few panels demanded a second look. In fact the part I enjoyed most was the ludicrous ending, primarily because it was the only element of the story that seemed unashamed of being fantastical.
Futhermore, after reading some of the subsequent criticism and praise that was lavished on the book, I was surprised at the rhetoric used - 'cinematic', 'novelistic', 'epic' - all of which pay obvious homage to other literary and artistic forms. Is Watchmen mainly revered because it allows people reading comic books to feel worthy somehow? Why do comics need to be cinematic or have pretentions to unrelated art forms?
I'm pretty sure I've read anti-Alan Moore comments from K-Punk in the past, but this is my first exposure to his work. I'm assuming lots of other people have read this and loved it, so, what am I missing...