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I've finally started reading the graphic novel, because somebody (and another somebody) urged me to do so, and it's totally depressing, yet awesomely compelling, and I can't stop reading it and now there are only 4 issues left, and.... erm. Help?

Also, somewhat cryptically: the Lost producers have read this, too, right? Some elements seemed *really* familiar.

ETA: There are now spoilers in the comments.

Current Mood: indescribable

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From:

spectralbovine.livejournal.com

(You do mean the parallels to a certain Heroes plot, right?)
Yep. Funnily enough, Moore realized around issue 10 that there was an Outer Limits episode that had the same idea too (almost exactly the same, really).

I think it's a great testament to the skill of both Moore and Gibbon(?), that it still absolutely riveting to read.
Oh yeah. I mean, I just re-read it, and it was still a great read, even though I knew the ending and most of the major revelations. I forgot a lot of the details of the story, but this time, I picked up on so many other neat visual Easter eggs and whatnot.

And it's great fun to watch a certain character.
Rorschach? Or Dr. Manhattan? Or do you mean ~~Batman~~ Nite-Owl?

(from the way they both got their powers - I always wondered why that did have such a comic touch in Des' case - to the whole "all times existing in the same moment" approach to time and how that would lead to a very deterministic/fatalistic attitude to the way their storylines use photos of them and their girlfriends)
Oh, nice observation.

the relationship between Laurie, her mother and the Comedian, which is definitely an inspiration for Kate's background with her mother and Warren.
I have no idea who Warren is. But I can guess. Oh, Lost, and your bazillion characters.

Random awesomeness I discovered last night that

spacecitymarc mentioned ages ago as well: Chapter V ("Fearful Symmetry") is, well, symmetrical. Start from either end of the issue, and the frame structures mirror each other until you reach the middle, which is the attack on Veidt where the mirroring is really obvious.

From:

wee-warrior.livejournal.com

Yep. Funnily enough, Moore realized around issue 10 that there was an Outer Limits episode that had the same idea too (almost exactly the same, really).

I also read somewhere - wikipedia? So it's obviously very reliable information - that there is also a short story around which yet again uses the same plot, and apparently was the inspiration for the Outer Limits episode. I guess the idea is just a very compelling scenario to play out.

Actually, the Heroes plot was the reason I spoiled myself for Watchmen in the first place, because quite a few people were up in arms about this and I wanted to see why. I have to say, to me it seems more of an homage than actual stealing. Like the Kinky Elders seem to be an homage to the Minute Men(especially that photo from last season), or Gabriel Gray, the watchmaker who wants to be the most special human of all, an ironic twist on Jon who'd rather have been a watchmaker (and thus would have never become Dr. Manhattan) Of course, Heroes never references gently, so I understand if a lot of people felt bruised...

Rorschach? Or Dr. Manhattan? Or do you mean ~~Batman~~ Nite-Owl?

Oh, I'm very partial to Dr. Manhattan, and I love Nite-Owl, both of them in fact. ~~Poor Hollis! :(~~ I'm not incredibly fond of Rorschach, but think he is a very unique character. Not too many people would make a spiteful, paranoid right-winger their Detective. But I meant none of these, I meant the actual culprit. I think if I hadn't known it was them, I probably wouldn't have suspected it, although I found the name a little telling: I could be wrong, but I thought it was a hint to the actor Conrad Veidt, who most famously played a Nazi Major in Casablanca (he mostly played Nazis in Hollywood films I think - kind of ironic, since he was a decided anti-Nazi and had to escape Germany rather urgently in 1933), which would have been kind of a tip-off. But I don't know for sure.

I have no idea who Warren is. But I can guess. Oh, Lost, and your bazillion characters.

It's like a 19th century Russian novel by now, isn't it? Warren is Kate's father/stepfather.

Chapter V ("Fearful Symmetry") is, well, symmetrical. Start from either end of the issue, and the frame structures mirror each other until you reach the middle, which is the attack on Veidt where the mirroring is really obvious.

Ohhh. Clearly I have to read again right away once I've finished.

From:

spectralbovine.livejournal.com

I also read somewhere - wikipedia?
That's where I saw it as well! And he puts in a nod to the episode in the last few pages.

I guess the idea is just a very compelling scenario to play out.
Yep. I mean, it's definitely a powerful, sickly optimistic idea.

Actually, the Heroes plot was the reason I spoiled myself for Watchmen in the first place, because quite a few people were up in arms about this and I wanted to see why. I have to say, to me it seems more of an homage than actual stealing.
Oh, definitely. I mean, Jeph Loeb is on staff. And it's really only superficially similar to Watchmen, just the basic idea. The execution is very different.

I love Nite-Owl, both of them in fact.
I'm a little concerned that the movie, faithful as it seems to be, appears to have turned Nite-Owl into more of a badass. When the point of his character is that he's a middle-aged, overweight schlub of a guy. Of course, we don't like seeing middle-aged, overweight schlubs onscreen, so I'm sure they'll get across his Dreibergness in other ways.

I'm not incredibly fond of Rorschach, but think he is a very unique character. Not too many people would make a spiteful, paranoid right-winger their Detective.
Heh. I mean, you can't be fond of the guy, but I love how attached he is to his mask. Er, his face. It's very twisted.

But I meant none of these, I meant the actual culprit.
Oh yes, it's definitely fun to watch said culprit on the re-read. It's...sort of, well, twisted. A lot of this story is twisted.

I think if I hadn't known it was them, I probably wouldn't have suspected it
I certainly didn't, but I rarely figure these things out. But when you re-read, it seems like there are all these flashing signs everywhere!

Ohhh. Clearly I have to read again right away once I've finished.
Or you can just flip through and marvel. It has nothing to do with the content of the panels (although I'm sure you noticed that the first and last panels of the issue are practically identical) but with the size and number of the frames. It's nothing special when you see Moore's traditional nine-panel pages, but when that changes, it's completely crazy to see the mirror image.

From:

wee-warrior.livejournal.com

Yep. I mean, it's definitely a powerful, sickly optimistic idea.

It does seem short-sighted, though - it doesn't take into account that eventually, differing fractions will emerge, that someone might question the situation.

I'm a little concerned that the movie, faithful as it seems to be, appears to have turned Nite-Owl into more of a badass. When the point of his character is that he's a middle-aged, overweight schlub of a guy. Of course, we don't like seeing middle-aged, overweight schlubs onscreen, so I'm sure they'll get across his Dreibergness in other ways.

From an interview with the director I'm assuming that they'll be keeping his potency issues. As for making him more badass, I also noticed that all of the characters seem a good ten years younger than their comic counterparts - Matthew Goode, who plays Ozymandias, for instance, is thirty, and certainly doesn't look older, and the actress for Laurie looks like she's in her mid-twenties.

I mean, you can't be fond of the guy, but I love how attached he is to his mask. Er, his face. It's very twisted.

That was pretty telling, yes. I loved that his mask/face actually had genuine emotional expressions. What a great visual idea.