Law Students

Watchmen Chapter I

The first thing that really struck me this read is the color palette. The muted tones, the color washes, the poor level of color detail. I love it. I understand that most of it is just an artifact of the printing technology of the time, but now it seems fitting. Especially in this first chapter, every panel is just infused with dilapidation, and the color is what really sets that mood.

Each of the characters is so damaged. Each has their own problems (Dan and his self-pitying, Laurie and her passive-aggressive Mommy issues, I don't even know where to start with Rorschach), but they all seem to be borne out of this: each of them has the kind of enormous ego that might compel a person to don tights and fight crime, and all of them have been more or less rejected by the world. They all still think they can save the world, but the world keeps telling them no thanks, and they don't know how to deal with that. Even Jon, who, at some level, knows he's not useful as a force for good, but just as a weapon, as leverage. That may be a bit of forward-projecting, which I promised myself I wouldn't do, but I think his face in page 23 panel 9 speaks volumes. Is that bliss? Envy? Sadness? Considering how post-human Jon thinks he is, it's a pretty human expression.

I have no idea why the story about Moe Vernon is in there. I guess it furthers the funny/sad dichotomy that is the Comedian, and Dan and Laurie's closing conversation. Also maybe it shows how unrelated wanting to be a "hero" and caring about people is? Any thoughts?

Full post as published by The Mighty Argos on November 23, 2008 (boomark / email).