Watchmen

Watchmen is a graphic novel scripted by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. According to me, the two complimenting each other have created something which can well compete with the best known literature in the world.

It is an alternate reality set in the mid 1980s. Prior to this, superheroes existed in the world who altered the course of reality the way we know it. By 1985 the superheroes have become unpopular and a law has been passed which forced them to shed their masks.

1985. Two of the superheroes - Dr. Manhattan and Edward Blake - have been recruited by the Government and Rorschach, another superhero, continues to work alone outside the law.

The novel begins with the murder of Edward Blake, the Comedian. Events that follow lead Rorschach to believe that there is someone who has plotted to execute all masked adventurers. With this becoming the loose thread connecting it all, the various superheroes are introduced and the readers given a glimpse into their worlds.

Moore's writing is flawless. He presents the entire story through narrative boxes or sound bubbles. Every single word in the book is either spoken or thought by a character. The complex nature of the book with it moving between times and characters would shout out the need for narration. But Moore does such a masterful job of keeping each character's voice distinct that you will hardly notice absence of narration. Moore's writing is classy and mature in a manner that helps paint a complete picture of each character. The troubled Rorschach, the cynical Comedian, the understated Nite-Owl, the aware Dr. Manhattan.

Gibbons uses nine equally sized panels on most pages wasting not a single panel. He manages transitions between scenes rather well. Within panels the story could shift from Rorschach in NYC to Dr. Manhattan on Mars back to Rorschach in NYC. But Gibbons does not let you lose the story line and Moore's scripting keeps you connected with the multiple distinct thoughts being presented in such few panels. Gibbons' artwork is subtle though hard hitting. It does not ever dilute the seriousness that Moore has presented. His artwork is almost cinematic in nature and the reader can easily imagine seeing all this happening in front of them.

Between the two of them, Moore and Gibbons, have managed to make every piece of the rather convoluted plot make sense.

The suspense starts from page 1 of the novel and continues right till the end keeping one hooked and on their toes. The novel ends with a satisfying close.