I'm going to watch the shit out of the 'Watchmen'

Next week the movie version of the graphic novel 'Watchmen' is coming out and of course all the clever media reporters are asking "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Or "Who will watch the watchmen". My hope is that anyone who has the gall to actually title something this has actually read the graphic novel, I'm guessing that very few of them actually have. I've had a number of people ask me about 'Watchmen' and if I've read the graphic novel, because I'm a nerd and a loser and such. I have read it, maybe a dozen times, and it is one of the most compelling and complex works I've ever read. I could read it every week for the rest of my life and still not be able to "get" everything that is being said. It's just too well done and too filled with themes to get them all. Lots of people dismiss the graphic novel as some kind of kids medium but I'm here to tell you that they've never glanced at this.

The graphic novel is the pinnacle of writing, combining a fascinating look at history, politics, economics, racism, sexism, sexualism, feminism, science, geo-political influences, media, art, and vigilantism. There's so much there it's hard to get all the references and subtleties the first time you read it, and the second time you read it, and the 14th time you read it. I can't begin to explain all the symbolism and all the small details that are in the story. But I'll try to set a background.

The story takes place in an alternate 1985. In this timeline Richard Nixon is a 5th term president, being rewarded for his success in Vietnam and perfect reputation. In this timeline the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction has been somewhat derailed by the "birth" of the first real superhero, Dr. Manhattan, who was a scientist blown up in a particle accelerator in New mexico. Dr. Manhattan after being blown up was able to reconstruct himself and became a super genius able to manipulate matter and all other sorts of fun things, including the ability to stop a number of russian missiles from landing in the event of nuclear war. Notice I said the first real superhero, as all the other "superheroes" are actually masked vigilantes, with no real powers other than wearing costumes. At some point in the United States all vigilantes were outlawed with the exception of Dr. Manhattan and one called the Comedian. The story begins as the alter ego of the Comedian is found dead. The same Comedian who secretly disposed of the watergate scandal, the same person who did unthinkable things in Vietnam alongside Dr. Manhattan. And when another vigilante finds out who the dead man is, he thinks someone if going around killing the retired vigilantes.

I'm going to stop there because I just can't possibly write enough to do the story justice. It's too complicated, I find myself not even knowing how to describe plots and subplots, you just have to read it folks, or see it, or preferably see it then read it, or even better read it then see it. I rarely get excited for a movie, but this is one I've wanted to see for a long time.