Absolute Watchmen

Watchmen (Absolute Edition)

Alan Moore

I finally finished reading Watchmen. I read many years ago in Italian, so I couldn't remember every detail. All I remembered was that I loved it. And this time I pretty much felt the same way.

I don't think there's much I can say that everybody else hasn't said already, but this is truly a masterpiece by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This book works on so many levels, and I don't even understand half of them. But that's what makes it a good re-read. Every time you can pick up something new.

For instance, there are so many allusions to so many of the heroes being gay, things that I didn't catch in previous readings, not being mature enough to know about them.

I also enjoy the text at the end of each chapter, especially at the end of chapter one, which introduces the heroes past events. Some other articles were not as interesting, but I read them all.

One thing that I didn't get at all are the pirate comic scenes. Yes, I get that they're supposed to have meaning not only within the pirate comic, but also in the Watchmen world. And I did enjoy it. But after a while, I really didn't see the point to telling that story.

The art by Dave Gibbons is perfect. The line is so clean, the details are so precise, and there is a lot happening in each panel, much more than you'd think at first. That's also why it's such a better experience on subsequent reads.

This is the Absolute edition, which is a gorgeous oversized book. Colors are remastered, so this is the best edition of this book. At the end of the book they published the original treatment from Alan Moore, and many sketches by Dave Gibbons. They also included parts of Moore's script, which are famously detailed. These extras are the same as Graffiti Designs HC published in 1988, which I found disappointing. I would have liked an updated intro or text piece by either Moore or Gibbons (though I guess Moore would not have accepted), or even someone else to aknowledge that this edition is published 20 years after the original series.

If you are comic fan and have not read this, this is a must. Go get it NOW!!