A lot of people have responded to the various violent elements of the Watchmen story. I think something to bear in mind is that the super heroes of the Watchmen universe are NOT facing comic book cliched villainy. They are facing real-world horrors. Soldiers in Vietnam did many of the atrocities condensed into the person of the Comedian. Many of the other horrors of graphic novel and film are similarly real-world as opposed to comic-world, which is where I think people find objection.
We see superheroes and expect 2 dimensional entertainment. Few are realistically prepared for their shiny superheroes to be mired in moral ambiguity, even depravity. Some characters regularly decry the worst excesses as well. The original Nite Owl decries the Comedian as a thug and a rapist. The second Nite Owl is about the only one to tentatively defend Rorschach, and only because they were once friends, but even he acknowledges that Rorschach goes too far.
Yes there are horrible elements to the story. But this isn't the Fantastic Four, or even Batman. This is something much closer to home, and thus scarier.
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Re: Watchmen? Really?!?!
Date: 2009-03-16 04:58 am (UTC)We see superheroes and expect 2 dimensional entertainment. Few are realistically prepared for their shiny superheroes to be mired in moral ambiguity, even depravity. Some characters regularly decry the worst excesses as well. The original Nite Owl decries the Comedian as a thug and a rapist. The second Nite Owl is about the only one to tentatively defend Rorschach, and only because they were once friends, but even he acknowledges that Rorschach goes too far.
Yes there are horrible elements to the story. But this isn't the Fantastic Four, or even Batman. This is something much closer to home, and thus scarier.