Buzz: Watchmen

" This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will lok up and shout 'save us!'...and I'll look down and whisper 'no'."
                                                              - Rorschach, Watchmen




Tomorrow is the day, folks!

Okay, so I have to admit to being incredibly late on the Watchmen bandwagon. Still, it's better being late than never, right? Even if "late" means the week before the movie debuts...

Never-the-less, I fully intend to sell all of you, lovely readers, on giving the Watchmen a chance.

1. Absolutely fantastic characters: So damaged, so human. Especially for those of us who like our heroes to be a little dirty. Moral ambiguity, for me, in a superhero is incredibly intriguing and--I may as well say--addicting. Watchmen offers flawed humans rather than a perfect Superman-esque cast. Not to mention, the character development in these comics is better than the majority of novels I've read recently. (As for my own personal favorites, I have a soft spot for Rorschach, the Comedian, and Silk Spectre I.) 2. Transcends the genre: A graphic novel/comic, but so much more. Generally, I don't read comics; however, the ones I have read have been very much limited by the medium. Quick reads at best, to be completely honest. Watchmen, though, truly transcends the graphic novel and comic medium. If every graphic novel were this caliber, I'd happily buy them all. Instead, Watchmen is what graphic novels should be: thoughtful, deep in plot as well as characters, and a long, enjoyable read. (In fact, if you plan to sit down with and knock Watchmen out in an hour, you're in for a surprise...)

I recommend reading Watchmen before seeing the movie. The book is great and while I'm hoping the movie lives up to the book, one never knows. If you either don't want to read the graphic novel or need a refresher, then there's an animated Watchmen series that's been released. The great thing about the series is that it's just as if the pages of Watchmen began to move. Truly a terrific little extra to indulge in. You can either get it from iTunes as downloads or purchase the series in DVD or Blu-Ray form. Or to prepare for the movie, you can watch the trailer or play with the extras at the Official Watchmen Movie Website.

If you're a fan of the Watchmen, say so! What are you hoping for in the movie? Who's your favorite character?