Watchmen is the story of a group of has been “superheroes” who have attempted to reintegrate themselves back into society after vigilantism has been banned. The process was easier for some than others, while a couple of them have clung onto their former lives illegally. It has been years since many of them have been in contact with each other, but the murder of an old ally has many of them worried. These heroes pasts are brought up throughout the story and many of their strengths and flaws are revealed.
As the story goes on, it is made increasingly apparent that many of these supposed “heroes” are less than just. Rorschach is barely more than a deranged psychopath and Doctor Manhattan, the only man on the planet with any real superpowers, cares little for what happens to the world around him. Watchmen gets progressively more gruesome and violent as the troubled psyches of each of these heroes are explored and tensions increase. Towards the end, many of the heroes seem no better than the villains they fought.
Watchmen is a welcome throwback to just how dark comics used to get. The characters all feel human and none of them are even close to being perfect. Watchmen doesn’t fear delving into the workings of the human mind and why people do what they do. Unlike many stories nowadays, it doesn’t feel the need to play it safe. Watchmen intends to tell a dark and gritty story about what heroes might actually be like, and it exceeds expectations. It delivers a great story and is well worth a read.
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