I have just finished reading Watchman. Just in time to catch a matinee showing tomorrow.
I have always loved comics. A guilty pleasure of mine. I have always been more intrigued by the Marvel world, my favourites, the X-men, but even I will agree DC has created the more classic characters: Batman, Superman, my personal favourites:
Catwoman and the Joker. And even more significantly for me, DC penned the first graphic novel I have ever read: Watchmen.
It is considered one of the greatest English-language novels, and I will certainly have to agree. Watchman has found a place among my literary favourites: the Grapes of Wrath, Fahrenheit 451, Alice in Wonderland. It is a phenomenal piece of work, and I want to take this opportunity to talk about one aspect of it, with out giving too much away: Rorschach.
We meet Rorschach on page one; at least we meet his thoughts. I was immediately drawn to this character. There was something I truly liked about him.
As the story continued, I though he was such a cool character, until his
de-masking...
Suddenly I hated him, was repulsed by him, I wanted to stop reading. In fact, I did just that. His true persona was so horrible I had to put the book down and take a break. Was it the words? Was it the graphics? Was it both?
24 hours later I picked the book back up, and continued reading, glad the story moved back to some of the other characters. But it was only a matter of time before returning to
Rorschach's story. I was still hating. Still repulsed. And then, he put his mask back on. And like that, I liked him again.
I had to put the book down a second time and consider what was going on. What were these words and illustrations doing to me that I could easily be swayed by a mask being taken off, and put back on?
I tend to accept the goodness in people, until they give me a reason to dislike them. Distrust them. But I often find when their bad side is hidden again, I see the original good person, and forget about what I saw underneath. Do I find it that easy to forget? Do I find masks, whether physical or emotional, just make things easier? Or do I see that these people are truly good, but are intrinsically flawed?
Whatever it is, this book will make you think. Whether it's the overall plot, or in my case a particular character, it will switch something on and off in you, and you will wonder, what the hell just happened?
