Watchmen

Watchmen is a superhero graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, first published in 1986–1987 and later collected as a single volume.

Watchmen is a superhero graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, first published in 1986–1987 and later collected as a single volume. Set in an alternate 1985 where masked vigilantes are outlawed, it follows retired heroes investigating a murder and a broader conspiracy that threatens global catastrophe. The story is widely known for deconstructing superhero tropes and for its morally complex characters.

Publication history

Watchmen was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. It was serialized in 1986–1987 and later published as a complete graphic novel.

Premise

The story takes place in an alternate 1985 United States where superheroes are outlawed or controlled by the state. After the murder of the Comedian, retired vigilantes are drawn into an investigation that exposes a larger threat.

Major characters

The central figures include Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan, the Comedian, and Ozymandias. The comic explores their differing moral views and personal histories.

Adaptations

Zack Snyder directed the 2009 film adaptation, and Damon Lindelof created an HBO television series in 2019 that revisits the same world decades later.