What do you think of when you think of comic books? Probably lots of action, colors, and a good guy triumphing over a bad guy. You wouldn’t think of superheroes who are morally reprehensible, nihilism, and the threat of annihilation by global superpowers—precisely the genius of the 1986 comic mini-series Watchmen. It subverts the expectations of the reader for what a superhero comic can be. Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985, when the presence of superheroes has significantly changed the world. In this world, the US won the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal was never exposed, and Richard Nixon was elected for a third term as President. And now, the world is on the verge of global nuclear war. Meanwhile, a group of superheroes, who were forced into retirement after vigilantism was outlawed, begin getting killed off.
Alan Moore wrote this book as a means of conveying the fears and anxieties of the 1980s. But if you read it now, you’ll find that the book has aged beautifully, and is still important in today’s political landscape. The overarching theme of global war is still relevant, since, lately, it’s unsettling how rapidly the world seems to be drifting towards widespread conflict.
The depiction of superheroes is a unique aspect of Moore’s story. The popularity of Marvel movies reveals how much our society glamorizes superheroes. The depiction of heroes in Watchmen stands in stark contrast to the heroes of modern media. You are not supposed to like the heroes in Watchmen. Doctor Manhattan is detached from humanity and nihilistic; the Comedian is violent and sadistic; Ozymandias is an egomaniac—like most of the millionaires that populate our world now. But perhaps the most interesting is Rorschach. Rorschach’s “no compromise” attitude reflects how political parties and those who support them can never agree on anything, and it seems they never will, trapping our nation in a constant state of conflict.
These superheroes are far from the polished heroes that we know today. This is shown with the repeated motif of the smiley face pin with the blood on it. The smiley face is something polished, and family friendly. The blood represents the imperfections superheroes would have if they actually existed.
When Watchmen was released in 1986, it showed that comic books could reflect the fears and anxieties of the times. Looking back on the story, one may observe the continuities with the challenges of today’s world. The fears of war, annihilation, and political tensions remain the same. The question of “Who Watches the Watchmen?” still resonates. Who does watch the Watchmen? Who guards those who are supposed to guard us, those who we give absolute power? And what do we do when they no longer care about the well-being of our society?
“Whatever happened to the American Dream? It came true! You’re looking at it!” -The Comedian (Watchmen)