Watchmen: The End is Nigh

By Jon Hamblin Published 14 January, 2009

Eurogamer meets Dave Gibbons.

When, back in early 2007, Watchmen director Zack Snyder suggested that any game that tied in to the film would have to be "More than the movie", beardy comic book fans nodded in sage appreciation. After all, the original Watchmen series is the sacred cow of comics - it popularised the term 'graphic novel', and in the process pulled funnybooks kicking and screaming from poly-bagged basement dungeons onto the sun-dappled coffee tables of hipster posers everywhere. So it was a bit of a surprise when the announcement of the Watchmen: The End is Nigh movie tie-in game revealed that 'More than the movie' translated into 'download-only shonky looking beat-'em up' - but there you go.

On the plus side, original Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons has been involved to deodorise the project with a whiff of authenticity. Keen to learn more about his involvement, we grabbed Dave for a few words at the launch for the iTunes-exclusive animated Watchmen comic book at the flagship Apple store in London. Eager to chat and mess about ("That looks a bit suspicious, is that jailbroken?" he quipped as we brought out our iPhone, causing nervous laughter from the nearby Apple representatives) Dave ushered us behind the scenes to the store's eerily white back offices and began...

(Oh, and if you haven't yet read Watchmen and are intending to remain spoiler-free for the film, be warned - there's some chat about the book's ending on the second page).

Eurogamer: So tell us about 'The End is Nigh' then

Dave Gibbons: Well, I don't really know very much about the game. I've been consulting on the look of some of the artwork in it. Basically, it deals with Rorschach and Night Owl in the days before everything went wrong, and it features a few other characters and villains that are hinted at in the graphic novel. It's written by Len Wein who was the original editor of the graphic novel, so it keeps it all in the family, which is nice. And I've been consulting on the cut-scenes which we've tried to retain the atmosphere and flavour of the artwork.

'Watchmen: The End is Nigh' Screenshot 1

Eurogamer: Were you worried about fleshing out this story without writer Alan Moore's involvement?

Dave Gibbons: Well, we were really, cos Alan and I have always resisted doing any sort of back-story to the Watchmen graphic novel - at various times it's been suggested that we could do the Comedian's Vietnam War Diaries or Rorshach's journal, which we thought would be a bit dopey. But the precedent is, at the time the original comics came out, Mayfair games did a role-playing game that Alan helped write bits of, and it's completely canon, so this game uses a lot of that less-well known material.

Eurogamer: Have you had any contact with Watchmen co-creator Alan Moore at all since this resurgence of interest in Watchmen?

Dave Gibbons: Alan has had a few bad experiences with Hollywood, a few of the adaptations he wasn't very happy with, and it wasn't something he wanted to repeat, so from V for Vendetta, he decided that he didn't want any connection to them and didn't want any money from them. As Hollywood is all about credits and money, he finds it rather amusing, he tells me that he likes picturing the studio executives' faces when they find out he doesn't want any cash - he says you can't buy entertainment like that. He's always happy to talk to me 'cos we're friends, but he doesn't want to talk about Watchmen, so we haven't had any discussion about that at all.

Eurogamer: Has he not shown any curiosity at all?

Dave Gibbons: No. Strange isn't it? But as we were co-creators, he doesn't have a problem with whatever I do. He's not saying, 'I'm taking the moral high ground, I think you should too', it isn't like that. I'm trying to keep an eye on things, but I certainly can't second-guess what Alan would or wouldn't approve of. I've given a pretty enthusiastic 'no' to a few things. But by and large I'm very happy with the movie adaptation and the games look great. I don't think the process of adaptation diminishes the original work, and hopefully the film and game will get more people to check out the graphic novel.

Eurogamer: Being a big Hollywood movie, have there been any inappropriate tie-in deals that you've said no to? Y'know, like Dr. Manhattan bubble baths or Rorschach PEZ dispensers?

Dave Gibbons: What, don't you want one?

'Watchmen: The End is Nigh' Screenshot 2

Eurogamer: Actually, I kind of do now...

Dave Gibbons: There were a couple of things, there was the idea of putting Watchmen characters on soft drink cans, and I didn't really think that was such a wonderful idea. But DC are very protective over the franchise anyway, and Zack Snyder has a very good handle on what is and isn't appropriate. I'm sure a lot of things were quashed before I even got to hear about them.

Eurogamer: Has Alan ever floated the possibility of going back to the Watchmen world?

Dave Gibbons: At one point we had the idea to do a book about the Minutemen, who were the precursors to the Watchmen, the sort of Golden Age [a comic geek term for comic books released in the 30s and 40s - Ed] version of the group, and we would have made it look like a regular golden age comic book. And the good thing is, because it would have been a prequel, and we all know what happens to those characters, it'd be like waiting to get hit by an express train - you know it's coming, you just don't know when.

Eurogamer: [Sees publicist anxiously tapping at watch] Ah they're watching the watch. Er, man. So, last question. Which super-powered character do you reckon you could have?

Dave Gibbons: In what way?

Eurogamer: In a sexual way.

Dave Gibbons: Hahaha, That's a bit of a handbrake turn! I'm gonna pass on that one.

SPOILER WARNING: If you click through to page two, you're going to find out what happens at the end of the film, so if you're curious and haven't read the comic, don't! Watchmen: The End is Nigh is due out for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in March. Friend-of-Eurogamer Jon Hamblin is editor of Dads' Space.

Eurogamer: So fans have been up in arms that the film changes the graphic novel's ending. What are your thoughts on that?

Dave Gibbons: Well, the original script I read had the bad guy dying and the good guy riding off into the sunset with the girl in his arms. You know, the sort of Hollywood ending you'd expect. But the first thing that Zack said to me when I met him was 'Don't worry, that character doesn't die' and he knew that was the key to it, that the ending had to be ambiguous. A lot of people seem very attached to the giant squid that turns up at the end of the comic - that isn't a problem for me, as long as the emotional message at the end of the story is the same and it's left open-ended. On the last cut of the movie I saw, that was certainly the case.

Eurogamer: What did you think when you got the original comic book script and it said "Giant Squid attacks" did you think Alan had gone completely mad?

Dave Gibbons: Well, I mean he clearly is off his rocker, this was not news to me. But we just knew we needed to have some big un-earthly thing turn up in the middle of New York, and it sort of looks like a squid, but it sort of isn't, it's meant to be a sort of nightmare-ish multi-dimensional sexual beast. But I can understand why they wouldn't want to put that in the movie, it might be a bit of a leap too far for the audiences. But it was always the way we intended to end it, there are lots of clues all the way through the comic.

'Watchmen: The End is Nigh' Screenshot 3

Eurogamer: Do you think 9/11 proved that it didn't need to be a huge multi-dimensional monster invasion to bring people together?

Dave Gibbons: Yeah, but the key point is, it doesn't matter if it's an act of terrorism or a giant squid from space, the threat has to come from outside. Apparently when Reagan met Gorbachev to sort out the end of the Cold War, he suggested to Mikhail that an alien invasion might be just the thing to pull everyone together. Of course the irony of 9/11 is that it did pull everyone together - just not for very long. But I'm getting all political now...

And that really is the end. For now. Watchmen: The End is Nigh is due out for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in March.

Picture of Jon.

About Jon Hamblin

Read more articles from Jon by visiting the Jon Hamblin archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (66) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BBIAJ #1 3 years ago

    As much as I loved the developer's previous offerings (Total Overdose, Chili Con Carnage), this does look utter pants!

    Shame...

  • neilka #2 3 years ago

    The role-playing game is a cannon?

  • muscleblade #3 3 years ago

    For a XBLA/PSN release its looking decent enough imo.

  • ctrl-k #4 3 years ago

    I belive the word Mr Gibbons may have used was "canon", not "cannon", but not having the actual sound recording makes it impossible to say with 100% certainty. Although I am definitely going to start using "cannon" from now on. (As in "Did you play the new DLC for Fable II? It's cannon!" etc.)

  • guernican #5 3 years ago

    "Do you think 9/11 proved that it didn't need to be a huge multi-dimensional monster invasion to bring people together?"

    Mmmhm. People who don't follow Islam, anyway.

    I always found Nite Owl the least interesting character in the book. Vaguely looking forward to seeing how brutal you can be with Rorschach, though.

  • space_ace #6 3 years ago

    dave gibbons, of beneath a steel sky? legend!

  • afray #7 3 years ago

    If they let me as Rorschach beat a dwarf to death in a toilet cubicle, I'm sold.

  • Rodafowa #8 3 years ago

    The role-playing game is a cannon?

    It's well weapon.

  • Meho #9 3 years ago

    Seeing how this sacral IP gets turned into a probably mediocre beat 'em up, it's not hard to see why Alan Moore would want to stay away from the whole thing. Also, the other film adaptations of his works have been pretty unsatisfactory and since the film Watchmen changes the endning of the book I somehow think I will be dissatisfied with it too.. Although, to be fair, it was always going to be hard to turn such a huge piece of writing into a two (or even three) hour film... But the game, despite me liking Chili Con Carnage and TO is probably just going to be a cheap, cheap, cheap, bad tie-in... Alas.

  • jack_klugman #10 3 years ago

    Eurogamer: So tell us about 'The End is Nigh' then

    Dave Gibbons: Well, I don't really know very much about the game.

    Great start.

  • Thunderbolt #11 3 years ago

    Similar to the Fight Club game then?

  • BanjoMan #12 3 years ago

    First Tolkien's Cannon, and now this?

    I like the way gaming journalists get to call comic book enthusiasts 'geeks'. Comics have more potential to be literature and art than games.

  • rhubarbandcustard #13 3 years ago

    Over the last ten years I have built a massive comic book collection.

    The much heralded Watchmen is a book I loathe. Dreadful art with a story and dialogue that rapidly disappears up its own backside.

    Don't believe the hype.

  • BanjoMan #14 3 years ago

    Haha. Excellent bit of twaddle there, rhubarbandcustard.

  • Waffleaber #15 3 years ago

    This interview has even fewer game related questions than the Holly Valance one and yet nobody seems bothered. Surely there should be at least one "Bloody hell did I log on to the Total Film website" comment by now.

  • iokthemonkey #16 3 years ago

    bluepenis lol

  • BanjoMan #17 3 years ago

    If you read an interview with Holly Valance, are you really expecting in-depth discussion of gaming?

    Likewise, an interview with Dave Gibbons is hardly going to be about the finer points of current-gen gaming.

  • Thunderbolt #18 3 years ago

    rhubarbandcustard,

    Just out of interest what comic/book sits on the top on your collection?

  • bodypopper #19 3 years ago

    'A handbreak turn'?

    Is that some kind of torture method?

  • Derblington #20 3 years ago

    "I like the way gaming journalists get to call comic book enthusiasts 'geeks'. Comics have more potential to be literature and art than games."

    The potential to be art has nothing to do with fanboyism of any media.

  • rhubarbandcustard #21 3 years ago

    Thunderbolt:
    Best 1 shot volume: either We3 (Grant Morrison) or Pride Of Baghdad (Brian K Vaughan)
    Best Series: Ultimate Spiderman or The Avengers - basically anything by Brian M Bendis

  • BanjoMan #22 3 years ago

    Pffff, Ultimate Spiderman. Marvelol etc.

    Bendis is ok generally, but it's pretty lightweight fare.

  • Thunderbolt #23 3 years ago

    rhubarbandcustard,

    Interesting, I have Pride Of Baghdad but have yet to read it.

    Unfortunately I'm currently reading Watchmen so couldn't read page 2 of the article and dont want to spoil the story anymore than I have to.

  • evilbert #24 3 years ago

    I actually just reread Watchmen (for the umpteenth time) over Christmas. I can't say I'm looking forward to this game or the movie but I'll probably look at both.

    I do want a Rorschach Pez dispenser though and I want it now.

  • actionfitz #25 3 years ago

    They should just leave it the hell alone.
    It's a great IP... but the whole sacred cow thing rings true for me.
    Im nervous enough about the film - Im a 300 and Dark Knight etc fan but...
    Alan Moore is right - consider monstrosities such as the absolute fucking hatchet job that was the League of Extraordinary gentlemen movie. V for vendetta wasn't as bad but could have been done far better.

  • rhubarbandcustard #26 3 years ago

    Banjoman: Never understood why comic book readers dismiss Marvel or DC superhero books. It's what the industry was built on.

    I have a sneaking suspicion that Watchmen fanbase is nothing more than a circlejerk (google the definition if needed) of self-congratulatory fools who think that reading 'clever' comic books makes than smart by association.

    By the way, have read League Of Gentleman and V For Vendetta and hate them too.

    Why is Alan Moore so revered? I just don't get it.

  • oxymoron #27 3 years ago

    Dave Gibbons has done some great artwork, Rogue Trooper was awesome-o. Give me Liberty etc.

    V for Vendetta was a great film IMO and it came out at the right time to considering the global crisis which was occuring at the time, there is/was a certain Zeitgeist to the film and graphic novel.


    League of Extraordinary gentlement was pap, the best thing in the film was the monster at the end looking like Kevin O'Neils artwork.

    (off topic does anyone watch Sanctuary? getting very steampunk/lLOEG with Jack the Ripper, Dr Watson, Nicolas Tesla, Invisible woman)

    Hollywood fucked the Judge Dredd movie (demolition man was more judge dredd than judge dredd)

    What they need to do is make a 'Marshall Law' film, that will totally turn the industry upside down.

    rhubardandcustard, you need to read "Zenith - the ultimate Man' you will love it, as I am sure all of the readers of this website will to.

  • Trafford #28 3 years ago

    Thanks for that EG.
    Loved Dave Gibbons' work since Rouge Trooper days

  • 3william56 #29 3 years ago

    Guys, there's a few, y'know, games been released that you haven't reviewed, so can we please can the celeb spotting and get back to what this site is about. You can start with Savage Moon on the PSN if you like.

  • actionfitz #30 3 years ago

    Personally I rate Warren Ellis higher than Alan Moore.
    I just Love Transmetropolitan and Garth Ennis's Preacher - Two books I pray never see a green light for filming.
    Both have the sort of dark and twisted sense of humour I love and would hate to see watered down to the level that would make a hollywood producer comfortable.

  • Darkedge #31 3 years ago

    WE3 is excellent - can't believe though that they are trying to make it into a film too, I mean I'd love to see it if they do it well but a) they won't and b) it wouldn't sell.
    I have to say both Watchmen and V for Vendetta are excellent novels, but each to their own.

  • Shrike #32 3 years ago

    I guess I just like it up here in Alan Moore's backside. I'm sure he'd approve.

    Kinda waiting for the day when people realise that accusing a piece of art of being obsessed with itself or pretentious is just as self-congratulatory. Well done you. You have seen through the illusion of art. You have perceived the limits of ambition. Lets hope we never try anything ambitious ever again and just turn out enjoyable but transitory event books.

  • evilbert #33 3 years ago

    Bloody hell, it's great to see a good few 2000AD readers on this. TBH, I never was a big fan of Moore (and that includes Halo Jones!) I love Watchmen though.

  • Lebowski #34 3 years ago

    Watchmen is a great story.

    Best comic-book story I've read this year (thus far) is "What If? Secret Wars" #1. Brilliant Dr Doom story that shows just what a maniac he is.

    But back onto games / comics: "The Walking Dead" MMO FTW.

  • rhubarbandcustard #35 3 years ago

    Shrike: Actually I think Alan Moore would approve of that answer. Because your writing is just as smug as his.

    "You have seen through the illusion of art. You have perceived the limits of ambition. Lets hope we never try anything ambitious ever again and just turn out enjoyable but transitory event books. "

    WTF?

  • BanjoMan #36 3 years ago

    Rhubarb:

    To be fair, I was being fairly ironic with the 'Marvelol' comment, although Marvel comics are generally speaking lightweight reading. Even The Ultimates (imo the best Marvel series) is just bubblegum compared to, say, the Sinestro Corps War or Kingdom Come.

    I just don't see the 'Watchmen and V are shit but Ultimate Spidey is teh awesom' argument. It baffles me.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 14:50

  • chicknstu #37 3 years ago

    Isn't the subtitle for this game a bit of a spoiler?

  • Genji #38 3 years ago

    Well, surprise, surprise. Alan Moore is a dick. Cranky, bitter, up his own arse, and all that.

    Oh, and he's a damn good writer. It doesn't make him any less of a dick for it, of course. Maybe being a dick is sort of expected for people like him.

    He laughs when picturing the faces of studio executives upon learning that he doesn't want money? If I was a studio executive, I would say something to the extent of "Awesome! We don't have to pay this guy! Now let's make the movie anyway." Ha ha ha.

  • IronCladChicken #39 3 years ago

    http://tiny.cc/YXNZB

  • JahB #40 3 years ago

    "I like the way gaming journalists get to call comic book enthusiasts 'geeks'. Comics have more potential to be literature and art than games."

    you are positively retarded. a comic book - and you can call it "graphic novel" as much as you want, it's still a comic book - will never even be close to literature. grow up already and start to read a few real books, then you might have a clue as to what literature is
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 15:27

  • rhubarbandcustard #41 3 years ago

    JahB: I'm sure I'm horribly mistaken, but you do sound like a tedious fuckwad.

  • holsty101 #42 3 years ago

    "will never even be close to literature."

    Why not? Because -you- say so?

    Thanks for being an elitist prick, you elitist prick.

  • JahB #43 3 years ago

    yeah i might, but i'm right.

  • JahB #44 3 years ago

    Why not? Because -you- say so?

    because literature is the art of "the written word". not writing 2 sentences and backing them up with a picture. that's something you do for children, because they aren't quite capable of reading a book yet.

  • rhubarbandcustard #45 3 years ago

    "not writing 2 sentences and backing them up with a picture. that's something you do for children, because they aren't quite capable of reading a book yet. "

    JahB: I must stay strong because your beginning to convince me.

    But not yet. Not yet.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 15:53

  • Les #46 3 years ago

    "I always found Nite Owl the least interesting character in the book."

    IMO that was kind of the point of the author.

    "I like the way gaming journalists get to call comic book enthusiasts 'geeks'. Comics have more potential to be literature and art than games."

    +1

  • Les #47 3 years ago

    IMO comics books shouldn't be aspiring to be like 'regular' books, they're an art form on their own, with different merits. I enjoy reading graphic novels (and even plain comics now and then) and I enjoy reading literature.

    As for "comics/graphic novels are for kids", IMHO people who make such claims and are serious about it (so not just flame baiting) are idiots.

  • holsty101 #48 3 years ago

    "because literature is the art of "the written word". not writing 2 sentences and backing them up with a picture."

    But comics also include this "written word", just because they happen to have illustrations also = invalid ... ? And where's the dividing line here ... What about illustrated novels?

    edit. What Les said about idiots. (or just blinkered, if you prefer)
    Edited by 2 at 14/01/09 @ 16:03

  • Thunderbolt #49 3 years ago

    Watchmen is in Time Magazines All 100 Novels list:

    [link url=http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete _list.html
    ]http://ww w.time.com/time/2005/100books/t...[/link]

    Although its a subjective list it does offer it some credibility.

  • BanjoMan #50 3 years ago

    JahB, you've missed my point. I said comics are more able to be literature than games. You're doing this:

    BOOKS > EVERYTHING

    When all I was saying was:

    COMICS > GAMES (in terms of narrative and 'art')

    But that's not to say that games don't contain strong narrative or artistic elements. Still, I find your posting amusing, so carry on in the same vein if you like.

  • BanjoMan #51 3 years ago

    Oh yeah - "you are positively retarded. a comic book - and you can call it "graphic novel" as much as you want, it's still a comic book - will never even be close to literature. grow up already and start to read a few real books, then you might have a clue as to what literature is"

    I didn't use the term 'graphic novel' once. I never do, funnily enough. I go with Alan Moore's description of 'big, expensive comics'. As for 'real books', I can PM you the contents of my bookcases if it'll make you feel better.

  • holsty101 #52 3 years ago

    JahB - Sorry about the insults last page, I like comics & that blanket kind of "comics are for kids" statement just pisses me off.

  • JahB #53 3 years ago

    But comics also include this "written word", just because they happen to have illustrations also = invalid ... ? And where's the dividing line here ... What about illustrated novels?

    you draw the line when the pictures become necessary. i hardly doubt watchmen would have the following it has if it wasn't for the graphic representation. you can take all the illustrations out of an illustrated novel, since the pictures are secondary; but that doesn't work for a comic book.

    @Banjo
    well, at least we agree on something :)

  • JahB #54 3 years ago

    @holsty

    it wasn't meant that way, even though it probably sounded like it. what pissed me off (and inspired me to write this comment) was that self-righteous literature comment, which banjoman has now cleared up

  • CitizenGeek #55 3 years ago

    Nice interview, EG! :)

    I can't wait for the movie (disappointed to hear there's a different ending though!). The game actually looks like it might enjoyable!

  • oxymoron #56 3 years ago

    For those who seem to think graphic novels can't be literature, I suggest you read stuff like 'the walking dead' or give me liberty.

  • Rodafowa #57 3 years ago

    Dreadful art with a story and dialogue that rapidly disappears up its own backside.

    Says the bloke naming a Grant Morrison story as his favourite comic. ;)

    Don't get me wrong, I love pretty much everything the baldie weirdo's ever written, but he's the king of the Self-Inserting Story. There's still a team of talented surgeons trying to extract the last six issues of The Invisibles.

    But hey, it'd be a dull old world if we all liked the same things as Nigel Spackman, eh?

  • Shrike #58 3 years ago

    Oh, Christ.

    Rhubarb: that was sort of the point I was making. That art is smug. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The fact that anything that isn't completely self-effacing makes English people uncomfortable does not make it a universal truth that smug = bad.

    JahB: You're taking a completely literal interpretation of what 'literary' means which actually puts you on firmer ground than the majority of people who argue about this sort of thing. But as you're also equating 'literary' with 'worthy' - making a qualitative distinction between EVERY book and EVERY comic - I think you've evidently wrong. Go watch/read Persepolis or Waltz With Bashir or read Maus and think about the way that a cartoon can be used to make a serious point.

    Yes I'm conscious that this sounds patronising. So don't make stupid blanket comments.

  • Nithron #59 3 years ago

    I really like Watchmen. Sure, the art is dated, but then, it's old.

    I must admit though, the ending was pure unadulterated shite.

  • captainrentboy #60 3 years ago

    Read Watchmen last month and thoroughly enjoyed it. I only read it because I'm a facking huge movie buff and thought the upcoming film looked rather slick, and I basically wanted to see what all the fuss was about when it came to the 'Graphic novel'. And as I haven't read any other comics and therefore have nothing to compare it to I ended up thinking Watchmen was pretty bloody awesome. For something that's 20 odd years old I thought it held up quite well, the artwork was great and the story compelling.
    SPOILERS AHEAD!!
    Have to say I'm glad that some of the rumours I've read as of late, regarding the film, have turned out to be bullshit. The most worrying one was that NiteOwl was going to kill Adrian at the end straight after witnessing Rorschach's obliteration. That would have been a huuuge and frankly stupid alteration, but it seems after reading this interview that's not the case. And as long as they've come up with a decent alternative I think I can live without seeing a giant, psychic brained, Squid flopping around New York :)

  • skullstorm #61 3 years ago

    Movies gonna suck. This games gonna suck. I guess the end really is nigh.

  • doriangray #62 3 years ago

    Yeah JahB is right! It's like all those films that people keep claiming is art, ppfffft. If you have to back up the written word with moving pictures then its obviously rubbish words and just for children.

    Pictures can = art.

    writing can = art.

    But pictures and writing combined can't = art? That's such a ridiculous statement.

    I'm sure you'd agree that films can be art, so

    moving pictures and writing can = art?

    I fail to see why following this logic comics can't be art. To say it can't is incredibly short sighted.

  • Zaltan #63 3 years ago

    "If they let me as Rorschach beat a dwarf to death in a toilet cubicle, I'm sold. "

    This.

  • MiY4MOTO #64 3 years ago

    I have to say I've always hated the term "graphic novel"... it's for people who are ashamed of the fact that they're reading comics, or for those who feel the need to justify the medium to others.

    It's a comic. Deal with it.

    Did Watchmen turn up in collected format originally? No, it was written a series of comics and collected into a single volume like pretty much every other popular comic since V For Vendetta. Making it thicker and book shaped does not make it a novel.

    Personally... I really dislike Watchmen. I didn't like it 1986, and I can't say I've ever felt the urge to revisit it. I tried & gave up a few years ago for me it just seems to disappear up its own arse about half way through & by the time you get to the squid (if you make it that far)... well, it just loses it totally for me.

    I've never understood the revered status that this comic book holds. "V For Vendetta" came before it, and for me eclipses it in every way. As does "From Hell", which came much later. Although I really did like Dave Gibbons' art work at the time. Actually he's done some quality writing too, "Batman / Superman: Worlds Finest" with Steve Rude springs to mind, but Dave Gibbon's finest hour for me was definately "Rogue Trooper".

    Alan Moore, is one of the finest comic writers of our time and responsible for creating some great characters & stories. I loved "The Ballad of Halo Jones", his run on "Swamp Thing", hell... he even gave us "Hellblazer", (well, he gave us the character John Constantine at any rate.) but my personal fave Alan Moore work is probably the very mainstream but oh-so-perfect, "Batman: The Killing Joke".

    Can comics be art / literature? Of course they can! How anyone can argue against that is just ridiculous. Any new medium has to fight for the right to be classed as art. Films we're maligned as not being worthy of art for a long time. Comics were viewed the same way by many up until the 80s / 90s but the medium has matured somewhat & thanks to authors such as Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, Kurt Busiek etc. people are finally recognising the fact that comics do not necessarily mean Beano & Dandy

    If you want to see comics as art / literature then read Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman", that's your starter for ten.

  • Nithron #65 3 years ago

    The reason Watchmen stands out in my mind, and perhaps others, is the way it treats the idea of superheroes with a level of realism and maturity you don't often see, probably even less so back when it was written.

    It asks questions like: What would actually motivate someone to dress up in a ridiculous costume and beat people up? And the answers actually seem to make some sort of sense.

    And then it talks about how that kind of person(read: Insane in some way) would interact with other people like them, and how they would be treated by society. Turns out, in real life, people don't like it when you put on a mask and assault people, even if you have a catchy name.

    The ending was total crap, but the point of the book was a kind of exploration of the whole superhero concept, not necessarily that core story. Granted, that sounds like a shitty excuse for having a bit of a wank finale, but still.

  • BPMcGuirk #66 3 years ago

    This was a really well done interview. Gibbons seemed really forthcoming, which is a testament to good journalism.

    This game could be cool, or it could be awful. Gibbons has done what he can to try and make sure it isn't the worst it can be. I think it bodes well for the film, either way.