MM Nov 15

Today we began an introduction to Watchmen. Watchmen was written by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons between 1986 and 1987. We began the introduction by going over the different periods of comics. The first period is the Golden Age, which was from 1938-1949. This was during World War II, and included comics on characters such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Green Lantern. This phase of comics focuses on characters from distant planets, with superhuman powers, who save America. The second period is the Silver Age, which took place from 1950 to 1970. With this new age of superheroes cam human abilities and failings, which was popularized by Jack Kirby’s Fantastic four. The Silver Age ushered in the Bronze Age of comics, which saw the reinvention of several major, characters and the growth of non-superhero comics. Comics in the 1980s (which Watchmen was written) focused on the greater involvement in “real world” scenarios, and social and political problems.

In Watchmen, President Richard Nixon presides over the declaration of peace in Vietnam, and signs arms control agreements with the Soviet government. Nixon defeats the Vietcong and the Soviets with the help of Dr. Manhattan. Obviously, Watergate never happens, and Nixon continues in office till 1986. Ronald Reagan was in office from 1981-1988, and most likely influenced the writers a great deal. He pursued confrontation foreign policy with the Soviet Union, including plans to equip NATO forces with new nuclear-tipper missals. Reagan also participates in secret arms sales to Iran in order to fund the contra rebels in Nicaragua, gave rise to the Iran-Contra scandal and led to a congressional investigation in 1986.

The graphic novel has two main groups of superheroes, The Minutemen and the crimebusters. Just so The Minutemen which was a group if superheroes from 1939-1949 consisted of Sally Jupiter (First Silk Specter), Edward Blake (The Comedian), Hollis Mason (Original Nite Owl), Silhoeuette, Mothman, Hooded Justice, Captain Metropolis, and Dollar Bill. The Crimebusters, a group very similar to the minutemen was around from 1960-1977, and consisted of Laurie Juspeczyk (Second Silk Spectra), Jon Osterman (Dr. Manhattan), Dan Dreiberg (Second Nite Owl), Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias), and Walter Joseph Kovacs (Rorschach).

The last side of the powerpoint notes went over the Manhattan Project. The code name was given to the development of the US atomic bomb during World War II. The project was carried out in great secrecy by a team including US physicists Enrico Fermi and J. Robert Oppenheimer. The first test took place on July 16, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico, and within the following month on Japan.

We then went over the following question, Paying close attention to the descriptions of the Minutemen (II.8-10; III.12) and the Crimebusters (2.10-11; 16-18), consider how costumed heroes are represented in the text. Why do these figures come into being? Are these characters motivated by a desire to serve justice and the nation, or do they have other goals? Are they protecting society or are they a threat to society? Do they act within or outside the government? What does their presence tell us about established authority (police, law, government)?'' Responses to the question included: The government seems to be corrupt, and not doing their job. This is shown in the first chapter when the police decide not to take an interest in the murder of the Comedian. The Police don’t do what we think of as their job, but they hire people like the Comedian and Dr. Manhattan to protect the city. Many of the heroes are “protecting” the city because they think it is fun, and more for bettering themselves than for the city.

Then we discussed the question: 1.1; 14-19; 24 Rorschach’s Journal. How would you fit Rorschach into the framework of costumed superheroes? What is his relationship to those in authority? Like many of the “heroes” in Watchmen, Rorschach is classified as a vigilante, a character who acts outside traditional systems of justice. Does the text sympathize with his vigilantism or not? Do you? Rorschach is not in great standing with the government, he is wanted for killing two people, however, he is working cases because he seems to want justice. He seems the most dangerous of the heroes because he is the most willing to act outside of normal morals. As much as he seems to have a past that is not so good, he is trying to help out his friends by warning them, and seems generally upset about the Comedian’s death. All in all, Rorschach, all though the most dangerous, is the most concerned. This may be why he has acted out in ways of violence.

The last discussion question we went over was: 1.21, 2.2, 14; 2.26-28: Death. What does the Comedian reveal about the relationship between masked heroes and society? Does he illustrate why the world needs men like him or does he demonstrate why superheroes should be outlawed? What does his later role with the government tell us about the relationship between costumed heroes and the state? The comedian seems to be more of a disturbance to society. Even though he is working for the government, he seems to be hurting more than helping society. He does not have the right motives because he is not interested in serving society. He became very famous and wealthy after become a superhero, and then no longer became interested in helping because he got what he wanted.

Extra Notes by Michelle H. Nov. 15, 2010

In class we were given the task as to how the costumed heroes are represented in the text. As a whole, we deduced that the Crimebusters, “costumed heroes”, or “superheroes” cannot be classified as any type of hero based on their actions. The New Oxford Dictionary defines a hero as “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”. The Crimebusters do not fit this category at all. Firstly, the characters have no intention of saving humanity what-so-ever. Rorschach even admits that when the people cry “‘save us!’ I’ll look down and whisper ‘no’” (I.1). Secondly, these Crimebusters who do wish to protect the fellow people of New York do not know what they are protecting them from. The Night Owl even admit if they are protecting the people the “who are we protecting them from?” (II.17). Their actions do not necessarily benefit the people. From that scene they are wreaking chaos and havoc amongst the town creating fear. If these people are a symbol of law and authority, then it is a very perverse society. If murder and mayhem are not being punished then essentially there is no law. Because of this war that is constantly being brought up there is a sense of more fear and anarchy becomes apparent. Thirdly, the Crimebusters actions with each other and society prove that they do not fit the category at all. The Comedian kills a pregnant woman who is armed with a piece of glass and he has a gun. Not only did he kill the woman but Jon, the super being, could have stopped it and he knew it (II.15). These “heroes” are not idealized; the people fear and scorn them.

We also discussed how to fit Rorschach into the framework of vigilantes. Based on the text, Rorschach seems to be the only Crimebuster character left that cares about who caused the death of the Comedian. The rest of the vigilantes he works with are lethargic and have given up on the subject. As far as we are in the novel now, it is hard to conclude whether we can sympathize with him now.

The Comedian is a significant individual when it comes to vigilantes, because he is the complete opposite of what it means to be a hero or vigilante. His attempted rape on Sally justifies that the image of a vigilante needs to be questioned in this text. He kills pregnant women and creates havoc on the streets with the Night Owl after his “change” according to Sally. Despite the attempted rape, she continues to believe that he was different at the time but he has changed.