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GeekNights 070509 - Watchmen

RymRym
edited May 2007 in Manga/Comics
Tonight on GeekNights, we review one of the seminal works of English literature: Alan Moore's Watchmen. In the news, is Satoshi Kon a genius, and do you read Protoculture Addicts?

Scott's Thing - Dr. Strange Fan
Rym's Thing - Attack Turtle

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Comments

  • A Watchmen episode!? Moore FTW! Took you guys long enough, though... Now, all you have to do is make a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen episode, and you'll have covered the three greatest Moore works.
  • edited May 2007
    I grew up 10 minutes from Cornwall, Quebec, Canada, and I hopped across the border to get poutine on a regular basis. If you eat it, you will die painfully from burst arteries. If you like cheese, gravy, and grease, then it is the win.

    image
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • edited May 2007
    So you guys have no interest in reading Otaku USA (Patrick Macias' upcoming anime magazine)?

    Also: I really really need to buy Watchmen. I've read it, and can read it whenever I want by walking to the library, but I think it's worth owning.
    Post edited by rhinocero on
  • edited May 2007
    I was just searching around on my local libraries website, and I saw that they have the Absolute Edition of Watchmen!! Holy shit! Does anyone know what sort of extras it has?
    So you guys have no interest in reading Otaku USA (Patrick Macias' upcoming anime magazine)?

    Also: I really really need to buy Watchmen. I've read it, and can read it whenever I want by walking to the library, but I think it's worth owning.
    Hell yes, it's worth owning! It is Moore's greatest work ever. If you're just reading it at the library and don't own your own copy, you won't have enough time to look at each little detail, such as the images on Rorschach's mask and other stuff that I can't really post because then I may spoil very large plot points.
    Post edited by whatever on
  • edited May 2007
    Also: I really really need to buy Watchmen. I've read it, and can read it whenever I want by walking to the library, but I think it's worth owning.
    Hell yes, it's worth owning! It is Moore's greatest work ever. If you're just reading it at the library and don't own your own copy, you won't have enough time to look at each little detail, such as the images on Rorschach's mask and other stuff that I can't really post because then I may spoil very large plot points.I always see it in the book store, but I always see it when I have a fist-full of manga and comics in my hands already. To put all that back and buy it or to drop an extra 40 bucks along with all the manga I have currently both are not appealing options. I have a feeling after listening to this episode I'll be getting it.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • I just finished listening to the entire episode. You guys pointed out near the end of the episode that it's good reading for high school kids and older, but not appropriate for little kids. I first read the books at the age of 12. I didn't exactly understand it all, and it had some nude illustrations, but I still loved it. But, then again, I started reading JTHM when I was 12. XD
  • I always see it in the book store, but I always see it when I have a fist-full of manga and comics in my hands already. To put all that back and buy it or to drop an extra 40 bucks along with all the manga I have currently both are not appealing options. I have a feeling after listening to this episode I'll be getting it.
    40 bucks? I got the trade paperback for 19 dollars. You're probably looking at the Absolute Edition. And, I just checked Barnes and Noble's website, and they're selling the trade paperback for 16 dollars.
  • I always see it in the book store, but I always see it when I have a fist-full of manga and comics in my hands already. To put all that back and buy it or to drop an extra 40 bucks along with all the manga I have currently both are not appealing options. I have a feeling after listening to this episode I'll be getting it.
    40 bucks? I got the trade paperback for 19 dollars. You're probably looking at the Absolute Edition. And, I just checked Barnes and Noble's website, and they're selling the trade paperback for 16 dollars.
    Ah, ok. Then if they don't have the cheaper version when I go next time, I'll havt to buy it online.
  • I always see it in the book store, but I always see it when I have a fist-full of manga and comics in my hands already. To put all that back and buy it or to drop an extra 40 bucks along with all the manga I have currently both are not appealing options. I have a feeling after listening to this episode I'll be getting it.
    40 bucks? I got the trade paperback for 19 dollars. You're probably looking at the Absolute Edition. And, I just checked Barnes and Noble's website, and they're selling the trade paperback for 16 dollars.
    I share about the same sentiment as Sail. Plus, short of ordering off the internet (and paying ridiculous shipping since it's a fairly heavy book) I'd have no choice but to spend $40 AU or upwards to get it.

    One Must Fall: I did the same thing. Played the demo for years and didn't buy it in stores. Recently I managed to download the full version but now it doesn't seem as cool as it did then...
  • I grew up 10 minutes from Cornwall, Quebec, Canada, and I hopped across the border to get poutine on a regular basis. If you eat it, you will die painfully from burst arteries. If you like cheese, gravy, and grease, then it is the win.

    image
    Oh god, that looks horrible.
  • What is the difference between the "Absolute" version and the regular version of the Watchmen book - besides $34.66 added to the price?
  • Dear God, the Watchmen is far and away my favorite comic of all time. It is all that a superhero comic could ever dream to aspire to. I'm a big fan of Alan Moore, thanks mostly to the Watchmen natch, but I have to admit, as good as many of the things he's had his hand in are, Watchmen is so far and away the definitive pinnacle of his work its mind-boggling. On that note, I read that the man who directed 300 is signed on to do the movie version of the Watchmen. This looks a bit more concrete than many of the previous attempts to make a Watchmen movie, but as far as I know it's still sort of up in the air. Either way I can't say I'm looking forward to it too much. To attempt to translate something as great as the Watchmen into film is sure for some magnitude of disappointment.
  • The Absolute Edition is a gigantic hardcover monstrosity. It has a thick slipcase, a built-in bookmark, the whole deal. The printing and paper quality is more than twice as nice as the softcover normal edition. We own the paperback, and I'm still thinking about getting the Absolute edition. In most cases, it's silly to buy DC's Absolute Editions and similar special printings. It's just not worth it to pay that much money for one book. However, Watchmen might be the exception.

    If you've never read Watchmen, I don't suggest getting the Absolute. The normal paperback will provide you with a perfectly satisfactory reading experience at a reasonable price. However, if you are like us and your cover is going to fall of the paperback from being read too frequently, it might be time to get the Absolute.

    If you really want to see the difference, just look at the pictures on Amazon. If that doesn't do it for you, go to the local bookstore. They are guaranteed to carry at least the regular Watchmen if not the Absolute. Also, even if they don't have Absolute Watchmen in stock, they might have another DC Absolute Edition, like Absolute Sandman or something. All Absolutes are basically the same thing, so just imagine that giant book containing Watchmen instead of whatever it contains. If you do decide to buy the Absolute, I highly recommend buying it on Amazon where it is 37% off. That's a lot of savings for a $75 book.
  • After listing to the show yesterday I managed to get my hands on Watchmen, and read the whole thing. Stayed up until 2 am. Couldn't help it really, I needed to see what was going to happen. I gotta say that I'm a little mad at myself that I hadn't read it sooner, its really just pure genius in graphic novel form.

  • Oh god, that looks fantastic.
    Fixed for me.
  • I must say that the only Magazine about anime that I will buy will be the one the guys from AWO are helping to write :P
  • Yeah, that's Otaku USA.
  • Yeah, that'sOtaku USA.
    And the Editor is Patrick Macias A.K.A. The most Dangerous Man Alive :P
  • Yeah, that'sOtaku USA.
    And the Editor is TV's Patrick Macias A.K.A. The most Dangerous Man Alive :P
    Fixed it for you.
  • edited May 2007
    I remember reading Watchmen as it came out monthly. The Dark Knight Returns had just started coming out (and wasn't finished yet - Moore did a lot better about keeping to a schedule than Miller did), and Elektra: Assassin was running at the same time. It was enough to lure me back to comics after having been away for awhile. To this day, I think of that time as a sort of Golden Age because I was so pleased with these three books and books like Boris the Bear and Reagan's Raiders. American Flagg had already started to go downhill. Nothing has really come close since, with the possible exception of Lucifer, Preacher, and Sandman.

    That poem you quoted in the show is by Shelley. One of my fondest memories of school was the course I took on Shelley, Byron, and Keats.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • edited May 2007
    And the Editor is TV's Patrick Macias A.K.A. The most Dangerous Man Alive :P
    Fixed it for you.
    M.D. Macias?
    Post edited by Sail on
  • And the Editor is TV's Patrick Macias A.K.A. The most Dangerous Man Alive :P
    Fixed it for you.
    M.D. Macias?
    Yeah that same Macias will be our next editor of awesomeness, I hope :P
  • Yay! You guys read my comment!
  • I bought the trade paperback yesterday and finished reading it today. Thanks for the recommendation.
  • Now, Rym, Scott, I hate to make my first comment a critical one but this is a point that simply MUST be addressed. I loved your review of Watchmen and agree completely with most points. There is one ... error, however.

    American comic? BAH! Published by Americans, sure, but the writer was British, the Artist was British and even the colourist was British.

    Do you see where I'm going with this? :)
  • I almost bought Watchmen 3 times a few days ago but I didn't, because I was busy looking for Death Note 5 and DMZ 2, both of which you two got me on to despite my budget restrictions. Curse you Rym and Scott! Curse you!
  • I never read Watchmen when it first came out in the 80's. Not because of the content but because I was big into the indie comics of the time.

    Last week I ordered a copy from my local comic store.

    Thanks for draining my wallet guys!
  • Why are so many people complaining about wallet draining? Watchmen is less than $13 on Amazon. That's pretty damn cheap. It's less than half the price of Pokemon. And to be honest, if I had to choose between Pokemon and Watchmen, there would not be many Magikarps up in here. Considering it's one of the greatest comics ever, I think anyone who can afford an internet connection and a portable podcast playing device can also afford one book.
  • It's not just one book though. You guys tell us about so many cool and interesting things that it builds up over time!
  • It's not just one book though. You guys tell us about so many cool and interesting things that it builds up over time!
    So sell the stuff you bought before and are not going to read again.
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