Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1

I'll admit, most of my comic knowledge comes from film. I haven't bought a comic in almost 20 years, and this is the first new series I have started in maybe 23 years. I've only read a handful of Batman comics, but I've seen ALL the movies. I never read Watchmen, but I liked the film. Out of all the characters, I enjoyed Rorschach the most. He was gritty, cynical, and at the same time a real good guy, who was fed up with the disgustingness of the world today.

I think the comic, so far, did a good job of capturing "my image" of Rorschach. Some things were expected, and one instance in particular surprised me. Sure, he's sick of all the grime and junk in the people, but he's really at this point out for him self. Trying to make a buck. I can't say much without spoiling it.

I'm looking forward to issue #2 and also Dr. Manhattan #1 on Wednesday. That's another one I'm interested in. Not the giant blue dick though, that just comes with the territory.

You can hear about Matt Loter and Josh Look's opinions on the Before Watchmen books in Fatcast ep. 5 I believe it is. Actually, that's what turned me on to these. I'm only planning to read Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan though. I have no interest in the others.

I'm more interested in finding out more about the backstory of the mighty RORSHARK.

Issue #2, penned by John Clowdus.

I believe Evan Williams is doing the pencils on that, Ken.

Cloudy, you NOOB...don't read this junk, read the real deal!

I love Rorschach and all (see: tattoo) but lets face it- Travis Bickle with A mask and an ideology.

What's that I see on the horizon? Is that a storm of nerdrage coming? And it ain't even Friday.

Can't really comment. Never read Watchman. Thought the movie was passable.

I love Watchmen the book, enjoyed the movie, and will pick up all of this prequel stuff when it's inevitably compiled into a trade. Of particular interest to me will be Rorschach and The Comedian.

I just started reading Akira again. That's the only comic I like better than Watchmen. It's truly epic, and the film, while excellent in its own right, doesn't spoil it. You need to experience both.

QPCloudy wrote: Sure, he's sick of all the grime and junk in the people, but he's really at this point out for him self. Trying to make a buck.

That doesn't sound like Rorshach, that sounds like DC's Dan Didio. Barnes is right, QP, this is the cheap bullshit imitation, you need to be reading the original Watchmen. You might think that's unnecessary because you already saw the movie, but the movie only captured the surface of the story, the basic plot and action and cool lines. However, the movie failed to capture the spirit and theme of the story.

The only one of these to knock me off my feet so far is the Minutemen one...and even then, I'm not buying these.

hotseatgames wrote: I love Watchmen the book, enjoyed the movie, and will pick up all of this prequel stuff when it's inevitably compiled into a trade. Of particular interest to me will be Rorschach and The Comedian.

I just started reading Akira again. That's the only comic I like better than Watchmen. It's truly epic, and the film, while excellent in its own right, doesn't spoil it. You need to experience both.

I'm thinking I will definitely have to pick up the book, or at least check out the library. I totally forgot about The Comedian. His #1 isn't out yet. I'll probably at least look into that first issue.

Jesus fuck all, it was bad enough that these things existed, but now people are reading these instead of reading WATCHMEN? You gotta be kidding me, QP! No wonder you've got depression if you're reading "Before Watchmen" before Watchmen!

I've decided to start reading Dune, these new Brian Herbert books are a good place to start, right? I've heard ABBA's really good, so I picked up the A-Teens' "The ABBA Generation"!

Hey! I totally read Dune.

Michael Barnes wrote: I love Rorschach and all (see: tattoo)

PIC, please. I'd love to see that.

I want to read The Comedian. He's my favorite.

Steve"Sociopath"Avery

QPCloudy wrote: I enjoyed Rorschach the most. He was gritty, cynical, and at the same time a real good guy, who was fed up with the disgustingness of the world today.

Yeah, that's Rorschach, "a real good guy"

Hey! I totally read Dune.

Did you start off with Dune: House Atreides?

I mean like as dirty as he is, he's still out to kick the ass of the scum. Am I reading into it wrong?

You're reading like someone that saw the Zack Snyder movie but didn't read the Alan Moore comic book.

As mentioned, the movie is a surprisingly faithful representation of the events, scenes, characters, and dialogue in the book. However, it's also quite clear that the filmmakers completely missed most of the more compelling subtext, meaning, and comics medium-specific things that are what make Watchmen a great book. Watchmen is a great- maybe even the best ever- comic book. It's a fucking horrible movie, especially in the hands of an adolescent-minded filmmaker who probably thought it would be "awesome" to have Dan and Dan and Laurie practically rip people's arms off and then have a hilariously embarassing sex scene in the Owlship after they get all hot and bothered by killing people.

Rorschach is most definitely not a "good guy". He's the ugly, psychological truth of the facscist potential of masked crimefighters and superheroes. He is the dark, violent, psychopathic side of self-appointed vigilantes and law enforcers like Batman. He's a broken, deranged man, a tragic figure much more than a sympathetic hero. But he has reasons that resonate to even the most right-minded, well-adjusted person. He's a very complex, ambiguous character that is open to interpretation- hence the inkblot. You imprint meaning on to fictional characters through the act of reading about them. The dog's head and the butterfly. But he's definitely not a good guy, and he's not intended to be some ass-kicking bad ass more in line with Lobo or the Punisher than Travis Bickle.

I don't have a picture handy, but I have the "main" Rorschach from issue 6 on my right foreaarm- the butterfly/dog's head. At one point I was going to get the Dr. Manhattan atom thing on my left forearm but I went with a Giger thing instead.