Have you considered reading the Watchmen graphic novel before seeing the film next year?

I loved it, and consider it the finest graphic novel ever written, and perhaps one of the 200 or so best novels period.

I'm torn right now. I haven't read it in years, and have been planning to re-read it for awhile now. But I'm thinking that perhaps I'll just wait for the movie. Reading it again will cement it's greatness in my mind, and set my expectations very high for the film. I can't imagine the film even coming close to the quality of the book, so maybe by not re-reading it until after the movie I'll keep the bar a bit lower.

Am I making any sense?

Even though I never read it the first time around, I'll echo what Trevor said. While it would be great to have original source details, I'd like to enjoy the movie on it's own. It's always a hard battle for a movie to live up it's source material and "Watchmen" is very highly regarded.

So, I'm on the fence as to what I'll do.

Just as long as you read it someday.

It's not an easy read, not a book that you can just expect to flip thru and "get it". There is a lot of text, and much detail in the pictures. So to fully appreciate it takes more time than most "comic books".

But yeah, reading it before hand will just make the movie seem sucky.

I hate to sound pessimistic, but I just can't imagine the movie being up to par. They always mess up Alan Moore books something awful.

I got the first chapter and I think I will be getting all other chapters as well.

I thought V for Vendetta was excellent, and you can smell "The Killing Joke" on just about every frame of "The Dark Knight"....




-Doc

Am I the only one not terribly excited for this?

Not that I think it'll be bad - it looks faithful as hell (except for the Ozymandias casting) - but it seems so faithful to the comic, that it's hard to drum up enough interest to get excited.

I mean, I know the book like the back of my hand - what can I glean from a movie version that will have sections cut out? It's not like other superhero adaptions where they just incorporate elements from their stories to for an all new story. This will be Watchmen, every step of the way. And unlike novel adaptations, where you might look forward to see the world you created visually in your head realized on the big scree, the graphic novel already has everything visualized and story-boarded for you. The movie will offer nothing beyond real-life actors and movement. That's it.

I'll see it, and probably like it, but I don't understand the excitement for something that's already out there in a far more appropriate medium.

No. You couldn't be more wrong if you name was DocMacWrongstein.

smashing pumpkins ftw.

Really? I guess I was reading a different "Killing Joke"....



-Doc

What you're talking about is one character's motivation inspired by that book (not to mention this sort of thing occurred in previous books), which is a hell of a lot different than "smelling it in every frame" - which speaks to tone and execution. And in that regard, Dark Knight couldn't be any further from Killing Joke.

If I remember correctly, Zack said at the panel that the song does not appear in the movie.

Most definitely, I want to read it. I don't read very many comic books. But it sounds like something that's exceptional. I think I'll wait until after I see the movie before I dig into it.

Then I should have added, "With regard to the Joker." And in that, I concede. I still submit that the Joker's motivation (and what are we if not beings defined by our motivations and thus actions) is HEAVILY inspired by and STINKS of The Killing Joke (Christopher Nolan having said as much seems to back me up).


-Doc

I WIN! I WIN!!
USA! USA! USA!

-Doc

I heard that..but still cool that its in the trailer (And it looks like it helped skyrocket song sales)

That kinda sucks. Hopefully it will at least make the end credits.

Did not sound like it would... but they just finished filming so there's always the chance he could change his mind.

i guess i'll be the one who hated the song in the trAILer.
Don't know what "ftw" means but...
i just can't stand droning, emo, whiny stuff.

Ah emo, the word for all purposes that means nothing.

whatever.
i have my opinion you have yours.
does me not liking the song insult you?

You can hate it all you want, but thats not emo.

Agree here. This is why I loved the Dark Knight. It wasn't an adaptation of an existing comic story, it was a new story that was built on the foundation of the motivations of the characters. When I heard that it was going to be inspired by "The Long Halloween" I groaned, but found that the only thing it had in common with that story was the transformation of the criminal underworld and the slogan "I believe in Harvey Dent".

I'm not looking forward to this movie either. I might see it just to see what's done with it... but translating this movie to screen is simply a bad idea. I can see it now: the overemphasis on the political climate in order to make it more appropriate for the times, little to no backstory behind each character, as if we're supposed to be instantly familiar with them, and horrific pacing, seeing as how nearly half of the story is told in flashback.

Well, your going into it with an open mind at least.