"Watchmen in Webcomics" Poll Results

(links to the entrants available here)

Well, you all weighed in, and there are the results. PVP easily carried the day with its "Ombudsmen" take-off, and Unwinder's Tall Watchmen Comic also showed a reasonable following. There was no clear leader among the other entrants, although I do think Thinkin' Lincoln's contribution was particularly notable for its hilarious mouseover alt-text. But anyway.

So. I saw The Watchmen on Monday. What did I think of it? Overall, it was a basically faithful adaptation of the comic, at least in the discrete elements. All the characters are there, well-acted and faithful to their comic personalities. The plot was true enough, and comprehensible to outsiders, at least those willing to put forth a little effort to follow it. But I couldn't help but feel that the movie missed the forest for the trees.

Because it's a superhero movie, an R-rated superhero movie, and it revels in scenes of stylized sex and violence. To me, a key part of The Watchmen is how it calls into question the role of the superhero in dispensing justice. It asks what happens when flawed human beings put on the mask and undertake their own personal campaign against crime. Rorschach, with his unwavering commitment to skewed ideals. The Comedian's brutal cynicism. Ozymandias' sacrifice of "millions to save billions." Somehow, some of that gets lost in the movie. Most notably, Rorschach is portrayed as a badass hero rather than a disturbed sociopath, though there are other examples. At the end of the day, there are few people that I could actually recommend this movie to, just because it's so dark, and pointlessly so.

So, that's my take. Did you see Watchmen? What did you think? Drop a comment, or post a link to your review.

Religion Watch (and Watchmen Watch?)

So you've already noticed if you follow my Twitter, but Sunday and Monday's "Pick of the Day" both treat religious subjects. Let's have a closer look.

From over the weekend, Gill delivers a few thoughts about God as an author, allowing bad things to happen to us for the entertainment value. I found it reminiscent of the Calvin and Hobbes comics that feature theological conversations about God, the devil, and other such topics. And while I don't think God allows suffering for something so flippant as mere entertainment, I do think there's something to Shandra's observations. Aren't our choices invested with moral significance because we make them in response to suffering? What are your thoughts?

Secondly, today's Pick is Calamities of Nature, in which Aaron and Harold answer a reader's email about whether Calamities is too hard on Christianity. And in past comics, religion has gotten the short, blunt end of the stick, but I actually like this comic. It would be easy to try and make a joke at Christianity's expense off a reader email like that, but instead, the humor comes from Aaron's personality and his typically provocative response. In general, Harold and Aaron contrast well with each other, which certainly holds true when they're talking about religious matters.

(It's also worth noting that when it comes to persecution, Christians have historically gotten as good as they give. Christians were persecuted in the Roman Empire, and they were the persecutors during the Crusades.)

Saw Watchmen tonight. I'll probably deliver a couple lines of commentary on Wednesday, along with the results of the currently ongoing Watchmen comics poll. Additionally, for much of this weekend I'll be at Animation and Gaming Ohio 2009, so we'll see what I can do for Friday's post. See you all Wednesday!

Poll: The Watchmen in Webcomics

The nominees are in, and the polls can begin. Which of the following delivers the best Watchmen comic?

• Thinkin' Lincoln


• Unwinder's Tall Comics


• PVP: 'Ombudsmen' (series)


• Medium Large: 'Watchmen Week' (series)


• Ctrl-Alt-Del

Cast a vote for your favorite using the form above this entry. The poll will close on Tuesday (3/10) at 11:59 PM EST. Should you wish to vote "other," please drop a comment and share a link to the Watchmen-related webcomic you wish to vote for. And if you haven't seen it already, continue reading below for today's special feature: Recommendation Rampage Friday!

Watching the Watchmen

As you are likely already aware, The Watchmen opens tomorrow--the movie based on the groundbreaking 1980s comic book that deconstructed the superhero genre. But if you weren't already aware, then perhaps you've heard about the movie by reading webcomics.

That's right: webcomics are breaking out the Watchmen parodies and tributes, just in time for the big release. Here's a few I've come across.

• Thinkin' Lincoln takes the title literally


• In Unwinder's Tall Comics, Unwinder reflects on the discrete moments of his life, including a rather poor choice of Halloween costume last fall


• At PVP, Scott Kurtz takes the opportunity to provide criticism of the newspaper comics industry

I'm certain that more Watchmen-related comics will surface as the movie is released. If you come across one, please drop a comment and share the link with us. Come Monday, there will probably be some kind of poll thing again.