Critical Essay on Watchmen by Alan Moore

Introduction

Comic works are a popular genre of literature. No other comic author captures the imagination of the reader more than Alan Moore. In his book, Watchmen, Moore reveals the idea of the superhero as conceived in the US society after the end of the Second World War (SWW). The author explores the political and security maneuvers of the United States during its Cold War antagonism with the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1980s as each superpower strove to outsmart the other regarding their influence on global politics. At the heart of these maneuvers are superheroes that played an important part in propelling America to the apex of global influence despite the negative consequences of such maneuvers on the American people and the global society in general. By skillfully employing satire, flashback, symbolism, and story within a story, Moore propagates the themes of destruction and fantasy in leaders and heroes by warning the citizens against trusting leaders and heroes as the sole custodians of the destiny of the nation.

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Satire is built through the moral struggles of the main characters on their ability to keep the nation safe from the Soviets as they did during the SWW. For instance, Doctor Manhattan, a superhuman being, makes Russia feel terrified about prospects of extinction from the military capability of the US (Moore 16). Additionally, America is depicted to have won the Vietnam War, and the superheroes well handled the Watergate scandal that rocked the residency of Richard Nixon. Yet the readers know that the Vietnam War caused catastrophic consequences on the people of Vietnam and American soldiers. The author also appears to ridicule the administration of Richard Nixon for the war and the Watergate scandal. In a satirical style, Moore suggests that Nixon was never impeached despite his link to Watergate invasion because he was a hero as depicted by the character, The Comedian. As argued by Wright, Moore aims at admonishing the public from trusting heroes and leaders to world's fate because these people have demonstrated that they cannot do so as seen in the destruction, murder and conspiracy theories they propagate(271-73). In effect, he deconstructs the superhero concept, practically suggesting that the world would be better off without these heroes since they have betrayed the trust of the people hence the need for global citizens to take an active role in driving the destiny of the world (Thompson 108-11).

The flashback resolves around The Comedian and is intertwined with symbolism. His presence in the story is developed by Laurie and the narrations of other characters. He is regarded as a superhero in the build-up to the SWW. The Comedian, as known as Edwin Blake, is a manifestation of violence and its consequences. He is a tough and ruthless person who feels no remorse for his victims. In another flashback set in a Vietnam town, Blake is criticized by Jon Osterman for shooting a Vietnamese woman who got pregnant after a consensual relationship with The Comedian. He is seen firing a group of Vietnamese with utter ruthlessness (Thomson 109-11). He is also depicted as a cynical, who has lost faith in war as a solution to world problems. He appears to change represent a change of tactic in foreign policy, but such kind of people did not get the audience with leaders of the time. All these revelations are done in the form of a flashback. This style helps to inform the audience of the futility of using violence to solve global problems. His characterization is augmented by Doctor Manhattan whose scientific ideas are responsible for the destruction that is perpetrated by the United States abroad in the name of security. Manhattan's link to the death of Blake perhaps is a symbolic representation of how reason was defeated by the advancement of science in military warfare in solving conflicts.

The story within a story plays a vital role in developing the theme of fantasy associated with the accomplishments of heroes as well. The story, Marooned is written in the Tales of the Black Freighter read by a resident youth in New York City and appears periodically in the text as the main story progresses. In the story, the protagonist, who is a Sea Captain, is on a mission to warn people of his town of an impending invasion by the Black Freighter. According to the narrator, the Black Freighter has wrecked the ship of the Sea Captain as he attempts to rescue his people, but he survives the incident momentarily. This story is useful in building the theme of the story by revealing destruction, death and military intrigues that were used by heroes to advance the agenda of American imperialism. Thus, it underscores the significance of conquest and control among global politics between the Soviets and the US in the 1970s and 1980s.

Conclusion

Given the discussion, it can be observed that Moore powerfully uses various literary styles to reveal to the audience the theme of destruction and fantasy associated with the accomplishments American heroes and leaders after the SWW. It majorly focuses on the geopolitics of the Cold War. Moore satirizes the achievements of the superheroes to remove the superhero concept of American leaders and security agents which pervaded the perceptions of the majority of Americans after the nation's triumph after the SWW. Overall, he seeks to inform the audience that these superheroes are not superheroes after all because they are agents of destruction both at home and abroad.

Works Cited

Thomson, Iain. "Deconstructing the hero." Comics as philosophy (2005): 100-129.

Moore, Alan. Watchmen. 2nd ed., DC Comics, 2012.

Wright, Bradford W. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Johns Hopkins UP, 2001.