Watchmen

Quite possibly the best graphic novel* of our time. Masterfully created, crafted and told from many different angles, one can only wonder what goes inside the mind of Alan Moore when he designs such a complex tale. It is also of note the groundbreaking work of drawer Dave Gibbons, his style in this book is homage to golden age comic books without some of the cheesy resources (speed lines, onomatopoeias, and the like).

I find the most interesting character to be Adrian Veidt, the humanist. He wants to inspire us to a higher level of understanding, an illuminated man in a modern world; he is reaching for a simple goal against all of us: saving earth, saving us. The rest of the cast is fleshed out complete with an interesting psychological profile but Adrian is definitely a ground shaker.

One can learn a lot from reading this masterpiece, noting the finer details here and there, reserved for that second or third read when you already know the story and are actually taking your time. This book is a heavy draught and must be taken accordingly; long swigs will leave you perplexed.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

*Apparently Alan Moore and the comic book community despise this term; to them it sounds like an attempt to disguise a comic book with a mature made up name.