The Annotated Watchmen, Doug Atkinson [fb2 epub reader txt] 📗

the text is not altered.

Certain notes are true for each issue. Each one is written by

Alan Moore, drawn and lettered by Dave Gibbons, and colored by John

Higgins.

Moreover, each issue has a continuing motif, a reoccuring object

or pattern that is seen on the cover, the first and last page (usually),

and throughout the issue. This issue's motif is the "radioactive"

symbol.

Another trend is the title, which is always an excerpt from an

apropos quote shown in its entirety in the last panel. This issue's title is

from Genesis 18:25.

The clock appearing on the covers counts the minutes to

midnight, similar to the clock in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,

which is an estimate of the world's closeness to nuclear war. The clock

stands at 9 minutes to midnight, and advances by one minute per issue.

Cover: The "Fallout Shelter" sign being put up on the newsstand.

Note that the cropping makes it read "Allout Helter," and the smoke makes it

read "All Hel." Also, the smoke forms the profile of a skull.

Page 1, panel 1: The captions in that style are from the "Tales of

the Black Freighter" comic the teenager is reading. They continue to

appear on and off through the eleventh issue. Some of the panels later are

excerpts from the comic. The story behind the comic itself is told in issue

5. (Actually, the comic in question is a reprint.)

Pay close attention to the comic captions, and compare them to the

ongoing story. (All the "Black Freighter" captions are in the frayed-edge

style.)

The speaker is Bernard the newsvendor (we learn his name in #11).

The radiation symbol appears in this and the next three panels.

Panel 3: On the right is an issue of New Frontiersman, a right-wing

newspaper, with a headline reading "Missing Writer: Castro to Blame?"

and a photo of Max Shea (writer of "Tales of the Black Freighter." See

issue #8.

Castro: Fidel Castro, communist leader of Cuba since the '60s.

Panel 4: The kid reading the comic is named Bernie, as we also find

out in #11. The ad on the back of the comic is for "The Veidt Method,"

Adrian Veidt's equivalent of the Charles Atlas ads. Veidt honed his body to

"perfection," and here he's offering to do the same for anyone who'll

gamble a stamp.

Across the street are the offices of the Promethean Cab Company

("Bringing Light to the World"). In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus

defied Zeus' will by giving fire to mankind; he has become a symbol of

enlightenment. This makes it likely that Veidt owns them, too,

though that's never confirmed or denied.

The Nova Express headline reads, "How Sick Is Dick? After 3rd

Presidential Heart-Op?" The Nova Express is a left-wing newspaper,

the antithesis of the New Frontiersman. Other magazines are

"Bodyline," "TV Guide" [real-world], "Home Maker," and "Music," and an unidentified

one that seems to be Japanese with a "Knot Top" headline. (Are knot-tops

a Japanese fashion imported to the US, or vice versa? They seem to be

modeled on medieval samurai hairstyles. Their popularity in the

U.S. may be linked to Red D'eath.) On the ground is a "Gunga Diner" menu and

takeout box.

Bernie is leaning against a public recharge post for the electric

vehicles.

Page 2, panel 1: The newsstand is in front of the "Institute for

Extraspatial Studies."

Panel 2: The symbol for the spark hydrant bears a striking

resemblance to that of the second Flash, a DC Comics character.

Panel 5: Atlas: Another Titan, this one responsible for holding up

the world. He's synonymous with endurance and perseverance.

Panel 7: The Express' reason for holding its front page will be found

out later this issue.

Panel 9: Behind the sign man is a sign for the Utopia, a revival

movie theater.

Page 3, panel 2: The Examiner is probably a trashy tabloid; its

title is similar to our National Enquirer, although it sounds more like the

Weekly World News.

Page 4, panel 1: Laurie and Jon's bedroom at the Rockefeller Military

Research Center.

Page 5, panel 4: Another production error, Jon's speech bubble here

is white in my copy.

Panel 9: The speaker here is Janey Slater. The reference to JFK

refers to Dr. Manhattan's ability to see the future; he does not attempt to

prevent the things he sees.

Page 6, panels 1, 3, 5: Janey is being interviewed in the _Nova

Express_ offices. Her ashtray rests on the current issue. Notice the

similarity between the tape reels and the radiation symbol. The ashtray is the

first appearance of a minor theme (the zig-zag pattern on a round object.)

Janey also smokes a ball-pipe; her usage of "three packs a day" is

probably figurative, although it's possible that the tobacco balls come in

packs like cigarettes.

The layout of the buttons on the tape recorder is interesting. In

our world, the two leftmost buttons would be depressed to record; the

third button would be "rewind."

Panels 4, 6: The cab is from the Promethean, and the driver (who

reappears later) is named Joey.

Page 7: Another production error here; the interviewer's hands are

that golden/orange color.

Panel 2: We learn here that Nostalgia is produced by Veidt. Notice

"Mutiny on the Bounty" displayed inside Treasure Island.

Since Laurie is paying with at least two bills, what does the "25c"

mean, anyway? 25 cents per mile?

Panel 4: The workman is repairing Dreiberg's lock after Rorschach

smashed it in the first issue. He works for Gordian Knot Lock Co., which is

probably owned by Veidt (the Gordian knot was undone by Alexander the

Great, one of Veidt's heroes). The motto on the truck reads,

"They'll Never Undo This Sucker." Why did Dan wait so long to get it fixed,

anyway?

Page 8, panel 4: Odd that the teakettle uses a light, rather than a

whistle--it doesn't seem like the best attention-getting device. Of

course, since the series doesn't use sound effects, there would be no

way to indicate the whistle.

Panel 5: Rorschach ate or took the rest of his sugar in the first

issue.

Page 9, panel 5: The teakettle is made by Veidt.

Page 10, panel 1: The image of Laurie reflected here foreshadows

issue #9's motif, and the eyes, circle, nose (as the mouth) and slash of light

repeat the smiley-face of #1.

Page 11, panel 2: The Utopia Cinema, which is showing "This Island

Earth," (a real movie) reappears later. This scene is seen from another

angle on page 18, panel 1.

Panels 4 & 6: More ongoing themes. "Who Watches the Watchmen"

graffiti, a Pale Horse poster, an anarchy symbol, and the militant feminist

symbol with "Castrate Rapists" underneath it. The Japanese-looking characters on

the jackets [do they mean anything?] suggest that the knot-top style does

indeed come from Japan.

Page 12, panel 3: The host is Benny Anger; he reappears in issue #7.

Panel 4: Is that a Veidt logo on the Krystalnacht poster on the

right? The graffiti reads, "[illegible] go mad." We learn much later that it's

"One in eight go mad," though what this means is never clear. (Something to

do with the eight Minutemen, maybe?)

Page 13, panel 3: First appearance of Doug Roth (unless he was the

one interviewing Janey, which is possible).

Panel 5: We see a flashback to one of these battles in issue #4.

Page 14, panel 6: Unlike most of the graffiti in the series, there's

not enough given to make this graffiti decipherable. What we can see

says, "K-TO[part of another letter] KiN[cut off]."

Page 15, panel 1: The Washington Post is a real paper.

Panels 2,4,6: Dan and Laurie's reactions here resemble actions after

sex; they're panting and sweaty. Once they catch their breath, he rolls

over and she lights up.

Panel 2: Another "Ozymandias Southern India Famine Relief" poster,

first seen in issue #1.

Panel 3: The speech balloon is mis-colored again.

Page 17, panel 2: The sign is for the New Frontiersman and reads

"In your hearts, you know it's right" to which someone has added "wing." This

is a reference to 1964's conservative Presidential candidate Barry

Goldwater, who used this phrase, minus the addition, as a slogan. He was

perceived as being partial to nuclear war; his slogan was modified by LBJ

supporters to "In Your Heart You Know He Might" (particularly appropriate to this

series).

Page 18, panel 1: Nova Express: "Dr. Manhattan Cancer Link New

Evidence; Inside: Janey Slater Speaks." The new issue. This is page 11, panel

2 from another angle.

Panels 7-9: The radiation symbol again.

Page 19, panel 1: The symbol, this time being painted on their

bedroom door. The singer's rendition of "Walking on the Moon" by the Police

foreshadows Dr. Manhattan's trip to Mars.

Page 20, panel 1: The sign reads, "Gila Flats Test Base: Per Dolorem

Ad Astra: Government Property: Keep Out." This is where Dr. Manhattan

worked when he had the accident that changed him (see next issue). The

Latin phrase means something like "Through Sadness/Pain/Anguish To The

Stars." "Ad Astra Per Aspera" is a more commonly known phrase, meaning

"Through adversities to the stars". (The change may reflect Doc's reasons for

leaving Earth.)

Panel 3: The Bestiary, the on-base bar.

Panel 4: The first time Jon is shown in clear full-frontal nudity,

rather than the sly covering positions used earlier.

Panel 5: The writing in the case reads "At play amidst the

strangeness and charm." "Strangeness" and "charm" are properties of quarks.

Panel 6: The picture is of Janey and Jon. See next issue.

Page 22, panel 1: The Frontiersman headline reads, "Our Country's

Protector Smeared by the Kremlin." The rising sun shows that this is

an east-west street, with the Promethean on the north and

newsstand/Institute on the south.

Panel 3: The Gazette headline: "Dr Manhattan Leaves Earth."

Page 23, panel 2: More radiation symbols.

Page 24, panel 7: The "Sunday" designation sets today's date as the

20th.

Panels 7-8: That's Nostalgia cologne Rorschach is swiping. The way

he's using it says something about his lifestyle; he doesn't bathe much

(his smell is commented on later), just covers up the odor with cologne.

Page 25, panels 1-3: As has been said before, superhero comics never

caught on in a world with real superheroes. They seem to have died out

during the early '40's. (In our world it's "Flash," not "Flash-Man;" either the

newsvendor has a faulty memory, or the worlds had diverged enough by

1940 to produce a minor change like this.) Pirate comics have been the

most popular type of comic for a long time.

Page 8: "Russians Invade Afghanistan." In our world this happened in

Here, of course, the Russians held off due to Dr. Manhattan; but with

him gone they went ahead and invaded.

Page 26, panel 1: The second speaker is President Nixon.

Panel 6: Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is on the right.

Page 27, panel 2: The bald man with the ball pipe is G. Gordon Liddy,

seen again in #10.

Panel 4: Lots more radiation symbols.

Page 28, panel 2: The last radiation symbol of the issue.

Pages 29-32: The last Under the Hood reprint, chronicling the days

after the fall of the Minutemen.

Page 11,