Preparing for the Watchmen Movie

So you’ve seen the trailers, the television spots, and the posters (the many, many posters).  You’ve heard the buzz through news articles, blogs, and friends or family.  You may have heard things like how the original graphic novel was important and groundbreaking and that a movie adaptation was considered unfilmable for years.

So what?

Really, if you’re not a comics geek or someone who has already sought out a copy of Watchmen to read in advance of the film, you probably not only don’t know much about it, but probably don’t much care, either.

So…how to connect those two sides?

Well, chances are that the people who know nothing about Watchmen but might consider seeing it anyway would do so because it’s clearly a superheroey movie, and they’ve seen and enjoyed other superheroey movies.  The recent proliferation of popular comic book-based television shows and films (especially the more mature ones like The Dark Knight) has really paved the way for grown-up stories like Watchmen.  We’ve really seen a pretty natural transition from simpler, more well-known properties like Spider-man through to where we are today, with complex, nuanced plots and sometimes difficult themes.  Hollywood is clearly willing to gamble that audiences are ready to take superheroes seriously, and the success of The Dark Knight indicates that they’re probably right.

That said, while most people are probably ready, there are those who (like my wife) are interested in getting a leg up on what this movie is all about by not only reading the source material beforehand, but by getting a crash course in the superhero genre as originally presented in comics (rather than relying only on Hollywood’s adapted interpretation of the genre).

So, if you or anyone else you know is interested in taking said crash course, here’s a small, simple curriculum I’ve put together.  All of these should be available at your local library.

1. Rising Stars, volumes 1-3, by J. Michael Straczynski.  The Rising Stars trilogy is first on the list for it’s exploration of traditional comic book character archetypes.  These books balance an incredibly large, diverse cast of characters in a story that unfolds over a long period of time.  Given that Watchmen exists as a deconstruction of the superhero genre, understanding the various types of characters inherent to that genre is key.
2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, volume 1, by Alan Moore.  I chose to include LXG for a couple of reasons.  First and most importantly, it’s a high-quality example of Alan Moore’s writing style (so for that and other reasons, please do NOT shortchange yourself by watching the movie instead of reading the book).  He has a unique way with dialogue and tends to write far more complex and intelligent stories than most other writers.  It’s easier for readers to digest the different things happening in Watchmen when they are already used to the author’s style.  Secondly, LXG characters aren’t each working solo as most of the characters in Rising Stars do; LXG is a “team book,” and there’s a neat dynamic to characters when they’re in situations requiring close interaction and teamwork than books involving characters operating by themselves, and it’s a dynamic that plays heavily into Watchmen as well.
3. The Incredibles, by Brad Bird.  Okay, so maybe this is a cheater entry, but yes, I’m referring to the Pixar film.  While it may seem an odd choice, once you’ve watched it again and then read Watchmen, you’ll see why it’s on the list.

That’s it!  Short and sweet.  With a month and a day to go until the release of what to many geeks is the ultimate comic book movie, that’s still enough time to figure out what all the fuss is about.  Also, if you’re interested, I’ve posted previously concerning things like the plot, the challenges of adapting it, and the impact of the book.  Enjoy!

What do you think?  Going to do any reading before the movie?  If you’ve already read it, is there anything else you’d recommend for the curriculum?