Who Watches The Watchmen?

It's a little awkward to write an entry after basically ignoring this for about two months or so. It's especially awkward to write an entry about something that doesn't involve feminism. But frankly, it is a relief to take a break from the daily grind and simply geek the fuck out.

So geek the fuck out, I shall.



Watchmen is one of the greatest graphic novels of all time, written by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Set in an alternate timeline of 1985, Watchmen has all the elements that every great graphic novel should have; interesting and flawed characters, a multi-layered storyline, and incredible art. A lot of people said that a movie based off of it should have never been done, but now it is, it's coming in March 2009, and I only have one thing to say.

FUCK. YES.

Zack Snyder is a director that totally came out of nowhere to completely blow me away. I really enjoyed his remake of Dawn of the Dead (although I am still hesitant to call it a remake), and I ADORED 300. This is just a teaser trailer, but I'm already so fucking stoked, I can barely stand it. Almost every single scene in the trailer is shot to make a panel in the novel. How much fucking cooler can it get?

I have high hopes for this. Yet even being excited for this doesn't mean that my feminist lens isn't carefully critiquing it. There's a particular subplot involving the Comedian and the first Silk Spectre, Sally Jupiter, that is quite troublesome for a regular old feminist like myself. In the novel, the Comedian attempts to rape Sally, who is saved only by Hooded Justice. Throughout the entire novel, she expresses rage and contempt towards her attacker until the end, where it is revealed that she had feelings for him, with the Comedian fathering her daughter, Laurie, who ended up becoming the second Silk Spectre. The very last scene with Sally Jupiter is of her as an old woman, weeping on her bed, a photo of the Comedian on her nightstand with a lipstick kiss on his face.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that comics are not generally known for their progressive stance when it comes to portrayal of female superheroes. I've always felt conflict at enjoying comics when as a feminist, these sort of portrayals are the very thing that I should be condemning. Yet it is difficult to do; I have a history with comic books, dating back to my father, seeing as it is one of the very few interests that we both share. Over time, there has been some slight improvement in the portrayals of said female superheroes, but with the exception of Kitty Pryde of the X-Men, rarely are there any female superheroes who are not drawn to be completely unrealistic ideal body types. Even Jean Grey, in all of her infinite power and ability, is still drawn as a porno queen.

I find it interesting and troubling that the only females in Watchmen, Sally Jupiter and Laurie Juspeczyk, are very much defined by their roles in the lives of the men around them. Sally's entire storyline revolves around her "relationship" with the Comedian, whereas Laurie is a kept woman by the United States government, essentially kept at one of their compounds to keep Dr. Manhattan happy and satisfied, lest he go completely apeshit and annihilate the world, seeing as he is the only member of the Watchmen with super powers. Neither woman took their profession seriously; Sally is portrayed to be more interested in her status as a sex symbol, and Laurie is very clear about how much she resents her mother pushing her into the business, so to speak.

So what does this exactly mean? While it is true that with most comics, there will be sexism at hand, I still find the stories of the Silk Spectres to be ultimately intriguing enough to discuss. Yes, it's meant to be a story, merely here for entertainment value, but at the same time, there are so many cliches surrounding these two women that I find it difficult to make myself completely ignore them in the name of enjoying the comic. I see the problems and the flaws with both characters, I see the undeniably sexist ways that they both suffer, how neither of them is truly complete without male attention. Sally is completely defined by the relationship with the Comedian and her sex symbol status, whereas I think Laurie may have suffered the worst fate of all; seduced at the age of sixteen by Dr. Manhattan, basically forced by the government as well as fear over the possible destruction of the world should Dr. Manhattan become unstable to remain in a relationship that was unsatisfying for her emotionally.

Is it possible to enjoy such a medium that doesn't seem to respect their female characters that much? I'm not sure of what the answer is, frankly.

And don't even get me started on Laurie's costume in the film. You win, geeky fanboys. You win.