The bachelor thesis "Visual Worldbuilding in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen" takes a close look at graphic novel's visual motifs, visual settings, real-world references. It examines how they enhance the story's characters, plot development, and major themes. It furthermore analyzes the graphic novel's high level of detail and meticulous world-building through text and visuals.
From the Avengers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe through The Boys on Amazon Prime Video to the DC League of Super-Pets – today, superheroes in any shape or form rule the entertainment industry. Throughout the past few years, movie programs and box offices around the world have been dominated by superhero movies, countless seasons of superhero TV series have been binged by millions every week, and innumerable superhero-related merchandise items have been sold to children and adults alike. Unfazed by a predominantly digitalized world, even the superhero comic book and graphic novel industry has been steadily growing and is projected to continue doing so ("Comic Book Sales").
Historically, there is one comic that is considered to have set the tone and pave the way for the genre's development and status of today: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen – a twelve-issue limited series published monthly by DC Comics between 1986 and 1987 and merged later into a single graphic novel in 1987. According to the BBC, the release of Watchmen was the "moment comic books grew up" and when the public's views on the art form "changed" (Barber). Watchmen's status as a revolutionary piece of literature is further perpetuated in TIME magazine's list of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923. There, Watchmen sticks out as the stand-alone graphic novel being listed among literary classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Animal Farm, and Lord of the Flies
(Grossman).
In any case, Watchmen's spot on the list is justified because the graphic novel is not a classic good-versus-evil, superhero-versus-villain comic story but rather a hybridity of genres that includes characteristics such as those of a murder mystery and detective story while incorporating elements of science fiction, dystopian fiction, and psychological realism. Moreover, writer Alan Moore created 'superhero' characters that are not impeccable, morally upright, and two-dimensional, but rather three-dimensional characters with flawed personalities and personal problems.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Visual Motifs
- Smiley Face
- Clock
- Rorschach Inkblot
- Visual Settings
- New York City
- Planet Mars and Antarctica
- Real-world References
- Newspapers
- Alexander the Great
Objectives and Key Themes
This work aims to analyze the visual worldbuilding in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen graphic novel, focusing on the motifs, settings, and real-world references used to enhance the plot and characters. It explores how these visual elements contribute to the novel's overall narrative and themes.
- The significance of visual motifs, such as smiley faces, clocks, and Rorschach inkblots, in shaping the story and characters
- The role of visual settings, including New York City, Mars, and Antarctica, in establishing atmosphere and foreshadowing plot elements
- The impact of real-world references, through montages and allusions, in enriching the narrative and thematic depth
- The concept of worldbuilding in comics and its contribution to character development and story immersion
- The unique combination of genres in Watchmen, including elements of a murder mystery, detective story, science fiction, dystopian fiction, and psychological realism
Chapter Summaries
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the context of superhero comics and establishes Watchmen's significance as a groundbreaking work that challenges traditional superhero tropes. It highlights the novel's unique hybridity of genres and its exploration of complex, morally ambiguous characters. The chapter also introduces the concept of worldbuilding and its importance in creating immersive fictional worlds.
- Visual Motifs: This chapter delves into the analysis of three recurring motifs – smiley faces, clocks, and Rorschach inkblots – that appear throughout the novel. It examines the symbolic meaning and narrative function of each motif, revealing their connections to the characters and plot.
- Visual Settings: This chapter focuses on the various settings that serve as backdrops for the narrative, specifically highlighting the detailed representation of New York City as the primary location, the significance of Mars in relation to Dr. Manhattan, and the symbolic relevance of Antarctica for Adrian Veidt. It explores how these settings contribute to the development of characters, themes, and plot elements.
- Real-world References: This chapter investigates the real-world references integrated into the graphic novel, specifically through the use of montages and allusive imagery. It examines the impact of these references on enriching the narrative, enhancing character portrayals, and deepening the exploration of major themes.
Keywords
The main keywords and focus topics of this work include visual motifs, visual settings, real-world references, worldbuilding, Watchmen, superhero comics, graphic novels, genre hybridity, complex characters, and narrative analysis.
- Citation du texte
- Dominik Seufer (Auteur), 2023, Visual Worldbuilding in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1423033
