I'm reading Watchmen, and there's the Black Freighter comic interspersed in there; I wanted to find a graphic novel of it, but I just found out on Wiki that it's a complete invention.
Bummer.

Man, I just love the Watchmen! It is definitely my favourite comicbook of all time.

Watchmen is damn good. I had someone borrow it from me a few years ago and I have yet to get it back, which indicates that maybe 1. it's too long or 2. it's so good, friends will steal from you to read it over and over.

Watchmen is damn good. I had someone borrow it from me a few years ago and I have yet to get it back, which indicates that maybe 1. it's too long or 2. it's so good, friends will steal from you to read it over and over.

My old DM borrowed mine from me. He will give it back but I missed it so I bought another! How sad am I?

Elcian

Watchmen is damn good. I had someone borrow it from me a few years ago and I have yet to get it back, which indicates that maybe 1. it's too long or 2. it's so good, friends will steal from you to read it over and over.

I had the misfortune of lending Dark Knight to a friend. sigh.

Heh. Everyone I know who's ever read Watchmen (including me) has said "WTF is the pirate bit meant to signify?" It's awesome, but wha...?

I'm reading From Hell right now and I'm actually enjoying it more than Watchmen, but I think it's just a personal preference because of the subjetc matter - I'm more interested in the occult than superheroes.

Heh. Everyone I know who's ever read Watchmen (including me) has said "WTF is the pirate bit meant to signify?" It's awesome, but wha...?

I take it to show that, in a world where superheroes are real, comic writers went a different route in creating stories.

It seemed a bit intrusive to give so much space to it beyond that one premise, but that's all I got out of it.

I took the Black Freighter pirate comic as a kind of commentary on the super hero/vigilante culture portrayed in the book. If these are people "cast adrift" in what they see as an endless ocean of human sin and evil, they can very quickly become monstrous by virtue of their own philosophy, as the character in the comic within the comic becomes. So the story within the story foreshadows the big story of the comic.

I took the Black Freighter pirate comic as a kind of commentary on the super hero/vigilante culture portrayed in the book. If these are people "cast adrift" in what they see as an endless ocean of human sin and evil, they can very quickly become monstrous by virtue of their own philosophy, as the character in the comic within the comic becomes. So the story within the story foreshadows the big story of the comic.

I think you nailed it on the head, James.

It was also a tool in terms of pacing. Watchmen was powerful not only because of its story, but in HOW the story unfolded and was presented; piece by piece from multiple angles. The build up to that critical climax is masterful.

They also made an allusion to Bill Burroughs' freeforming pre the BF's appearance in the book; I think there was a bit of that going on there too.

I took the Black Freighter pirate comic as a kind of commentary on the super hero/vigilante culture portrayed in the book. If these are people "cast adrift" in what they see as an endless ocean of human sin and evil, they can very quickly become monstrous by virtue of their own philosophy, as the character in the comic within the comic becomes. So the story within the story foreshadows the big story of the comic.

That sounds like the sort of thing Alan Moore would be trying to get across. I like Fletch's take too.

I finally read the Watchman this week. Wow! That was incredible!

Black Freighter seems to do several things in WM. Foreshadowing, character development, and a way for Alan Moore to screw with readers heads. I admit, I fell for one of his tricks.

I'm reading Watchmen, and there's the Black Freighter comic interspersed in there; I wanted to find a graphic novel of it, but I just found out on Wiki that it's a complete invention.

Bummer.

Take heart, Heathy. Apparently a DVD animated movie will be released while Watchmen is in theatres. Narrated by Gerard Butler.

Sweet.