Monday, December 17, 2012

Watchmen: Chapter XII - page 20


PAGE 20

Panel 1:  Veidt is commenting on how he “…saved Earth from Hell…” even as we look down on him from a high vantage point – an atypical layout from Gibbons.  This point of view achieves two things: 
-      First, it emphasizes Veidt’s comments of how Earth was going to Hell – typically viewed as residing below the Earth.
-      Secondly, it links Veidt to Hell, providing a visual commentary on the horrific means with which Veidt achieved his end, resigning Veidt, metaphorically, to Hell for the great deed he accomplished.

Panel 4:  This logic, as stated by Dr. Manhattan, is yet another point that Moore & Gibbons wished to make with Watchmen – i.e. things are not as clear-cut in the real world as one finds in typical superhero comics, and by injecting this narrative with such a nebulous moral conundrum, they also manage to inject Watchmen with more drama than one typically finds in a superhero comic.

Panels 4-7:  The slow pan of the “camera” into a close-up of Rorschach is very effective in conveying the weight of his remark in panel 7.

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