In 1978, Christopher Reeve made us believe a man could fly, but nowadays, you'll be hard-pressed to find a self-respecting adult who will admit they weren't always looking for the wires. Comic books and superheroes have nearly always been classified as the property of adolescent folly. So as theaters prepare for the Friday release of "Watchmen," an R-rated political and social commentary set against a backdrop of Cold War tension, which - oh yes - also happens to be about superheroes, studios are preparing to see whether or not "grown-ups" are finally ready to accept costumed do-gooders.
Superheroes have been on the rise in popularity ever since "X-Men" and "Spiderman" blasted audiences with a double punch in 2000 and 2002, and awakened them from the slumber the genre had been in after "Batman and Robin." But as Green Goblins and Wolverines were pasted onto lunchboxes, we once again are at the point where no one old enough to carry a briefcase would openly confess to enjoying Spidey's web-slinging antics. While any fan that knows his Earth-Three from his Post-Crisis Earth-Two would be quick to point out that "Watchmen" isn't a comic book, it's a graphic novel, to consumers at large, they're all just books with speech bubbles and crazy masks.
Even though "Watchmen" appeared on Time Magazine's list of the greatest novels of all time, the fact that it prominently features pictures of a giant blue man walking around sans underwear to hide his openly displayed genitals somewhat diminishes its merit to those who otherwise stay clear of the medium. So, I've made it my own personal task to seek out these superhero nay-sayers and lend them my own dog-eared and worn copy of the book. Many of those who went into the read with an open mind confessed to being dramatically surprised at the complexity of the "whodunnit" murder mystery of the text. It also comes as a shock to many that of the six central characters, only one, the aforementioned pantless atom bomb Dr. Manhattan, has any trace of supernatural ability. The others christen themselves as "costumed vigilantes" and seem to execute their hero duties out of misplaced obligation or personal glory rather than as a humble self-sacrifice.
The gates for the adult superhero film may have been cracked just as recently as this past summer, when the joyless "Dark Knight" turned the summer blockbuster into a more foreboding affair than the typical explosions and candy-colored special effects. However, despite its source material and caped protagonist, "Dark Knight" was not to all extents a superhero movie. Many critics recognized "Dark Knight" as a more appropriate entry into the crime-thriller canon, as opposed to that of the comic book. While these on-screen crusaders have always made their names on fighting crime, both Batman and the noir-like and merciless Rorschach of "Watchmen" aren't fighting the science fiction-esque plottings of insane supervillains, but rather the intricately planned undertakings of criminals who have a much more layered motivation than simply to rule the world.
"Watchmen" takes the bleak outlook on crime fighting as interpreted by Christopher Nolan in "Dark Knight" several steps further into adulthood. The "heroes" chronicled by original author Alan Moore are anything but. They are rapists, war-profiteers and fetishists, getting off both sexually and monetarily on their position as society's saviors. It's notable that the most popular character in the series, the ink-blotted Rorschach, doesn't flinch to execute fickle justice in the most savage ways possible. Batman may not have killed, but Rorschach sees no alternative. Good luck persuading parents to let their little tykes parade around as this character come Halloween. Whether or not the film version of "Watchmen" will be as genre defining as its graphic novel predecessor will only be known after long-term grosses are released. It may be the final thrust into maturity that the onscreen superhero has been waiting for.
You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
