One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial bestseller since its original serialization in 1986-1987, Alan Moore and David Gibbons’ classic graphic novel Watchmen is attracting a lot of new attention, thanks to the feature film adaptation which opens on March 6. Recently profiled by Booklist and Graphic Novel Reporter, Watchmen has also made appearances in the classroom, where its complex narrative and sophisticated themes have made it a worthy challenge for older students.

Watchmen is a murder mystery, a political thriller and a deconstructionist superhero tale for adults, among other things. It examines a world where superheroes are real, and imagines the political and social consequences of this world. In an Earth slightly parallel to ours, masked heroes are forced either to retire or work for the government. Someone has been killing former heroes, prompting wanted vigilante Rorschach to track down the old team. Aging, arms races, corporate power struggles, human relationships and even the narrative structure of one’s own life are examined through the conventions of superhero comics. Click here to read the BookShelf review of the Watchmen graphic novel.

The Watchmen movie is directed by Zack Snyder and stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup and Carla Gugino. For more information on the movie, click here. Intrigued newcomers and faithful fans wishing to revisit the original comics will find several versions to choose from. Available in both softcover (ISBN: 0930289234) and hardcover editions (ISBN: 1401219268), Watchmen has also been collected in an oversized Absolute Edition (ISBN: 1401207138), with restored and recolored artwork and 48 pages of supplemental material for true aficionados.

Other Popular Titles by Alan Moore:

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

From Hell

Promethea

Tom Strong

V for Vendetta