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Rorschach #1-12
Rorschach
It’s been 35 years since Ozymandias was exposed for dropping a giant telepathic squid on New York City, killing thousands and ending the public’s trust in heroes once and for all. The Minutemen are gone; only their memory lives on. Especially the infamy of Rorschach, who has become a cultural icon since Dr. Manhattan turned him to dust.
So what does it mean when Rorschach reappears as part of a pair of assassins trying to kill the first candidate to oppose President Robert Redford in decades? Follow one determined detective as he walks backward in time, uncovering the identities and motives of the would-be killers, taking him deep into a dark conspiracy of alien invasions, disgraced do-gooders, mystical visions, and yes, comic books.
Rorschach may have spoken truth, but he wasn’t a hero.
So what does it mean when Rorschach reappears as part of a pair of assassins trying to kill the first candidate to oppose President Robert Redford in decades? Follow one determined detective as he walks backward in time, uncovering the identities and motives of the would-be killers, taking him deep into a dark conspiracy of alien invasions, disgraced do-gooders, mystical visions, and yes, comic books.
Rorschach may have spoken truth, but he wasn’t a hero.
264 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2021
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October 1, 2021
2020, and President Robert Redford is seeking re-election. But his four-term tenure looks to come to an end as Turley, the Republican nominee, is picking up steam. And then an assassination attempt is made on Turley’s life, almost twarting his campaign. The would-be assassin? An unrecognisable old man in a Rorschach mask with Walter Kovacs’ prints. But Kovacs (the original Rorschach) died nearly 35 years ago - didn’t he…?
I’m less of a Watchman fan and much more of a Tom King fan, and increasingly, a fan of artist Jorge Fornes too, thanks to their great work on Batman, which is what drew me to their limited series, Rorschach. But, unfortunately, King doesn’t bring the same level of magic to this book that he did to Batman - I can’t emphasise this enough: Rorschach is an extremely tedious read!
This is the first Watchmen title to follow Geoff Johns/Gary Frank’s Doomsday Clock, which introduced the Watchmen into the DC Universe, so I thought this book would have a connection to that book, but it doesn’t. The Rorschach(s) in this book is not the Rorschach from Doomsday Clock - in fact, this book has nothing to do with that book. Also, aside from a few references, this book doesn’t have a great deal to do with the original Watchmen comic either - Rorschach could easily be read as a standalone book.
King continues to subvert expectations by making Rorschach essentially a bit player in his own book. In fact, you could go further and say that, aside from some of the characters wearing his mask, it’s almost incidentally a Rorschach book - without that small detail of the costume, this could just be a True Detective-style comic. So definitely don’t expect superhero shenanigans if you pick this one up.
Which is fine with me - I’m all for being surprised, particularly when it comes to DC’s usually predictable output - but what we get instead is equally as dull as generic superhero antics. The Turley campaign hires a private investigator to look into who the assassins were and whether they’re connected to the Redford campaign - the PI is the character we follow as he unravels the stories of “Rorschach” and his accomplice, a 19 year old sharpshooter from Wyoming.
And, my word, is the investigation the dreariest thing to slog through! Wow. None of the guys’ lives who put on the Rorschach mask were all that compelling to read about, particularly the one we initially meet, nor is the life of deadshot Laura Cummings. The detective protagonist is such a cipher that I can’t even recall the man’s name! The supporting characters don’t stand out either. Turley is an asshole politician and the others are just staffers doing their jobs. It’s such an unimpressive cast.
There’s very little driving the story. We just have to wait it out as King slowly takes us through every little detail that leads the assassins to their bloody destiny. I don’t know who would be on the edge of their seat waiting to find out whether Rorschach and Laura were connected to the Redford campaign or not, but that’s the assumption King makes, and it’s the wrong one because I never cared once!
I’m gonna mention specifics in this next part so, if you’re planning on reading this and don’t want any - they’re not really “spoilers” but let’s call it that for sanity’s sake - spoilers, skip this. I’m not recommending this book - it’s terrible and will almost certainly put you to sleep long before the end.
OK - “SPOILERS”!
Wil Myerson, the main “Rorschach” of this book, is a thinly-veiled portrayal of Steve Ditko, the artist who most famously co-created Spider-Man for Marvel. Besides looking like him and having created a popular comics character (“Pontius Pirate” in this universe), he also creates comics reminiscent of Ditko’s Mr A, reimagined as The Citizen.
Quite why this Rorschach had to be an elderly New York cartoonist, I have no idea (maybe having a pirate-themed comic within a comic is a nod to Tales of the Black Freighter in the original Watchmen) - it’s particularly confusing when Rorschach is able to fight off a handful of cops by himself! What - does putting on the mask bestow an elderly cartoonist, who’s spent decades in his apartment hunched over a drawing board, with hand-to-hand combat skills?!
Myerson/Ditko isn’t even the only famous superhero cartoonist in this story. I’m not kidding - Frank “Sin City/300/The Goddamn Batman” Miller is here too! It’s maybe the weirdest plot detail in the book. There’s no real reason for Frank Miller to be here, but he is, and he’s also wearing a Rorschach mask. Although, this being an alternate world, he’s famous here for his seminal ‘80s comic, The Dark Fife Returns (other notable details about the setting of this story is that Vietnam is now an American state and technology seems to be far behind ours in the present day - a key plot point in their 2020 hinges on a tape recorder. I can’t even remember the last time I saw one of those!).
Stuff like Frank Miller’s inclusion are a big part of why I didn’t like this book: it’s way too long. There’s so many pointless digressions - too much time is spent on Myerson and Cummings, there’s an entire issue about a circus strongman that’s not important, another issue about the detective interviewing a trio of patsies, another issue about talking to the dead via tape recordings, paranoid fantasies involving Doctor Manhattan and squid aliens, and the godawful final 2-3 issues that is one long info dump highlighting just how utterly convoluted King’s plotting can get. It’s 12 issues that would’ve been overlong had it just been 6.
And all it turns out to be is an underwhelming story about two sad, lonely people who somehow found each other and decided to do something crazy. One of them wore a Rorschach mask for no reason and that’s what makes this book “Rorschach”. Also, politicians at the highest levels are crooked - colour me shocked.
Jorge Fornes’ art is by far the best part of this book and yet it’s also a long way from his most impressive work, given that he’s not really asked to draw anything particularly spectacular. King’s lo-fi script is mostly people in sparsely-decorated rooms talking and/or looking at papers. His wonderfully designed covers are the standout for me and I liked how the title pages morphed from blank paper to a Rorschach pattern over the course of the book.
The occasional splash pages are excellent too, especially that last one which is definitely a shocker - it’s a very unpredictable ending, if also kinda meaningless and nihilistic. The part where the circus strongman decided to be Rorschach and Frank Miller’s appearance both made me laugh, so I suppose they weren’t that bad, but otherwise the vast majority of King’s script put me into a near-comatose stupor.
Rorschach is the anti-page-turner. It requires a lot of patience and concentration to get through, because you’ll mostly be wanting to put it down and do something interesting instead, and doesn’t reward that effort either - all you get is a forgettable, boring story that’ll disappoint both fans of the character and the creators. A disappointing book all round.
Hurm.
I’m less of a Watchman fan and much more of a Tom King fan, and increasingly, a fan of artist Jorge Fornes too, thanks to their great work on Batman, which is what drew me to their limited series, Rorschach. But, unfortunately, King doesn’t bring the same level of magic to this book that he did to Batman - I can’t emphasise this enough: Rorschach is an extremely tedious read!
This is the first Watchmen title to follow Geoff Johns/Gary Frank’s Doomsday Clock, which introduced the Watchmen into the DC Universe, so I thought this book would have a connection to that book, but it doesn’t. The Rorschach(s) in this book is not the Rorschach from Doomsday Clock - in fact, this book has nothing to do with that book. Also, aside from a few references, this book doesn’t have a great deal to do with the original Watchmen comic either - Rorschach could easily be read as a standalone book.
King continues to subvert expectations by making Rorschach essentially a bit player in his own book. In fact, you could go further and say that, aside from some of the characters wearing his mask, it’s almost incidentally a Rorschach book - without that small detail of the costume, this could just be a True Detective-style comic. So definitely don’t expect superhero shenanigans if you pick this one up.
Which is fine with me - I’m all for being surprised, particularly when it comes to DC’s usually predictable output - but what we get instead is equally as dull as generic superhero antics. The Turley campaign hires a private investigator to look into who the assassins were and whether they’re connected to the Redford campaign - the PI is the character we follow as he unravels the stories of “Rorschach” and his accomplice, a 19 year old sharpshooter from Wyoming.
And, my word, is the investigation the dreariest thing to slog through! Wow. None of the guys’ lives who put on the Rorschach mask were all that compelling to read about, particularly the one we initially meet, nor is the life of deadshot Laura Cummings. The detective protagonist is such a cipher that I can’t even recall the man’s name! The supporting characters don’t stand out either. Turley is an asshole politician and the others are just staffers doing their jobs. It’s such an unimpressive cast.
There’s very little driving the story. We just have to wait it out as King slowly takes us through every little detail that leads the assassins to their bloody destiny. I don’t know who would be on the edge of their seat waiting to find out whether Rorschach and Laura were connected to the Redford campaign or not, but that’s the assumption King makes, and it’s the wrong one because I never cared once!
I’m gonna mention specifics in this next part so, if you’re planning on reading this and don’t want any - they’re not really “spoilers” but let’s call it that for sanity’s sake - spoilers, skip this. I’m not recommending this book - it’s terrible and will almost certainly put you to sleep long before the end.
OK - “SPOILERS”!
Wil Myerson, the main “Rorschach” of this book, is a thinly-veiled portrayal of Steve Ditko, the artist who most famously co-created Spider-Man for Marvel. Besides looking like him and having created a popular comics character (“Pontius Pirate” in this universe), he also creates comics reminiscent of Ditko’s Mr A, reimagined as The Citizen.
Quite why this Rorschach had to be an elderly New York cartoonist, I have no idea (maybe having a pirate-themed comic within a comic is a nod to Tales of the Black Freighter in the original Watchmen) - it’s particularly confusing when Rorschach is able to fight off a handful of cops by himself! What - does putting on the mask bestow an elderly cartoonist, who’s spent decades in his apartment hunched over a drawing board, with hand-to-hand combat skills?!
Myerson/Ditko isn’t even the only famous superhero cartoonist in this story. I’m not kidding - Frank “Sin City/300/The Goddamn Batman” Miller is here too! It’s maybe the weirdest plot detail in the book. There’s no real reason for Frank Miller to be here, but he is, and he’s also wearing a Rorschach mask. Although, this being an alternate world, he’s famous here for his seminal ‘80s comic, The Dark Fife Returns (other notable details about the setting of this story is that Vietnam is now an American state and technology seems to be far behind ours in the present day - a key plot point in their 2020 hinges on a tape recorder. I can’t even remember the last time I saw one of those!).
Stuff like Frank Miller’s inclusion are a big part of why I didn’t like this book: it’s way too long. There’s so many pointless digressions - too much time is spent on Myerson and Cummings, there’s an entire issue about a circus strongman that’s not important, another issue about the detective interviewing a trio of patsies, another issue about talking to the dead via tape recordings, paranoid fantasies involving Doctor Manhattan and squid aliens, and the godawful final 2-3 issues that is one long info dump highlighting just how utterly convoluted King’s plotting can get. It’s 12 issues that would’ve been overlong had it just been 6.
And all it turns out to be is an underwhelming story about two sad, lonely people who somehow found each other and decided to do something crazy. One of them wore a Rorschach mask for no reason and that’s what makes this book “Rorschach”. Also, politicians at the highest levels are crooked - colour me shocked.
Jorge Fornes’ art is by far the best part of this book and yet it’s also a long way from his most impressive work, given that he’s not really asked to draw anything particularly spectacular. King’s lo-fi script is mostly people in sparsely-decorated rooms talking and/or looking at papers. His wonderfully designed covers are the standout for me and I liked how the title pages morphed from blank paper to a Rorschach pattern over the course of the book.
The occasional splash pages are excellent too, especially that last one which is definitely a shocker - it’s a very unpredictable ending, if also kinda meaningless and nihilistic. The part where the circus strongman decided to be Rorschach and Frank Miller’s appearance both made me laugh, so I suppose they weren’t that bad, but otherwise the vast majority of King’s script put me into a near-comatose stupor.
Rorschach is the anti-page-turner. It requires a lot of patience and concentration to get through, because you’ll mostly be wanting to put it down and do something interesting instead, and doesn’t reward that effort either - all you get is a forgettable, boring story that’ll disappoint both fans of the character and the creators. A disappointing book all round.
Hurm.
December 16, 2021
I’m like some other reviewers in that I will likely try any book Tom King writes.
His run on Batman was phenomenal and I’ve liked several other projects.
In 2020 he began this series on the Watchmen character Rorschach. Alan Moore’s Watchmen series has since become a part of the DC universe and King introduces us to a series of events that transpires years after the Watchmen story.
President Robert Redford (Hail Hydra!) has been the US president for decades and the US state of Vietnam (delicious, right?) is a big part of his success. When there is an assassination attempt on his most viable political opponent, our protagonist is on the trail investigating to see what he can come up with.
While this can be slow and plodding and more than a single instance of WHATINTHEHELLISGOINGON??? occurs where the reader must go back a few pages to try and figure it all out, King ties this together very nicely with some TASTY! twists and cameos along the way.
It helps if you know the Watchmen story but bot required, just start turning pages and my man King will take you the rest of the way.
His run on Batman was phenomenal and I’ve liked several other projects.
In 2020 he began this series on the Watchmen character Rorschach. Alan Moore’s Watchmen series has since become a part of the DC universe and King introduces us to a series of events that transpires years after the Watchmen story.
President Robert Redford (Hail Hydra!) has been the US president for decades and the US state of Vietnam (delicious, right?) is a big part of his success. When there is an assassination attempt on his most viable political opponent, our protagonist is on the trail investigating to see what he can come up with.
While this can be slow and plodding and more than a single instance of WHATINTHEHELLISGOINGON??? occurs where the reader must go back a few pages to try and figure it all out, King ties this together very nicely with some TASTY! twists and cameos along the way.
It helps if you know the Watchmen story but bot required, just start turning pages and my man King will take you the rest of the way.
January 16, 2022
An unnamed investigator is hired to look into an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate that involved a shooter wearing a Rorschach mask. He spends twelve long, boring issues trying to determine if it was the act of mentally ill individuals or part of a bigger conspiracy. And he finds himself gazing into the abyss, which, you know, don't.
The original Watchmen characters appear in cameos, and the art pays homage in various places, but the story and new characters don't seem particularly necessary to the Watchmen mythos -- or any mythos at all really. There seem to be some allusions to the Watchmen TV show, but I have not seen that, so I don't know if that would make any of this meaningful. Easter eggs for hardcore comic fans include a pastiche treatment of Steve Ditko and his most famous creations and a weird supporting role for Frank Miller and his "The Dark Knight Returns."
Big, dull disappointing waste of time for me.
The original Watchmen characters appear in cameos, and the art pays homage in various places, but the story and new characters don't seem particularly necessary to the Watchmen mythos -- or any mythos at all really. There seem to be some allusions to the Watchmen TV show, but I have not seen that, so I don't know if that would make any of this meaningful. Easter eggs for hardcore comic fans include a pastiche treatment of Steve Ditko and his most famous creations and a weird supporting role for Frank Miller and his "The Dark Knight Returns."
Big, dull disappointing waste of time for me.
March 5, 2023
8'5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tom King guionizando una historia con el personaje Rorschach de Watchmen y dibujo de Jorge Fornés... ¡yo no necesito más! Eso sí, para mí, aconsejable haber leído Watchmen para disfrutar al 100% este cómic.
Un detective investigará el fallido intento de asesinato al candidato a la presidencia de EEUU. Un dibujante de cómics de 80 años vestido de Rorschach y una joven con un antifaz y una excelente puntería son abatidos a punto de cumplir su objetivo. En la investigación del detective se mostrará el pasado del anciano y la joven. Como se conocieron y sus motivaciones. Un retorcido plan que parece no terminar con la muerte de ambos.
Un excelente guión como todo lo que sale de la cabeza de King. No me ha parecido una continuación de Watchmen, sino una historia después de los acontecimientos de Watchmen. Rescatando la personalidad de Rorschach de una manera muy acertada y respetando la esencia de la obra original de Alan Moore.
Esta edición integral contiene introducción de Jorge Fornés más entrevista y portadas a modo de extras.
Tom King guionizando una historia con el personaje Rorschach de Watchmen y dibujo de Jorge Fornés... ¡yo no necesito más! Eso sí, para mí, aconsejable haber leído Watchmen para disfrutar al 100% este cómic.
Un detective investigará el fallido intento de asesinato al candidato a la presidencia de EEUU. Un dibujante de cómics de 80 años vestido de Rorschach y una joven con un antifaz y una excelente puntería son abatidos a punto de cumplir su objetivo. En la investigación del detective se mostrará el pasado del anciano y la joven. Como se conocieron y sus motivaciones. Un retorcido plan que parece no terminar con la muerte de ambos.
Un excelente guión como todo lo que sale de la cabeza de King. No me ha parecido una continuación de Watchmen, sino una historia después de los acontecimientos de Watchmen. Rescatando la personalidad de Rorschach de una manera muy acertada y respetando la esencia de la obra original de Alan Moore.
Esta edición integral contiene introducción de Jorge Fornés más entrevista y portadas a modo de extras.
September 22, 2021
Not sure I understood everything that was going on here reading the series monthly, and not sure I want to come back and re-read it since it's really quite dark, but there were so many powerful moments in this book that I really can't not admire what Tom King was doing here. As an extension of the Watchmen universe, I'd still say Damon Lindelof's HBO show was better and more powerful, but this comic was still a damn good effort.
July 28, 2022
Timely, appropriately dark, and just a little creepy—a well-executed slice of superhero underbelly noir.
June 13, 2023
This graphic novel examines the dangerous power of ideas in an insane a paranoid world. In particular, it explores the idea of a hero identity as an idea rather than as a man. Rorschach in this series is not the Rorschach that appears in the Watchmen, but rather those that are inspired by his violent view of dealing with perceived injustice. I found the parallels to some of the more violent elements of modern society and how they might perceive themselves to be heroes to be chilling.
February 1, 2022
Someone dressed as Rorschach has attempted to kill the one presidential candidate who has a chance of beating Robert Redford. They failed, but an investigation into their motivations reveals a far darker conspiracy at play.
I tried reading this as single issues and kept getting very lost and confused, but as a collection this reads far better. I hesitate to say that it drags, because despite being 12 issues long it does feel like there's enough story to go around, but it does feel like the conspiracy might have a few too many red herrings and misdirects to keep it going - 10 issues might have been a better length.
That said, King weaves a gripping yarn, with a flip the script type of ending that makes total sense in hindsight, but does leave a few too many questions unanswered. While the bigger questions are mostly wrapped up in a bow, there are some niggling plot points at the end that perhaps aren't as well explained, and given how much detail the book goes into for some points, it's odd that it doesn't for others.
Jorge Fornes' artwork is a phenomenon unto itself. He doesn't get to go quite as mad with the panel layouts as he has in his other collaborations with Tom King like on his Batman run, but it's always absolutely rock solid, and it's amazing how he can make something so mundane seem so outlandish at the same time.
I hesitate to call Rorschach a thriller, since it's lacking in the adrenaline department, but it's a mystery that I enjoyed getting to the bottom of. Like a Rorschach test, everyone's going to get something a little different from this, but despite a few unanswered questions at the end, I'd definitely call it a worthy entry to the expanded Watchmen universe. For a series that was deemed untouchable for so long, having both this and the Watchmen TV show perform so well just goes to show that sometimes it's worth touching the untouchable.
It does make me wonder how those Before Watchmen mini-series turned out though. Hmm.
I tried reading this as single issues and kept getting very lost and confused, but as a collection this reads far better. I hesitate to say that it drags, because despite being 12 issues long it does feel like there's enough story to go around, but it does feel like the conspiracy might have a few too many red herrings and misdirects to keep it going - 10 issues might have been a better length.
That said, King weaves a gripping yarn, with a flip the script type of ending that makes total sense in hindsight, but does leave a few too many questions unanswered. While the bigger questions are mostly wrapped up in a bow, there are some niggling plot points at the end that perhaps aren't as well explained, and given how much detail the book goes into for some points, it's odd that it doesn't for others.
Jorge Fornes' artwork is a phenomenon unto itself. He doesn't get to go quite as mad with the panel layouts as he has in his other collaborations with Tom King like on his Batman run, but it's always absolutely rock solid, and it's amazing how he can make something so mundane seem so outlandish at the same time.
I hesitate to call Rorschach a thriller, since it's lacking in the adrenaline department, but it's a mystery that I enjoyed getting to the bottom of. Like a Rorschach test, everyone's going to get something a little different from this, but despite a few unanswered questions at the end, I'd definitely call it a worthy entry to the expanded Watchmen universe. For a series that was deemed untouchable for so long, having both this and the Watchmen TV show perform so well just goes to show that sometimes it's worth touching the untouchable.
It does make me wonder how those Before Watchmen mini-series turned out though. Hmm.
January 23, 2022
Hmmmm this was definitely a different take on the character than I was expecting but it wasn’t bad. I honestly don’t care as much about Rorschach as I do the Question, but since DC does fuck all with him I take what I can get, and I wish this had actually been about Rorschach and not a conspiracy theory mystery set in Post-Squid Watchmen-verse lol
The actual story was fine, the beginning was kinda boring honestly and I’m not sure they stuck the ending. But from probably issue 6-11 I was pretty invested. Tbh besides the setting in the Watchmen universe this really has no tie to the Watchmen storyline. It’s giving me very much the same energy of the Joker movie… Watchmen in name only, using a popular IP to sell a new story. Actually I guess even better would be the Watchmen HBO show. And the story wasn’t bad, just… I don’t think it will last in the cultural zeitgeist. Very mediocre. This is a flash in the pan story that ultimately will not be remembered I think, which I guess maybe that’s why they used Watchmen to sell it 🤷🏻♀️
Edit to add: I do like the art. And I also wanted to mention that Frank Miller that old racist fuck makes a nonsensical appearance in this book which I mean… sure why not, throw in the kitchen sink too why don’t we 🙄
The actual story was fine, the beginning was kinda boring honestly and I’m not sure they stuck the ending. But from probably issue 6-11 I was pretty invested. Tbh besides the setting in the Watchmen universe this really has no tie to the Watchmen storyline. It’s giving me very much the same energy of the Joker movie… Watchmen in name only, using a popular IP to sell a new story. Actually I guess even better would be the Watchmen HBO show. And the story wasn’t bad, just… I don’t think it will last in the cultural zeitgeist. Very mediocre. This is a flash in the pan story that ultimately will not be remembered I think, which I guess maybe that’s why they used Watchmen to sell it 🤷🏻♀️
Edit to add: I do like the art. And I also wanted to mention that Frank Miller that old racist fuck makes a nonsensical appearance in this book which I mean… sure why not, throw in the kitchen sink too why don’t we 🙄
January 24, 2022
A dark and twisted story.
As to be expected with a character such as Rorschach. This time two killers try to assassinate a political figure and it goes wrong, and they are killed. Then we backtrack with a detective to find out what happened and why they tried to do what they did.
It's a dark tale, a lot of anger from King, a lot of political intrigue, and a twisted story. The ending is somber and fucked up as expected. But like Strange Adventures I do wish this was about 2 issues shorter. Feels a bit padded IMO.
But overall, another solid dark tale from King. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
As to be expected with a character such as Rorschach. This time two killers try to assassinate a political figure and it goes wrong, and they are killed. Then we backtrack with a detective to find out what happened and why they tried to do what they did.
It's a dark tale, a lot of anger from King, a lot of political intrigue, and a twisted story. The ending is somber and fucked up as expected. But like Strange Adventures I do wish this was about 2 issues shorter. Feels a bit padded IMO.
But overall, another solid dark tale from King. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
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November 3, 2023Якщо довго читати фанфіки з любові, рано чи пізно випаде читати їх і по роботі також))) Ще не хвалилася, що переклала "Роршаха" Тома Кінга - зізнання в любові "Вартовим" Алана Мура і водночас прояв глибокого бажання вивести оригінал на парковку і там пиздитися з ним на ножах, як то часто буває.
Від фіналу "Вартових" минуло 35 років. Звісно, після того, як на Нью-Йорк дропнули сконструйованого зовнішнього ворога і вибили тисячі людей, лишилися певні шрами: Нью-Йорк - це досі тихе похмуре місто, яке спить непробудним сном, і таке інше. Але взагалі-то відтоді все стало дуже класно: у "Вартових" сп'яніння від перемоги у В'єтнамі ризикувало посилити фашистські настрої у США, а після трагічної зустрічі з гігантськими кальмарами з космосу країна демократизується, наступних національних травм вдається уникнути (скажімо, Бен Ладена відловлюють до того, як він організовує 9/11, автоматичну зброю відбирають в населення - отже, масових розстрілів має бути менше, і так далі), усе тихо-мирно, протестує тільки білий треш та інші конспірологи з низів соціальної піраміди, списані з шанувальників ідей maga. Аж раптом з'являється чоловік у масці Роршаха й намагається вбити опозиційного кандидата в президенти (який іде в політику під гаслами "Америка для американців", "Гряде консервативна революція" і таке інше). Виявляється, під маскою ховається старенький автор дуже успішних коміксів про піратів. І відбитки пальців у нього збігаються з Роршаховими. Що за фігня відбувається? - береться з'ясовувати один детектив.
"Роршах" - це багато в чому триб'ют "Вартовим": структура сторінок, структура самого коміксу дарують радість упізнавання. Водночас з центральною ідеєю намагаються полемізувати. Як пам'ятаємо, "Вартові" - це зокрема (а може, й передовсім) супергеройський комікс про супергеройські комікси: що ми читаємо, коли читаємо супергеройські комікси? чи не здається нам, що ідея надлюдини, яка бере справедливість і хід історії у свої руки, come what may, фашистська за самою своєю природою? в які періоди публіка відчуває голод на такі фашистські по суті історії?
"Роршах" каже "воно-то, може, й так, але": воно-то, може, й так, але так само швидко держава сповзе в тоталітаризм, якщо не буде здорового індивідуалізму на рівні усвідомлення своїх громадянських прав і обов'язків, без культури участі й діалогу - і якщо супергерої десь моделюють таку проактивну поведінку, то це ж добре, правда? Воно-то, може, й так, але якщо ти береш історію, яка надихає й дарує віру, навіть якщо тобі самому цей сюжет здається примітивним і дитинним - наприклад, історії про супергероїв - і перетворюєш на історію про страх і безнадію людського життя в байдужому безкрайому космосі, то що ти з цього отримуєш? Ну, додав зневіри у світ, де її й так ніколи не бракувало, бо це вважається поважнішою літературною темою. Візьми пиріжок з полички, чи що. А не думав, що надихнути на шото добре - це, можливо, ліпшіше?
"Роршах", звісно, значно простіший за "Вартових", з сюжетом подекуди сильно перемудрували, а висновки щодо жанру настільки self-congratulatory, шо аж невдобно (рівня "супергерої не зникли, вони лишили свою спадщину нам. тепер супергерої - це ми"), але цілком симпатично й незайве в наші часи, коли навколо гірка криниченька.
Від фіналу "Вартових" минуло 35 років. Звісно, після того, як на Нью-Йорк дропнули сконструйованого зовнішнього ворога і вибили тисячі людей, лишилися певні шрами: Нью-Йорк - це досі тихе похмуре місто, яке спить непробудним сном, і таке інше. Але взагалі-то відтоді все стало дуже класно: у "Вартових" сп'яніння від перемоги у В'єтнамі ризикувало посилити фашистські настрої у США, а після трагічної зустрічі з гігантськими кальмарами з космосу країна демократизується, наступних національних травм вдається уникнути (скажімо, Бен Ладена відловлюють до того, як він організовує 9/11, автоматичну зброю відбирають в населення - отже, масових розстрілів має бути менше, і так далі), усе тихо-мирно, протестує тільки білий треш та інші конспірологи з низів соціальної піраміди, списані з шанувальників ідей maga. Аж раптом з'являється чоловік у масці Роршаха й намагається вбити опозиційного кандидата в президенти (який іде в політику під гаслами "Америка для американців", "Гряде консервативна революція" і таке інше). Виявляється, під маскою ховається старенький автор дуже успішних коміксів про піратів. І відбитки пальців у нього збігаються з Роршаховими. Що за фігня відбувається? - береться з'ясовувати один детектив.
"Роршах" - це багато в чому триб'ют "Вартовим": структура сторінок, структура самого коміксу дарують радість упізнавання. Водночас з центральною ідеєю намагаються полемізувати. Як пам'ятаємо, "Вартові" - це зокрема (а може, й передовсім) супергеройський комікс про супергеройські комікси: що ми читаємо, коли читаємо супергеройські комікси? чи не здається нам, що ідея надлюдини, яка бере справедливість і хід історії у свої руки, come what may, фашистська за самою своєю природою? в які періоди публіка відчуває голод на такі фашистські по суті історії?
"Роршах" каже "воно-то, може, й так, але": воно-то, може, й так, але так само швидко держава сповзе в тоталітаризм, якщо не буде здорового індивідуалізму на рівні усвідомлення своїх громадянських прав і обов'язків, без культури участі й діалогу - і якщо супергерої десь моделюють таку проактивну поведінку, то це ж добре, правда? Воно-то, може, й так, але якщо ти береш історію, яка надихає й дарує віру, навіть якщо тобі самому цей сюжет здається примітивним і дитинним - наприклад, історії про супергероїв - і перетворюєш на історію про страх і безнадію людського життя в байдужому безкрайому космосі, то що ти з цього отримуєш? Ну, додав зневіри у світ, де її й так ніколи не бракувало, бо це вважається поважнішою літературною темою. Візьми пиріжок з полички, чи що. А не думав, що надихнути на шото добре - це, можливо, ліпшіше?
"Роршах", звісно, значно простіший за "Вартових", з сюжетом подекуди сильно перемудрували, а висновки щодо жанру настільки self-congratulatory, шо аж невдобно (рівня "супергерої не зникли, вони лишили свою спадщину нам. тепер супергерої - це ми"), але цілком симпатично й незайве в наші часи, коли навколо гірка криниченька.
September 2, 2023
If a franchise should be allowed to rest and not milked for all eternity, then Watchmen is pretty high up on my list on that front. It's remarkable how much a single small comic can spawn - and almost as remarkable how little good all those sequels have done, how much we've needed any of them. This one doesn't suck, but it's not that great either. Two and a half.
October 9, 2022
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
To try to establish a structure within chaos is a futile project yet, in reality, it is completely plausible, with the only condition that knowledge is suppressed and possessed only by those who seek power. If mankind were to uncover the truth hidden between the lines, the status quo could be disrupted, as knowledge would inevitably bring enlightenment to the masses. However, such chaos, or just the fear of such chaos, while at the heart of countless societal problems, could never really serve humanity without first inviting them on an adventure founded on existential crises. Sometimes, it only takes one person to make the difficult decisions and focus on one major truth: that there’s nothing more powerful than the truth. Collecting all twelve issues of this limited miniseries, writer Tom King and artist Jorge Fornés join forces once more to deliver a fantastic and riveting tale about truth, control, and evil within the Watchmen universe.
What is Rorschach? Set 35 years since Ozymandias orchestrated the destruction of New York City through a giant interdimensional squid, killing thousands and traumatizing even more. Since then, the mysterious Rorschach persona has paved the way to the birth of a divisive cultural icon, through his fedora, mask, and trench coat, among citizens whose trust in heroes, has been shattered for years. However, the reappearance of Rorschach in a failed assassination attempt on a presidential candidate running against President Robert Redford leads one detective on a twisted and confusing path leading him straight into a web of conspiracies. As he digs deeper into the story behind a 19-year-old girl with extraordinary sharpshooting skills and an enigmatic Rorschach figure, he questions their motives, their raison d’être, and the truth they have uncovered about the world, humanity, and existence.
Writer Tom King juggles political intrigue, noir mystery, and societal terror (and even a bit of metaphysical reverence for comic books) through this stand-alone graphic novel. Although it doesn’t pertain to the original individual behind the mask, Walter Joseph Kovacs, nor directly references the original story much, it explores the character’s more ideological foundations and the very emotional frustrations encapsulated within the mask itself. Although its lengthy format, a bit more verbose than the usual from writer Tom King as well, does warrant some issues regarding its pacing, the depth of his psychological scrutiny of the various characters within this detective story is engrossing in more ways than one. The original structure, not only emphasized by a dual narrative of past-presence timelines but also riveting story-telling sequences where fictional/deceased characters discuss with the protagonist, captures a unique and mind-bending narrative, keeping you engaged till the end. The predictable ending also cleverly accentuates the story’s ideas and serves as a great reminder of writer Tom King’s talent when given creative freedom.
Artist Jorge Fornès also matches writer Tom King’s energy through his fantastic artwork, remaining authentic in his own individual artistic vision while paying homage to Dave Gibbons’ style in Watchmen. He also captures facial details and expressions with brio and leaves a lot of the more dynamic sequences to the reader’s imagination through a refreshing organization of his panels (e.g. the same setting shown from one panel to the other with subtle differences in who’s in it and what they’re doing are shown). In fact, creative liberties are also taken and beautifully executed with panel structuring, making for an intriguing organization of how several narrative sequences evolve (e.g. use of epistolary format). Meanwhile, colourist Dave Stewart does a phenomenal job at creating a depressive tone for this noir tale while past events tend to be in a muted colour palette (purple, brown, and green). Letterer Clayton Cowles also has his hands full with how dialogue and narration are organized, especially with the quintessential utilization of sounds within this story.
Rorschach is a tedious yet enthralling detective noir case delving into the inevitability of the status quo and the contorted roots of good and evil.
January 5, 2022
In recent years, we have a number of media that has taken cues from the 1980s comic Watchmen, whether it is the HBO miniseries of the same name to DC Comics’ Doomsday Clock, both of which have their own direction by following the events by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ story. Considering throughout his work that Tom King was influenced by Alan Moore’s writing, it felt like a matter of time that King would dabble into the alternate world of Watchmen, hence we now have the limited series that spotlights one of the iconic figures from the 80s comic... sort of.
Thirty-five years have passed since Ozymandias was exposed for dropping a giant telepathic squid on New York City, killing thousands and ending the public’s trust in heroes once and for all. And since that time, one figure in a fedora, mask, and trench coat has become a divisive cultural icon, Walter Kovacs AKA Rorschach, who died at the hands of Doctor Manhattan, trying to out the truth of Ozymandias’ crimes. In the present day, when Rorschach reappears as part of a pair of assassins trying to kill the first candidate to oppose President Robert Redford, an unnamed homicide detective investigates the crimes of this pair and find out who this new Rorschach was.
When you read Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, it feels like a conflict of interest, in that it works as a Watchmen sequel from using similar comic book techniques and building of the ideas from the original story. However, because it features an ensemble of well-established DC characters, it tries to be a Crisis-level event, which is where it falters. In the case of Rorschach, which may evoke certain elements of the original comic (and even references the HBO show), King and artist Jorge Fornés are doing their own thing with its own methods of comic book storytelling.
At its core, Rorschach is a political thriller that is built upon the ideas of Watchmen, such as Robert Redford’s current presidency and people driven by the false belief of Ozymandias’ plan was actually an alien invasion. Given the sci-fi concepts that this world has established, this story is written and drawn like a grounded detective story, with the protagonist that is our unnamed detective investigating and interviewing leads, leading to flashbacks revealing who the new Rorschach and his partner-in-crime were.
The partner-in-crime is Laura Cummings – also known as The Kid, donning a cowboy outfit with a domino mask – and her backstory is both compelling and tragic, showing how her upbringing by her right-wing father who believed in the alien conspiracy really altered her and yet finding comfort through her relationship with Rorschach. Whenever it was the issues that solely focused these two flawed figures is where King finds the strong characterisation.
I’ve said this before, but through his work on Batman and Daredevil, Jorge Fornés is the new David Mazzuchelli by modernising the latter’s noirish sensibilities. You can certainly see an element of Mazzuchelli here, but King allows Fornés to really experiment, from not only the wide range of panel layouts, but playing with space and time through the meshing of the numerous time frames; even Dave Stewart’s colouring not only adds to the gloomy atmosphere, but uses the colouring to distinguish those time frames. It’s fair to say that as great as his art is, Fornés is not doing anything spectacular here, with much of the storytelling is done with a lot of dialogue, which leads to the major problems of the comic.
Throughout the whole twelve issues, the characters are always talking and you just wish some action can kick in and though guns were fired and blood was shed, the lack of suspense hurts the book. What also hurts Rorschach is its role as a metatext, in how it explores real-like comic book creators, albeit in an alternate world where the idea of popular comics is about pirates than superheroes. Without going into spoilers, this leads to baffling decisions that ends up muddling what King is trying to say about the Rorschach mantle, including a resolution that comes out of nowhere.
There are flashes of brilliance through its craftsmanship, but the overall execution can be hollow and frustrating. There is enough interest to read what King and Fornés do with continuing the legacy of Watchmen, but Rorschach could’ve been more exciting with its premise.
Thirty-five years have passed since Ozymandias was exposed for dropping a giant telepathic squid on New York City, killing thousands and ending the public’s trust in heroes once and for all. And since that time, one figure in a fedora, mask, and trench coat has become a divisive cultural icon, Walter Kovacs AKA Rorschach, who died at the hands of Doctor Manhattan, trying to out the truth of Ozymandias’ crimes. In the present day, when Rorschach reappears as part of a pair of assassins trying to kill the first candidate to oppose President Robert Redford, an unnamed homicide detective investigates the crimes of this pair and find out who this new Rorschach was.
When you read Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, it feels like a conflict of interest, in that it works as a Watchmen sequel from using similar comic book techniques and building of the ideas from the original story. However, because it features an ensemble of well-established DC characters, it tries to be a Crisis-level event, which is where it falters. In the case of Rorschach, which may evoke certain elements of the original comic (and even references the HBO show), King and artist Jorge Fornés are doing their own thing with its own methods of comic book storytelling.
At its core, Rorschach is a political thriller that is built upon the ideas of Watchmen, such as Robert Redford’s current presidency and people driven by the false belief of Ozymandias’ plan was actually an alien invasion. Given the sci-fi concepts that this world has established, this story is written and drawn like a grounded detective story, with the protagonist that is our unnamed detective investigating and interviewing leads, leading to flashbacks revealing who the new Rorschach and his partner-in-crime were.
The partner-in-crime is Laura Cummings – also known as The Kid, donning a cowboy outfit with a domino mask – and her backstory is both compelling and tragic, showing how her upbringing by her right-wing father who believed in the alien conspiracy really altered her and yet finding comfort through her relationship with Rorschach. Whenever it was the issues that solely focused these two flawed figures is where King finds the strong characterisation.
I’ve said this before, but through his work on Batman and Daredevil, Jorge Fornés is the new David Mazzuchelli by modernising the latter’s noirish sensibilities. You can certainly see an element of Mazzuchelli here, but King allows Fornés to really experiment, from not only the wide range of panel layouts, but playing with space and time through the meshing of the numerous time frames; even Dave Stewart’s colouring not only adds to the gloomy atmosphere, but uses the colouring to distinguish those time frames. It’s fair to say that as great as his art is, Fornés is not doing anything spectacular here, with much of the storytelling is done with a lot of dialogue, which leads to the major problems of the comic.
Throughout the whole twelve issues, the characters are always talking and you just wish some action can kick in and though guns were fired and blood was shed, the lack of suspense hurts the book. What also hurts Rorschach is its role as a metatext, in how it explores real-like comic book creators, albeit in an alternate world where the idea of popular comics is about pirates than superheroes. Without going into spoilers, this leads to baffling decisions that ends up muddling what King is trying to say about the Rorschach mantle, including a resolution that comes out of nowhere.
There are flashes of brilliance through its craftsmanship, but the overall execution can be hollow and frustrating. There is enough interest to read what King and Fornés do with continuing the legacy of Watchmen, but Rorschach could’ve been more exciting with its premise.
January 2, 2022
Talk about a full-course meal. I wasn't thrilled at the concept of a Rorschach series, but the creative team and framing of the story won me over. It makes the wise choice to not be about Rorschach the character, but Rorschach the ideal. This isn't a glorification of the titular character, but a sharp-toothed dissection of the mentality the character embodied in its original iteration and currently embodies in our modern landscape. The comic may not reach the highs of the HBO series, but it works in tandem with it and takes the themes it reckoned with in its own direction. The comic doesn't always work, but I admire its aspirations and ambition, even when they get off track.
There's a lot of stuff here that I love and some of it that I don't, but I respect its aspirations, even if they get a little dizzy by the end. There's quite a bit of anger in these pages, from the characters it follows and Tom King himself. His writing has a nastier streak that surprised me but gave the story some obvious but compelling parallels to the landscape of the real world. Anger at political stagnation, at inherited traumas, at powerlessness, at powerfulness, at repeated histories, at the self: King is grappling with a lot, and it shows.
The story's midpoint lags a bit, and the inclusion of real figures (like Frank Miller) doesn't feel right to me. I appreciate the metatextual intent King is shooting for, but I don't think he pulls it off. His mystery would've been more potent if it hadn't tried to loop in so many other sources and figures, real and fictional. Having 12 issues gives King plenty of time to explore his characters' motivations and backstories—and it's those aspects that work best—but it also gives him too much leash, and he definitely gets caught up in it. The actual story and mystery would've worked better as a tighter 8-issue series; of that, I'm confident.
Yet...for every moment that rubbed me the wrong way or left me scratching my head, there was another moment that utterly floored me. Even if it doesn't translate to the overarching story, the pacing of each chapter is sublime, as King uses sparing, striking dialogue with verbose monologues to great effect. We get inside these characters' heads, peeling back layers upon layers of buried bitterness, regret, fear, and sadness until we get to the messy, bloody, raw core of it. Even if it ultimately concludes on a predictable note, the journey there was worth it. There are moments of the series that are going to fester in my brain.
Jorge Fornés and Dave Stewart steal the show, though. As striking as King's writing can be, it's the artwork that leaves the biggest impression. Fornés operates at an absurd level here, imbuing every page with storytelling, tension, and remarkable expression. His work is only strengthened by Stewart's colors, which fiercely reiterate the message behind every one of Forné's meticulously curated panels. Rorschach is a marvel to look at and exemplifies a marriage of story, script, and visuals that feels too-good-to-be-true. This is a series that locks you in its pages and occupies you.
I don't know if 4-stars is the correct score for this, but it feels right. It didn't resonate as deeply as I wanted, but it struck a nerve nonetheless. I'm eager to re-read it in the (probably near) future and see how it works for me after having some time to process it.
There's a lot of stuff here that I love and some of it that I don't, but I respect its aspirations, even if they get a little dizzy by the end. There's quite a bit of anger in these pages, from the characters it follows and Tom King himself. His writing has a nastier streak that surprised me but gave the story some obvious but compelling parallels to the landscape of the real world. Anger at political stagnation, at inherited traumas, at powerlessness, at powerfulness, at repeated histories, at the self: King is grappling with a lot, and it shows.
The story's midpoint lags a bit, and the inclusion of real figures (like Frank Miller) doesn't feel right to me. I appreciate the metatextual intent King is shooting for, but I don't think he pulls it off. His mystery would've been more potent if it hadn't tried to loop in so many other sources and figures, real and fictional. Having 12 issues gives King plenty of time to explore his characters' motivations and backstories—and it's those aspects that work best—but it also gives him too much leash, and he definitely gets caught up in it. The actual story and mystery would've worked better as a tighter 8-issue series; of that, I'm confident.
Yet...for every moment that rubbed me the wrong way or left me scratching my head, there was another moment that utterly floored me. Even if it doesn't translate to the overarching story, the pacing of each chapter is sublime, as King uses sparing, striking dialogue with verbose monologues to great effect. We get inside these characters' heads, peeling back layers upon layers of buried bitterness, regret, fear, and sadness until we get to the messy, bloody, raw core of it. Even if it ultimately concludes on a predictable note, the journey there was worth it. There are moments of the series that are going to fester in my brain.
Jorge Fornés and Dave Stewart steal the show, though. As striking as King's writing can be, it's the artwork that leaves the biggest impression. Fornés operates at an absurd level here, imbuing every page with storytelling, tension, and remarkable expression. His work is only strengthened by Stewart's colors, which fiercely reiterate the message behind every one of Forné's meticulously curated panels. Rorschach is a marvel to look at and exemplifies a marriage of story, script, and visuals that feels too-good-to-be-true. This is a series that locks you in its pages and occupies you.
I don't know if 4-stars is the correct score for this, but it feels right. It didn't resonate as deeply as I wanted, but it struck a nerve nonetheless. I'm eager to re-read it in the (probably near) future and see how it works for me after having some time to process it.
April 7, 2024
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
I feel deeply conflicted on this one. Not for my enjoyment of the story per se, but for everything that this book represents. The fact that it got published at all. As much as I enjoyed it, it really shouldn't exist. I respect the original creator and I respect the process of artistic creation. The fact that DC comics have for decades now, gypped the greatest writer in comics history out of one of his proudest and most enduring achievements is one of a number of significant blights on this industry. Moore has bene unequivocal in his displeasure at others adding to his creations. And despite this stories undoubted merit (in my opinion). If Moore doesn't want his works pilfered and prostituted as such, then they shouldn't be pilfered and prostituted. Even reading and owning Watchmen, knowing what they did makes me feel none too comfortable.
That said, I was flabbergasted that King delivered a script that, for all intents and purposes, was respectful of the Rorschach, even if the story could easily have been told near to identically without any connection to the Watchmen world. King is rather infamous for taking beloved characters and smearing them with his own unique brand of shit. Batman, Cat Woman, Joker... I could go on. When the man wants to, he can tell a bloody good story, without the need to debase and destroy the biggest characters in comics. Again, it was certainly a story that didn't need to be told, or one that could have been told differently, but here we are.
I'm left to wonder whether this wasn't an older idea he had that someone decided to shoehorn into the Watchmen universe. I could be wrong.
Despite King's commendable efforts here (albeit a little too bloated here and there) Fornes and Stewart need the lions share of the accolades here. This book was an absolute feast for the peepers from start to finish. And though I borrowed this from the library, and hence haven't put any money directly in DC's pocket, with an absolute edition coming out very soon, my commitment to the cause will be sorely tested, given how beautiful this would look in oversized format.
I'm rather surprised this wasn't scored higher on this sight, though I can certainly respect the litany of reasons why it wasn't. I'd be much happier if I could complain and give King a lower score, though I really bloody enjoyed this, much more than I ever thought I could or would and I really don't know how I feel about that. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
I feel deeply conflicted on this one. Not for my enjoyment of the story per se, but for everything that this book represents. The fact that it got published at all. As much as I enjoyed it, it really shouldn't exist. I respect the original creator and I respect the process of artistic creation. The fact that DC comics have for decades now, gypped the greatest writer in comics history out of one of his proudest and most enduring achievements is one of a number of significant blights on this industry. Moore has bene unequivocal in his displeasure at others adding to his creations. And despite this stories undoubted merit (in my opinion). If Moore doesn't want his works pilfered and prostituted as such, then they shouldn't be pilfered and prostituted. Even reading and owning Watchmen, knowing what they did makes me feel none too comfortable.
That said, I was flabbergasted that King delivered a script that, for all intents and purposes, was respectful of the Rorschach, even if the story could easily have been told near to identically without any connection to the Watchmen world. King is rather infamous for taking beloved characters and smearing them with his own unique brand of shit. Batman, Cat Woman, Joker... I could go on. When the man wants to, he can tell a bloody good story, without the need to debase and destroy the biggest characters in comics. Again, it was certainly a story that didn't need to be told, or one that could have been told differently, but here we are.
I'm left to wonder whether this wasn't an older idea he had that someone decided to shoehorn into the Watchmen universe. I could be wrong.
Despite King's commendable efforts here (albeit a little too bloated here and there) Fornes and Stewart need the lions share of the accolades here. This book was an absolute feast for the peepers from start to finish. And though I borrowed this from the library, and hence haven't put any money directly in DC's pocket, with an absolute edition coming out very soon, my commitment to the cause will be sorely tested, given how beautiful this would look in oversized format.
I'm rather surprised this wasn't scored higher on this sight, though I can certainly respect the litany of reasons why it wasn't. I'd be much happier if I could complain and give King a lower score, though I really bloody enjoyed this, much more than I ever thought I could or would and I really don't know how I feel about that. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
February 22, 2022
Rorschach continues the tradition of Watchmen being a superb playground for talented writers and artists. I'm sure Alan Moore isn't pleased, but every other comics fan has reason to cheer.
If anything, Rorschach is closest yet to offering the conspiracy thriller charms of the original series. The book starts with a pair of costumes being gunned down just before they assassinate the Republican candidate running against four-term president Redford. A nameless, backstory-less investigator takes the case, looking about as deep as one can into the lives of these costumes - one of whom was dressed up as Rorschach.
To be clear, it's not the same Rorschach as the original series, which you find out pretty quickly. It's something else, something stranger and more complex. Tom King uses an incredible amount of dialogue to pull off his "gaze into the abyss long enough and it gazes back at you" narrative. It can be exhausting and overwhelming, but it worked for me - I was thoroughly absorbed.
The ultimate outcome of the book isn't exactly a surprise and doesn't feel quite satisfying, but that might be part of the point? It's the journey, not the destination, man. Even when King's dense, novelistic narrative was overwhelming my small human brain, Jorge Fornes art kept drawing me back in. It's clean, clear, and gorgeous. Rorschach is a head-scratcher, but it's also kind of a triumph - who at DC greenlighted a maxi-series this slow and dense? Nice work.
If anything, Rorschach is closest yet to offering the conspiracy thriller charms of the original series. The book starts with a pair of costumes being gunned down just before they assassinate the Republican candidate running against four-term president Redford. A nameless, backstory-less investigator takes the case, looking about as deep as one can into the lives of these costumes - one of whom was dressed up as Rorschach.
To be clear, it's not the same Rorschach as the original series, which you find out pretty quickly. It's something else, something stranger and more complex. Tom King uses an incredible amount of dialogue to pull off his "gaze into the abyss long enough and it gazes back at you" narrative. It can be exhausting and overwhelming, but it worked for me - I was thoroughly absorbed.
The ultimate outcome of the book isn't exactly a surprise and doesn't feel quite satisfying, but that might be part of the point? It's the journey, not the destination, man. Even when King's dense, novelistic narrative was overwhelming my small human brain, Jorge Fornes art kept drawing me back in. It's clean, clear, and gorgeous. Rorschach is a head-scratcher, but it's also kind of a triumph - who at DC greenlighted a maxi-series this slow and dense? Nice work.
January 8, 2023
A pretty excellent graphic novel, as I think that's how this maxiseries was designed. The storytelling is very effective. I read the second half pretty much all at once, greedily turning each page. Would have garnered the coveted fifth star from me were not the plot quite so abstruse. I had a difficult time following along often.
January 5, 2022
Really a grind getting through this as King channels 70s political movies through right wing conspiracy theories and a certain kind of comic book fans fascination with Rorschach. The book is dense and often deeply complicated but I ultimately respected it more than liked it.
November 16, 2021
Slow burn, but definitely worth the time. Great writing by King and incredible cinematic artwork by Fornes (without any decompression). Doesn't really require much knowledge of the original Watchmen story as it's set decades after the original events, and it follows the idea of Rorschach rather than the character itself. The only downside is that it does get a bit messy by the end, but it still is a fantastic story.
February 11, 2023
What I like about King is his meta intentions in his works. There seems to usually be a direct conversation with the reader without a prescriptive answer, and a rumination on the form of comics itself usually included in the bundle.
In this case, an investigator is put on a case where an attempted assassination led to the deaths of two costume wearing seemingly nobodies. One of them presenting as the titular “hero”. The plot is mainly about ideas themselves, and how they can colonize individuals. Conspiracy theories are seductive because of their appeal to creating a specific out-group, but also because a very good story can radicalize and galvanize individuals. The themes, coupled to a pretty fun plot thread and back story to these people believing they’re doing some good, attempting to assassinate the president elect, prompt interesting questions. That’s what puts it miles ahead of most books that are far less ambitious but probably also more successful.
But the success of the ending of the plot isn’t the point. Think of King like a lobbyist. The story is a way of conveying both sides of an argument, and he’s after the reader themselves - in the meta context I mentioned - and so, even the plot can have a derivative ending, and still succeed at doing what the point of the piece actually is, divorced from simply be a super hero detective story.
Can people, completely apathetic and disaffected by real damage, be changed by stories on a page? Despite consuming and loving stories about absolute morality and good and evil, much of society doesn’t show its ideals. Even in the world of this comic, where super heroes actually existed and fought, rampant corruption and the rise of a “conservative revolution” is heralded with the coming of a new president, wanting, outright, to be the president forever, against the constitution. And is still elected, with sociopathic morals and goals in mind. What would force an individual to act? How far would they go? What is too far, in such a case?
In a typical story like this you learn motive, means, opportunity, possibly, and that’s about it. This is not that story; I can see why it’s polarizing. At the very least, it’s more compelling because it is different.
Also: the hardcover book’s binding is terrible, so I’d warn people away from that format. It digs into the gutter and makes a few pages harder to read. The art style isn’t my favourite either; hence the 4 stars instead of 5. Good paneling and forgettable colours. I think this could have really been more elevated with a pairing of graphic content to the script, which would have sold the dialogue far more, as it is plentiful.
In this case, an investigator is put on a case where an attempted assassination led to the deaths of two costume wearing seemingly nobodies. One of them presenting as the titular “hero”. The plot is mainly about ideas themselves, and how they can colonize individuals. Conspiracy theories are seductive because of their appeal to creating a specific out-group, but also because a very good story can radicalize and galvanize individuals. The themes, coupled to a pretty fun plot thread and back story to these people believing they’re doing some good, attempting to assassinate the president elect, prompt interesting questions. That’s what puts it miles ahead of most books that are far less ambitious but probably also more successful.
But the success of the ending of the plot isn’t the point. Think of King like a lobbyist. The story is a way of conveying both sides of an argument, and he’s after the reader themselves - in the meta context I mentioned - and so, even the plot can have a derivative ending, and still succeed at doing what the point of the piece actually is, divorced from simply be a super hero detective story.
Can people, completely apathetic and disaffected by real damage, be changed by stories on a page? Despite consuming and loving stories about absolute morality and good and evil, much of society doesn’t show its ideals. Even in the world of this comic, where super heroes actually existed and fought, rampant corruption and the rise of a “conservative revolution” is heralded with the coming of a new president, wanting, outright, to be the president forever, against the constitution. And is still elected, with sociopathic morals and goals in mind. What would force an individual to act? How far would they go? What is too far, in such a case?
In a typical story like this you learn motive, means, opportunity, possibly, and that’s about it. This is not that story; I can see why it’s polarizing. At the very least, it’s more compelling because it is different.
Also: the hardcover book’s binding is terrible, so I’d warn people away from that format. It digs into the gutter and makes a few pages harder to read. The art style isn’t my favourite either; hence the 4 stars instead of 5. Good paneling and forgettable colours. I think this could have really been more elevated with a pairing of graphic content to the script, which would have sold the dialogue far more, as it is plentiful.
December 3, 2023
Después de más de una década de productos y subproductos de lo que DC ha transformado en franquicia, me he acercado a uno de los derivados de Watchmen. Y a pesar de algunos peros lo he disfrutado bastante. Aunque King es fiel a una continuidad que abarca el tebeo original y la serie de la HBO, acierta a integrar el relato en nuestro presente a través de un argumento sumamente político. Los procesos electorales en EE.UU., las teorías de la conspiración, el peso del pasado, guían una historia que bebe de los thrillers periodísticos/políticos de los años 70 hasta niveles desconcertantes. Rorschach no deja de ser 300 páginas de un investigador entrevistando peña para descubrir qué hay detrás del intento de asesinato del candidato republicano que quiere derrocar a Robert Redford en las elecciones presidenciales de EE.UU.
Y ahí King juega bien con el material de Moore. Parte de lo más endeble de Watchmen (ese final con el calamar) para convertirlo en virtud y explorar unas consecuencias que muestran cómo estos planes maestros ideados e impuestos desde arriba se desmandan y producen monstruos. También presenta su propia disquisición sobre la figura del héroe enmascarado, su posible sentido actual, al son de ¿qué puedes hacer tú por tu país? con un final desalentador pero bastante coherente. Todo excelsamente dibujado por un Jorge Fornés que ha integrado a Mazzucchelli en una narrativa cuyos pequeños manierismos impulsan el significado del relato.
Lo que no sé es hasta qué punto son conscientes en DC de cómo la existencia Rorschach engrandece Watchmen todavía más. Un tebeo con una confección cuidada en constante diálogo con Watchmen pero mucho más limitado. Hasta el punto que integrado en su secuencia habría abarcado una extensión bastante, mucho, menor. Por la ausencia de elipsis, la amplitud de temas tratados en el tebeo original o ese grado superlativo de integración entre imagen y texto que urdieron Moore y Gibbons.
Y ahí King juega bien con el material de Moore. Parte de lo más endeble de Watchmen (ese final con el calamar) para convertirlo en virtud y explorar unas consecuencias que muestran cómo estos planes maestros ideados e impuestos desde arriba se desmandan y producen monstruos. También presenta su propia disquisición sobre la figura del héroe enmascarado, su posible sentido actual, al son de ¿qué puedes hacer tú por tu país? con un final desalentador pero bastante coherente. Todo excelsamente dibujado por un Jorge Fornés que ha integrado a Mazzucchelli en una narrativa cuyos pequeños manierismos impulsan el significado del relato.
Lo que no sé es hasta qué punto son conscientes en DC de cómo la existencia Rorschach engrandece Watchmen todavía más. Un tebeo con una confección cuidada en constante diálogo con Watchmen pero mucho más limitado. Hasta el punto que integrado en su secuencia habría abarcado una extensión bastante, mucho, menor. Por la ausencia de elipsis, la amplitud de temas tratados en el tebeo original o ese grado superlativo de integración entre imagen y texto que urdieron Moore y Gibbons.
February 3, 2022
This story and it’s articulation requires attention. But presents itself in a manner that makes you want to pay that attention.
This all takes place in the world after the events of the original Watchmen series and all of the unsettling airs that come with it. Tom King uses this environment to tell the story of the investigation into a botched political assassination attempt.
King’s work with time - often the past and present are told simultaneously, somehow - is remarkable and I am totally impressed.
Jorge Fornes’ art is crisp and realistic and while impressive does not get in the way of the story being told.
I hope that should the Watchmen universe continue to expand it does so with this level of expertise.
This all takes place in the world after the events of the original Watchmen series and all of the unsettling airs that come with it. Tom King uses this environment to tell the story of the investigation into a botched political assassination attempt.
King’s work with time - often the past and present are told simultaneously, somehow - is remarkable and I am totally impressed.
Jorge Fornes’ art is crisp and realistic and while impressive does not get in the way of the story being told.
I hope that should the Watchmen universe continue to expand it does so with this level of expertise.
March 11, 2023
I thought I was really going to love it, and even though it didn't meet my expectations, I'm glad it's part of my collection. Even though the story's central concept fits very well with the Watchmen style of corruption and injustice, I found the connections between certain characters more appealing. Especially when it came to Laura and William. The letters between both of these characters pulled at my heartstrings. That was probably my favorite part of the whole thing. Also, the internal battle the main detective seemed to struggle with was something that I found very compelling.
As a fan of Rorschach, I do believe this story did his character justice.
As a fan of Rorschach, I do believe this story did his character justice.
February 18, 2023
Лімітка «Роршарх» #1-12 Тома Кінґа є спін-оффом до коміксу «Вартові». У цьому коміксі розповідається історія нового Роршаха, який з'являється в світі після оригінальних подій. Цей тип не пов'язаний з оригінальним персонажем, що носив таке ж ім'я, і його особистість залишається невідомою. Також розповідає про те, як приватний детектив, розслідує замах на кандидата в президенти США, під час якого загинули Роршарх і його помічниця. В ході свого розслідування він зустрічається з різними людьми, які були причетні до цієї злочинної інтриги, включаючи охоронців порядку, політиків та активістів.
Історія сюжетно є досить складною та морально неоднозначною, що робить комікс важким для сприйняття. Це може бути плюсом і мінусом. Я ж загруз в болоті думок і з важкістю пробирався через той весь текст, який накинув Том Кінґ. І водночас намагався насолодитися чудовим малюнком Хорхе Форнеса. Атмосфера створена хороша, але засилля нудного тексту все зіпсувало.
Історія сюжетно є досить складною та морально неоднозначною, що робить комікс важким для сприйняття. Це може бути плюсом і мінусом. Я ж загруз в болоті думок і з важкістю пробирався через той весь текст, який накинув Том Кінґ. І водночас намагався насолодитися чудовим малюнком Хорхе Форнеса. Атмосфера створена хороша, але засилля нудного тексту все зіпсувало.
January 5, 2022
Un noir pepinazo en el mundo de Watchmen con dibujazo. Qué más le puedo pedir a la vida.
October 28, 2022
It’s like All the President’s Men but with lots more fictitious pirates. And Frank Miller.
December 14, 2021
Being a huge fan of Watchmen I was looking forward this one and really interested to see where Tom King would take the character. This brings me to the first issue here - Rorschach isn't in it! Sure, there are people who look like him or talk like him, but this book could just as well as been titled something else and stood on its own feet.
The plot itself is a really slow burn (it's Tom King after all!) so don't go expecting fast paced action and edge of your seat writing here. It's essentially a murky and fairly decent political thriller/detective story (which again has very little to do with the actual Rorschach himself!). The art was where the book really shines though. There's a retro feel to the illustrated pages which fits amazingly well with the dark political tone.
Overall, I was tad disappointed by this as a whole. Sure, I enjoyed it enough, but it just felt like so much of the writing here was included just to lead the reader around the houses. There's just so much irrelevant story here that it leaves you wondering if it really should have been a whole 12 issues in length.
The plot itself is a really slow burn (it's Tom King after all!) so don't go expecting fast paced action and edge of your seat writing here. It's essentially a murky and fairly decent political thriller/detective story (which again has very little to do with the actual Rorschach himself!). The art was where the book really shines though. There's a retro feel to the illustrated pages which fits amazingly well with the dark political tone.
Overall, I was tad disappointed by this as a whole. Sure, I enjoyed it enough, but it just felt like so much of the writing here was included just to lead the reader around the houses. There's just so much irrelevant story here that it leaves you wondering if it really should have been a whole 12 issues in length.
January 9, 2024
Rorschach
By Tom King
Art by Jorge Fornes
Color by Dave Stewart
"The sad truth of the matter is that most evil is done by people who never made up their minds to be or do either good or evil. "
This book needs a lot of attention. I became a fan of Tom King instantly after reading The Vision. My appreciation for him only grew stronger after reading Rorschach. What an intelligently written dark and deep story. It's a different kind of comic book. The suspense unfolded layer by layer and at a perfect pace. Tom King wrote it with profound anger and political angels. Beautiful art by Jorge Fornes. But the highlight of the book is Dave Stewart's brilliant coloring. The colors played a huge role in the storytelling and set the tone of the narrative, in my opinion. Also the use of different colors to showcase past present and different point of view or different people on same page - is astonishing.
I think I am going to read more and more of Tom King from now on. I am loving his works.
#dccomics #dc #dcuniverse #tomking #tomkingcomics #rorschach #rorschachwatchmen #rorschachcomics #rorschachgraphicnovel #watchmen #davestewart #davestewartcolors #graphicnovels #graphicnovelscollection #comicscollectors #comics #comicbooks
By Tom King
Art by Jorge Fornes
Color by Dave Stewart
"The sad truth of the matter is that most evil is done by people who never made up their minds to be or do either good or evil. "
This book needs a lot of attention. I became a fan of Tom King instantly after reading The Vision. My appreciation for him only grew stronger after reading Rorschach. What an intelligently written dark and deep story. It's a different kind of comic book. The suspense unfolded layer by layer and at a perfect pace. Tom King wrote it with profound anger and political angels. Beautiful art by Jorge Fornes. But the highlight of the book is Dave Stewart's brilliant coloring. The colors played a huge role in the storytelling and set the tone of the narrative, in my opinion. Also the use of different colors to showcase past present and different point of view or different people on same page - is astonishing.
I think I am going to read more and more of Tom King from now on. I am loving his works.
#dccomics #dc #dcuniverse #tomking #tomkingcomics #rorschach #rorschachwatchmen #rorschachcomics #rorschachgraphicnovel #watchmen #davestewart #davestewartcolors #graphicnovels #graphicnovelscollection #comicscollectors #comics #comicbooks
August 5, 2022
3,5*
A solid brilliantly crafted mystery perfectly using the Watchmen/Rorschach mythos but not without flaws
Less abstruse than some of King’s works of late it suffers from being overstretched when the plot already goes at a snail’s pace. Whole issues could have easily been condensed in half the number of pages used without anyone noticing.
There are also some in-jokes that totally eluded me- Frank Miller?? Wtf?- and absolutely no character to root for. Actually that’s probably intentional but still.
Good art and impressive storytelling by Jorge Fornes. Considering there’s almost no action it never gets boring.
Would have been a solid 4* with 2 issues less. 5* for 4.
A solid brilliantly crafted mystery perfectly using the Watchmen/Rorschach mythos but not without flaws
Less abstruse than some of King’s works of late it suffers from being overstretched when the plot already goes at a snail’s pace. Whole issues could have easily been condensed in half the number of pages used without anyone noticing.
There are also some in-jokes that totally eluded me- Frank Miller?? Wtf?- and absolutely no character to root for. Actually that’s probably intentional but still.
Good art and impressive storytelling by Jorge Fornes. Considering there’s almost no action it never gets boring.
Would have been a solid 4* with 2 issues less. 5* for 4.
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