This groundbreaking series from ALAN MOORE, the award-winning writer of V FOR VENDETTA and BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, presents a world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history, the U.S. won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the Cold War is in full effect. WATCHMEN begins as a murder mystery but soon unfolds into a planet-altering conspiracy. As the resolution comes to a head, the unlikely group of reunited heroes—Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias—must test the limits of their convictions and ask themselves where the true line is between good and evil. WATCHMEN NOIR presents the most celebrated graphic novel of all time in gritty black-and-white pencils and inks, highlighting illustrator DAVE GIBBONS’ masterful artwork.
DC Comics is proud to present an all-new retrospective edition of one of the greatest graphic novels ever in WATCHMEN: THE ANNOTATED EDITION. This book examines each of the series’ twelve issues in unprecedented detail, moving page by page and panel by panel to reveal the hidden foundations of this milestone in modern storytelling. Edited with notes by Leslie S. Klinger, this new edition draws upon critical and scholastic commentary, in-depth interviews with Dave Gibbons, and previously unseen original source material. Klinger provides the reader with a unique and comprehensive view of WATCHMEN as both a singular artistic achievement and a transformative event in the history of comics as a medium. Set in a world in which history has been forever altered by the existence of superheroes, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ monumental graphic novel WATCHMEN is one of the most influential comic book series of all time. Following two generations of masked crime-fighters from the end of World War II to the height of the Cold War, this compelling tale unfolds from a simple murder mystery into an epic saga of power, corruption and the ultimate meaning of humanity. More than 30 years after it was first published, Moore and Gibbons’ masterpiece continues to inspire and entertain readers around the world. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, WATCHMEN has won countless critical accolades and honors, including the Eisner Award and the Hugo Award.
This drive through the dark streets of the Motor City “is one of the best in Akashic Books’ noir series. You cannot go wrong with this anthology.”—Reviewing the Evidence From crime stories in the classic hard-boiled style to the vividly experimental, from the determination of those risking everything to the desperation of those with nothing left to lose, Detroit Noir delivers unforgettable tales that capture the city’s dark vitality. The collection includes stories by Joyce Carol Oates, Loren D. Estleman, Craig Holden, P.J. Parrish, Desiree Cooper, Nisi Shawl, M.L. Liebler, Craig Bernier, Joe Boland, Megan Abbott, Dorene O’Brien, Lolita Hernandez, Peter Markus, Roger K. Johnson, Michael Zadoorian, and E.J. Olsen. “Few cities are as well suited to the genre as Detroit, with its embattled inner city and history of urban decline and blight, and the editors have assembled a talented lineup to do it justice.”—Publishers Weekly
“The Alienist set in eighteenth-century Stockholm: Brawny, bloody, intricate, enthralling—and the best historical thriller I’ve read in twenty years.” —A.J. Finn, #1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window “Thrilling, unnerving, clever, and beautiful.” —Fredrik Backman, #1 bestselling author of A Man Called Ove “Chilling and thought-provoking. Relentless, well-written, and nearly impossible to put down.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) One morning in the autumn of 1793, watchman Mikel Cardell is awakened from his drunken slumber with reports of a body seen floating in the Larder, once a pristine lake on Stockholm’s Southern Isle, now a rancid bog. Efforts to identify the bizarrely mutilated corpse are entrusted to incorruptible lawyer Cecil Winge, who enlists Cardell’s help to solve the case. But time is short: Winge’s health is failing, the monarchy is in shambles, and whispered conspiracies and paranoia abound. Winge and Cardell become immersed in a brutal world of guttersnipes and thieves, mercenaries and madams. From a farmer’s son who is lead down a treacherous path when he seeks his fortune in the capital to an orphan girl consigned to the workhouse by a pitiless parish priest, their investigation peels back layer upon layer of the city’s labyrinthine society. The rich and the poor, the pious and the fallen, the living and the dead—all collide and interconnect with the body pulled from the lake. Breathtakingly bold and intricately constructed, The Wolf and the Watchman brings to life the crowded streets, gilded palaces, and dark corners of late-eighteenth-century Stockholm, offering a startling vision of the crimes we commit in the name of justice, and the sacrifices we make in order to survive.
Watchmen has been hailed as the quintessential graphic novel and has spawned a body of literary criticism since its 1986 initial appearance in installments. This work explores the graphic novel's reception in both popular and scholarly arenas and how the conceptual relationship between images and words affects the reading experience. Other topics include heroism as a stereotype, the hero's journey, the role of the narrator, and the way in which the graphic layout manipulates the reader's perception of time and space. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
Man or monster? Discover the origin and struggles of Alan Moore's SWAMP THING. A collection from Alan Moore's iconic take on Swamp Thing! Swamp Thing Noir begins with Moore's first Swamp Thing issue -- a haunting reimagining of the origins of Swamp Thing. The collection then spins into Swamp Thing's life, featuring his encounters with the Floronic Man, Jason Blood, and Anton Arcane, to name a few! Then there's Abby. Best friends...maybe more? But could a human ever really fall in love with Swamp Thing? Collects The Saga of the Swamp Thing #20-34 (1982-) and Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985-).
The colors are drained and the shadows come alive in this stark take on a dark classic! Presented in its original pencils and ink artwork by industry legend Jim Lee, BATMAN NOIR: HUSH highlights the grim, gritty atmosphere of Batman and Gotham City, and pits the Dark Knight against a city overrun with its legendary villains. As the likes of the Joker, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy and more throw Batman's life into chaos, little do they know they have become pawns to the enigmatic Hush in an elaborate game of revenge against Bruce Wayne. This truly unforgettable story by two of comics' top talents, writer Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, SUPERMAN/BATMAN) and artist Jim Lee (JUSTICE LEAGUE: ORIGINS, SUPERMAN UNCHAINED), presents the Caped Crusader's most personal case yet in stark black and white! Collects BATMAN #609-619 in black and white.
Retired homicide detective Ray Quinn takes a job as a night watchman to numb the pain of violently losing his partner, but after an apparent murder-suicide of a pastor and dancer, the pastor's sister approaches Quinn for help.
It’s been 35 years since Ozymandias dropped a giant interdimensional squid on New York City, killing thousands and destroying 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. So, what does it mean when Rorschach reappears as a gunman trying to assassinate a candidate running against President Redford? Who is the man behind the mask, and why is he acting this way? Now it’s up to one detective to uncover the identity of this would-be killer and expose a web of conspiracies that will change the world forever. Collects Rorschach #1-12.
As the assassination of the U.S. president leads to political intrigue, interpersonal drama, and astrophysical wonder, the truth behind the crime and those involved will blow your mind! Writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely investigate the conspiracy on Earth-4!
