Watchmen #11: Look upon my works, Ye mighty...

Watchmen

by Alan Moore (Writer), Dave Gibbons (Artist), John Higgins (Colorist)

Watchmen, Chapter XI: Look upon my works, Ye mighty...

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Science Fiction

35 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.

As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.

Reviews

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy bueno en él quedan perfectamente explicados cada uno de los pasos del plan de Ozymandias.
Y con el ello toda la trama del comic, veremos como termina!!

[Leon Enciso · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

[flaams · Rating 3 out of 5]

so, the only perks in this issue are 1) the weird wildcat that lives with Veidt
2) Night Owl's winter costume

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full review on The Watchmen #1-12.

The story is almost over... This specific addition just felt lame. The buildup could have been so much better.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this issue was just too much. I couldn't wait to read about why the world was ending and what had brought its fate but not like this. I finally heard the resolution from the mouth of a man far too smug and pretentious, whose words sound like an overly confident university professor who believes he is the only one capable of understanding his words, who therefore speaks in such high and confusing terms that no one actually does and he just results boring.
And when this goes on for an entire issue it is too much.

Also Veidt, he is the world's smartest man, okay, WE GET IT.

I wish I could give this issue a higher rating but 2 stars is plenty based on the only two positive features: the artwork and the ending.

[Gabriela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am honestly surprised that I am finding the climax of Watchmen so very boring.
Additionally to the plot in itself being quite underwhelming, the art is all over the place and the panels are very boring, having lost the dynamic, cinematic feel of the first issues.

[Sunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I did it thirty-five minutes ago."

This chapter would have been funny if it had been presented as some evil villain's monologue. And, I guess some parts were a monologue...

But, no. This felt like all of the clues were pieced together FOR me instead of allowing ME to figure it out. Why'd they have to tell me? Why couldn't they show me?

Full review HERE.

[Rachel MacNaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tone of this one - I love when mad men explain themselves with such lucidity you can see where they unravelled and became knotted in the process.
Plot is still nothing. I expect everything and I am bored with it. I keep getting told to reread but I read well in the first place. I recall laced details as they reappear.

Tone was a high 4, story a low 2 for me. Hopefully it pulls together in the end.

[Javier Lárraga · Rating 5 out of 5]

La psicología detras del personaje que funge como antagonista en esta novela gráfica es bastante interesante y muy bien fundamentada, convirtiendolo en uno de los villanos con mejor trasfondo que he leido últimamente en lo que va del año.

Me pareció fascinante como la anarquía fue creciendo poco a poco y como la actitud de la gente fue deteriorandose hasta llegar al punto más bajo debido el temor de una inminente guerra nuclear y tambien como es que el autor lo fue haciendo progresivo sin verse como algo forzado.

Por último, me encanto la conclusión del cuento de piratas y la metáfora que trató de representar en esta historia.

Ahora si, ya solo me queda el volúmen final y estoy ansioso por empezarlo.

[Tommaso Beneforti · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Il mio nome è Ozymandias, re dei re. Guardate alle mie opere, o potenti, e disperate!»

[adrianO C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este volumen me gustó, fue lo que esperaba de él.
La mezcla de todas las historias culminando en un solo lugar.

[Jesus Velasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look upon my works, Ye mighty profundiza en la psicología de Adrian Veidt, quien se revela como el antagonista central. Al llegar a su escondite en la Antártida, Rorschach y Dan Dreiberg descubren el oscuro plan de Veidt: crear un monstruo alienígena que aniquile a la mitad de la población de Nueva York para unir al mundo contra un enemigo común.

La narrativa se enriquece con la historia personal de Veidt, quien se considera un moderno Ozymandias, inspirado por Alejandro Magno. Su ambición de lograr la paz mundial a través del sacrificio masivo refleja su megalomanía y una visión distorsionada del "bien mayor." Al igual que Alejandro, Veidt busca el poder absoluto, creyendo que sus acciones, aunque crueles, son justificables.

La muerte de sus sirvientes, que él compara con las antiguas prácticas de reyes, demuestra su falta de remordimientos y su creencia de que el fin justifica los medios. Este contraste con el Comediante, quien mataba sin piedad porque consideraba que el mundo estaba condenado, subraya la complejidad moral de los personajes.

El capítulo culmina con la devastadora explosión, simbolizando el fracaso de Dan y Rorschach por detener a Veidt. La cita de Shelley, "Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair," resuena como un eco de la arrogancia de Veidt, quien cree que su visión es infalible, incluso ante la tragedia que ha desatado.

[Jinx:The:Poet {the LiteraryWanderer & WordRoamer} · Rating 3 out of 5]

[REVIEW FOR THE SERIES...]

Watchmen (Vol. 1-12)

"Who watches the Watchmen?"

Watchmen was a very interesting read and I’m glad to have finally gotten around to it. While I really appreciated some aspected such as the gritty world and symbolic, satirical plot line, there were times when it really didn’t live up to the hype surrounding it, at least not in my opinion. When compared to V For Vendetta, one of Moore’s best in my opinion, it just didn’t cut it for me, nor strike me with anything really meaningful afterwards. This is going to be a really hard one to rate and review for me— but here it goes.

P.s. If haters wanna hate, please go hate elsewhere. ;)



"This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial best-seller, Watchmen has been studied on college campuses across the nation and is considered a gateway title, leading readers to other graphic novels such as V for Vendetta, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and The Sandman series." -Book Blurb



Because I’m reviewing the entire series, and want to avoid an overly long review as well as story spoilers, in this review I’m just going to cover a few things, some things that stood out, things I liked, things I didn’t etc.



In the beginning of Watchmen the readers are introduced to this dark world, an alternate history, and are initiated into the story through the mysterious and grim character of Rorschach, whom I instantly liked albeit his strange attitude and growingly apparent fact that he was lacking some amount of sanity. He operates outside the law, as superhero’s are outlawed by the government. The mystery was compelling enough, the world is very dark and interesting.



As the story goes on we are introduced to other ex-heroes like Nite Owl II, (who seemed ironically a parody of Batman), and Ozymandias, as well as heroes contracted by the government such as Doctor Manhattan (the only actually superhuman in the series), The Comedian and Silk Spectre II. While the characters were interesting at times, most notably Doctor Manhhattan and Rorschack, many of the others felt dull to me, like bland caricatures.



One aspect I disliked was the weird, and seemingly pointless romance between Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II. It felt creepy and out of place, boring me and ultimately jarring me from the otherwise interesting plot. Why was it necessary to bog the plot down with their awkward affair, (including facts about his erectile dysfunction)? What was perhaps meant to flesh out the side characters, just ended up feeling like a lot of filler material. Bleh. It slowed the overall momentum for me.



Another irritant was the issue concerning the backstory of Silk Spectre I and The Comedian, and the flippant way her sexual assault/rape was dealt with. It felt only a cheap tactic used to give the readers a twist later on, which was obvious to me miles away, and ultimately felt an easy way to manipulate the reader and story. It did not have that effect on me. The matter was not handled very tastefully, in my opinion. Silk Spectre I’s response— or lack thereof—to the crime against her made the writing and overall story have a very misogynistic undertone, which continuously reared its head throughout the following issues.



That continuous feeling was highlighted and accentuated by the apparent uselessness of most of the female characters, who rarely if ever, contribute to the story in any meaningful way. Not to mention the fact that so few women were present at all, the story tiresome by their lack of contribution. One obvious exception being Silk Spectre II’s pleading with Doctor Manhattan on Earth’s behalf later on, even then he probably would have come to the decision on his own, given how his mind worked. So perhaps I’m reading between the lines here, but that’s how it struck me. It didn’t sit well, and I’m overly used to comics using women in the usual ways, to titillate as eye candy and fan service, serving no real purpose. I guess I expected more, too much, from something hailed as an innovative masterpiece.

Moving on.



There were things I did really like, though the story was bogged down with politics, propaganda and misogyny. I really like the satirical take of the golden age superhero story, the way the story makes you think about things in a different light, albeit a very pessimistic—dare I say—nihilistic light. I like the jaded hero perspective. The art was very fitting and did a good job setting the overall tone, even though it wasn’t as pleasing on the eye. It conveyed the general vibe of the plot really well.



I loved the fact that the series read more like a mystery noir novel that a traditional action comic book. I really enjoyed the characterizations of Rorschach and Doctor Manhattan the most. I LOVED Doctor Manhattan’s backstory. It was so epic and philosophical; those chapters really made me think. While Rorschach’s background was very sad, it was also a bit underwhelming, considering how much I loved his character. He made an excellent anti-hero.



Overall, I really enjoyed it, but could not say I loved it by any means. I appreciate what it means to the world and legacy of comic books and graphic novels, I think it changed the industry in many ways, not all for the better, but in many ways it was good. I liked how original it was. I like the philosophical mindset it gets you in. Some of the characters were so memorable, but the bad somewhat equals the good for me. There was a lot of filler material that felt tedious to read through, dragging the story out. As much as I enjoyed it, I also felt annoyed by it. I felt it was lacking in some pivotal areas, where it could have done more. Many of the characters were so unlikeable and dull, like cardboard cutouts. Seeing how much depth Rorschach and Doctor Manhattan had, I think all of the characters had that potential as well.



So I guess I’m in a love-hate thing with Watchmen, no matter which way I slice it, I can’t seem to pick a definite stance. I was pretty disappointed with the ending. I would recommend reading it, to appreciate the leaps Watchmen gave the genre of graphic novels, and for the interesting plot and setting, but in my opinion V for Vendetta was better in most regards.

[VOLUMN RATING: 3 STARS]

[OFFICIAL RATING: 3.5 STARS]

[Index Purga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watchmen 11 of 12, Collector's Edition
pág. 0:
créditos #11
pág. 1:
LOOK ON MY WORKS, YE MIGHTY…
Pág. 29:
After the Masquerade: Superstyle and the art of humanoid watching by Doug Roth
Pág. 33:
créditos editoriales

[Tawfek · Rating 5 out of 5]

all the papers on the table in this spectacular issue

[Daniela Stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Dead*

[Aya · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I did it thirty-five minutes ago."!!

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in an alternate history where costumed heroes have helped shape society since the beginning of time, the controversial yet prolific costumed hero Edward Blake (more commonly known by his alias The Comedian) is found dead and the perpetrator is nowhere to be found. Unable to solve such a bizarre murder by conventional means, the masked vigilante Rorschach who once served as a costumed hero alongside Comedian and four others takes matters into his own bloodstained hands to track down a mysterious assassin that's taking out costumed heroes one by one. Conspiracies abound, political tensions are through the roof, the threat of WWIII is lurking just around the corner and the gritty and depressive atmosphere of a rotting New York City during the 1980's sets the scene for a grim dissection and criticism of classic superhero archetypes.

Watchmen redefines the term superhero. With the exception of Dr. Manhattan, none of them have any notable powers. The Comedian is merely a grotesque reflection of American society and all its shameless faults, as well as how misguided patriotism can be used to justify mindless violence and prejudice. Rorschach is a vigilante who throws around the words good and evil to justify his brute force and questionable methods of solving problems. Silk Spectre is a normal woman struggling between following her own path in life and forever remaining trapped in the shadow of her mother's legacy. Nite Owl almost feels like a comedic parody of Batman, poking fun at the fact that he's an awkward old nerd that loves owl-themed gadgets and dressing up in what is essentially a big Halloween costume. Dr. Manhattan is the embodiment of how power, knowledge, wealth and limitless freedom to do anything imaginable can alienate and dehumanize a person from the rest of the world. All of the superheroes are extremely flawed everyday people with everyday issues and imperfections who hide behind masked personas to cope with the questionable acts they're performing and the faulty morals behind them.

The heroes of this tale defy the image of flawless paragons of justice that can do no wrong. They are just as capable of being selfish, abusing their powers and doing evil things out of spite and unchecked negative emotions as everyone else. This critiques the very idea of putting idols on a pedestal in the first place. This can be compared to the famous actors, pop stars and politicians of today. It's easy for people to treat the words and actions of their idols like the words of God himself, forgetting that they're ordinary people with many imperfections just like everyone else. Again, most of the Watchmen have selfish reasons for hiding behind their costumed personas, because they feel powerless, guilty and ordinary without them. What does it say about who you are when you can't even show yourself in public without hiding behind a carefully crafted disguise? Why wear a mask if you're in the right and have nothing to hide?

All of this deception and abuse of authority is where the popular slogan (Who watches the Watchmen?) comes from. The people in power are constantly watching and judging the actions of the average person, but who are watching and judging the actions of the people in power? The people in power punish us for our wrongdoings but who punishes the people in power for theirs? Dismantling the infallible images that figures of authority try to maintain, dissecting issues of confused morals and identities hiding behind literal and figurative masks, tearing the veil from the one-dimensional definition of superheroes, all of these things are masterfully challenged in the shape of a dark psychological crime-thriller with many timeless themes that go harsh on politics and society.

Our heroes and leaders are never the flawless, perfect beings we romanticize them to be.

***

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[Simbasible Comics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look on My Works, Ye Mighty… is the eleventh issue in the twelve-issue series Watchmen, written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons.

Continuing from the fantastic cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter, this one starts with Rorschach and Nite Owl arriving at Ozymandias’ place where they have a confrontation that of course ends badly for the duo. We also learn the backstory of Adrian Veidt himself. The best part of this issue is clearly the fight between the three. How Adrian defeated them so easily was unforgettable and he is definitely a very cool, badass villain in both looks and abilities.

Action is surprisingly sparse in Watchmen mostly for the better, but this fight posed the question of whether or not more action scenes would have been preferable for the series as it was so good. Another highlight is the setting that was brilliantly illustrated and utilized. This lush forest dome within the Arctic made for a very memorable juxtaposition and a great proof of the intimidating powers of the main villain.

If there is one thing that takes this issue down a notch, it has to be the dialogue. Adrian talks in such a didactic manner that became tiresome very quickly. And he talks damn too much, which was frustrating at times. His motifs and backstory are very well explained, but a more visual instead of talkative approach would have been a better choice for this chapter. But the final supplement was fantastic as Ozymandias’ interview revealed his arrogant personality and what his opinions of the other superheroes are painfully clearly.

Look on My Works, Ye Mighty… most certainly is overly didactic in its dialogue, but the imagery is brilliant, the action is fantastic and its main villain was unforgettable and quite intimidating.

[Alvaro Galindo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias, señoras y señores. El rey de reyes:

-En confianza, a menudo se habla de usted como 'el hombre más inteligente del mundo'. ¿Es eso verdad, o acaso le molesta?
-No, eso no es verdad, pero es muy halagador y no me importa. Si alguien quiere llamarme 'el hombre más simpático del mundo', hey, también estará muy bien(risas). No, no, no me importa ser el hombre mas inteligente del mundo. Sólo desearía no serlo de este.

[tlacoyo bandicoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

me imaginaba algo aún más grande, pero de todas formas me gustó bastante lo que sucedió, más que nada cómo fueron mostrados el punto de toda la historia y la violencia: las últimas 6 u 8 páginas fueron una cosa maravillosa y luego el extracto al final ayudó a ver las pistas detrás de lo sucedido


tendré que pensar un poco más sobre las motivaciones del personaje detrás de todo esto, aunque algo cliché me gusta el cómo se burla a dios

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno, la psicología de Veidt es genial, pero la narración no me provocó el entusiasmo que esperaba (incluso, se me hizo algo lenta comparada con issues anteriores), así que supongo que pudo haber estado mejor.

[Jacob Helberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike a lot of people who have written reviews for this specific issue, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought Ozymandius was arrogant and was rude yet he succeeded in his plan. I actually liked seeing the "villain" "win" for once. It still came as a shock to me but I enjoyed it a lot.

[Lilamedusa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well... decisions were definitely taken with this number. I was barely interested in anything Ozymandias had to say. Again, it seemed predictable and unoriginal. Then again, it's not 1988 anymore, so who knows?

This is by far my least favourite issue.

[Isra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué final más bueno! Qué cosa más compleja en tanto diálogos y despliegue de estos, la verdad es que me quedé anonadado y encantado.

[Joseph Knecht · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those who want to unite the world, need a common enemy.

Those who seek to destroy the world, become the common enemy.

The world is to be destroyed... 35 minutes ago.

[M]

What.an.asshole.

[Sanil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, 3.5 here. I'm not super impressed with the reasoning behind all this, was expecting something else. On to the climax..

[Juan Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

decente

[Shaneka Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hnnng I like this comic