SCI FI PI

Now that The Dark Knight has shattered pretty much every worldwide opening box office record, it seems only fair to warn you that there may be plenty more comic book action where that came from. Namely, DC. Watchmen, (not 'The' Watchmen), the Zack Snyder directed version of the classic graphic novel, is coming out in March next year. Yes. March next year. It's a while away, but the buzz is phenomenal. If you know all about Watchmen, then you've seen the trailer already. But if not, here's the down low.



The Comedian wears the smiley face that adorned the world in the 80's, along with 'Choose Life' t-shirts.


Watchmen is generally considered the best 'graphic novel' ever made. Written by Alan Moore, who created Swamp Thing, From Hell and V For Vendetta, it was listed by Time Magazine as one the 100 best novels of all time. Which is a hell of a call. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons, the 'novel' which was originally released as a series of comic books in 1986 by DC comics, tells the story of disillusioned and semi-retired superheroes who must struggle to face up to their past and to a future which seems doomed to end in nuclear armageddon.



Creepy Rorschach, who wears an inkblot mask that morphs, and is the cynical narrator of the tale.

The story, set in a slightly skewed timeline, goes all the way back to the early thirties, and traces the history of these men and women as they did what the could, but eventually grew older, retired and had kids, living through the momentous years of the sixties and seventies. In the 80's they're little more than relics, with only a few still active. The only true 'super' hero is Dr Manhattan, the victim of a freak accident that gives him power over matter, time and space. It's a tough act to follow for mere costumed humans, but he's one of the main keys to the puzzle of nuclear detente, and perhaps, not really human at all anymore.



Malin Akerman plays Silk Spectre 2.

The mood of Watchmen is dark, psychologically complex, and it ends in one heck of a finale. Zack Snyder directed Frank Miller's 300, so has good runs on the board when it comes to the comic-to-screen genre. Given the film's 'alternate history' angle, made even more prominent by the fall of the Soviet Union and the replacement of nuclear war with terrorism as the primal government-sponsored fear of the masses, it should prove even more interesting than your average comic book movie, which in the recent times of Iron Man and The Dark Knight, is pretty interesting indeed!



The Night Owl 2, a.k.a Hollis Mason, author of the tell-all book, 'Under The Hood'.


The trailer-to-page comparison provided by website Ropes of Silicon seems to points to a pretty faithful adaption, with some extra slickness laid on. Fingers crossed it ll works out for the best. Watch out for updates!



For the film's official website, and the trailer, click here


For Ropes of Silicon's excellent trailer to comic comparison, click here