Consider masculinity, and the way in which it comes to interact with conventional ideas of heroism and/or villainy

Consider masculinity, and the way in which it comes to interact with conventional ideas of heroism and/or villainy. What manifestations of masculinity emerge most frequently in hero-oriented media? Which characters, if any, do we see subvert or in some way complicate conventional ideas of ‘successful’ masculinity? Ultimately, how does the relationship between heroism and masculinity come to be figured in the texts we’ve encountered thus far, and what might that reveal about social and cultural values more generally?

❖ Watchmen is a graphic novel chock full of recurring imagery. Select one of these images and trace its movement through the text. What role does this image have to play in constructing meaning for the larger novel? Why is it important? How does it intervene in a theme relevant to the text or our class discussions? Images you may want to consider include: the smiley face, watches/clocks, the Nostalgia perfume bottle, Rorschach ink blots, or the Hiroshima shadow lovers (this is by no means a comprehensive list – feel free to pick anything not listed here).

❖ As the ticking Doomsday clock between chapters reminds us, Watchmen represents a world that is barreling toward something like apocalypse. Many of its central characters are explicitly aware of this fact and conduct themselves accordingly. Consider the role of this impending doom in the graphic novel and the ways in which different characters have reacted to its inevitability differently. What different ideologies and philosophies do we see characters adopt in the wake of coming doomsday? Does the text ultimately seem to validate any one of these philosophies over the others? In other words, does Watchmen present a case for the adoption of any particular moral position or life philosophy?