Alan Moores Watchmen As The Golden Age Of Superheroes In...

For centuries, man has struggled with the concepts of good and evil and have produced astounding works as a reflection of it. This is ideally the foundation of early fables and folklore dating back to ancient civilizations. Stories about famed heroes and the battle of good and evil woven into extravagant tales of danger, destiny, and triumph. These stories were often assimilated into individual societies, told from generation to generation until eventually finding themselves becoming an integral part of the culture. In 1938, a new era began to emerge known as the â€Å"golden age† of superheroes. Superman made his first appearance in action comics, forging a unique identity as the first comic book superhero in American culture and quickly†¦show more content†¦Because Rorschach grew up experiencing injustice and constant humiliation from other children, he sees his barbaric acts as being equitable, almost as if they redeem him of the rightful childhood he never had. On page 182, panels 4-6, Rorschach’s mother relentlessly beats him after one of her patrons storms out on her. Rorschach tries to explain his actions to his mother, stating that he thought the man was hurting her, this can arguably mean he was coming to her aid. Still, she beats him mercilessly. This is a brief example of what he endured in childhood that later manifests itself through his troublesome adolescence and haunts him into adulthood. On page 203 panel 8, Rorschach stands outside a man’s home, watching as it becomes engulfed in flames, notably, this man was allegedly responsible for the murder of a little girl. Rorschach interprets slaughtering him as an act of redemption, especially because the victim was a small, helpless child. We see his character illuminated by the bright orange embers as his own dark shadow is cast behind him. This panel essentially captures Rorschach’s character, his face covered and his hands resting in his pockets, giving the rea der a sense of his cool yet dark demeanor stemming from a troubled past. Similarly, he stands tall in the panel, a metaphor that could interpreted as standing tall in the face of injustice knowing justice has been served on his own terms. His character is misunderstood and seen as cold-hearted. Often