Reading pictures

Watchmen is only the second graphic novel I have read. The first, From Hell, which also happens to be by Alan Moore, was fantastic and a great read. It was also in black and white.

This is important because I've discovered something interesting in the way I'm reading Watchmen. When I read a book that is text only, the words are there to describe but it's up to me to visualize who and what is in the book. When I watch a movie, the image is there but so are the words; I just have to keep up with what is happening and make it all make sense in my head. But when I'm reading Watchmen, I've got the words telling me what's happening (the text is not all in the form of dialogue) and I've got the images showing me what's happening. But I also have the luxury of being able to study each frame, to pick up on the little things that I might miss in, say, a movie when the images are moving.

I find it interesting to have so many senses engaged but to be able to indulge those sense to really get a better understanding of the book and the story. I also find it different reading a graphic novel in colour versus one in black and white. Illustrating From Hell in black and white made sense, no doubt, but having the colours in Watchmen adds a different emphasis, particularly in the frames with lotsa blood. It will be great to see the movie and see how that adds to the story because it will be showing how the characters move and interact with each other and with their surroundings.

I'm about halfway through now and I'm definitely into this book.