V for Vendetta, Sin City, Watchmen

[bw38]

Alright so I saw the movie adaptations for V for Vendetta and Sin City. I absolutely loved both movies, especially Sin City for it's cinematic comic book effects. I heard that Watchmen is soon going to be coming out on the big screen as well. Watchmen, along with the Dark Knight Returns, are supposed to be one of the best comic books written in comic book history, or at least it's reached a very high level of importance in the comic book world. So here's the situation, I saw the movies (plan on seeing Watchmen when it comes out), but never read the comics. Would it be worth reading V for Vendetta? Sin City? Watchmen? I was planning on going with the Absolute Edition for Watchmen. What exactly should I be looking for as far as the actual comics because I'm not sure that those movies were based on one specific book or on a range of books. In other words, I'm not sure if there's one book called Sin City which the movie is based off, or if it's an entire series called Sin City that the movie is based off (same goes for V for Vendetta). Either way any help is appreciated here.

Also are there any other comics out there like V for Vendetta (and Watchmen, even though I have yet to read it but I've heard only great things of it, plus its the same author)?

[carabas]

There's eight or so Sin City books, and because film makers are rational being they made a movie out of books 1, 3, and 4. Not that it matters much, all of the books are pretty much stand alone stories.

And there is but one Watchmen story, and but one V For Vendetta story.

The Absolute Watchmen tome is just beautyful, but if you're not made of money, the regular-sized book contains the same story in a not quite as lucious execution.

[Jimmy Starburst]

Definitely read Watchmen before seeing the movie. I feel that way about all comic book-movie adaptations (although I probably would have actually enjoyed the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie if I hadn't read the comic book first), and for a book as good as Watchmen - most definitely.

[will_butler]

You should absolutely read V for Vendetta. It's my favorite work by Alan Moore. It's good that you saw the film first, though, as the comic is infinitely better. I, unfortunately, read the book first, and was incredibly disappointed in the film.

Will

[Chiroptera]

Definitely read Watchmen before seeing the movie. I feel that way about all comic book-movie adaptations (although I probably would have actually enjoyed the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie if I hadn't read the comic book first), and for a book as good as Watchmen - most definitely.

This is why I don't read the comic till after I see the movie! That way I'm not filled with disappointment when I see the film because I'm not going "Aw they left this out.. Aw they left that out too! Oh and they skipped one of the best bits of Dialogue!!"

I think it's always better to see the movie FIRST, that way you can view it without bias, enjoy the film on it's own rather than by comparing it to the comic that came before it. Once it's done THEN go read the comic. I find that I appreciate a comic story even more once I've seen the film because the comic always has a long story with more substance. It let's you see all the little side bits, sub-plots and other things the movies leave out.

[BurningStarIV]

My friends and I are very firm in our belief that you cannot consider yourself a true fan of comic books until you read Watchmen.

[jerrymcl89]

I would agree that it's better to read the comic after seeing the movie. Subtleties of the plot inevitably get cut out in the films, and that will tend to bother you if you've read the book. Whereas I think if you see "V" first, and then read it, you'll like both.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Also are there any other comics out there like V for Vendetta (and Watchmen, even though I have yet to read it but I've heard only great things of it, plus its the same author)?

Miracleman is supposed to be similar to The Watchmen, and is by the same writer (Alan Moore).

It would take a bit of work & cash to find the entire Moore run on the book, though.

I just ordered issues 1-3 for $9 total, and free shipping, from someone on ebay who's selling them at that price via Buy It Now option. The deal sounds way too good to be true, but I've found similarly low priced deals in the past on ebay, so I went for it, anyway.

If you do a search on "Miracleman", you can find this person's auction.......My guess is, if his auction is legit, he's probably using this as an introductory deal so people will look through his future auctions and buy more.

[ChairthrowerLad]

As much as love V for Vendetta, The Dark Knight Returns and Sin City....Watchmen is one of the best things I have ever read. It is on Time Magazine's list of the top 100 novels of all time.

I am not saying that THAT, in and of itself, makes it good, but it is just an example of what I am talking about.


As far as I am concerned, V for Vendetta, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One, Watchmen are all in the top 5 best comics of all time.

[dademan]

Also are there any other comics out there like V for Vendetta (and Watchmen, even though I have yet to read it but I've heard only great things of it, plus its the same author)?

Well, there is The Crow. I believe it was a comic, then turned into a film. Haven't acually gotten the Comic yet, but the movie is amazing.

[the goddamn batman]

Yeah, it's a comic first. And it's way better than that crappy movie.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Well, there is The Crow. I believe it was a comic, then turned into a film. Haven't acually gotten the Comic yet, but the movie is amazing.

I don't find the Crow film to have much in similarity with those Alan Moore stories.

[Laughing Mask]

don't raise your hopes up too high for the watchmen movie.............

[dancj]

Yeah, it's a comic first. And it's way better than that crappy movie.

Which is saying something seeing as the comic wasn't very good either.

The follow-ups with Alex Maleev art were much better though.

Oh and as Christopher Cross Is God said, The Crow really bears no resemblance to any of those other stories.

[The Xenos]

Is it really that difficult for people who don't read books or comics to get into them?

1) Go into book store or comic book store.

2) Look or ask for V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Sin City, etc.

3) Look at said books and determine which one you want.

4) ???

5) profit


Though kidding aside, it is pretty simply if you just go into a store or look online at the books themselves. V for Vendetta is a miniseries collected in a full volume. Watchmen is also a full volume of a collected miniseries. Think of each issue collected inside as a chapter.

I would say to check out the soft cover trade of Watchmen, or any book, before plunking down a ton of money on an expensive hardcover collectors edition.

Sin City is a series of miniseries collected in full volumes. Though pretty much any of the current printings have giant numbers on the sides, so it's easy to know where to start.

Plus while you're there, check out some of the other comics / graphic novels sitting on the shelf. A book doesn't need a movie to be good. Hell, usually if there is a movie the book is better and not watered down anyway.