The Watchmen by Alan Moore

Alan Moore's Watchmen is a true masterpiece and every comic book collector must read this book. Like the Dark Knight Returns, The Watchmen helped redefined comic books for more mature, sophisticated readership.

Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Watchman doesn't use characters that readers are familiar with. No one has ever heard of Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre and the Comedian. After reading The Watchmen you will never forget them.

Someone is killing the former Crimebusters. The remaining members come out of retirement to find the killer or killers. The original publishing was very, very well paced 12 issue series, each installment made the reader hunger for more. Many say that The Watchmen deals with the fear ordinary people have of superheroes. You might agree, but mostly, I see a very thick mystery. You will not be able to guess the end.

In addition to the main plot, Moore added a section that fills in the back story using excerpts from biographies, interviews, and reports. In addition, The Watchmen includes sections of "Tales of the Black Freighter," a comic-book read by a child in the issue.