[spoiler]The "artists" that Veidt kidnapped to create the squid threat weren't that great. They were second rate comic book writers, one of which was the author of Tales of the Black Freighter. The fact that the best they could come up with was a scenario "lifted" from a TZ or Outer Limits was the point. Imagination should be mankind's deadliest weapon but if it runs dry steal someone else's ideas and fake it. It was a very subtle jab at the industry and the second rate creators rehashing the same stories again and again. Replace the squid w/ Starro, or Skrulls, or ... It might've been too subtle and because it was a comic book people took it at face value. Which I did at first. It could also be that I love the work so much that I, after three readings. found a way to make the ending work better without changing it[/spoiler]

I read an interview with Alan Moore where he said he had never seen the Outer Limits episode ("Architechs of Fear") with a similar plot element when he began writing the book, but became aware of the episode when reading a book on SF TV series and incorporated the same Outer Limits episode playing on TV in Sally Jupiter's home at the end. (The same episode is playing in the movie, but it's less apropos now.) So I'm not sure Moore was taking a shot at the lack of originality, at least intentionally, although he'd no doubt agree. (The same plot element was later used in the movie "Simon", with Alan Arkin.)

I read an interview with Alan Moore where he said he had never seen the Outer Limits episode ("Architechs of Fear") with a similar plot element when he began writing the book, but became aware of the episode when reading a book on SF TV series and incorporated the same Outer Limits episode playing on TV in Sally Jupiter's home at the end. (The same episode is playing in the movie, but it's less apropos now.) So I'm not sure Moore was taking a shot at the lack of originality, at least intentionally, although he'd no doubt agree. (The same plot element was later used in the movie "Simon", with Alan Arkin.)

Nice synchronicity w/ Alan Arkin. In 1983 he stared as Captain Invincible in The Return of Captain Invincible. A low budget super hero movie where after being a hero in the 40's he was forced to retire after Sen McCarthy accused him of being a communist in the 50's for wearing a red cape. Now (in the 80's) he's an alcoholic homeless man living in Australia who has to come out of retirement because his President needs him. Did I mention it's a musical w/ Christopher Lee as the villain. Singing songs by Richard (Rocky Horror picture Show) O'Brein. It predates Watchmen by 3 years and has a few similar themes.

As far as things playing on TV in the movie. Not to criticism the film becasue I did love it, but near the end when Veidt is watching all the TV monitors, I saw Richard Crenna and Sly Stallone walking in a clip from Rambo. If the events of Watchmen happened there never would have been a Rambo film made.

Isn't that like cutting off your nose to spite your face though? He'd rather take a jab at the industry than finish his story properly. Moore seems a bit nuts to me.

This is an industry that has screwed him over more then once. He refuses to even have his name on the films made from his work. He won't take any money from the films. Instead gives it all to the original artist he teamed with. There were snickers in the movie theater I went to when the credit came up "based on characters created by Dave Gibbons"

At first glance and even second it appears to be "cutting off your nose to spite your face" but Moore wasn't just taking on Super Heroes he took on the whole industry. In an environment that has "super heroes" like the Comedian would you let your kid read comic books about them. That was the point of the Tales from the Black Freighter subplot. It was his way of taking on the industry. There are so many different genres of comic books but the marketplace dictates that super hero comics sell so that's the only thing publishers want. If it said Pirate comics were the only thing that people read that is what the artists are forced to do write pirate comics. I think that's one of the things he's been frustrated with for over 20 years now.

"Moore seems a bit nuts to me." Alan Moore has walked away from millions of dollars for nothing more then letting people use his name on their work. He knows people are going to make money off his work, alter and change it, he just doesn't want their versions to have his name on it. Unwilling to sell out and take the money is considered not just nuts but bugfuck nuts in this day and age. Alan Moore is bugfuck nuts...so is Rorshach. But in the end Rorschach is the only one refusing to compromise which is why we love him as a character. Time will tell whether or not Moore will break or bend. I hope not because I'm rooting for him.

I've been watching some Sam Peckinpah movies lately and there's a quote from Ride the High Country that applies. “All I want is to enter my house justified.”

bugfuck nuts...so is Rorshach. But in the end Rorschach is the only one refusing to compromise which is why we love him as a character.

For that reason, Rorschach is, as far as I'm concerned, the moral center of the story.

I've been watching some Sam Peckinpah movies lately and there's a quote from Ride the High Country that applies. “All I want is to enter my house justified.”

I've quoted that line often. Very seldom is so much said in so few words.

Another quick quote comes to mind (esp. in todays Political Clime)
"I never hunt with the pack" Henry Fonda
THE TIN STAR 1957

You obviously know way more about Moore than I do and I wasn't insinuating that he didn't have valid reasons for his contempt of the comics industry(although at the time of the Watchmen's initial publication he was a relative newcomer) I just think he's gone out of his way to alienate himself. I actually respect his decision to distance himself from the films if he is unhappy with the results. My only beef is that it appears as though from time to time he would rather grind his axe than create the best story possible.

This is an industry that has screwed him over more then once. He refuses to even have his name on the films made from his work. He won't take any money from the films. Instead gives it all to the original artist he teamed with. There were snickers in the movie theater I went to when the credit came up "based on characters created by Dave Gibbons"

At first glance and even second it appears to be "cutting off your nose to spite your face" but Moore wasn't just taking on Super Heroes he took on the whole industry. In an environment that has "super heroes" like the Comedian would you let your kid read comic books about them. That was the point of the Tales from the Black Freighter subplot. It was his way of taking on the industry. There are so many different genres of comic books but the marketplace dictates that super hero comics sell so that's the only thing publishers want. If it said Pirate comics were the only thing that people read that is what the artists are forced to do write pirate comics. I think that's one of the things he's been frustrated with for over 20 years now.

"Moore seems a bit nuts to me." Alan Moore has walked away from millions of dollars for nothing more then letting people use his name on their work. He knows people are going to make money off his work, alter and change it, he just doesn't want their versions to have his name on it. Unwilling to sell out and take the money is considered not just nuts but bugfuck nuts in this day and age. Alan Moore is bugfuck nuts...so is Rorshach. But in the end Rorschach is the only one refusing to compromise which is why we love him as a character. Time will tell whether or not Moore will break or bend. I hope not because I'm rooting for him.

I've been watching some Sam Peckinpah movies lately and there's a quote from Ride the High Country that applies. “All I want is to enter my house justified.”