New "Watchmen" book covers.

Look at the cover above. That's the best and most startling of the original covers for the "Watchmen" graphic novel edition. Now look at the two covers below - these are the covers Dave Gibbons have created - 20 years after the book was orignally published - for the new mass market editions of the book that tie in with the movie.

Well, I think it's a bit depressing. I really don't mind Dave Gibbons making money off the Watchmen movie, but I'm upset that he ruins the original book in this way. "It's just the cover of the book", some people might say - "It doesn't matter". Yes, but Watchmen was always a special case. Back from the days when "Watchmen" was published as 12 seperate issues, the cover design was always a part of the story inside. The story would actually start with the image on the cover and then zoom out.

These new covers ruins the original concept for the book. Also, they're just plain ugly. They look like ugly third rate school reunion photos from Facebook. "Hey people... nice to be back together. Let's put costumes on and have a photo session shall we? Oh, and the end of the world is nigh, right, so just for fun let's stand below a doomsdays clock."

Well, I hate to sound like a 19 year old fan of an obscure band that has just signed to a major label... but man, Dave Gibbons is a bit of a sellout these days. :-(

Oh well, at least Alan Moore is 100% uncompromising, and refusing all money from the movie. Ha!

Edit: after writing this post it occurs to me that Gibbons might actually be completely innocent - that these two sub-par images might be used on the cover against his will. Well, shame on DC then. Watchmen's covers were always some of the best looking out there.... well, no more.