Note: This take is entirely based on the original comic, with some light reference to the theatrical film in preparation to watch the HBO series. I am writing ignorance of the latter.

A lot of the best parts of college come come fast and furious in those early months after you move in: local food dives, parties, outdoor hangouts, new friends, new habits, new hobbies, strange professors, strange friends, new books, new music, and new ideas.

Around October Fall 1995, Watchmen came my way. After having been a fan of Vertigo’s The Sandman series in high school, I knew that there were serious comics about adult (not per se sexual, although…) ideas out there, but I was unaware of just how serious Watchmen was.

Throughout the years, many of Watchmen’s ideas came true:

• venal narcissism in the Oval Office (beyond a Nixonian level)
• massive information culling, prioritizing, interpreting, and stock market-gaming intelligences
• morally rigid puritans exerting their will through murder of those who would lead them astray
• wűnderkind billionaires giving natural selection a helping hand by setting the species' targets among the stars

Additionally, Watchmen itself went through some strange intellectual property waters:

• re-issues
• an original-intent-obscuring movie release that didn’t quite hit the mark
• a direct-sequel series on HBO that was widely-acclaimed and has proven to be a forum wherein the formidable talent of Regina King was finally recognized

With the desire to watch and grab some of the background context of HBO’s “Watchmen,” I decided to give the paperback a re-read and see how it’s held up. Spoilers can be assumed for anyone reading onward.