New Watchmen Trailer

Watchmen fans received a mouthwatering preview from Zack Snyder's upcoming film, "Watchmen." Featured in the "Dark Knight" trailers, the trailer has reached millions of moviegoers ever since the Batman movie took the world by storm in mid-July.

Don't know much about "Watchmen?" Here are the basics: Alan Moore's dystopian masterpiece takes place in an alternate-universe. In it 1980s America is on the brink of nuclear war with Soviet Russia. Masked vigilantes, once guardians of the peace, are now forbidden to uphold the law. In this midst impending Armageddon (the nuclear clock is perpetually on 5 minutes to midnight), one of these masked heroes is thrown to his death, drawing his former colleagues into an ominous conspiracy.

"Watchmen" put graphic novels and comic books on the literary map. Audiences were shocked to come across a comic that possessed the characters and nuanced plot apparent Instead of the stereotypical, and often 2-dymensional heroes common in comic books, Alan Moore gives readers characters with complicated pasts and motives. The good guys aren't all that good (The Comedian attacked a fellow masked heroine) and Rorschach's methods of justice veered towards brutal and even inhuman.

In the trailer we catch glimpses of the story's pivotal characters, Doctor Manhattan, Rorschach, The Second Silver Spectre, Night Owl, and [] as well as some pretty CGI-filled scenes. However, what really makes this particular trailer exceptional is its skillful use of background music. Understanding that simple is better, the trailer uses only one song. "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" by The Smashing Pumpkins emulates the tense atmosphere that permeates the graphic novel and also sounds really cool. I loved the song so much that I purchased it from iTunes and I'm wasn't the only one who downloaded the song as a result.

The effects of the super-awesome trailer also bled into book sales. Ever since the "Watchmen" teaser trailer was released sales for Alan Moore's graphic novel have shot up. The novel was on bestseller lists for USA Today and Amazon.com and printers have produced an additional 900,000 copies in July (compared to the 100,000 copies that were sold last year). According to Paul Levitz, DC Comics' president and publisher, no movie trailer has had this kind of wild effect. While Alan Moore has distanced himself from the production, he can't complain about the increased sales and increased awareness. While I myself am nervous about Zack Snyder's work, I support any effort made to get the word out about this literary gem.