Andrew G's Gallery of Nostalgia :: AG Art Collection

Watchmen #1 Page 13 - Dave Gibbons (1986)

Artists: Dave Gibbons (All) , Alan Moore (Writer)

44 Comments - 1,227 Views - 27 Likes

Watchmen #1 Page 13 - Dave Gibbons (1986) Comic Art

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Published Page (Watchmen #1 pg 13)

Watchmen Film

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Artwork Details

Title:	Watchmen #1 Page 13 - Dave Gibbons (1986)
Artist:	Dave Gibbons (All)
Artist:	Alan Moore (Writer)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Interior Page
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	1,227
Likes on CAF:	27 28
Comments:	44
Added to Site:	7/9/2022
Comic Art Archive:	Watchmen Issue: 1 Page: 13 View

Description

I've been encouraged by several people to make a gallery, so I might as well start with the most recent addition to my collection. I learned from Comic Art LIVE that brick count is an important factor for selecting art, so I had to jump on this one ;)

All jokes aside, this is one of my favorite pages from the greatest comic ever made. It's subtle but tells you everything you need to know about Rorschach, Daniel (Nite Owl) and the core message of the story being told.

Rorschach stops by to warn Daniel in case someone is killing "masks." It is very interesting word choice, as it gives the costume a life of its own. For Rorschach, Daniel and so many others their identities and importance come from the costumes that they wear. Ironically, Rorschach is the last of the Crimebusters wearing his, as he continues the crusade that gives his existence meaning. He doesn't stay long, as his warped sense of morality sends him back on his literal and metaphorical dark path alone.

The page is even more telling for Daniel. He reflects on the days where he was the Nite Owl, and the moments of "greatness" that made him feel excited and alive. Those moments are behind him, like his costume, looming over him large and immaculate as he sits there slumped and disheveled. It is almost as if Moore is making a distinction between Daniel of now and the Nite Owl mantle he assumed in the past. The Nite Owl should know Rorschach is familiar with the warehouse, they probably walked there numerous times together. Daniel is simply not the same person without his costume.

I really love Daniel's despondent stare at The Comedian's pin, which has become the iconic symbol of the series. In an interview Moore stated he chose a smiley face as it's the most simple design that will elicit a reaction from a newborn. This basic icon of joy is tainted by blood, just as Moore attempts to do with the archetype of a superhero for the reader. Daniel is not a superhero, just as Rorschach is not one as well. He dressed up for excitement and a sense of power, not for a greater calling to help people. A superhero does not simply "quit," and Daniel did a long time ago along with everyone else. There are no superheroes in the world of the Watchmen, no moral beacon or authority... just flawed people emboldened by costumes they wear, imposing their will on the world. I'd like to believe Daniel knows this as well, and the gravity of the meaning of what he holds in his hands weighs on him.

This is one of the few pages in my collection where I don't feel like the owner, just a lucky custodian of comic history.

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About the Owner

	Andrew G ( 2 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	May 2022
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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West Stephan
Member Since 2007

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Great start to posting your collection. This one is a doozy!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/9/2022

West Stephan wrote:

Great start to posting your collection. This one is a doozy!

Thank you! My avatar is the sneak preview to what I'm posting next week if you like Capullo. I'll be sure to check out your gallery as well!

paul bogdanowski
Member Since 2006

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Nite owl and Rorschach was a great team. Congrats to that wonderful page with a wonderful splash.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/9/2022

paul bogdanowski wrote:

Nite owl and Rorschach was a great team. Congrats to that wonderful page with a wonderful splash.

Thank you :) At first glance it looks like you have a great Rorschach + Nite Owl page as well! Will probably post another Watchmen page in the near future. Cheers

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

2 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Pages from issue one are special as each of the main characters got a half splash that informed us about their character and who they are at the beginning of the tale.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Marcus Wai wrote:

Pages from issue one are special as each of the main characters got a half splash that informed us about their character and who they are at the beginning of the tale.

I totally agree. I've been trying to track down the others for some time now. Maybe one day!

Comic Art Channel
Member Since 2018

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Big congrats! These are harder and harder to get!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/9/2022

Comic Art Channel wrote:

Big congrats! These are harder and harder to get!

Thank you! They sure are. I had been searching for this exact page for some time and figured it was a lost cause. Felt like the stars aligned when I saw it became available.

Rick W
Member Since 2017

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

You certainly know how to make an entrance!

Stunning Watchmen page! Bricks like no other ;)

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Rick W wrote:

You certainly know how to make an entrance!

Stunning Watchmen page! Bricks like no other ;)

Haha. Thank you!

Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006

1 - Posted on 7/9/2022

Betcha this cost a lot more than the under 2000 it cost on ebay over a decade ago. We must suffer for our art.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

Peter Sullivan wrote:

Betcha this cost a lot more than the under 2000 it cost on ebay over a decade ago. We must suffer for our art.

Let's just say it kept up with inflation lol. Wish I was actively collecting back then. Oh well.

M L
Member Since 2015

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Well bought! I really liked this as a companion piece to one of my pages but I had to drop out. As a primer to your gallery I'll be very curious to see what you add in the future. Welcome to CAF!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

M L wrote:

Well bought! I really liked this as a companion piece to one of my pages but I had to drop out. As a primer to your gallery I'll be very curious to see what you add in the future. Welcome to CAF!

Thank you! If it's any consolation you have a drawing of Superman punching Hitler which I don't and now I want one lol :)

James Dornoff
Member Since 2019

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Such a monumental moment in comics and comic book movies. Fantastic art, story and history, huge congrats!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

James Dornoff wrote:

Such a monumental moment in comics and comic book movies. Fantastic art, story and history, huge congrats!

Thanks so much! Very kind of you.

Timothy Finney
Member Since 2006

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Alas, poor Eddie! I knew him, Walter: a fellow of infinite jest.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

Timothy Finney wrote:

Alas, poor Eddie! I knew him, Walter: a fellow of infinite jest.

No more gibes or gambols. There's definitely something Shakespearean about that moment. Moore really elevated the craft :)

J. Sid
Member Since 2004

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Great little moment on this one, the dialogue is perfect and then Dan is left alone with some heavy thoughts to deal with.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

J. Sid wrote:

Great little moment on this one, the dialogue is perfect and then Dan is left alone with some heavy thoughts to deal with.

Totally agree. A lot of people are really focused on action pages, but moments like these is what endeared this series to me.

James S
Member Since 2017

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Well, if you are going to post a first piece, it's "go big or go home!" Glad you went with the first option.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

James S wrote:

Well, if you are going to post a first piece, it's "go big or go home!" Glad you went with the first option.

Haha, honestly wasn't sure what to open with but since I just got this I had the scan readily available and figured it was worthy of opening the gallery :)

Al Simpleton
Member Since 2013

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Just stating the obvious, but this is a great page! It's also a reminder of how Alan Moore's storytelling can be so dense and so subtle at the same time. Great comment too, but I guess this is the type of story that leads to pondering on the many meannings of life... And, oh, welcome to CAF!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

Al Simpleton wrote:

Thank you! Yes, it's one of those comics that people might have breezed through like so many before it, not realizing how much attention and effort went into making it. Everytime I go back and re-read it I catch something new.

Jerry C.
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Love your comment! Lucky custodian of comic history!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Jerry C. wrote:

Love your comment! Lucky custodian of comic history!

Thank you :)

Ron S
Member Since 2007

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Congrats ona great page!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

Ron S wrote:

Congrats ona great page!

Thank you. You have quite a few great pages from Watchmen as well! I'm jealous of the cover -- opportunities to pick up one of those don't come along anymore ;)

Tyler T
Member Since 2020

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Epic page, congrats!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Tyler T wrote:

Epic page, congrats!

Thank you! My long search for it is finally over :)

Mark Levy
Member Since 2004

1 - Posted on 7/10/2022

Truly a lot of story on a page that features a 2/3 splash - congrats on being a custodian of such a great example!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 7/10/2022

Mark Levy wrote:

Truly a lot of story on a page that features a 2/3 splash - congrats on being a custodian of such a great example!

Sure is. Moore really is a master of his craft. Thanks!

Yo Kuri
Member Since 2019

1 - Posted on 7/11/2022

Great moment in the story of their relationship. Love how Gibbons spotted the blacks in the bottom panel. Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your art with us.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 7/11/2022

Yo Kuri wrote:

Great moment in the story of their relationship. Love how Gibbons spotted the blacks in the bottom panel. Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your art with us.

I agree, it really adds depth to the image. Thank you!

artless artmore
Member Since 2013

1 - Posted on 8/14/2022

I was sure I had already commented on this beauty, but better late than never. This is an outstanding page from such an amazing and influencial story (you heard it here first). Congratulations and thanks for posting!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 8/14/2022

artless artmore wrote:

Fashionably late :) Thanks for the comment!

Jason Weitzner
Member Since 2004

1 - Posted on 10/7/2022

Stunning page and I'm absolutely envious!!! Congrats!!!!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 10/8/2022

Jason Weitzner wrote:

Stunning page and I'm absolutely envious!!! Congrats!!!!

Thank you, Jason. Much appreciated!

Steve . M
Member Since 2017

1 - Posted on 11/4/2022

Great description! Love when a collector has a passion for a piece and it shows in what they have to say about the art and the story.

You'll be an amazing custodian for this one.

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 11/4/2022

Steve . M wrote:

Great description! Love when a collector has a passion for a piece and it shows in what they have to say about the art and the story.

You'll be an amazing custodian for this one.

Thank you, Steve! Very nice of you to say and much appreciated :)

Bill J
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 6/28/2023

Powerful page from a powerful book. As beautifully drawn as it is written. But then, that's the secret to all great books, isn't it? Congrats on a fantastic pick-up!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

Posted on 6/28/2023

Bill J wrote:

Powerful page from a powerful book. As beautifully drawn as it is written. But then, that's the secret to all great books, isn't it? Congrats on a fantastic pick-up!

Thanks, Bill! That is indeed the secret ;)

K Gearon
Member Since 2011

1 - Posted on 8/14/2023

Such an impactful scene, and the art? Sublime, for real. Big congrats, Andrew!

Andrew G
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 8/16/2023

K Gearon wrote:

Such an impactful scene, and the art? Sublime, for real. Big congrats, Andrew!

Thank you!

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