Additional Images:
Watchmen #6 Comic
Artwork Details
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DescriptionWhen Moore and Gibbons set out to create Watchmen, their goal was to produce something unique that would stand out among other comics on the spinner racks. They aimed to tell a story with adult themes and to employ techniques like foreshadowing and symbolism, which were more commonly associated with prose than with comics. They wanted to create something special, but they also knew the visual presentation had to be distinct. The cover imagery needed to be bold and consistent to make each issue easily recognizable and compelling enough for readers to buy the book.Moore and Gibbons approached the covers with a unique design sense uncommon in comics. Each Watchmen issue had a consistent cover layout featuring a few simple design elements. Gibbons arranged these elements in a striking manner, starting with the title running up the side of the book, which dramatically changed the dynamic of the covers. Additionally, the sidebar included the requisite publishing information and a clock in the bottom left corner, which, throughout the series, counted down from 11 minutes to midnight, symbolizing the march to Armageddon in the narrative. The cover images, famously crafted by Dave Gibbons, were actually the first panels of each chapter—a novel concept at the time. The cover art for Chapter VI, titled "The Abyss Gazes Also," stands out in several ways. It features a close-up of the Rorschach mask, with the character's face partially obscured by the inkblots on the mask. This image references the enigmatic and psychologically complex character of Rorschach, a central figure in Watchmen. Rorschach's mask symbolizes his rigid view of ethics and morality, as well as his use of a constructed identity to hide his vulnerable true self, Walter Kovacs. The mask is white with shifting black shapes resembling a Rorschach blot test, which was once used in psychology to assess a person's thoughts and emotions. The black-and-white shapes reflect Rorschach's belief in a clear division between good and evil, with no room for moral ambiguity. However, the constantly moving shapes symbolize the inconsistency and fluidity of his judgments. The published cover is predominantly purple, a departure from the yellow and red tones used in many other Watchmen covers. This color choice creates a sense of darkness and foreboding, emphasizing the psychological themes and moral ambiguity explored throughout the series. I'm thrilled to own one of only 12 covers from this historic series—a true gem in my collection. Image area 11" x 15" Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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James S 
Member Since 2017
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Another wonderful, CAF breaking add! Congrats, Amir!
Ron S
Member Since 2007
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Great pick up!! Now officially a member of the "cover club." Seriously, well done.
Xatari (Mike Hansen)
Member Since 2019
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
My favorite of the Watchmen covers. Awesome!!!
Kavi H
Member Since 2018
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Wow! A watchmen cover epic in its minimalism and symbolism, so memorable and significant - an understatement. Huge congrats!
Steve . M
Member Since 2017
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
A true Grail in any collection. Love the hatching technique and the graphic elements. Congratulations!!
Kasra Ghanbari
Member Since 2004
CAF Administrator
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Will never forget the day every one of these came out, this one especially. Congratulations!
George H
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Major congrats on picking up one of the twelve covers from a landmark series!
Duke Fleed aka #1 Groo Fan
Member Since 2013
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
I know these kind of blots are a test..not sure what others see here..but looks like a frantic swimmer in an ocean of avocados. Maybe I am just hungry. Huge congrats by the way!
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor
Member Since 2015
1 - Posted on 8/3/2024
Sooooooooooooooo fantastic! Congrats Amir!
K Gearon
Member Since 2011
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
Unreal! So cool seeing this historic piece here on CAF, Amir. Wow. You done did it again! Congrats!
Dino Mauricio
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
So awesome Watchmen cover, classic Rorschach inkblot!!
M L
Member Since 2015
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
There are somethings you don't see every day, and then there are some things you don't see every decade.
WOW! Congrats Amir, and it was nice to meet you in San Diego.
Crazy!
Toni S
Member Since 2019
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
One of the most iconic images of the run. Rorschach symbolizes the spirit of the Watchmen. Watchmen is "something" that goes beyond... That MASTERPIECE stays in a different level. Colossal cover, my friend!
NEBUR ADLAN
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
What to say...comic history ! The mask of Rorschach is an icon !
Dr. Balls
Member Since 2012
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
Love to see historic pieces here on CAF - thanks for sharing the art and congrats on the pickup!
Paul P Spiderversity
Member Since 2011
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
I think you just might break CAF with this one. Major congrats!!
Robert C
Member Since 2020
1 - Posted on 8/4/2024
Iconic - should be on your wall, or better yet a vault!
Brian G
Member Since 2020
1 - Posted on 8/5/2024
Wow. If not the greatest comic ever written, Watchmen is certainly towards the top of the list. To nab any page would be fortunate but a cover is totally bananas. Congrats!
Chris K.
Member Since 2008
1 - Posted on 8/5/2024
A true gem, indeed - what an addition to your gallery!
Justin Topages
Member Since 2015
1 - Posted on 8/5/2024
I see...a legendary acquisition and a pretty butterfly. Congratulations!
Mario Losada
Member Since 2011
1 - Posted on 8/5/2024
One of the mythical covers of Watchmen, a comic-book icon of all times. Congratulations
Felix Lu
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 8/6/2024
I was the underbidder on #1. Didn't try for the others. In retrospect, a mistake. Lesson learned. If I had a do-over, this is one I would have targeted for sure. Congrats to you!
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 8/6/2024
A great key issue with the origin of Rorschach. Through him, Moore was able to not only tell us about Kovacs, but also about ourselves and society that could produce such a person. Gibbons' illustration style is great here with the crosshatching spacing and density to show a light source of the doctor putting forth this test.
Fisch Benz
Member Since 2019
1 - Posted on 8/6/2024
Banger after banger. You, my friend, are the driver of the bang bus!
Kasra Ghanbari
Member Since 2004
CAF Administrator
1 - Posted on 8/8/2024
"THIS PIECE WAS FEATURED ON THE CAF UPDATE THIS WEEK AND TOOK THE PLACE OF THE CAKE BREAK."
Kin Wong
Member Since 2007
1 - Posted on 8/11/2024
That's one pricey butterfly. Or maybe it's a moth, hard to tell. They should have some sort of test to gauge how people see the same image.
Karim Elrafei
Member Since 2011
1 - Posted on 8/21/2024
Now Thats what I call Epic!!!! congrats my friend!!!
Bill J
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 9/5/2024
I remember when this book first came out, I was intitially mystified by the stark graphic covers. I thought, "This looks like the kind of graphics you'd find on an adult novel." Exactly. As with many things, my opinions have changed over the years and I now regard these covers as one of the greatest innovations to comic book storytelling ever. This cover to issue VI, is probably my favorite. It is indeed, the mask that Rorschach wore, but more than that, it is known for being the Rorschach Test, the physchological test to determine personality. What an perfect image for a cover to a storyline that challenges convention and invites personal interpretations. Brilliant pick-up, congrats!
West Stephan
Member Since 2007
1 - Posted on 5/24/2025
I just Re-watched this movie the other day. It still holds up really well. What a phenomenal story!
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