Monday, October 8, 2012

Watchmen: Chapter X - page 7



PAGE 7

Panel 1:  Where we see Bubastis and two of Adrian Veidt’s servants awaiting the arrival of their “master” in a window of Veidt’s arctic fortress.   

Panel 1-3:  As befits the ego and status of Veidt, his fortress and servants are colored in hues of purple (the color of royalty) and gold (a color commonly associated with power).  Also note the preponderance of the letter “V,” for Veidt’s last name.  It can be seen in the hat of his pilot, in the neckline of his servants, in his cufflinks, and on his jet (colored in an appropriately purple hue by John Higgins).

Panel 4:  In this panel, Adrian Veidt’s life as Ozymandias is visualized masterfully by Dave Gibbons and John Higgins.  There are the obvious Egyptian artifacts along the top level, the succession of the letter “V” in purple and gold along the façade of this upper level, a painting depicting Alexander the Great’s successful cutting of the Gordian Knot on the left side of the first level, the succession of television screens Veidt uses to gather his information for his business (and other) plans, multiple clocks for major cities around the world that also plays into the clock motif prevalent in Watchmen, and the banks of computers to the right on the lower level that is a more contemporary symbol of his vast knowledge and superior intelligence.

Panel 5:  Veidt’s reference to the delivery is a bit of foreshadowing, and it relates directly to the scene and dialogue from Chapter VIII, page 11.

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