Dr. Malcolm and Gloria Long in Watchmen

Dr. Malcolm and Gloria Long

Dr. Long is a fancy-pants psychologist who sets out to crack the enigma that is Rorschach. In the process, he wrecks his marriage and loses faith in humanity. He and Gloria try to work it out, but no can do. Like the Odd Couple, these two perish in the monster squid blast. The Longs are important for several reasons. First, they’re upper-middle class, and live a certain lifestyle (yay, dinner parties) that doesn’t get much play in the rest of the book. Second, they’re the most prominent African-African characters, besides Bernie. Traditional civil rights might take a backseat to gay rights in Watchmen, but it’s still there, bubbling under the surface.