Watchmen Chapter E

Reprinted from Chapter Five of the Treasure Island Treasury of Comics

• This faux-history of comic books (fake to us, real to Watchmen) shares the history of pirate comics in general, and Tales of the Black Freighter in particular.
• In 1960, the first issue comes out, illustrated by Joe Orlando (an actual illustrator, from Shmoop’s mouth to your ears).
• This first issue is penned by one Max Shea (a character invented up by Alan Moore), and the stories are darker than dark. Big shock there.
• Not to give this chapter short shrift, as it does shed light on the comic within the comic, but this section is mostly icing on the cake, which, as you can tell by now is already twelve-layered and difficult enough to slice.
• Spoiler alert: the sailor will make it to Davidstown, but not with his sanity intact.
• The other key takeaway is that Max Shea has disappeared, in the world of Watchmen, not our own.
• Is it getting harder to tell them apart? No? Maybe it’s just us.