But Who Watches the Watchmen? Apparently Tim Kring...douchebag.

VS.

This is an older story (I first read about it over a month ago on CHUD here), and one that is quite famously making its way across the web as nerds all over feel scorned by their mainstream acceptable entertainment. A recent storyline development in Heroes has started resembling a MAJOR plot point in Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons's seminal 1986 comic series, Watchmen. And by resembling, I mean Tim Kring and his team of writers have pretty much ripped off one of the most respectable and well known comic books in the history of the medium.

Before I get into the spoiler laden debate over Heroes's plagiarism, I wish to give a little background on both entities. Watchmen is one of the most influential comic books in terms of both within the industry and outside of it. Inside the industry, Watchmen changed the way a lot of people looked at superheroes, specifically the morality & psychology of people who dress up in tights to save the world and also what the realistic ramifications of having superpowered beings on our planet would be for the rest of the populace. Suddenly there were blemishes on Superman's cape, and Batman appeared like a bit more of a sociopath in long underwear. That's not to say that Moore's book was just a subversive attack on the superhero genre. It was also a love letter to creation, art, archetypes, and the human spirit. It told a story of misguided and fallible heroism, but it was merely holding a mirror up to us all. None of us are perfect and valiant all the time, but most of us aren't just plain evil either. It's a muddled picture where the good guys do horrible things, and horrible people can be good guys. If you haven't read it, I simply can't recommend it enough. Watchmen will be turned into a movie next year by Zack Snyder (of 300 and Dawn of the Dead remake fame), and apparently will still take place in 1985. For more information on Watchmen, check out the Wikipedia page.

That's a tough act to follow. But Heroes has been making a name for itself on TV since its premiere, which drew in 14.3 million viewers. Heroes is a character driven drama in which the main characters are all slowly discovering (or, in some cases, mastering) very special and unique traits, powers if you will, that set them apart from everyone else. Some find their new talents to be a gift and revel in the possibilities, while others see their new abilities as a curse and try their best to hide it. The show has a quick pace that constantly keeps its large cast moving, advancing the plot with every episode, and showing the interconnectivity of everyone involved. Fan favorites Claire (the indestructible cheerleader) and Hiro (the time travelin' transportatin' Japanese businessman/nerd) represent the divide in how people feel about their gifts, and also provide the show with its comedy and heart. There are a lot of mysteries that have been introduced throughout the show's first season, along with a bunch of horrible taglines (covered here). It is a good mainstream show that is occasionally clunky with its dialogue and yet compelling due to the constantly forward moving plot (which at times makes it predictable, but at least is never a cocktease like its serial genre father, Lost).

(SPOILERS FOLLOW MOFO)

In its ever expanding story, recent developments have prompted politician Nathan Petrelli, who can fly, to allign himself with his mysterious mobster benefactor, Linderman. Linderman, who before his appearance on the show came across as a devious, manipulating cold-blooded villain, also has a power himself - the ability to heal. It turns out the Linderman used to be in a super group with other "special" people, who tried to save the world becoming fractured and pursuing their own paths and desires. However, Linderman never stopped wanting to save the world - and now has a scheme which will bring America together. His scheme? He wishes to set off a living bomb in New York City, killing millions (but only .07% of the world population, he is careful to point out), and hopes that the tragedy will unite Americans and get them behind then presidential candidate Petrelli who, in turn, will usher in years of prosperity and peace. It's actually a great idea, and the manipulative use of collateral damage and tragedy in hopes for advancing unity is something that has been used before in old issues of Weird Science and episodes of The Outer Limits.

The real problem? This is exactly the overarching plot of Watchmen. Ozymandias, the former costumed hero with super intelligence, sees that only by using a great horrible cataclysmic event can the world ban together. But to sell the tragedy he creates these horrible alien creatures which he will teleport into Times Square, killing millions in the process and staging what appears to be a failed alien invasion. With this attack from the ultimate outside, the world begins to pool together, and the rest of the heroes allow this new age to begin (although one is killed to ensure that it will happen).

So to recap:
-Ultimate villain a former hero with noble intentions? Check

-A devastating attack on New York City which will kill many, but are mathematically expendable for idealistic pursuit? Check.

-Other heroes who will tacitly comply once they begin to turn to the new reasoning of the Villain? Check.

The main issue I have isn't that Heroes uses THE SAME plot device as Watchmen. My problem is that it never gives credit for the story or acknowledges that it's been done previously. Tarantino rips off/pays homage to hundreds of movies in each of his films--but he gets a pass from nerds. Why? Because he acknowledges that he is using those movies, tells others about the movies he is borrowing from, and clearly is a big fan of those movies. Kring, on the other hand, continues in his "I HAVE NEVER READ COMICS IN MY LIFE EVER" stance, and refuses to publicly tip his hat to Moore & Gibbons. He maintains the position that since he has never read ANY comic books, his conscience is clear. Behold, from the official 9th Wonders website:

DL- I sent you the trade compilation of J. Michael
Stracynzki's "Rising Stars," a now fully complete story about a group of kids
all from the same town who develop supernatural abilities (and are thusly
labeled "Specials")... my question: Why didn't you read it? (and "no time" is
not an acceptable answer, pal!)
TK- I'm intrigued by this question because
obviously something I've done with HEROES proves to you that I didn't read it.
The problem is, since I didn't read it, I don't know what that is. Did I miss
something I should have stolen? Did I steal something and don't know it? I fear
the latter from the tone of your question. But the truth is I didn't read it for
a couple reasons.
First and foremost, because this show deals in the arena
of the super hero and comic book world, I didn't want to be tempted or
discouraged by other ideas out there. Very early on in the process, I went to
see my friend Jeph Loeb for just this reason. I told him I was not well versed
in this world and wanted him to steer me away from anything that was derivative
or just out and out stealing. Unfortunately EVERYTHING I pitched to him had not
only been done once, but many times in many ways. I literally went home that
night convinced that I couldn't touch this subject without reinventing the wheel
at best, and outright plagiarism at worst.
I finally decided, maybe
foolishly so, not to read anything. In this way, at least my conscience is
clear. And I have surrounded myself here with enough comic book folks who can
tell me what to veer away from.

So Jeph Loeb is to blame? I never did like Hush anyway (nerdy comic reference/joke). But the problem here is that he admits that he surrounds himself with people in the industry (not the least is Tim Sale & Jeph Loeb who have been working for a long time for the Big Two - DC & Marvel). Watchmen is considered THE cornerstone of modern comic book storytelling. You can't be considered at all knowledgeable about comics without knowing this book. You can't even DISCUSS comics after 1985 without bringing up this mammoth and legendary contribution to literature. So my problem isn't that he came up with the same idea - although I am INCREDIBLY skeptical of that, too. No, my problem is that a brilliant piece of work is being used without any proper recognition - and it's being used POORLY, i might add. And I worry that if/when Watchmen does make its way to theaters, if people (by which I mean the vast majority who have never heard of the landmark series) won't suddenly decry the movie's third act as ripping off Heroes!

Heroes has subsequently gone on to a botched plagiarism of the epic "Days of Future Past" storyline from Uncanny X-Men #141-142 in their latest trip to a dark future where the powered people are rounded up by the government. They've even included scarred cast mates and former villains turned allies in their vision of dystopia.

C'mon, Heroes! And to Mr. Moore - you would have nothing to do with the pretty good adaptation of V for Vendetta, but you allowed this to pass? Unleash Hell, Mr. Moore. By which I mean your legal staff!