Rorschach #8
The investigator looks for answers from some of the last people to see Laura and Myerson alive in Rorschach #8, by writer Tom King, artist Jorge Fornes, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Clayton Cowles. King and company are laying out a great mystery in this book, and this issue is no different- the more readers learn, the more there is left to learn, if that makes sense.
This issue shows the investigator questioning three different people who knew Myerson- his lawyer, his psychiatrist, and his handyman. They all tell a very similar story- about going to a ranch he had bought in New Mexico, working on his will, giving him therapy sections, and building a stage, respectively. Each of them goes shooting with Laura. Each of them leaves. However, the investigator doesn’t believe any of it and, after getting rough with them, gets an answer- “The squids are here.”
King does an amazing job in this chapter. Mystery comics like this one are all about giving the readers some answers but always leaving more questions, and this issue is a wonderful example of that. For example, how did all three of these men get taken in by Myerson and Laura so well that they would tell the stories they did. The “squid invasion” is a big part of the Watchmen mythology, as seen in the TV sequel, but are all three believers. The handyman talks about how Myerson was such an important man, so that could be why he is into it, but what about the other two? It’s revealed that Frank Miller paid all three but is that a reason to do exactly what Myerson says? The end of the book makes it seem like they’re true believers.
It’s so very interesting. Is this King’s way of talking about radicalization? A lot of this book has pretty much been about how people can be radicalized by fringe beliefs and how that radicalization affects their lives. At first, the story seems like it’s just going one way- showing what happened in the days leading up to the assassination, but there’s just too much weird stuff, too many synchronicities, for it to make sense. By the end of the issue, there’s no doubt they’ve been radicalized.
Fornes’ art really sells the whole thing, and there are four panels that tell it all. The first is an homage to Watchmen- Miller is getting arrested in his Rorschach costume, and the cops pull off his mask, and it’s the classic, “My face,” moment homage, but it captures the insanity in Miller. The other three are one each of the men, all about to tell the investigator the truth. Their expressions are manic, the look of true believers in something beyond, a look that’s almost mad. Fornes captures it amazingly. All of the art in the issue is great, but these four panels are amazing.
Rorschach #8 is yet another brilliant chapter of a brilliant book. King has done a great job of giving this book a reason to exist- it’s one of the most vital and important comics being published right now, using Watchmen and its mystery to talk about how conspiracies and lies can poison people. Fornes does a marvelous job with the art, capturing the insanity and mundanity of the whole thing. Rorschach is a wonderful book, and this is another perfect chapter.
