The New York Post‘s Stephen Lynch says that if last night’s episode is any indication, “Heroes” may have borrowed a little too much from Watchmen. The article contains spoilers, naturally.
Tim Kring, the creator of “Heroes,” was out of the country, but has said in interviews in the past that he doesn’t know comics that well – similarities are coincidental. And one could argue that the show is a patchwork of popular comic book themes beyond “Watchmen,” taking the mutant gene, for instance, directly from “X-Men.” Or that the plot is different enough because [SPOILERS for last night's "Heroes" deleted].
But [Watchmen director Zack] Snyder and his bosses are probably more than a little ticked off. For a movie that will cost hundreds of millions, and could star Tom Cruise as Ozymandias if the Hollywood rumor mill is right, it can be galling to see such a pivotal plot twist used elsewhere.
(Wait — Tom Cruise? “Daniel! You’re so glib!”)
Personally, I don’t see it. Sure, there are similarities, but the characters’ motivations don’t quite match up, and not enough of the details are there.
However, one part of the episode does seem inspired by Watchmen #12 — but it’s not mentioned in the article. Was it as obvious to you as it was to me?
April 24th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
The percentage of the overall, Tom? Yeah…seems to be inspired by Watchmen a bit. Problem with all the Watchmen comparisons is that is about the only strong similarity. And, honestly, it isn’t the only time that device has been used in fiction or real life conspiracy theories…
April 24th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
It’s much more similar to X-men than Watchmen. And the revelation of that certain character’s motivations that remind you of Ozymandias aren’t that different from Magneto, or any other Machiavellian (sp?) villian.
April 24th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Besides, as I mentioned on my blog, TV ripping off a plot Alan Moore is just a case of things coming full circle.
For some reason, I remember the damage being confined to a smaller portion of New York City in Watchmen, but maybe that’s just me conflating the carnage with how much of the book unfolds on that one street corner.
April 25th, 2007 at 12:27 am
well next week we’ll get a bit of a take off of Days of Futures Past from the sound of it…Heroes is a frustrating show to me…it’s a fun show to watch but I can’t help but notice the glaring similarities to plots and issues that comics(X-men and Watchmen) dealt with over 20 years ago…
April 25th, 2007 at 1:50 am
**** SPOILER *****
Tom, was the unmentioned similarity related to a guy dying but handing his book to somebody to disperse the info others who might could use it?
April 25th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Re: 5, I hadn’t thought of that. Cool.
I consider that, and Linderman’s plan, a homage more than a ripoff, though.
April 25th, 2007 at 2:45 am
***Spoiler***
I’d wager not so much the handing of the sketchbook off, as the parallel between Rorshach putting his journal in the mail and Isaac doing the same with his painting…
April 25th, 2007 at 2:54 am
“but I can’t help but notice the glaring similarities to plots and issues that comics(X-men and Watchmen) dealt with over 20 years ago…”
Well, yeah. With the gigantic number of comic books published in the last 70 years, there’s no way they could avoid being similar to *something*. If the basis of a show is evolution, then that something is probably going to be X-Men, because the number of X-Men stories that have been told is pretty staggering all by itself.
April 25th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Randy, l0ne, Rob: yep, that was it.
Another funny coincidence which I just noticed last night — in New Frontier, the future Challengers of the Unknown are supposed to appear on a TV show called “Heroes.” Clearly that throwaway reference has a slightly different resonance now!
April 25th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Spoiler
Considering that Isaac said they stop the bomb and kill Slyar, it isnt like Watchmen at all – who failed to stop the bomb or Ozzie. More like Days of Future Past with avoiding an undertain fate.
April 25th, 2007 at 8:55 am
I’m more concerned with the fact that Tom Cruise might be in a Watchmen movie. If that’s the case I don’t think I’d go see it.
Linderman’s plan is similar, but it’s not exactly a new idea, I just think the Watchmen is so prominent in our comic book loving sub-culture that it’s what we all thought of.
April 25th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I’m with Jesse – if Tom Cruise is getting his crazy paws on Watchmen, I’ve lost any motivation for seeing it.
The Incredibles was cited for being like Watchmen too – what does it really matter?
April 25th, 2007 at 11:30 am
I hate “Heroes”. It’s convoluted, dumb, badly written and no one actually does anything heroic. It should have really been called “Powers”. Except Brian Michael Bendis might have sued…
April 25th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Well, yeah. With the gigantic number of comic books published in the last 70 years, there’s no way they could avoid being similar to *something*.”
but Tim kring has stated he’s not familiar with comics so it’s coincidental…I call Bulls***…at the very least they could acknowledge the similarities…Linderman plan?…Issacs journal?…”heroes” being hunted down?…gimmie a break
….oh yeah and they have GOT to kill Nikki/Jessica…it’s just painful now really…
April 25th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Kring doesn’t write the show single handedly, does he? Some of the writers are probably (if not definitely) familiar with some comics.
April 25th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Maybe I was prejudiced by seeing this headline before I saw the episode, but the conversation with Linderman definitely reminded me of Watchmen. I realize that it could be a coincidence, but I don’t buy it.
October 6th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
has no one mentioned the sno-globe stuff?
there is absolutely no way in hell that that’s coincidence. Similarly the watch-maker stuff. Tim Kring ate Watchmen and now claims coincindence?