LilyVanhorstsmainargumentinMessagesandModesofWatchmencomessimplystated:

Theauthorbelievestheending,inwhichanaloofdemigodandaworldcontrollinggeniusdecide
tolietothepublicaboutanalieninvasiontosavethem,isbasedonrisingpublicmistrustof
certainsectswithinorganizedreligion.Icouldntagreeless.
IknowWatchmen.Ivereadthebookover50timesforpleasureaswellastheinevitable
discussionineverycomicsbasedcollegecourseIvetaken,andIlearnsomethingnewfromit
eachtime.Vanhorstsclaimsshowanobjectivelyweakerunderstandingofthematerial,its
setting,andthetimeduringwhichitwascreated.Outsideofsomeartisticlibertywithsource
quotes,thereareafewoutrightmistakesonlyarookiewouldmake.
First,thisbookwaswritteninthe1980sduringtheheightofReaganismbyamanwhowas,
andremainstobe,aboutasantisocialasafunctionalpersoncanbe.WhileIagreethatthebook
hassomeveryclever,hiddensubversionstuckedaway,Vanhorstiscompletelywrongin
claimingDr.ManhattanscharacterrepresentsMooresfaint,andperhapsdying,faithinahigher
power.Manhattanrepresentsabluealienwithmetaphysicalpowers.Thatsall.Fancifulenough
outsideofthecontextofthebook,Iknow,butatleastitdoesntmakeclaimsabouttheauthors
religiousbeliefs.
Second,someofthemoneymisappropriationscandalsVanhorstcitesaspossiblereasonsfor
thissupposedunrestdidnthappenuntilthemidnineties,almosttenfullyearsafterthe
publicationofthebook.
Third,VanhorstclaimsthatOzymandias,asthehumanbranchofthebooksnewworldorder,
representsaslick,smilingsalesmanakatheprototypeofthecorporationsthatwouldcometo
takeoverAmericanlife.Outsideofthejuveniletakingoverclaim,Ithinkwecanallagreethat
salesphilosophyadvancedpastbecleanandsmilelongbeforeMooreeversatdowntowrite
Watchmen.Sure,theformatsaredifferent,andtheymaylookprimitivefromwherewestand,
buthindsightis20/20.Inthe80s,advertisingwasjustaseffectiveintraditionalformatsasitis
today.Ifyoudontbelieveme,seeMerrimansNewHopeforAdEconomy.Unlessshewas
talkingaboutInternetadvertising(whichopensawholeothercanofworms),Vanhorstdoesnt
knowwhatshestalkingaboutinthisinstance.
Ihatetosoundlikeasnoborcomicelitist,butthisisthekindofpseudoresearchyougetwhen
someonewithajournalismdegreedecidesshesgoingtocrackcomicsforthegeneralpublic.
Postulatingaboutpotentialmeaningswithoutregardforthesubjectmatterissomethingpeople
generallystopdoinginundergrad.Tothrowaroundreligioussymbolism,badfacts,and
inaccuratedateswhendissectingthemostimportantcomicworkofalltimeisinpoortasteat
theabsolutebestand,givenWatchmensneedofcontextualknowledge,potentiallydangerous
tohowfuturegenerationsviewus.