I was immediately struck by the significance of Rorschach’s name and mask, which obviously derive from the famous Hermann Rorschach and the inkblot test.  The meaning seems quite clear:  whatever judgments you are making about this superhero reflect more on you than it does on him.  I will confess to staring at the changing patterns of his mask for an embarrassingly long time, looking for some clue to his character or purpose, but to no avail (Chapter 1, pages 12 and 15 offer a good look at his ever-changing “face”). Scott McCloud, in Chapter Five, writes:  “Certain patterns can produce an almost physiological effect in the viewer … [who] for some reason … will ascribe those feelings, not to themselves, but to the characters they identify with” (132). He was writing this about background patterns, but I think it can also apply to Rorschachs’s distinctive inkblot mask. In other words, Rorschach alone carries no true meaning – we project our own thoughts and feelings on him.  Having said that, it seems best to read the whole novel before making any judgments about Rorschach…or yourself .

The mystery of Rorschach is just the beginning of the many curiosities this novel contains. One has to be constantly aware of seemingly innocuous details that may have some meaning later.  For instance, there is an interesting play-on-words, often with double meaning, that runs throughout the novel, from the seemingly incidental to the brazenly obvious.  On page 9 of chapter one, there is a sign from a mechanic’s shop that reads “We fix ‘em!  Obsolete models a specialty”.  This certainly refers to more than just automobiles and foreshadows the many images of aging superheros in the pages that follow.   In chapter three, we see the locksmith from the “Gordian Knot Lock Co.” (the OED Online defines a Gordian knot as “A matter of extreme difficulty. To cut a Gordian knot: to get rid of a difficulty by force.”) – more foreshadowing.   Newspaper headlines also play a distinctive role as part of a secondary story about an impending international crisis (examples:  Chapter 1, page 18, chapter 2, pages 5, 9,10).

Another interesting example of this device is found in the parallel story lines of Dr. Manhattan and the pirate comic in chapter three.  This can be clearly seen in the closely mirrored narration of the comic and the experiences of Dr. Manhattan after he goes to Mars:  “That night, I slept badly beneath cold, distant stars, pondering upon the cold, distant god in whose hands the fate of Davidstown rested” (21).  Probably the best example of duality is again found in chapter three where images and dialogue from Dr. Manhattan’s interview coincide eerily with the assault on Laurie and Dreiberg.  For instance, when Dr. Manhattan is asked “Doc, if the reds act up in Afghanistan … will you be prepared to enter hostilities?” (page 12).  The last part of the sentence is superimposed on the image of Laurie and Dreiberg as they face their assailants.

There are so many examples (such as the sugar cubes) that it would take a book to recount them all, I’m sure.  And, I’ve only read through chapter 3!