'Watchmen' is a politically charged story, and it explores exactly what a hero is, how the world would treat them and how they would react. It was the first time I read a superhero story that explored that situation. These are very real people with very real problems.
The thing about 'Watchmen' that people should know is that when it came out there was absolutely nothing like it. Up until then, comics were about the same thing: a guy in tights fighting another guy in tights and saving the girl - that was it.
There are so many books I love for different reasons. For superhero stuff, I always go back to Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' or his 'Swamp Thing' run. Those are my two favorites, and there are indie books that I really love, like Eddie Campbell's 'Alec' books and 'From Hell.'
In any character you do, especially something like 'Watchmen,' if you're gonna do this, you're gonna do this right. I'm fighting for the Comedian every step of the way; there's not even a question, Adrian is a scumbag.
To do this movie in a watered-down fashion or have these characters be watered down wouldn't have been near as effective. It wouldn't have been staying true to what this 'Watchmen' phenomenon is.
I think, before 'Watchmen,' I was the guy from 'Grey's Anatomy' who's a pretty good guy, a pretty charming sweet guy, and so as an actor, I really wanted to do something as far from that as I could.
One of DC's strengths is our archive of storylines ranging from 'Watchmen' to 'Arkham Asylum' to 'Sandman.'