Exploring Watchmen Through Real-World Dark Tourism

by Jane Sandwood

Few comic book series have won critical acclaim like Watchmen, and few have touched on real world events with such creativity and thought. Indeed, as Vox magazine highlights, the joy of Watchmen is in its enduring appeal; the way it critiqued and analyzed policies of the eras it covered, and its retelling of world events, providing real food for thought. Fans of the series can experience its key points throughout the world through dark tourism – as the world has opened up, so has its conflict points, providing an opportunity to visit areas which set the foundations for the events of Watchmen.

Visiting Vietnam

Vietnam has shed the destruction of its wars to become a genuine center for global tourism – not just for those interested in history, either. Its cities are well-known for a bustling food scene, increasingly safe streets, and very cheap beer, alongside the customary warm welcome that the Vietnamese people provide. Dark tourism takes place regularly, too, but in a sensitive light; tourists are invited to experience the darker side of the country, and in the process learn from the mistakes of the 60s and 70s. Watchmen of course deals with a world where Richard Nixon remained president until 1985, instead of being sullied by his reputation in Vietnam. According to E-International Relations, history of the area, and how Nixon and Kissinger had an undue impact, can be experienced at the Cu Chi tunnels and Hien Luong bridge.

Remnants of Afghanistan

Across the world, the USSR invasion of Afghanistan, and the US-backed response, defined the 1980s. While the resurgent Taliban have made visits to the war-struck country impossible, there are other options out there – namely, in Pakistan and the neighboring Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. History of the conflict has made part of the cultural experience in these countries, too, and Pakistan in particular is a great place to experience dark history and explore the history of Afghanistan, the USSR, and the Mujahideen.

Nuclear war

Watchmen is the Cold War brought up a notch. Tensions between Russia and the USA have brought the characters together in the overarching scheme of the tale, and nuclear war never seems to be far from the button. As the National Geographic highlights, dark tourism the world over has started to focus on the utter annihilation promised by nuclear weapons and power – whether that be in tours of Chernobyl and Pripyat, Ukraine (currently on pause given the ongoing conflict), or of Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, USA. It’s important to treat these areas sensitively, and not with morbid curiosity, but it is an excellent way to really delve into the culture and mindset of nations around the time of Watchmen’s events.

Exploring the world through dark tourism, while ensuring it’s done sensitively, is a great way to look at history. As a lover of graphic novels like Watchmen, it’s even better than that – an opportunity to enjoy history, and contextualize it with beloved media.