So, last night while we were out shopping, I convinced Erik to buy himself a copy of Watchmen. I know he hasn't seen the movie yet, so I figured it was a perfect time to expand his world a little, especially with something so good, before the image of it was muddied by the movie...which is not a comment on the movie (which I haven't gotten around to seeing yet, either). It's an incredible book, and I'd like him to experience it before the memory of it is indelibly married to the movie in his mind.

It's really a little above him, and is definitely more adult than anything he's read. While I told him I felt he was ready for it and could handle it, there's a tiny part of me, internally, that questions that. Still, overall, I really do think he'll handle it fine, and if he's confused at something, he'll probably ask me about it anyway.

Felt good to be able to bring him forward, yet again, with something that we can share. It felt especially good because it was a kind of "Dad" feeling, passing along to him something that has been important and enjoyable in my life. If this goes well, I'll move him on to other graphic novels of importance or depth, like V For Vendetta, The Dark Knight Returns, Fables, Crisis On Infinite Earths, Secret Wars, Kingdom Come, and The Crow. Sure, some of those aren't "deep", but they are good story-telling, or turning points in their respective universes.

The boy's growing up.