Thoughts on Reading Watchmen for the Second Time

• I remembered almost nothing from the first time I read it, about six or seven years ago. I remembered Rorschach's secret identity and who the main "villain" was, but not what his big plan was or who Laurie's father was or how the book ended, at all. That vague recollection was ideal, I think, as I remembered enough to pay attention to little details that I probably missed the last time through, but I still enjoyed all the twists and turns in the plot as if experiencing them for the first time.
• I remember the first time feeling like I should like it more than I did. Perhaps it's a sign of my maturity as a reader--or perhaps just changing taste, without the value judgment implied by "maturity"--that this time I really enjoyed and appreciated the book for the masterpiece it is.
• I remember being annoyed by the Black Freighter story-within-the-story last time. This time I still found myself anxious to get back to the main story, but I at least followed what was happening with the marooned sailor and could see how it all fit in thematically.
• I only learned a few weeks ago that Alan Moore had originally intended to use DC's then-recently-acquired Charlton Comics characters, but ended up creating his own analogues instead. It was really interesting to read the story imagining what it would have been like with Blue Beetle and the Question investigating Peacemaker's death, Captain Atom exiling himself from Earth, and Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt, as the man with the plan to save all humanity from the brink of nuclear destruction.
• I feel adequately prepared now to have a profound, life-changing experience this Friday night when I see the movie. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.