Bhob Stewart of The Comics Journal mentioned to Gibbons in 1987, that the page layouts recalled those of EC Comics, in addition to the art itself, which Stewart felt particularly echoed that of John Severin.[23] Gibbons agreed that the echoing of the EC-style layouts "was a very deliberate thing", although his inspiration was rather Harvey Kurtzman,[22] but it was altered enough to give the series a unique look.[23] The artist also cited Steve Ditko's work on early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man as an influence,[39] as well as Doctor Strange, where "even at his most psychedelic [he] would still keep a pretty straight page layout".[17]
I see the Ditko influence. But the other E.C. artists not so much. I would have guessed Joe Orlando (especially in the pseudo-E.C. "Tales of the Black Ship" segment, that is clearly a version of E.C.'s PIRACY book, and Orlando is even shown in a photo in one of the WATCHMEN backup feature articles.
A series can be enormously thought out and symbolic, and still be a dud. And art-wise that's what I think Gibbons' WATCHMEN is: art that is merely functional, and completely subservient to Alan Moore's story.
I feel the same way about Moore's FROM HELL with Eddie Campbell. Campbell's art is unspectacular, and Moore's story completely carries the series. The one thing that works about Campbell's art is it has a vaguely 19th century quality to it. Similar to Wrightson's FRANKENSTEIN illustrations, in that respect, Campbell is well selected for a series set in the late 1880's.
This is also true of Moore's LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN. Where the art captures the era portrayed, but is otherwise unworthy of note. The writing carries the book, not the art.
