An uncompromising, masked vigilante who continues to operate illegally after the 1977 Keene Act banned costumed heroes. He views the world in stark moral absolutes and records his grim observations of a decaying New York City in his personal journal. Operating as a hard-boiled detective, he relentlessly pursues the truth behind the murder of a former colleague, wearing a mask of shifting black and white inkblots that he considers his true face.

A nearly omnipotent, blue-skinned superhuman created in a 1960 laboratory accident that disintegrated his original body. He serves as America's ultimate strategic weapon in the Cold War, providing technological leaps and military dominance, particularly in Vietnam. Because he perceives time non-linearly, he increasingly struggles to relate to ordinary human concerns and emotions.

The daughter of the original Silk Spectre, who reluctantly took up her mother's crimefighting mantle. She currently lives on a government base as Dr. Manhattan's romantic partner, a situation that leaves her feeling unfulfilled and resentful of being treated as a tool to keep the superhuman relaxed. She frequently seeks a sense of normalcy and human connection away from the superhero lifestyle.

A wealthy, retired crimefighter who operated under the alias Nite Owl, relying on advanced aviation and customized gadgetry. Since the Keene Act outlawed vigilantism, he lives a quiet, lonely life in his bachelor pad, publishing ornithology articles. He nostalgically preserves his old equipment and specialized ship in his basement, occasionally missing the thrill of his past adventures.

A former costumed adventurer who voluntarily retired before the Keene Act and built a massive corporate empire. Known publicly as the "smartest man in the world," he successfully markets his past superhero identity as a lucrative line of toys and self-help materials. He carefully observes global trends, drawing inspiration from historical conquerors like Alexander the Great.

A cynical, ruthless government operative who embraces violence and treats the cruelty of the 20th century as a dark, ongoing joke. His brutal murder serves as the catalyst for the entire narrative. Throughout his life, he operated above the law, participating in violent covert operations from the Vietnam War to the suppression of domestic protests.

The original Nite Owl and a founding member of the 1940s superhero team, the Minutemen. He retired in 1960 to run an auto repair shop and wrote a candid autobiography titled *Under the Hood*, which details the psychological quirks and tragic fates of the first generation of costumed heroes.

The original Silk Spectre and a founding member of the Minutemen. She leveraged her early crimefighting career into a lucrative public persona involving films and modeling, and later pushed her daughter into taking up the mantle. She lives in a retirement community surrounded by memorabilia, fixated on the glory days of her youth.

A retired supervillain who once controlled a criminal organization before being defeated by costumed heroes. He now lives quietly while dying of cancer and becomes a frightened source of information regarding the mysterious circumstances surrounding The Comedian's death.

A former colleague and romantic partner of Jon Osterman before and shortly after his transformation into Dr. Manhattan. Her public diagnosis of cancer sparks a massive media frenzy and raises national questions about the safety of being in close proximity to America's superhuman asset.

An optimistic prison psychiatrist assigned to evaluate Rorschach. He begins the sessions believing he can help guide his patient out of depression, but his continued exposure to Rorschach's uncompromisingly dark worldview begins to severely impact his own mental stability and marriage.

The President of the United States in this alternate 1985. Having repealed presidential term limits following the American victory in Vietnam, he commands the nation during a period of rapidly escalating nuclear tensions with the Soviet Union.

The acclaimed writer of the disturbing comic series *Tales of the Black Freighter*. He is one of several prominent creative professionals who mysteriously disappear to work on a highly classified, isolated project that they believe to be an upcoming movie production.

An artist working on a secretive project. She specializes in designing horrific and monstrous visual concepts alongside Max Shea, entirely unaware of the true purpose of their creative output.

A former costumed adventurer who attempts to unite the second generation of heroes into a formally organized crime-fighting team. His efforts to establish the Crimebusters are met with cynicism and internal conflict, causing the initiative to fail almost immediately.

The very first costumed vigilante to appear in the late 1930s, inspiring others to don masks and fight crime. He is a physically imposing figure who intervenes violently against criminals and once stepped in to stop an assault on Sally Jupiter.