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in issue 7 page eleven the tv announces rorshachs true identity, right as the say his name; Walter Kovacs, (which is a polish name) Laurie says "HA! I KNEW IT."

what does this mean?

That wasn't what she was laughing at. She was laughing when they ran the clip of Rorschach's landlord telling reporters he frequently propositioned her sexually. That's what Laurie means by "HA! I KNEW IT!". She's saying she knew he was a pervert.

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"Heard them Walthers like to jump some" "As will you, with one in your elbow."

Generally, most people except that Laurie "knew" he was a pervert. However, there's no proof to say that Laurie wasn't talking about his descent either. It's one of those many scenes that's up to the reader to interpret.

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I'm sorry but no, it really isn't. I don't have my copy with me, but doesn't she say the line right after the landlady mentions Kovacs hitting on her? Plus, how would that be funny if he were Polish? "Ha! I knew he shared the same background as me!". No. She's laughing at him being mentioned on television to be a pervert. She probably doesn't care, but it's nice for her to see him in this light, taken down a few notches, right there on television. That's the joke. That's clearly what Moore was striving for. By assuming there's ambiguity to this scene you're missing out on that joke.

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"Heard them Walthers like to jump some" "As will you, with one in your elbow."

t3cii is absolutely correct. Moving on...

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Seeing as Laurie is from Polish decent herself, I don't see the big deal. Why the Polish-hate in Watchmen? I never understood that.

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It wasn't just Watchmen. Polish hate was a very real thing in WWII, mostly because of their anti-Semitic government as well as their proximity and tenuous alliance to Nazi Germany. Of course, Hitler invaded Poland anyway, but I digress.

The point is that the elder Silk Spectre was a Polish woman trying to make a modeling career in the Allied Forces' crown jewel. Of course she would have denied her heritage. Her daughter, living in the post-Nazi era, would have no such reason to hide her Polish descent or her last name.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

Yeah she was obviously commenting on the landlady thing.

Besides isn't Kovacs a Hungarian name or something?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kovacs



Most people except Laurie "knew" he was a pervert? o_O What, you mean he really is a pervert?

I mean there is evidence that Rorshach does have sexual urges but he keeps them in control and doesn't seem to be a perv. XD

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Artwork by sullen-skrewt. Rorschach ♥.
In Flames - Delight and Angers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSP_ctC8i4I

Yep, Kovacs is Hungarian. (I sadly only learned this based on the fact that one of the actresses playing Sarah in Tanz der Vampire in Budapest is named Nikolett Kovács [over there it's accented].)

It has been explained that Moore and Gibbons chose what they though were "American" sounding names and that they were looking to specifically choose names that were off-center from superhero secret identity names like Clark Kent and Hal Jordan. Walter Kovacs and Daniel Dreiberg are pretty lame sounding names not very fitting of their super alter egos.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

I think that Kovacs was also chosen because it had a characteristically Steve Ditko flavor.

I saw Kovacs in a name book once which is where I first saw that it's Hungarian. I looked for my last name in the same book and lol....my last name is so rare that it's never in anything.

Apparently Kovacs is a pretty common name though. I actually saw someone with the last name Kovacs on Oprah once. It was this lady from New York City who witnessed a confession of a crime and tipped off the cops.

Anyway, it's only his mother's last name....who knows what background his father had.



I guess they wanted them to have ordinary sounding names....not those cool names that you hear on celebrities and what not. A lot of celebs, if they have a not very cool sounding actual name, they get themselves a stage name that sounds cooler.

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Artwork by sullen-skrewt. Rorschach ♥.
In Flames - Delight and Angers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSP_ctC8i4I

No, Sylvia Kovacs' maiden name was Glick, a Jewish name. Before Walter was born, she was married to a guy named Peter Joseph Kovacs, but divorced him in 1937. So, it seems she never reverted to her maiden name, if that's possible after divorce. And as for "Charlie", it seems reason enough to believe he was just another john.

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So despite his name there is no evidence that Rorschach has any Hungarian Heritage?

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He clearly must have some way, way back, but in Hungary it's pronounced "ko-VAHTCH", not "KO-vacks".

It's his Mom's ex-husband's name, so it's not his mother's heritage or his father's.

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Yeah I remembered that now.

So his mother's maiden name was Jewish so he has Jewish background then but nothing else that we can tell for sure I guess.

If his mom is Jewish background that makes me wonder if when he was a baby he was.... I don't know if I want to say it. LOL. So embarrassing, wondering that about him. XD Maybe some people know what I mean. LOL.

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Artwork by sullen-skrewt. Rorschach ♥.
In Flames - Delight and Angers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSP_ctC8i4I

I doubt she''d care enough to bother to do anything for RR. Even if it were as simple as asking for him to be sercumsized.

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I've never seen anyone spell it that way before. XD

Well if he isn't that's actually better to me. LOL. (Just slight personal preference for uncut guys....not that it really matters).

In the US they sometimes just automatically do that to male babies don't they? I don't want to venture too far from the original topic of the thread though....I don't know if there is a topic about cicumcision in general somewhere on the board? I forget if there was or not.

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Artwork by sullen-skrewt. Rorschach ♥.
In Flames - Delight and Angers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSP_ctC8i4I

In the US, yeah it's automatically done for baby boys unless otherwise specified by the parents. Health reasons, I think.

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