Dr-manhattan Quote by Alan Moore
““The photograph is in my hand. It is the photograph of a man and a woman. They are at an amusement park, in 1959. In twelve seconds time, I drop the photograph to the sand at my feet, walking away. It’s already lying there, twelve seconds into the future. Ten seconds now. The photograph is in my hand. I found it in a derelict bar at the gila flats test base, twenty-seven hours ago. It’s still there, twenty-seven hours into the past, in its frame, in the darkened bar. I’m still there, looking at it. The photograph is in my hand. The woman takes a piece of popcorn between thumb and forefinger. The ferris wheel pauses. Seven seconds now. It’s October, 1985. I’m on Mars. It’s July, 1959. I’m in New Jersey, at the Palisades Amusement Park. Four seconds, three. I’m tired of looking at the photograph now. I open my fingers. It falls to the sand at my feet. I am going to look at the stars. They are so far away. And their light takes so long to reach us… All we ever see of stars are their old photohraphs.””
About This Quote
Source Story: From the comic series "The Courtyard", 2002
The passage reflects on how photographs capture moments that become distant memories, much like starlight that shows us the past rather than the present.
In simple terms: Photos are memories frozen in time, like ancient starlight.
Recognize that what we see is often a relic of the past.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading comics
- contemplating history
- stargazing
- photography
- philosophical reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does remembering shape our present?
- What does it mean to view the past as a present reality?
The narrative may romanticize distance, overlooking the immediacy of lived experience.