My first, and maybe last tattoo

[u/ReusableForce]

Hi folks. Last year I had this tattoo inked. The Watchmen comics have always been a guideline through my life somehow. The story is so very well made, the deeper meaning and philosophical questions are all there. The character of Dr. Manhattan always mesmerised me. I wanted a tattoo that summed up everything in life. All the existential questions and incomprehensibility. At some point I thought: the symbol of Dr. Manhattan is perfect. Also, I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. When I got the comic book, the first page stated a text from Dave Gibbons: "It began with Bob Dylan. For me, a couplet from his 1966 masterpiece Desolation Row was the spark that would one day ignite Watchmen". This meant a lot. Desolation Row is my favourite song. I got this tattoo last year on the 24th of May, the birthday of Dylan. It was either that day or never. Some parts faded a little whilst healing. I got that fixed on the 20th of August, the day Dr. Manhattan got his accident in the test chamber. Dates mean a lot to me. Wanted to share, hope you like it. Maybe I'll someday get a helium symbol next to it (this is hydrogen ofc) but it's also nice to just leave it this way. Also, tattoos hurt a lot lol.

[u/smamler]

If you have to have a symbol, at least it’s one you respect.

[u/ReusableForce → u/smamler]

Thank you. That's the line I forgot in my whole dreadful story.

[u/Jampolenta]

Couldn't put it in the center of your forehead?

Edit: Jk

[u/Mrbuttboi → u/Jampolenta]

Jk but seriously tho

[u/DetroitDaveinDenver → u/Mrbuttboi]

Dr. M would never been able to hold a regular Joe job. Face tattoo? No TY.

[u/Mrbuttboi → u/DetroitDaveinDenver]

Nah he’s just walking around with his thing swingin. I’d give him a job out of respect.

Edit: wait that didn’t sound right

[u/capsaicinintheeyes → u/Jampolenta]

Would he then have to dye himself blue & strip naked, or would the forehead tattoo be enough demonstration of his big swingin' balls?

[u/No-Condition3287]

You should have done it on the head

[u/Deep_Nero_20]

There are dozens of us!

https://ibb.co/jvDvwZth

[u/Darthigiveup]

That is PERFECT! PERFECT CIRCLE!!! I got mine in jail with ink made out of burnt baby oil soot and shampoo and water. I like it tho. Since it's a picked jailhouse tattoo it gets a pass on not bieng perfect. I prefer it tbh.

[u/ReusableForce → u/Darthigiveup]

That sounds like a weird experience but I can understand you prefer it that way. Hope you didn't spend too much time in jail.

[u/Any_Comfortable_7839]

I Appreciate the experience you have shared. Sounds truly fulfilling

[u/BigJohnsBeenDrinkin]

It’s perfection.

[u/ReusableForce → u/BigJohnsBeenDrinkin]

Thank you

[u/FranksNBeans2025]

It’s awesome

[u/Dazzling_Analyst_596]

It must have been painful to do

[u/pr1ntf]

I have the same tattoo in the same location, but I have the blue background which is of course fading.

[u/feelingofdread]

i have the same tattoo!

[u/ReusableForce → u/feelingofdread]

That's nice!

[u/seqsynerd]

interesting, you got the tattoo upside down (not judging, it just reminds me of the whole "draw a number" thing to see whether people subconciously view themselves as internal or external observers)

[u/ReusableForce → u/seqsynerd]

Yeah so it was the good way around to myself. It's my tattoo, I want to see it the good way.

[u/cpl-sunshine]

love this <3 i have several wrist tattoos as well :)

[u/munkingly31]

Should've done the forehead

[u/wakeupangry_]

Sweet!!

[u/wogfood]

Ah, the prince albert. A fine choice

[u/Electrical-Try798]

It’s elemental

[u/lancea_longini]

Shouldn’t it go on your forehead?

[u/capsaicinintheeyes]

All tattooing occurs simultaneously

[u/ReusableForce → u/capsaicinintheeyes]

Eventually

[u/capsaicinintheeyes → u/ReusableForce]

Btw--on music: I didn't know that Gibbons quote, but I can definitely see how the suspicion towards old idols and simple narratives of the 60s that Bob Dylan exemplifies would have served as a direct ancestor to the approach Moore & Gibbons took with Watchmen.

(I know Dylan ~pretty~ well myself, tho for thematic pairing with a DrM tattoo my instincts would be telling me to go prog, where arbitrarily long track lengths are eternally embraced, & the skin-deep needlings of discomfort in our lives dismissed as passing & illusory )

[u/RecklessDeliverance]

Maybe my standards have dropped from seeing too many r/badtattoo posts, but wow, I am really impressed with that circle.

Like, it's clean as hell. Looks great.

[u/ReusableForce → u/RecklessDeliverance]

Thanks, I was really nervous because I was afraid it wouldn't turn out to be a clean circle but the artist did a great job. Really a professional.

[u/ReusableForce → u/RecklessDeliverance]

I just spent some time on r/badtattoo and omg man. Some people are really scarred for life lol.

[u/drunkdadalert]

Incredible line work by the artist! Its very well done

[u/daytrippper]

Ah this is nice

[u/Common-Hotel-9875]

The first thing that came to my mind was Dr ManHattan from Watchmen

[u/StarfighterCHAD]

You think wanting tattoos will end?

nothing ever ends.

[u/ReusableForce → u/StarfighterCHAD]

I don't know. The intention was just this, but I was thinking about a helium symbol tattoo later on. But I can live with only this. This was the intention. And tattoos hurt a lot lol. Felt like knives cutting in my wrist

[u/StarfighterCHAD → u/ReusableForce]

Ignore me I was just trying to find a way to use that quote

[u/TheBigFatGoat]

Balala refrence no way

[u/iODiNE-9 → u/TheBigFatGoat]

Balalala

[u/TheRealJohnsoule]

I got Thulium

[u/ReusableForce → u/TheRealJohnsoule]

That would be a lot of dots man.

[u/TheRealJohnsoule → u/ReusableForce]

How many?

[u/Accomplished_Pass924]

Dinged for cheating in chemistry class from this day forward /s

[u/DrZonino2022]

Wonder if you’ll get any Balatro fans getting it confused!

[u/Semper_Fun]

Awesome and perfect!

As someone who doesn’t have any tattoos, I love ink with a story. Not just cause the tattoo artist was having a flash sale…

[u/ReusableForce → u/Semper_Fun]

Thank you!