For some reason, in reading the novel, you don't hate this guy even though he does things that are unmentionable. They are horrendous things. My job is to kind of make that translate, so as a viewer you end up not making excuses to like him, but you don't hate him like you should for doing the things that he does. It's a tough one. It's hard.
you don't hate the guy, but here's the thing: you don't love him, either. you don't make any sort of emotional investment in any of the characters outside of Rorschach. that's one of the book's failings that's often glossed over.
in the case of the Comedian, I'd say you don't hate him because you really don't see most of the horrible things that he does. the great majority of them are off panel. it's possibly too subtle.
