Before Watchmen

[HoopyFrood]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned, considering how much the comic book blogosphere exploded with it yesterday.

As yesterday DC officially announced seven new mini series -- to be collectively known as BEFORE WATCHMEN -- set as prequels to the famous Watchmen, which was written 25 years ago.

Each of the main characters -- and the Minutemen combined in their own series -- is to have a handful of new issues, concentrating on details what were hinted in the original that are to be expanded here. There will also be a couple of pages at the end of each that tells a new Black Freighter story.

And just to be clear, Alan Moore is not involved, and is apparently a little bit miffed at the news. However, Dave Gibbons has given his blessing to the new project. And Len Wein, original editor for the 1980s creation is the senior editor for Before Watchmen.

Each character series is to have their own creative team, which is combining some top talent from the comic book world.

Just look at the covers, people!

Take from here: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2012/02/01/the-covers-for-before-watchmen/ and also is where the rest of the covers can be seen.

Here are the details about the creative teams, and how many issues for each character: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2012/02/01/dc-entertainment-officially-announces-“before-watchmen”/

Some words from Len Wein, who is working on the Ozymandias issues: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2012/02/01/dc-entertainment-officially-announces-“before-watchmen”/

Understandably, there is a fair amount of grumbling and disagreement from Watchmen fans -- a lot of people feeling rather dubious about it and generally hating the whole prequel and sequel culture that seems to be going around. Indeed, Leah Moore, Alan Moore's daughter said on Twitter yesterday:

leahmoore Leah Moore
Why not do NEW ogn's from the Before Watchmen creators, or better yet by fresh talent. Use the budget to find the *next* watchmen instead?

Anyway, personally, I can't wait. Ozymandias is one of my favourite characters in any medium and I will be happy to read more about him. I will definitely be buying these comics when they are released in the summer (that's the nebulous release date that's going around at the moment).

Thoughts?

 

[Moonbat]

How very very cool.

I guess some people have got a right to be a little bit miffed, and it is the usual hollywood coporate taking the east option, but they'll probably be great and anything that adds to the Watchmen universe will be gobbled up by us fans. A new black freighter story, brilliant!

 

[MemoryTale]

Ugh, no... I think Alan Moore gave us enough hints to piece the characters backstories together. I don't see them being able to add anything that will give us a new way of looking at a character.

My other problem is that with a different team working on each issue, the quality of the stories will be very variable.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I'm quite looking forwards to them I think, after the initial surprise of seeing them there announced for release.

As to the Moore connection: Well obviously Watchmen is considered to be one of his finest works and anyone trampling on his feet is bound to get contentious, but... Moore has pretty much cut all connection with the Watchmen, whereas Dave Gibbons (original artist) continues to support in anyway he can, actually looking forward to the new series.

It is of note too that Watchmen was a licensed DC project, one which Moore was hired to write (It's a bit more complicated than that, but in black and white terms). The main series was originally going to be accompanied by a set of prequels written by different writers, but they were put on indefinite hold and then vanished as editorial staff changed etc.

Basically what we have here is those series turning up now.

Only 25 years late.

 

[No One]

Interesting points PM - I didn't know that.

I couldn't rate the graphic novel more highly, but Alan Moore's preciousness over the series - especially in light of the fantastic job done by Zack Snyder and others on the film - has left me quite open to the idea of prequels.

Whether they can deliver any real drama is another thing (very unlikely to match Watchmen for sheer storytelling) but if they're strongly focused on the right things, like character, then they should be worthwhile.

 

[Mladen]

It is of note too that Watchmen was a licensed DC project, one which Moore was hired to write (It's a bit more complicated than that, but in black and white terms).

Thats slightly misleading. Moore and Gibbons created Watchmen with the understanding that a year after the series stopped being published, the rights would revert to them. Of course, DC kept the series continually in print for 25 years. So, they were pretty much hung out to dry by contract legalese. Unethical on DC's part? You bet. Understandable that they'd want to milk this? You bet.

I'm just shocked this didn't happen sooner.

As for these prequel books themselves... Can't judge until I see them, but I'm happy to never read them (unless if I hear amazing things... and I haven't heard anything particularly positive coming from or about superhero comics in a long time)

 

[Wish]

Unnecessary, greedy, money-grubbing move on DC's part.

That said, I'll give them a fair shot.

But Watchmen is the best, and it got to be that way through outstanding characterization. These comics have nothing to add.

 

[Perpetual Man]

There was an interview with Alan Moore published yesterday, and unsurprisingly it touches on this.

I started another thread because it is wider than just the BEFORE WATCHMEN comics:

Alan Moore Cuts Loose

 

[Connavar]

Im a big fan of Darwyn Cooke who is involved in this but this is lame gimmick to fool readers. I wont go near this.

Im an Alan Moore fan but i wont read this even if i didnt read Moore.

 

[Moonbat]

I got the first one, as a comic not a graphic novel. It didn't really say anything that wasn't in the watchmen, but as it was only ep 1 of 6 (I think) maybe it'll get into a story of its own.

It was a nightowl based one.

 

[Magnus85]

I hope this fail miserably for DC in terms of money. Maybe they'll realise the need to create new property rather than to circlejerk the same properties over and over again.

From the previews I've seen it's nothing special, and from a moral standpoint I won't give half a cent to these books.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've got the first issues, but they are sitting on my ever growing to read pile, and I can't see myself getting to them any time soon.

 

[Nerds_feather]

i don't take issue with DC here...they have the rights, they can do what they want with them. surprised this didn't come sooner, to coincide with the film.

and as much as i love alan moore, i think his position on ownership of watchmen is baffling, considering he signed a contract with a reversion clause. reversion clauses exist to protect authors' rights when publishers don't commit to keeping something in print. and it seems like DC did exactly what they were supposed to do: keep watchmen in print.

what publisher ever guarantees it will let something go out of print for a year??

that said, i won't be reading these cheap tie-ins. if DC can do what it wants with the rights, that also means they can produce derivative crap that has little to do with the creators' vision, and i'm guessing is what this is.

 

[Perpetual Man]

SFX just reviewed the first one, Minutemen by Darwyn Cooke.

I think the overall gist of the review is very telling. (Four out of five stars) It claims the comic is excellent, a fittingly well told superhero story, that does what it sets out to do, but it is the last line that sums it up best, sayingthat it is just another superhero comic book.

If something wanted to be linked to the Watchmen and seen as something as good as Watchmen then surely it should be something new and original, not something we have all seen before no matter how well told.

(Not read it myself yet, and can't see that happening for quite a while!)

 

[HoopyFrood]

I'm reading it. I'm getting every single issue, barring any major disruptions to anything (and the schedule's to go on until January). My local comic book shop dude saves it every week for me, along with my other usual ones.

Minutemen was fantastic. They are the least explored in the original, so biggest scope to do things with them. We only got about three pages for each of them, but even these small snippets has caused so much more respect for Silhouette and Mothman for me. Both so tragic.

Silk Spectre was awesome. Gods, I love Amanda Conner's art! Her facial expressions are some of the best in comics. I was laughing out loud at some panels, purely for her art. The story might seem pedestrian, considering it's a hero series, but I think it really expanded on the relationship between her and her mother. I've always been interested in Laurie getting into the hero business, considering her seemingly perpetual reluctance of the whole thing.

Was a bit behind but I read Nite Owl this evening. I do love Dan, he's just lovely. I think we could have slowed down a bit with his childhood, but, and this isn't a criticism of the story writing -- it's nothing we haven't seen before, that violent family dynamic in early years. Nice bits with Rorschach. Hurm.

The only one I haven't enjoyed has been Comedian, but he's not a character I can like (nor are we supposed to). On a personal level, I know it's an alternative timeline, but I didn't like the implications with Marilyn Monroe because I am a fan of hers. Also...of all of them, this seems to fiddle with the original story the most. It seems to completely counteract something that's heavily hinted in the novel and explicitly shown in the film. Whether it's something that will be ironed out in the later books, we'll see...

I think overall, though, the new lot are being very respectful to the original. There are each trying to harness the feel of Watchmen, while adding their own touches. As I say, Minutemen was excellent in its expansion of characters I have wanted to know more about. The creators are lifting some things straight from the original, such as Laurie's story starting at the point of that shattered snow globe when she was young.

I know a lot of people feel this isn't needed. That it's not really adding anything. I am a bit of a paradox -- I think Watchmen is an outstanding piece of work that wraps itself up so neatly and completely that it can't possibly be expanded. But these Before Watchmen don't feel like they're really touching that story, merely slipping into some of the cracks and branching out a little.

And hell, they are, mostly, awesome comics with characters that I know and love that I can buy every week (instead of the excruciating monthly waits for my others) and that'll do for me.

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

me too. I have them on a subscription delivered by post. I have the first set of them but haven't found time to open any of them just yet although I am looking forward to it.

Watchmen is a phenomenal graphic novel - but as a reader I'm interested in seeing how they can expand on the characters and give background on them. I think I'm really going to enjoy them - and I'm especially looking forward to Rorshach.

At the end of the day it's a comic filled with characters I'm interested in, so why shouldn't I go and read them?

 

[SiobhanT]

The library I work at has been getting the first issues, the last thing I really want to see when opening post is The Comedien's face grinning at me in a gimp mask. I may read the others though, mostly because I love Amanda Conner's art.
I just wish that if there has to be more Alan Moore work not by him it would be stuff I like, I'd read the hell out of a Gail Simone or Greg Rucka written Promethea.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Have you read Rucka's Batwoman Elegy? Uugh, but I love Rucka's writing and J.H Williams' art. What a combination. J.H and W Haden Blackman are doing fine work with her continuation in the New 52, too.

And since reading Silk Spectre I just want more of Conner's art. I know she did a lot of Power Girl, but trying to dip into a fairly good starting point in the pre-Flashpoint (mostly because I jumped in at that point and don't have massively extensive knowledge of the old history).

 

[Perpetual Man]

At the end of the day it's a comic filled with characters I'm interested in, so why shouldn't I go and read them?

Very well said, crooksy. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has not got around to reading them yet.

Of course I'm now over a year behind with my comic reading, so who knows when I'll get to these.

 

[SiobhanT]

Have you read Rucka's Batwoman Elegy? Uugh, but I love Rucka's writing and J.H Williams' art. What a combination. J.H and W Haden Blackman are doing fine work with her continuation in the New 52, too.

Most of it, it's amazing, Rucka can pretty much do no wrong where I'm concerned. I'm a bit dubious about the New 52, and really sad Rucka doesn't write for DC any more, but very glad that Batwoman continued.