Rumored for almost two years, DC Entertainment today officially announced Before Watchmen, a thirty five issue series of mini-series that exploits the beloved graphic novel, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
With a number of top level creators at the helm, this is another example of the changes of DC Entertainment since Paul Levitz retired. Moore's relations with DC Comics deteriorated during Levitz's reign, ironically over creator's rights and merchandising. As seen by recent moves by the company, Levitz was extremely protective of the work, not allowing something like this to happen previously.
Co-creator Dave Gibbons is supporting the project, but Moore shared his thoughts to the New York Times:
“I tend to take this latest development as a kind of eager confirmation that they are still apparently dependent on ideas that I had 25 years ago.”After the jump check out the full press release including the creative teams and the covers to the first issues in the various mini-series.
“As far as I know,” he said, “there weren’t that many prequels or sequels to ‘Moby-Dick.’”
DC ENTERTAINMENT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES “BEFORE WATCHMEN”
This summer, DC Entertainment will publish all-new stories expanding on the acclaimed WATCHMEN universe. As highly anticipated as they are controversial, the seven inter-connected prequel mini-series will build on the foundation of the original WATCHMEN, the bestselling graphic novel of all time. BEFORE WATCHMEN will be the collective banner for all seven titles, from DC Comics.
“It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”
Stepping up to the challenge is a group of the comic book industry’s most iconoclastic writers and artists – including Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS), Lee Bermejo (JOKER), Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL), Darwyn Cooke (JUSTICE LEAGUE: NEW FRONTIER), John Higgins (WATCHMEN), Adam Hughes (CATWOMAN), J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS), Andy Kubert (FLASHPOINT), Joe Kubert (SGT. ROCK), Jae Lee (BATMAN: JEKYLL AND HYDE), J. Michael Straczynski (SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE) and Len Wein (SWAMP THING).
BEFORE WATCHMEN includes:
- RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo
- MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
- COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones
- DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes
- NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert
- OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee
- SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner
Each week, a new issue will be released, and will feature a two-page back-up story called CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR, written by original series editor Len Wein and with art by original series colorist John Higgins. There will also be a single issue, BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a CRIMSON CORSAIR story by Wein and Higgins.
“The original series of WATCHMEN is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC's reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, WATCHMEN co-creator and original series artist.
“Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”
Azzarello on Rorschach: "You're going to get the Rorschach that you know and want. It's a very visceral story we're going to be telling."
Cooke on Minutemen: “There’s a part of the characters that is heroic or they wouldn’t be together in this way. I know there’s a lot of self-interest involved but there’s got to be a heroic level to each of them. I realized that’s the part of the story I can tell, that side of it.”
Azzarello on Comedian: "“I think the gut reaction is going to be, ‘Why?’ But then when the actual books come out, the answer will be, ‘Oh, that’s why.’ ”
Cooke on Silk Spectre: "What I realized is that as much as I really like Laurie, she’s really only just Dr. Manhattan’s girlfriend and then Nite Owl‘s girlfriend. We never get to see her being self-sufficient and dealing with herself and dealing with her own problems. She’s there for a man. I came up with the idea of looking at the brief period of time when she becomes an adult."
Straczynski on Nite Owl: "I wanted to show how Dan became the second Nite Owl, what circumstances led to him as a kid to reach out to the first Nite Owl with the goal of becoming a hero...the road that led him to that point, and where it took him as he assumed that role."
Wein on Ozymandias: “Adrian Veidt is a fascinating character to write. It’s not easy realizing you’re the only person who can save the world from nuclear destruction, and you lose a whole lot of your soul along the way.”
Straczynski on Dr. Manhattan: "The chance to examine his transformation, what it meant and what it cost in going from human to something more profound, is what drew me to this character."
Wein on Crimson Corsair: "The Curse of the Crimson Corsair was actually my idea when we first started talking about doing these new stories, since, in the world of the Watchmen, DC stopped doing superhero comics early on and started a line of pirate comics instead. I thought it might be fun to see what one of the other books in the line looked like."
