“Before Watchmen” Officially Announced by DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment has officially announced that this summer they will publish their highly controversial (in the comic book world) 7-title, 34 issue prequel mini-series for the bestselling graphic novel of all time, WATCHMEN. Each of the seven titles will be inter-connected and will be issued under the collective banner BEFORE WATCHMEN.

“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.”

Despite being able to debate whether or not the characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic are actually in need of being a part of “new stories”, DC has wrangled together a pretty impressive list of writers and artists to bring this venture to life.

BEFORE WATCHMEN creative teams include:

• RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS), Artist: Lee Bermejo (JOKER)
• MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke (JUSTICE LEAGUE: NEW FRONTIER)
• COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello, Artist: J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS)
• DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski (SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE) Artist:  Adam Hughes (CATWOMAN)
• NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski, Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert (FLASHPOINT and SGT. ROCK, respectively)
• OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein (SWAMP THING) Artist: Jae Lee (BATMAN: JEKYLL AND HYDE)SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke, Artist: Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL)

In the press release, DC stated that a new issue will be released each week, with each issue including a two-page back-up story titled CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR written by Len Wein (the original series editor) and with art by John Higgins (the original series colorist). Also being released will be a single issue, BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists and another CRIMSON CORSAIR story.

It almost goes without noting that the fathers of WATCHMEN (Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons) are not listed as being involved with this project because it’s really not that surprising that they wouldn’t be. Alan Moore has been bluntly vocal about his feeling on his work being adapted into movies or expanded upon by people decades after the originals were published (the New York Times quoted Moore as saying, “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” in regard to BEFORE WATCHMEN). Dave Gibbons, on the other hand, seems a bit more pragmatic in his response (much like his response to the 2009 Zack Snyder movie adaptation to the original series):

“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.

As a fan of WATCHMEN and comic books as a storytelling medium in general, I’m left wondering why DC would drag out material and characters that have been around for decades instead of working on developing new characters and new ideas (or working on some of the issues their current titles already have). The themes and ideas of WATCHMEN are still relevant and accessible today, 25 years after they were first published. I’m not sure what the heads of DC think publishing prequeals by industry favorites will contribute to what has already been said, and said well with the exact same characters. However, I also have to wonder how this is any different than the continuation of Batman or Superman stories. Are we, as fans, hesitant to accept the notion of prequels to WATCHMEN because it was never intended to be a serialized story that would continue for years and years, is it simply the aura of greatness that shrouds the work that makes the idea of adding to it undesireable, or is this just a publishing house looking to pull in attention by creating an uproar with fans?

(Image source: DCU Blog)