In February 2012, DC announced that they were going to publish “Before Watchmen” a maxi-series that would showcase stories told in the beloved universe created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
Featuring creators such as Darwyn Cooke, Amanda Conner, Brian Azzarello, Len Wein and J. Michael Staczynski, it promised to tell stories that fleshed out the backstory of each character and dig deeper into the universe. At first, the line seemed promising with one new book coming out each week.
Unfortunately, each series became plagued with delays and the public lost interest and any growing momentum for the series was killed. But the question remains as to whether or not each title is good as a series. Here’s a breakdown of each series. Beware of possible spoilers since many of these issues have been out for some time.
“Before Watchmen: Minutemen” Darwyn Cooke (W/A) – 6 issues
Darwyn Cooke had it lucky since many of the Minutemen weren’t fleshed out as characters. In this miniseries, Cooke does an incredible job at filling in details about these characters. While a majority of the book focuses on Hollis Mason, the other Minutemen are featured heavily throughout the narrative. The series itself deals with the history of the Minutemen, much of which was left vague or not mentioned in the “Under The Hood” backups of the original “Watchmen.” In addition, the ending is satisfying and actually can add something to the original, and that’s something no other “Before Watchmen” series can say. Cooke’s art is gorgeous and adds an incredible Golden Age feel to the book. “Minutemen” is definitely one of the must-reads of “Before Watchmen.”
Final Score: 9/10
“Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre” Darwyn Cooke (W), Amanda Connor (W/A) – 4 issues
Like “Minutemen,” “Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre” had a lot of free room to elaborate on what Laurie’s done in the past. In the story that Cooke and Amanda Connor decide to tell, Laurie has ran away with her boyfriend Greg and some other people to San Francisco. Setting the book in the 1960s adds another layer to it and makes it interesting. The book does tackle some of the key characteristics of San Francisco in the 1960s, most notably drugs. Laurie’s bad guys are all part of a drug ring that’s trying to get people to buy anything by passing around KT-5’s, the drug that’s heavily mentioned in the original “Watchmen.” To add to the drug theme, one of the stand-out moments of the series is Laurie on an acid trip. Its tone is completely different from “Watchmen,” but it’s a fun title and that’s something the other books lack. Plus Cooke and Connor bring their a-game and make this one of the best “Before Watchmen” series.
Final Score: 8.5/10
“Before Watchmen: Comedian” Brian Azzarello (W), J.G. Jones (A) – 6 issues
“Before Watchmen: Comedian” is definitely a mixed bag. The story centers on the Comedian’s relationship with the Kennedys and his days in Vietnam. It’s a twisted story and while it fits the character, it doesn’t bring much to the table. In the later issues, elements seem out of place, but they come together into something in the tragic ending. J.G. Jones’ art is great and easily the biggest pull of the series. Unfortunately, everything else doesn’t fit one of the more memorable characters in “Watchmen” with this prequel that is ultimately forgettable.
Final Grade: 6/10
“Before Watchmen: Nite Owl” J. Michael Straczynski (W), Andy Kubert (A #1-4), Joe Kubert (A #1-3), Bill Siensiewicz (A #3-4) – 6 issues
“Before Watchmen: Nite Owl” is a good story, but it’s nothing special. Some of the other “Before Watchmen” titles had things that set it aside from the others, whether it was a great story, great art or both. “Nite Owl” lacks any of those. Sure the story works and explores something that wasn’t in the original, but it’s just that good. Stracazynski’s story is good, and the art from Andy and Joe Kubert with Bill Siensiewicz isn’t as polished as some of the other titles, but it is fitting for the title. This title could have been better fitted as a Nite Owl/Rorschach team-up miniseries for “Before Watchmen.” Rorschach plays a bit too big of a role for having his own series. Hollis Mason is also featured in the series as Dan Dreiberg’s mentor and their relationship really seals this series as uniquely Nite Owl. This series is something that fans of the original “Watchmen” should consider reading, but unlike some of the other books, it isn’t a good point for newcomers.
Final Score: 7.5/10
“Before Watchmen: Ozymandias” Len Wein (W), Jae Lee (A) – 6 issues
At first glance, “Before Watchmen: Ozymandias” stands out because of Jae Lee’s gorgeous artwork. It gives the series a feeling that none of the others have and makes the series stand out. Len Wein’s story is for the most part new material, but the material that was in the original, is almost word for word. It takes away from the uniqueness that the art gives it. At six issues long, it’s one of the longer series, but it could have been shorter. Some of the scenes are long winded, and while it fits the character, it still could have been a shorter book. However, the story is still great and better than some of the others. As previously mentioned, Lee’s artwork is the icing on the cake, making this book one of the “Before Watchmen” standouts.
Final Grade: 8/10
“Before Watchmen: Rorschach” Brian Azzarello (W), Lee Bermejo (A) – 4 issues
“Before Watchmen: Rorschach” is a mixed bag. The story involves Rorschach trying to stop a crime boss, while a series killer called The Bard is striking Manhattan. While it isn’t a bad story, it just seems too crammed into four issues. The Bard is nothing but a red herring and barely appears in the series and never comes in contact with Rorschach until the disappointing ending. It feels rushed and forced to work in four issues. And on top of that it is a generic, gritty, street-level noir title that just happens to feature Rorschach. Lee Bermejo’s artwork is excellent for the series and adds a grittiness that fits it. It’s a shame that Brian Azzarello’s work on “Before Watchmen” is a mixed bag, since he’s killing it monthly on “Wonder Woman.”
Final Grade: 6.5/10
“Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan” J. Michael Strazynski (W), Adam Hughes (A) – 4 issues
“Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan” is Strazynski’s best “Before Watchmen” title. The story is incredibly rich and has a depth that none of the other stories have. Manhattan is a complicated character and Strazynski plays into that. It also doesn’t hurt that science fiction is Strazynski’s strong point, since he created the cult classic tv show Babylon 5. The story can get confusing at times, but it comes together nicely. Adam Hughes’ artwork is phenomenal and brings a level of detail that none of the other books have. Between the art and the story, “Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan” is another standout title that deserves attention.
Final Score: 8/10
“Before Watchmen: Moloch” J. Michael Strazynski (W), Eduardo Risso (A) – 2 issues
Strazynski takes Moloch, the original’s main villain and creates a backstory for him. The issues here are drastically different. The first one goes back and deals with Edward Jacobi’s backstory and why he became a supervillain. It’s an interesting read and Edward Risso’s art is sold and seems like a grittier, less pretty take on Cooke’s art in “Minutemen.” While issue one is entertaining and a decent read, issue two is off the mark. Strazynski makes Adrian Veidt seem like a complete villain, which is completely against the character. He may be the antagonist in the original, but the morality in “Watchmen” is so blurred that there is not clear villain. While Risso’s are in the second issue is still great, the story almost ruins it.
Final Verdict: 6.5/10
“Before Watchmen: Dollar Bill” Len Wein (W), Steve Rude (A) – one-shot
To some point, “Before Watchmen: Dollar Bill” is fan service. Its story adds to the backstory of a character that barely appears in the original and slightly more in “Minutemen.” While it isn’t necessarily a bad story, it features some stereotypes, and Dollar Bill can be a bit of a boring character at times. The real drawing factor here is Rude’s art. To put it simply it’s fantastic and gives some of the other series a run for their money. Fortunately, it’s only one issue, so for die-hard fans of the original, it’s worth a read.
Final Score: 5/10
As a whole event, “Before Watchmen” was successful. It did provide new stories with the classic characters of the original and added more to their backstory. Overall, the series’ biggest draw is its art. All of the artists bring their a-game and it may be the most memorable thing about some of the books. Unfortunately, some of the stories were much better than others, which is disappointing. But for fans of the original, it may be worth reading some of these series, depending on any of the factors, but don’t be surprised if it comes out as a disappointment.
Overall Score for “Before Watchmen”: 7.5/10
