Chad is back with another comic review for you today! Read what he has to say about one of the most controversial comic book decisions in the last few years: the re-boot of the Watchmen series.
Before Watchmen- Minutemen/Silk Spectre
Watchmen is one of the most beloved comic books in history. People have strong opinions on it. It is nostalgic for many readers. So when DC announced it was doing Before Watchmen, a prequel to the highly successfully Watchmen, needless to say there was a lot of talk. Fans were divided, even one of the original creators of the series has been vocal on how much he disagreed with more Watchmen comics.
I for one was all behind it. I agree that the original is a gem of a comic. It is legendary and a true icon in the world of comics, but so are so many other characters and story lines. Should Batman have stopped after The Dark Knight Returns or Year One? No way! We never would have gotten Scott Snyder’s take on the character. It is actually shocking to me that it took so long for them to finally get some sort of continued Watchmen stories after the original.
Minutemen-
Follows the story of the original Night Owl. He is publishing a self published book called “Under the Hood”. It follows the adventures of the Minutemen, the superhero group the came before the Watchmen. The comics go into depth and develop this group that didn’t necessarily get the spotlight in the Watchmen comic.
Darwyn Cooke is a legend and his run on Catwoman is one of my all time favorites. His art and storytelling really shine in this time era that Minutemen is set in. You feel like you are stepping back in comic time in the best way possible. It respects the original while taking steps forward in story telling and creating a rich environment that feels new and fresh.
4/5
Silk Spectre-
I’m a sucker for a good origin story, and I’m a sucker for a female superhero. I love Silk Spectre. She was easily my favorite from the original Watchmen. So needless to say I was the most excited for her comic series when Before Watchmen was announced. I went to the panel at SDCC last year and got really excited by what Amanda Conner had to say and share about the character. She seemed to grasp her complexities and was excited to bring her to life again.
I loved how each issue was able to travel through time throughout her life. Capturing the flavor and feeling of the years represented. It was such a fun and fascinating journey through her life. I also loved the dynamic between with her and her mother. So many people, including myself, has very complicated relationships with our parents – especially our mothers. Watching how her relationship changed and evolved with her’s was one of my favorite parts of the mini series. Also the art was just freaking fantastic. Was a talent Amanda is.
5/5
Ozymandias-
JAE LEE! JAE LEE! JAE LEE! Need I say more?
He is quickly becoming my favorite artist out there. His first issue of Batman/Superman was so complexly beautiful I wanted to cry. His run on Ozymandias is no different. He creates such a unique, yet surprisingly realistic look for his characters and environment. He uses the panels to tell the story. Not just show what the words are telling you.
Jae Lee’s art fit was the perfect match for the complex story they chose for Ozy. We find him at the climax of the original Watchmen comic. The story of the mini series is Ozy reflecting back on his life and how he got to where he is and how he became who he has become. It’s a fascinating journey for one of the more interesting and complex characters from the original comic book.
ART-5/5
Story-3.5/5
