What do you think?
Rate this book
Before Watchmen
Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach
The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN! For over twenty years, the back stories of the now iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's landmark graphic novel have remained a mystery, until now. DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, with this second volume starring two of the most polarizing anti-heroes ever, COMEDIAN and RORSCHACH.
Eisner Award-winning writer and creator of 100 Bullets Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR, BATMAN/DEATHBLOW) to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him.
Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN 1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH 1-4.
Eisner Award-winning writer and creator of 100 Bullets Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR, BATMAN/DEATHBLOW) to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him.
Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN 1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH 1-4.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2013
122 people are currently reading
1569 people want to read
About the author
Brian Azzarello
1,296 books1,106 followersBrian Azzarello (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. He and Argentine artist Eduardo Risso, with whom Azzarello first worked on Jonny Double, won the 2001 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story for 100 Bullets #15–18: "Hang Up on the Hang Low".
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
August 1, 2015
The Before Watchmen audience splits itself neatly in two: those who adore Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen and detest these prequels purely because the original creators had nothing to do with them (and they’re an obvious cash-grab); and those who aren’t as enamoured with Moore/Gibbons’ book and approach this series with a less reactionary mindset.
I’m in the latter. I think Moore’s Watchmen is very overrated and I’m not surprised DC went back to capitalise on one of their biggest properties - they’re a business, that’s what they do! If Marvel owned Watchmen, they’d do the same thing because money.
Not being a Watchmen fan, I wasn’t expecting much from these prequels especially after seeing the Ozymandias/Crimson Corsair book was just so-so. Surprise - Brian Azzarello’s Comedian/Rorschach is actually pretty good!
The six-issue Comedian series reads a lot like Garth Ennis' Punisher/Nick Fury Vietnam stories which were brilliant - only the protagonist here is far more sadistic. It opens in the ‘60s where Eddie Blake, aka the Comedian, is a close friend of President JFK and the Attorney General RFK. He helps out Jackie with a peroxide-blonde rival and gets intentionally distracted by the FBI on the day JFK goes to Dallas.
From there he goes to Vietnam and single-handedly manages to lower the level of the war. So much so, he’s transferred out of there as his atrocities have made the Vietcong that much more determined to beat the Americans! The story ends in the ‘80s where he’s working to get RFK elected (it’s a different timeline remember) against Nixon.
It’s dark and unpleasant a lot of the time but damned if I wasn’t interested in Comedian’s life story! This evil bastard led quite the life, a product of these turbulent times that were a-changin’. Azzarello’s experience writing 100 Bullets pays off as he brings an appropriately street-level grittiness to his story (and Rorschach’s) filled with violence and unsavoury characters.
JG Jones’ art is very good and I loved Alex Sinclair’s colours (though he doesn’t colour the whole six issues unfortunately), bringing a vividness to Jones’ Vietnam that matches the soldiers’ LSD-tinged experiences.
The four-issue Rorschach series sees Azzarello reunited with his Joker artist, Lee Bermejo (if you haven’t read that collaboration, check it out, it’s one of the best Joker books ever!).
Set in 1977, a serial killer called The Bard is abducting, murdering, and carving messages into the bodies of women. Rorschach’s looking for the killer as well as targeting mob boss Rawhead and his crime network.
It’s about as grim as you’d expect from a Rorschach series though it’s not as interesting as Comedian’s. Azzarello’s canvas is much smaller, not just in issue count but because Rorschach is just a paranoid, damaged loner instead of a connected, highly skilled killing machine like Comedian, so rather than taking in several colourful locations, we’re stuck in the backstreets of a grimy city.
Bermejo’s art is a big reason for liking this series. I always love his work - the textures, the detail, the realism - and his pages for Rorschach are superb. Look at that incredible third page - it’s a long shot of the city at night, lights and white clouds moving amidst the darkness. Look at it from afar and it rearranges itself into Rorschach’s face! Lee Bermejo made a Rorschach-type print of the city Rorschach patrols in the Rorschach series - and it looks amazing! Genius.
We see a younger Rorschach not quite as capable as he is when we see him in Watchmen - he’s still learning to fight and gets his ass brutally handed to him by Rawhead’s goons. The one major flaw in this story is when Rawhead tells them to deal with him and they just beat him near to death. Why didn’t they put a bullet in his head instead of giving him the chance to recover and come back after them?!
Rorschach’s journal is typewritten at the start and slowly develops into the handwritten style that we see in the original Watchmen book. It’s interesting that he devolves the format - probably to make it more portable so he wouldn’t be tied to a machine and could write wherever. Maybe also as a metaphorical back-to-basics approach to crime-fighting, in contrast to the future presented by Doctor Manhattan and Ozymandias.
Rorschach’s is not as compelling a story as Comedian’s but it’s still enjoyable. But considering he’s by far people’s favourite character in the series, it feels underwhelming. We don’t really learn much about Rorschach’s psyche, he’s basically already fully-formed, albeit not as great a fighter yet. And it’s exactly the kind of story you expect for Rorschach and that predictability makes it a bit disappointing.
A lot of the negativity towards Before Watchmen stems from Watchmen fans standing up for their beloved book’s legacy. Because these aren’t actually bad comics in themselves. Obviously if you’re going into this thinking, How DARE DC besmirch the sacred Watchmen!, then of course you’re going to hate this.
If all you’re looking for is some good crime/vigilante comics, you’re going to find plenty to like in this one. It’s not as deep, complex or original as Moore/Gibbons’ Watchmen (I can’t imagine anyone is expecting this anyway), but it’s entertaining stuff nonetheless.
Brian Azzarello, man - he’s a wild card! Sometimes he’s good, sometimes not so much. And thankfully he, along with the respective art teams, bring their A-games to Comedian and Rorschach.
I’m in the latter. I think Moore’s Watchmen is very overrated and I’m not surprised DC went back to capitalise on one of their biggest properties - they’re a business, that’s what they do! If Marvel owned Watchmen, they’d do the same thing because money.
Not being a Watchmen fan, I wasn’t expecting much from these prequels especially after seeing the Ozymandias/Crimson Corsair book was just so-so. Surprise - Brian Azzarello’s Comedian/Rorschach is actually pretty good!
The six-issue Comedian series reads a lot like Garth Ennis' Punisher/Nick Fury Vietnam stories which were brilliant - only the protagonist here is far more sadistic. It opens in the ‘60s where Eddie Blake, aka the Comedian, is a close friend of President JFK and the Attorney General RFK. He helps out Jackie with a peroxide-blonde rival and gets intentionally distracted by the FBI on the day JFK goes to Dallas.
From there he goes to Vietnam and single-handedly manages to lower the level of the war. So much so, he’s transferred out of there as his atrocities have made the Vietcong that much more determined to beat the Americans! The story ends in the ‘80s where he’s working to get RFK elected (it’s a different timeline remember) against Nixon.
It’s dark and unpleasant a lot of the time but damned if I wasn’t interested in Comedian’s life story! This evil bastard led quite the life, a product of these turbulent times that were a-changin’. Azzarello’s experience writing 100 Bullets pays off as he brings an appropriately street-level grittiness to his story (and Rorschach’s) filled with violence and unsavoury characters.
JG Jones’ art is very good and I loved Alex Sinclair’s colours (though he doesn’t colour the whole six issues unfortunately), bringing a vividness to Jones’ Vietnam that matches the soldiers’ LSD-tinged experiences.
The four-issue Rorschach series sees Azzarello reunited with his Joker artist, Lee Bermejo (if you haven’t read that collaboration, check it out, it’s one of the best Joker books ever!).
Set in 1977, a serial killer called The Bard is abducting, murdering, and carving messages into the bodies of women. Rorschach’s looking for the killer as well as targeting mob boss Rawhead and his crime network.
It’s about as grim as you’d expect from a Rorschach series though it’s not as interesting as Comedian’s. Azzarello’s canvas is much smaller, not just in issue count but because Rorschach is just a paranoid, damaged loner instead of a connected, highly skilled killing machine like Comedian, so rather than taking in several colourful locations, we’re stuck in the backstreets of a grimy city.
Bermejo’s art is a big reason for liking this series. I always love his work - the textures, the detail, the realism - and his pages for Rorschach are superb. Look at that incredible third page - it’s a long shot of the city at night, lights and white clouds moving amidst the darkness. Look at it from afar and it rearranges itself into Rorschach’s face! Lee Bermejo made a Rorschach-type print of the city Rorschach patrols in the Rorschach series - and it looks amazing! Genius.
We see a younger Rorschach not quite as capable as he is when we see him in Watchmen - he’s still learning to fight and gets his ass brutally handed to him by Rawhead’s goons. The one major flaw in this story is when Rawhead tells them to deal with him and they just beat him near to death. Why didn’t they put a bullet in his head instead of giving him the chance to recover and come back after them?!
Rorschach’s journal is typewritten at the start and slowly develops into the handwritten style that we see in the original Watchmen book. It’s interesting that he devolves the format - probably to make it more portable so he wouldn’t be tied to a machine and could write wherever. Maybe also as a metaphorical back-to-basics approach to crime-fighting, in contrast to the future presented by Doctor Manhattan and Ozymandias.
Rorschach’s is not as compelling a story as Comedian’s but it’s still enjoyable. But considering he’s by far people’s favourite character in the series, it feels underwhelming. We don’t really learn much about Rorschach’s psyche, he’s basically already fully-formed, albeit not as great a fighter yet. And it’s exactly the kind of story you expect for Rorschach and that predictability makes it a bit disappointing.
A lot of the negativity towards Before Watchmen stems from Watchmen fans standing up for their beloved book’s legacy. Because these aren’t actually bad comics in themselves. Obviously if you’re going into this thinking, How DARE DC besmirch the sacred Watchmen!, then of course you’re going to hate this.
If all you’re looking for is some good crime/vigilante comics, you’re going to find plenty to like in this one. It’s not as deep, complex or original as Moore/Gibbons’ Watchmen (I can’t imagine anyone is expecting this anyway), but it’s entertaining stuff nonetheless.
Brian Azzarello, man - he’s a wild card! Sometimes he’s good, sometimes not so much. And thankfully he, along with the respective art teams, bring their A-games to Comedian and Rorschach.
August 17, 2021
The Comedian ★★★★ - Story by Brian Azzarello. Art by J.G. Jones
I liked how the Comedian's relationship with the John and Robert Kennedy was explored. The stuff in Vietnam went on how too long and the political angle was too vague. Azzarello does this kind of thing a lot. He doesn't really know what to say at times and consequently says nothing with lots of vague inferences. Basically the story boils down to the Comedian being the world's biggest scumbag while in the employ of the CIA for 6 issues. J.G. Jones art is fantastic!
Rorschach ★★★★ - Story by Brian Azzarello. Art by Lee Bermejo
Bermejo was the perfect choice of artist for a story set in seedy Times Square of 1970's New York. His art captures the time period perfectly when the area was overrun with peep shows, strip clubs and hookers. The story is really dark and graphic. There was also a serial killer on the peripheral of the story that seemed to be nothing more than an excuse to insert more images of violence towards women into the story. Rorschach ignores what's going on for most of the story in favor of going after a drug dealer.
I liked how the Comedian's relationship with the John and Robert Kennedy was explored. The stuff in Vietnam went on how too long and the political angle was too vague. Azzarello does this kind of thing a lot. He doesn't really know what to say at times and consequently says nothing with lots of vague inferences. Basically the story boils down to the Comedian being the world's biggest scumbag while in the employ of the CIA for 6 issues. J.G. Jones art is fantastic!
Rorschach ★★★★ - Story by Brian Azzarello. Art by Lee Bermejo
Bermejo was the perfect choice of artist for a story set in seedy Times Square of 1970's New York. His art captures the time period perfectly when the area was overrun with peep shows, strip clubs and hookers. The story is really dark and graphic. There was also a serial killer on the peripheral of the story that seemed to be nothing more than an excuse to insert more images of violence towards women into the story. Rorschach ignores what's going on for most of the story in favor of going after a drug dealer.
March 15, 2015
Purely unnecessary prequels. Unwanted cash in, even further proof that Brian Azzazelo or whatever his name is cannot write someone else's character to save his life.
The artwork is fine but that doesn't change anything. Trying to tie the comedian and Rorschach into actual history is stupid. The book is stupid and I'm stupid for having read it.
The artwork is fine but that doesn't change anything. Trying to tie the comedian and Rorschach into actual history is stupid. The book is stupid and I'm stupid for having read it.
May 11, 2013
Again, these stories have me wondering about their need to exist. Both are suitably grim and dark. The Comedian's story especially had me thinking of Garth Ennis' recent Fury: My War Gone By series, as the Comedian interacts with historical figures (Jack and Bobby Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, etc.), goes to Vietnam, and brings his jaded sensibilities to race riots in Los Angeles. And Rohrschach is his usual grim self, musing on the rot and cancer eating away at New York as he takes down a Vietnam vet/gangster and his crew and tracks down a serial killer (did I dream it, or did he actually run into Robert DeNiro's taxi driver character midway through?). Unfortunately, neither of these stories is much fun to read and neither of them really gives us any insight into these characters that we didn't already know from Alan Moore's original series. So, ultimately, what's the point? A cynical cash-grab by DC? If you really, really dig these characters, you might get something out of these stories. I didn't mind them, but I really didn't find them very compelling, either and I certainly wouldn't want to shell out big bucks to get these, either in single issues or in these collected editions. If you've got to read these, go to your local public library.
March 15, 2024
This is a prequel story to the Watchmen. There are separate parts for each of the Comedian and Rorschach.
I liked the Comedian section. It was an interesting take on what he would have been like in the '60's, cavorting with the Kennedies and fighting in Vietnam. In Vietnam, the Comedian does unspeakably barbaric things, which he justifies as helping win the war. The most memorable line is the Comedian saying "... one thing no one ever got about me... is that I am a Patriot".
In his mind, the Comedian thinks he's the only one serious about winning the war and is willing to do whatever it takes. The story arc shows how this line of thinking can be persuasive. Americans are dying while their government is not using the full destructive force they are capable of unleashing. It's natural to think "why are we fighting this war if we are not willing to win it" and you can see how some people make another step in this direction of thought where they have sympathy for people who do barbaric things in the heat of battle, and then yet another step where they actively root for people like the Comedian who seeks out opportunities to do barbaric things.
The Rorschach section was not that interesting. It was a simple action story with Rorschach doing Rorschach stuff.
I liked the Comedian section. It was an interesting take on what he would have been like in the '60's, cavorting with the Kennedies and fighting in Vietnam. In Vietnam, the Comedian does unspeakably barbaric things, which he justifies as helping win the war. The most memorable line is the Comedian saying "... one thing no one ever got about me... is that I am a Patriot".
In his mind, the Comedian thinks he's the only one serious about winning the war and is willing to do whatever it takes. The story arc shows how this line of thinking can be persuasive. Americans are dying while their government is not using the full destructive force they are capable of unleashing. It's natural to think "why are we fighting this war if we are not willing to win it" and you can see how some people make another step in this direction of thought where they have sympathy for people who do barbaric things in the heat of battle, and then yet another step where they actively root for people like the Comedian who seeks out opportunities to do barbaric things.
The Rorschach section was not that interesting. It was a simple action story with Rorschach doing Rorschach stuff.
August 19, 2022
The Comedian: 1/5. I actually really liked the implication in the original Watchmen that the Comedian killed JFK, and so it was very disappointing to me that this retconned that element and had him kill RFK instead. Eddie Blake is absolutely a piece of shit, but given how he doesn't let another guy say "assassination" in reference to JFK, I find it hard to buy that he'd make a joke about being behind the grassy knoll--I wouldn't necessarily put it past him, though. The exploration of his time in Vietnam was good, save for copious amounts of wannabe badass one-liners, the most infamous of which being "it's time to shit", which actually ends an issue of the comic. Honestly I would have kept that the Comedian killed JFK and then have the conflict be him trying to keep his involvement from RFK, and then maybe killing him too. Also, was the girl who gives him the flower for Vietnam meant to be Laurie, or just meant to evoke her?
Rorschach: 1/5. First off, the fact that Rorschach's canon breakfast order is two chili dogs is 1) incredibly funny to me and 2) makes sense for a man who eats a raw egg like an apple in Watchmen. But throughout this comic, Rorschach...didn't really feel like Rorschach? I noticed right away that the clipped nature of his diary entries was vastly cut down, which, silly as it sounds, took me out of the story. One of the most distinct things about Rorschach's narration in Watchmen is that he doesn't use a lot of articles, even when he speaks out loud, which works incredibly well for his character. The story is one that could have been told with any detective, which makes Rorschach's status as the lead feel like an afterthought. Given that the victims are prostitutes, I expected the story to be some sort of conflict between Rorschach's desire to stop the murderer and his view of prostitutes as another part of the city that's dirty and need to be wiped out, but instead it was just a pretty straightforward murder mystery that happened to center Rorschach. Waste of the character. And as weirdly endearing as it was to see Walter offer to take the waitress who helped him out for dinner, it felt...pretty out of character? And I instantly knew she'd be the next victim. Relieved she wasn't fridged, but still. Also the comic seems to be intent on ignoring the less heroic traits of Watchmen Rorschach, such as the fact that he's an avid reader of a far-right newspaper, pretty misogynistic, and would probably not have really cared about a series of murdered prostitutes. And honestly that's a mark against this comic. Without the unsavory bits, Rorschach is no longer a deconstruction of heroic archetypes, but one played more or less straight, which is fully missing the point of his character. I found Rorschach the most interesting character in Watchmen (saying "Rorschach is my favorite of the Watchmen" tends to give people the wrong idea, given how many idolize him), but this...just didn't feel like Rorschach. I wish this story had been a Nite Owl and Rorschach team-up tbh.
Rorschach: 1/5. First off, the fact that Rorschach's canon breakfast order is two chili dogs is 1) incredibly funny to me and 2) makes sense for a man who eats a raw egg like an apple in Watchmen. But throughout this comic, Rorschach...didn't really feel like Rorschach? I noticed right away that the clipped nature of his diary entries was vastly cut down, which, silly as it sounds, took me out of the story. One of the most distinct things about Rorschach's narration in Watchmen is that he doesn't use a lot of articles, even when he speaks out loud, which works incredibly well for his character. The story is one that could have been told with any detective, which makes Rorschach's status as the lead feel like an afterthought. Given that the victims are prostitutes, I expected the story to be some sort of conflict between Rorschach's desire to stop the murderer and his view of prostitutes as another part of the city that's dirty and need to be wiped out, but instead it was just a pretty straightforward murder mystery that happened to center Rorschach. Waste of the character. And as weirdly endearing as it was to see Walter offer to take the waitress who helped him out for dinner, it felt...pretty out of character? And I instantly knew she'd be the next victim. Relieved she wasn't fridged, but still. Also the comic seems to be intent on ignoring the less heroic traits of Watchmen Rorschach, such as the fact that he's an avid reader of a far-right newspaper, pretty misogynistic, and would probably not have really cared about a series of murdered prostitutes. And honestly that's a mark against this comic. Without the unsavory bits, Rorschach is no longer a deconstruction of heroic archetypes, but one played more or less straight, which is fully missing the point of his character. I found Rorschach the most interesting character in Watchmen (saying "Rorschach is my favorite of the Watchmen" tends to give people the wrong idea, given how many idolize him), but this...just didn't feel like Rorschach. I wish this story had been a Nite Owl and Rorschach team-up tbh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2019
I know apart from the publication order there is no real order to this series of prequels - so as such you do jump around a bit going from one story to the next (I know there is now a huge omnibus edition out there but I cannot afford that, which I suspect puts the series in to the order it was meant to be). However the two stories in this volume are probably the most went known - and by that in passing reference in the original Watchmen book.
The two stores in this volume I think are the most dark and violent of the ones so far - is that down to the story and the artwork or the intention of the writers I do not know. But considering the cover the Vietnam years of the Comedian and the early years of Roscharch you know its not going to be an easy ride
I will not give anything away although those familiar with the original story will be able to guess what was going on in these times.
The series in general though - I feel adds depth to the characters and fill in their histories- for me making them a little more understandable if no more likeable. However I do not think you are missing anything vital (I could be wrong having only read 3 of the 4 books so far).
The two stores in this volume I think are the most dark and violent of the ones so far - is that down to the story and the artwork or the intention of the writers I do not know. But considering the cover the Vietnam years of the Comedian and the early years of Roscharch you know its not going to be an easy ride
I will not give anything away although those familiar with the original story will be able to guess what was going on in these times.
The series in general though - I feel adds depth to the characters and fill in their histories- for me making them a little more understandable if no more likeable. However I do not think you are missing anything vital (I could be wrong having only read 3 of the 4 books so far).
March 28, 2021
"Before Watchmen" is a project where various writers write about the different characters from the Watchmen series.
Brian Azzarello takes on the characters of The Comedian and Rorschach. The Comedian's story was a 2 star story. It's a pastiche of a few decades of the Comedian's life. It's essentially a Democrat paean to the wonders of the Kennedys. The gist? If only the Kennedys had lived America would be driving flying cars, eating free kobe beef and everything would have been fine. But then a conspiracy, some good ol' fashioned leftist conspiracy crap and some more conspiracy crap about keeping the Vietnam war going..and viola the Comedian is a monster. Meh. For my money, I would say leftist "microagressions" caused the Comedian to engage in "mostly peaceful" activities in foreign lands to deny communists their "safe spaces". Like I said-at best a 2 star story.
Azzarello's Rorschach is a FAR better story. Leaving behind Democrat/Leftist (redundant?) tropes for a real story-we are treated to Rorschach in conflict with a criminal known as "Rawhead". The art is top notch, the story is grim violent and the plot quite interesting. This second installment of stories is a far superior entry. This is a 5 star story and it is a shame the Comedian didn't get such similar treatment. In fact, the high rating for this volume is entirely dependent on this latter story for the 4 star rating.
So a good entry into the "pre-Watchmen" story arc. Look forward to the others in this series.
Brian Azzarello takes on the characters of The Comedian and Rorschach. The Comedian's story was a 2 star story. It's a pastiche of a few decades of the Comedian's life. It's essentially a Democrat paean to the wonders of the Kennedys. The gist? If only the Kennedys had lived America would be driving flying cars, eating free kobe beef and everything would have been fine. But then a conspiracy, some good ol' fashioned leftist conspiracy crap and some more conspiracy crap about keeping the Vietnam war going..and viola the Comedian is a monster. Meh. For my money, I would say leftist "microagressions" caused the Comedian to engage in "mostly peaceful" activities in foreign lands to deny communists their "safe spaces". Like I said-at best a 2 star story.
Azzarello's Rorschach is a FAR better story. Leaving behind Democrat/Leftist (redundant?) tropes for a real story-we are treated to Rorschach in conflict with a criminal known as "Rawhead". The art is top notch, the story is grim violent and the plot quite interesting. This second installment of stories is a far superior entry. This is a 5 star story and it is a shame the Comedian didn't get such similar treatment. In fact, the high rating for this volume is entirely dependent on this latter story for the 4 star rating.
So a good entry into the "pre-Watchmen" story arc. Look forward to the others in this series.
February 5, 2014
This is the worst portrayal of Rorschach I've ever seen and I routinely read bad fanfiction.
June 21, 2015
This one focuses on the Comedian and especially his time with the Kennedys and Vietnam. The latter part is on Rorschach and his earlier years on his own and dealing with a dangerous gang.
I especially likes this one for its themes and character focuses. It didn't cop out on the tough topics.
Artwork is great as usual.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus.
I especially likes this one for its themes and character focuses. It didn't cop out on the tough topics.
Artwork is great as usual.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus.
March 5, 2019
I really enjoy these pre-Watchmen books. Tons of backstory are filled in and a lot of the questions about the characters from the series are answered. if you enjoyed the Watchmen comics you will really enjoy these. Recommended
January 6, 2017
I really enjoyed the other Before Watchmen. This one? Not so much. Seemed jumpy to me, both stories. And I've been looking forward to this, so the letdown really sucks.
April 5, 2021
Alright then. Azzarello delivers a couple of good scripts which are only made better by the talents of superstar artists JG Jones (Comedian) and Lee Bermejo (Rorschach). The stories help flesh out the background on these two characters (moreso for The Comedian, who as a Forrest Gump way of being at the right place at the right time). Jones portrays the historical figures really well and Bermejo's segment simply looks incredible. His portrayal of NYC in the mid-70s is dead-on. The De Niro cameo (as Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle) was a nice surprise.
3 stars for the stories, bumped up to 4 stars on account of the art.
3 stars for the stories, bumped up to 4 stars on account of the art.
August 13, 2016
I have now almost read all of the Before Watchmen series (reviews to follow), but I started with this one. In a way I'm glad I did, because this was by far not my favorite of the lot. If it wasn't for the Rorschach part of this story, I don't think I would have given it 3 stars. But lets start with The Comedian:
The Comedian is not a nice man, and I'm not talking about breaking the law, killing a few baddies etc. No he really goes way over the line. I won't get into it, but lets just say that I found his behavior disgusting. It all starts off fine, I particularly liked the first issue, with Marilyn, JFK and Jackie - this was pretty cool to me. There is even some of Marilyn's death conspiracy theories thrown in! From there it just goes down hill. The Comedian's stint in Vietnam left a bad taste in my mouth... I realize these characters are meant to be damaged and dark, but there is just no redeemable quality in him.
On to Rorschach. I enjoyed his story, to see where he came from, what his mistakes are and what drives him. This story at least gave me hope for the rest of the series, and I'm glad cause I'm loving it! Rorschach is an interesting character and in a way I wish there were more than just the 4 issues about him.
Illustrations: 4 stars
Story: 2 stars
Overall: 3 stars
The Comedian is not a nice man, and I'm not talking about breaking the law, killing a few baddies etc. No he really goes way over the line. I won't get into it, but lets just say that I found his behavior disgusting. It all starts off fine, I particularly liked the first issue, with Marilyn, JFK and Jackie - this was pretty cool to me. There is even some of Marilyn's death conspiracy theories thrown in! From there it just goes down hill. The Comedian's stint in Vietnam left a bad taste in my mouth... I realize these characters are meant to be damaged and dark, but there is just no redeemable quality in him.
On to Rorschach. I enjoyed his story, to see where he came from, what his mistakes are and what drives him. This story at least gave me hope for the rest of the series, and I'm glad cause I'm loving it! Rorschach is an interesting character and in a way I wish there were more than just the 4 issues about him.
Illustrations: 4 stars
Story: 2 stars
Overall: 3 stars
July 16, 2013
The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/07/....
"An immensely disappointing take on two of Watchmen's most important characters. Watchman fan or not, this is one to avoid." ~The Founding Fields
Writer: Brian Azarello | Art: J.G. Jones (Before Watchmen: Comedian #1-6), Lee Bermejo (Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1-6) | Collects: Before Watchmen: Comedian #1-6, Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1-6) | Publisher: DC Comics
"Writer Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two unforgettable characters. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of modern American history, as we discover the role he played in the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination.
In RORSCHACH, Azzarello teams with artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR) to show how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comics world has ever seen became even darker."
Up until this point, I’ve had a pretty positive experience with graphic novels and comics. Rarely have I read a graphic novel that’s let me down, and what’s more – I never thought that let down could come from Brian Azzarello, of all people – writer of DC’s New 52 Wonder Woman, and whilst I may not be up to date on that series, I enjoyed the first volume a lot, so was hoping for some high quality work to come out of the Before Watchmen years of Comedian and Rorschach. However, I was massively disappointed, with the graphic novel simply not being as well written as it could have been.
Before I read this graphic novel, I was on board for the whole Before Watchmen thing. I managed to read the first issues of Ozymandias, Minutemen, Nite Owl & Silk Spectre but was unable to follow them through the entire mini-series, so I was going into the Comedian and Rorschach tales completley fresh. However, after having read these two, I have to say why bother? It’s like Star Wars, the prequels. I would have much rather had George Lucas follow on from the events of Episode VI rather than going back and giving us Jar Jar Binks etc. Sure, in Watchmen‘s case, it would be very hard to tell a ‘what happens next’ storyline, but I for one – would have wished that they should have just left certain characters past’s alone. We don’t need to know the Comedian’s story, and neither do we need to know Rorschach’s. Both are given a perfect amount of depth in the graphic novel and the film, as they’re two of the key players. I’d like to say that Comedian and Rorschach’s storylines held my interest right the way through, but they didn’t. I barely managed to finish the Comedian one, however Rorschach’s tale was a slight improvement.
Before Watchmen Comedian RorschachThe Comedian story is the one that you’re given first, but in retrospect, it probably should have been the other way around – because at this rate, the reader will be so put off by the time that they’ve reached the end they won’t stick around for more. I almost always find something that I like about a book even if I disliked it as a whole, but that was not the case here. Sure, I know Eddie Blake isn’t a nice guy, and you’re not expected to find him to be a rootable character – but it’d be nice to have a character you could get behind in this series. We’re drawn more to the brief appearance in #1 of John F. Kennedy then we are of Eddie in the entire mini-series. It doesn’t help that I’m not a big fan of J.G. Jones’s art, either, which is, like the whole graphic novel, a let down – and I’m somewhat glad that they changed the artist for the Rorschach tale – I just wish that they’d have found a better writer for these two characters than Brian Azzarello, as he doesn’t seem very capable of handling these two anti-heroes.
The Comedian introduces us at the beginning of the story to Eddie Blake, and one thing that I like about this is that there’s a clear difference between the character now and the one that we meet in Watchmen. He hasn’t yet experienced Vietnam, nor done the things that we witnessed him do in the various flashbacks in the graphic novel/movie. The Comedian issues feel like Azzarello is being a bit experimental, seeing what works and what doesn’t. As a result, the issues really don’t work as well as they should – which is a shame.
When you’ll reach the Rorschach half of the book, you’ll discover that it of course warrants the inclusion of the standard Rorschach’s Journal tale that we’ve come to expect from the character. As he’s one of the more iconic figures in the film, I couldn’t help but read his narration using the voice in the movie – and I expect Watchmen fans will also do this, particularly if they’re a fan of the character – who chances are, will be most people’s favourite. There are comparisons in the Rorschach tale to some early scenes in Batman Begins where Bruce is still learning the ropes as Batman. Remember the sequence where he sneaks into Jim Gordon’s office to get him to contact Rachel Dawes, and then escapes over the rooftops, falling down the ladders as he tries to do so, clearly not as experienced as he is by the time The Dark Knight Rises comes around? Well, that’s kind of the case here. Rorschach thinks he’s going to burn a stash of drugs, but is instead confronted and almost beaten to death by attackers. The kind of difference that the character
The Rorschach storyline was probably one of my most anticipated of the Before Watchmen series, yet by the time I finished Comedian, I approached it with dread rather than anticipation, and I didn’t find anything to lift my spirits whilst reading this. The mystery and the story is more straightforward, interesting and gripping than Comedian, It doesn’t really stand out. Before Watchmen should be spectacular, and the creative team should be trying to match the original work set by Alan Moore. That’s far from the case here, but I am in the process of reading Nite Owl / Dr. Manhattan, which has started pretty well.
Therefore, you’ll want to avoid this. People who want a complete collection and die-hard Watchmen and Rorschach fans will no doubt pick up this graphic novel anyway, but if you’re wanting to read it, I recommend waiting for the trade paperback releases. That way, if you want to read the Rorschach storyline, you can read that without bothering with the Comedian. No recommendation for Comedian, then – but a cautious one for Rorschach.
VERDICT: 2/5
"An immensely disappointing take on two of Watchmen's most important characters. Watchman fan or not, this is one to avoid." ~The Founding Fields
Writer: Brian Azarello | Art: J.G. Jones (Before Watchmen: Comedian #1-6), Lee Bermejo (Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1-6) | Collects: Before Watchmen: Comedian #1-6, Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1-6) | Publisher: DC Comics
"Writer Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two unforgettable characters. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of modern American history, as we discover the role he played in the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination.
In RORSCHACH, Azzarello teams with artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR) to show how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comics world has ever seen became even darker."
Up until this point, I’ve had a pretty positive experience with graphic novels and comics. Rarely have I read a graphic novel that’s let me down, and what’s more – I never thought that let down could come from Brian Azzarello, of all people – writer of DC’s New 52 Wonder Woman, and whilst I may not be up to date on that series, I enjoyed the first volume a lot, so was hoping for some high quality work to come out of the Before Watchmen years of Comedian and Rorschach. However, I was massively disappointed, with the graphic novel simply not being as well written as it could have been.
Before I read this graphic novel, I was on board for the whole Before Watchmen thing. I managed to read the first issues of Ozymandias, Minutemen, Nite Owl & Silk Spectre but was unable to follow them through the entire mini-series, so I was going into the Comedian and Rorschach tales completley fresh. However, after having read these two, I have to say why bother? It’s like Star Wars, the prequels. I would have much rather had George Lucas follow on from the events of Episode VI rather than going back and giving us Jar Jar Binks etc. Sure, in Watchmen‘s case, it would be very hard to tell a ‘what happens next’ storyline, but I for one – would have wished that they should have just left certain characters past’s alone. We don’t need to know the Comedian’s story, and neither do we need to know Rorschach’s. Both are given a perfect amount of depth in the graphic novel and the film, as they’re two of the key players. I’d like to say that Comedian and Rorschach’s storylines held my interest right the way through, but they didn’t. I barely managed to finish the Comedian one, however Rorschach’s tale was a slight improvement.
Before Watchmen Comedian RorschachThe Comedian story is the one that you’re given first, but in retrospect, it probably should have been the other way around – because at this rate, the reader will be so put off by the time that they’ve reached the end they won’t stick around for more. I almost always find something that I like about a book even if I disliked it as a whole, but that was not the case here. Sure, I know Eddie Blake isn’t a nice guy, and you’re not expected to find him to be a rootable character – but it’d be nice to have a character you could get behind in this series. We’re drawn more to the brief appearance in #1 of John F. Kennedy then we are of Eddie in the entire mini-series. It doesn’t help that I’m not a big fan of J.G. Jones’s art, either, which is, like the whole graphic novel, a let down – and I’m somewhat glad that they changed the artist for the Rorschach tale – I just wish that they’d have found a better writer for these two characters than Brian Azzarello, as he doesn’t seem very capable of handling these two anti-heroes.
The Comedian introduces us at the beginning of the story to Eddie Blake, and one thing that I like about this is that there’s a clear difference between the character now and the one that we meet in Watchmen. He hasn’t yet experienced Vietnam, nor done the things that we witnessed him do in the various flashbacks in the graphic novel/movie. The Comedian issues feel like Azzarello is being a bit experimental, seeing what works and what doesn’t. As a result, the issues really don’t work as well as they should – which is a shame.
When you’ll reach the Rorschach half of the book, you’ll discover that it of course warrants the inclusion of the standard Rorschach’s Journal tale that we’ve come to expect from the character. As he’s one of the more iconic figures in the film, I couldn’t help but read his narration using the voice in the movie – and I expect Watchmen fans will also do this, particularly if they’re a fan of the character – who chances are, will be most people’s favourite. There are comparisons in the Rorschach tale to some early scenes in Batman Begins where Bruce is still learning the ropes as Batman. Remember the sequence where he sneaks into Jim Gordon’s office to get him to contact Rachel Dawes, and then escapes over the rooftops, falling down the ladders as he tries to do so, clearly not as experienced as he is by the time The Dark Knight Rises comes around? Well, that’s kind of the case here. Rorschach thinks he’s going to burn a stash of drugs, but is instead confronted and almost beaten to death by attackers. The kind of difference that the character
The Rorschach storyline was probably one of my most anticipated of the Before Watchmen series, yet by the time I finished Comedian, I approached it with dread rather than anticipation, and I didn’t find anything to lift my spirits whilst reading this. The mystery and the story is more straightforward, interesting and gripping than Comedian, It doesn’t really stand out. Before Watchmen should be spectacular, and the creative team should be trying to match the original work set by Alan Moore. That’s far from the case here, but I am in the process of reading Nite Owl / Dr. Manhattan, which has started pretty well.
Therefore, you’ll want to avoid this. People who want a complete collection and die-hard Watchmen and Rorschach fans will no doubt pick up this graphic novel anyway, but if you’re wanting to read it, I recommend waiting for the trade paperback releases. That way, if you want to read the Rorschach storyline, you can read that without bothering with the Comedian. No recommendation for Comedian, then – but a cautious one for Rorschach.
VERDICT: 2/5
May 26, 2015
This is your proverbial bad prequel. Everything, and I mean everything that you needed to know about The Comedian and Rorschach is told in Watchmen, and indeed the Comedian in particular does not work into this prequel at all, it makes his later behavior in Watchmen more confusing-not ambiguous or enigmatic. Suddenly the Comedian who burnt the map of the United States in his fatalism is not compatible with his playing football with the Kennedy's. This portrayal of the Kennedy's also was poorly-and I certainly mean POORLY done. They sound like rightist propaganda on those 'deviant Kennedy's.' This alone was enough to turn me off the graphic novel.
Rorschach however is completely unnecessary, and unwanted. Where the Comedian's portion was just terrible, Walter Kovac's tale shoots directly at the heart of Watchmen. Rorschach already had his tale told by the prison psychologist, it was riveting and brilliantly done. This is just a bastard offspring-yes it looks like Rorschach, and talks like him at times, but it is not which is ultimately the whole problem with this book.
Rorschach however is completely unnecessary, and unwanted. Where the Comedian's portion was just terrible, Walter Kovac's tale shoots directly at the heart of Watchmen. Rorschach already had his tale told by the prison psychologist, it was riveting and brilliantly done. This is just a bastard offspring-yes it looks like Rorschach, and talks like him at times, but it is not which is ultimately the whole problem with this book.
June 11, 2018
This collection features two of the more off-beat Watchmen. I liked it. A good background into these characters and why they do what they do. Picked this up at my digital library and zipped right thru it. Will check out other Before Watchmen collections.
November 26, 2019
Ne diyebilirim ki? Övmek bile yersiz, bir baş yapıt ve devam niteliğinde bir eser. "Watchmen" seviyorsanız muhakkak edinmelisiniz. İthali Yayınları ve özellikle seriyi bize kazandıran emektarlarına ne kadar teşekkür etsek az.
November 30, 2019
Komedyeni daha bir sevmemek için okunmalı bir çizgi roman :)
July 28, 2013
This was really cool to read. I am a big fan of Watchmen. I think it is the type of graphic novel that should be read by every comic book fan no matter if you prefer Marvel, or Dark Horse comics over DC. The writing is spectacular and it has always been a story that has stuck in my mind.
When these books started to come out I was really excited to see a little more of the characters I loved from Watchmen. It has been a long time since I have bought monthly issues, but I have been trying to catch up with graphic novels. This was graciously given to me by DC comics through NetGalley for an honest review. I can’t tell you how excited I was to read this and review it. The Comedian and Rorschach may not have been my favorite characters from Watchmen but I have always wanted to know more about them.
The first part of the book is issues 1-6 of Before Watchmen: The Comedian. In these pages we get to see a softer side to Eddie Blake. His early days playing football with the Kennedys on a sunny afternoon, are a complete opposite to his character in the Watchmen book. Finally a glimpse into what made him so angry and dangerous. Of course these books try to mesh in some aspect of history during the time period and Eddie Blake gets sent to Vietnam. He is sent to be a spokes person to boost the war effort. Troops’ morale is boosted by having a real life superhero helping in the trenches. That’s when things begin to go horribly wrong.
The second part of this book collects issues 1-4 of Before Watchmen: Rorschach. Rorschach’s story was a little different. This wasn’t so much of an origin story; at least I didn’t think it was. We kind of see why he is so violent towards criminals but really this was just an early instance in his career as a hero. Rorschach is trying to protect a city he hates; he is digging into a drug ring to clean up the streets. At this point Rorschach is violent but not homicidal which is not like his character in Watchmen.
If you would like to read more of this review please visit my blog a brunnersbookshelf.blogspot.com
When these books started to come out I was really excited to see a little more of the characters I loved from Watchmen. It has been a long time since I have bought monthly issues, but I have been trying to catch up with graphic novels. This was graciously given to me by DC comics through NetGalley for an honest review. I can’t tell you how excited I was to read this and review it. The Comedian and Rorschach may not have been my favorite characters from Watchmen but I have always wanted to know more about them.
The first part of the book is issues 1-6 of Before Watchmen: The Comedian. In these pages we get to see a softer side to Eddie Blake. His early days playing football with the Kennedys on a sunny afternoon, are a complete opposite to his character in the Watchmen book. Finally a glimpse into what made him so angry and dangerous. Of course these books try to mesh in some aspect of history during the time period and Eddie Blake gets sent to Vietnam. He is sent to be a spokes person to boost the war effort. Troops’ morale is boosted by having a real life superhero helping in the trenches. That’s when things begin to go horribly wrong.
The second part of this book collects issues 1-4 of Before Watchmen: Rorschach. Rorschach’s story was a little different. This wasn’t so much of an origin story; at least I didn’t think it was. We kind of see why he is so violent towards criminals but really this was just an early instance in his career as a hero. Rorschach is trying to protect a city he hates; he is digging into a drug ring to clean up the streets. At this point Rorschach is violent but not homicidal which is not like his character in Watchmen.
If you would like to read more of this review please visit my blog a brunnersbookshelf.blogspot.com
August 2, 2015
While it's marginally better than Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan, or at least the Comedian half of this volume is, the Rorschach section is rather pointless and offers little to the Watchmen mythos/storyline beyond the cameo appearance of Travis Bickle who shows up in his Yellow Cab at the opportune moment to give Rorschach a ride.
More cameos and better, more intriguing writing come into play in the Comedian section where Eddie Blake manages to make a cameo appearance himself at a number of dark moments in the 1960s, including the village of My Lai and the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel. Here the Comedian is more than a little like a '60s Zelig, if Zelig murdered most of the people he rubbed shoulders with. The Comedian plays some touch football with the Kennedy boys at Hyannisport, conspires over a drink with Jackie K, spends the night with Marilyn Monroe, and has a friendly breakfast with G. Gordon Liddy. He even has front row seats to watch Cassius Clay knock out Sonny Liston. "I'm a baaaaad man," shouts Cassius Clay. "I shook up the world!" Apparently so did Eddie Blake.
More cameos and better, more intriguing writing come into play in the Comedian section where Eddie Blake manages to make a cameo appearance himself at a number of dark moments in the 1960s, including the village of My Lai and the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel. Here the Comedian is more than a little like a '60s Zelig, if Zelig murdered most of the people he rubbed shoulders with. The Comedian plays some touch football with the Kennedy boys at Hyannisport, conspires over a drink with Jackie K, spends the night with Marilyn Monroe, and has a friendly breakfast with G. Gordon Liddy. He even has front row seats to watch Cassius Clay knock out Sonny Liston. "I'm a baaaaad man," shouts Cassius Clay. "I shook up the world!" Apparently so did Eddie Blake.
December 21, 2020
This Before Watchmen entry firmly falls in the "did not need a prequel" camp. We already know Comedian and Rorschach's backstories pretty well from the original series and this volume does not flesh those backstories out in new or different ways. Comedian is a psycho in Vietnam (and spends a lot time with the Kennedys!). Rorschach tracks a serial killer, gets beat up by some street-level thugs, and generally hates New York.
The latter entry in this volume is at least fairly straightforward and readable. Brian Azzarello has the Comedian drop acid in his story and events get pretty shaky from there. Lee Bermejo is a genius artist, so Rorschach's tale also gets the better/more gruesome artwork. This Before Watchmen isn't bad per se, it's just middling and very unnecessary.
The latter entry in this volume is at least fairly straightforward and readable. Brian Azzarello has the Comedian drop acid in his story and events get pretty shaky from there. Lee Bermejo is a genius artist, so Rorschach's tale also gets the better/more gruesome artwork. This Before Watchmen isn't bad per se, it's just middling and very unnecessary.
November 26, 2019
Alan Moore'un ağdalı diline özenilmeye çalışılmış ama karman çorman bir anlatım ile hiçbir şey anlamıyorsunuz ve olaylar hiçbir yere bağlanmıyor , ana esere bir katkıda da bulunmuyor Komedyen kısmının çizimleri de çok kötü neyse boşuna para vermeyin kısaca Ain't Nobody Got Time For That.
September 17, 2023
Wow, these two stories were even darker, depressing and grim than I expected. Definitely not for the faint of heart. However, considering that these two stories are focused on the Comedian and especially Rorschach, I shouldn't have been surprised.
The first story is set during the 1960's between the presidency of JFK and assassination of RFK. The Comedian is at the centre of many historical events in this alternate timeline. Amongst others, the death of Marilyn Monroe, the championship fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay, the Vietnam War and the assassination of hopeful presidential candidate RFK.
The second story is set in New York City circa 1977. A serial killer known as "the Bard" is preying on young women, crime and corruption are rampant, the streets are dangerous and filthy. It has a really Gotham City feel to it. Instead of Batman patrolling the streets at night, we have Rorschach duling out his own brand of vigilante justice.
Of the two my preference was Rorschach, but neither was particularly great or original. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that I haven't enjoyed the storytelling of Brian Azzarello. I don't think he writes particularly great stories with other people's characters. From my understanding, the best work by Brian Azzarello is his original works, especially "100 Bullets."
3-Stars is a fair score. Just more filler in the Watchmen Universe.
The first story is set during the 1960's between the presidency of JFK and assassination of RFK. The Comedian is at the centre of many historical events in this alternate timeline. Amongst others, the death of Marilyn Monroe, the championship fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay, the Vietnam War and the assassination of hopeful presidential candidate RFK.
The second story is set in New York City circa 1977. A serial killer known as "the Bard" is preying on young women, crime and corruption are rampant, the streets are dangerous and filthy. It has a really Gotham City feel to it. Instead of Batman patrolling the streets at night, we have Rorschach duling out his own brand of vigilante justice.
Of the two my preference was Rorschach, but neither was particularly great or original. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that I haven't enjoyed the storytelling of Brian Azzarello. I don't think he writes particularly great stories with other people's characters. From my understanding, the best work by Brian Azzarello is his original works, especially "100 Bullets."
3-Stars is a fair score. Just more filler in the Watchmen Universe.
June 22, 2017
Okay, it's been awhile since I saw Watchmen (like over 10 years I guess), and never read anything about them... So, for first timer: enjoyed both the backstories, but not really seeing the bigger picture here.. Didn't get the ending from Comedian, but that might just be me :)
Rorschach's stoy was easier to read and understand.. And from my point of view it was definitely worth the read.
Rorschach's stoy was easier to read and understand.. And from my point of view it was definitely worth the read.
April 9, 2020
Barely 3-stars. And a meh. The Comedian's story didn't really add anything to the character; just him being a dickhead while gratuitously killing both people that deserved it and innocents. Now Rorschach's arc was much better: It nailed the noir aspect and actually showed Walter Kovacs having some semblance of a heart.
December 31, 2021
3½/5, not as good as the original watchmen comic.
February 22, 2021
Both of the collections in this volume felt completely unnecessary, and I'm not sure they added anything meaningful to my understanding of either character, but neither did they offend me. The Comedian's book takes a very different tack than Zack Snyder's film adaptation with respect to how a particular historical event is treated and I think Snyder's handling was more plausible to me.
December 30, 2022
Yine gereği var mıydı diye düşündüren bir kitap. Rorschach ve Komedyen Watchmen evreninin iki psikopatı. Biri Vietnam'da katliam yapar, diğeri sokaklarda işkence. Biri John F. Kennedy ile kankadır, diğeri sersefil bir hayat sürer. Biri tüm kahramanlara kıl olur, diğeri hiçbirini beğenmez ama ilkine saygı duyar. Biri Marilyn Monroe'yla yatar, diğeri kadınların cinsel varlığından iğrenir.
Çok uzun uzadıya yazmak istemiyorum bu kitap hakkında. Çünkü fazlasıyla sıkıldım. Komedyen kısımları fazla fazla ABD tarihi olduğu için bende ayrı bir kötü tat bıraktı. Kennedy biraderler ve suikastlerinde, Vietnam Savaşında Komedyenin aslında nasıl önemli rolü olduğu gibi konular ve anlatılışı bana hiç çekici gelmedi.
Rorschach kısmı daha aksiyon dolu ama içi boş bir hikayeydi. Çeteyi çökerteyim derken sürekli dayak yiyen bir Rorschach var. Çete o kadar salak ki adamı dövüp öldürdüklerini sanıyorlar fakat adam ertesi gün tek başına lağımdan çıkabiliyor hala. Hele ki sondaki sözde heyecanlı kısımda şansın süper yaver gitmesi durumu okuduğum şeyi fazlasıyla basitleştirdi.
Çok uzun uzadıya yazmak istemiyorum bu kitap hakkında. Çünkü fazlasıyla sıkıldım. Komedyen kısımları fazla fazla ABD tarihi olduğu için bende ayrı bir kötü tat bıraktı. Kennedy biraderler ve suikastlerinde, Vietnam Savaşında Komedyenin aslında nasıl önemli rolü olduğu gibi konular ve anlatılışı bana hiç çekici gelmedi.
Rorschach kısmı daha aksiyon dolu ama içi boş bir hikayeydi. Çeteyi çökerteyim derken sürekli dayak yiyen bir Rorschach var. Çete o kadar salak ki adamı dövüp öldürdüklerini sanıyorlar fakat adam ertesi gün tek başına lağımdan çıkabiliyor hala. Hele ki sondaki sözde heyecanlı kısımda şansın süper yaver gitmesi durumu okuduğum şeyi fazlasıyla basitleştirdi.
Read
November 9, 2013Considered in isolation, these would be mediocre badassery - but of course, they can't be considered in isolation, can they? Azzarello has often written established characters in ways that just seem off, fitting them too readily to a Procrustean template of one-liners and brutality, and he does that here with Rorschach - the result is no better, but at least no worse, than his turns with Batman. The Comedian, on the other hand, is a genuinely nasty piece of work with whom Azzarello inexplicably takes a different tack, deciding to humanise him, even when that means going against the original Watchmen. Even if you're going to do a project which shouldn't exist, you can surely do it better than this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews