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Before Watchmen
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan
Discover what happened before WATCHMEN as writer J. Michael Straczynski is joined by Andy Kubert and the legendary Joe Kubert to take flight with the gadget-savvy vigilante known as Nite Owl! And then in BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN, JMS teams with fan-favorite artist Adam Hughes on the all-powerful super-man Dr. Manhattan. For Dr. Manhattan, past, present, and future are one and the same. But as he observes the events of his life, do they remain the same? Or are they changed? The very fact of his existence may have altered the nature of what will or will not be...
Collects: BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1-4, BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1-4 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: MOLOCH #1-2
Collects: BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1-4, BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1-4 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: MOLOCH #1-2
288 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2013
91 people are currently reading
1340 people want to read
About the author
J. Michael Straczynski
1,370 books1,277 followersJoseph Michael Straczynski is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993–1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002–2004) and Sense8 (2015–2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
October 1, 2015
Before Watchmen hasn’t been a bad series at all. Brian Azzarello’s Comedian/Rorschach is my pick for the best of the bunch but the Ozymandias/Crimson Corsair and Minutemen/Silk Spectre books have enough to recommend them too. Which is why it’s a shame when it comes to two of the biggest Watchmen characters, Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan, J. Michael Straczynski really drops the ball and produces the worst collection of the group.
Like all of the stories here, Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl’s origins are unpleasant opening with an abusive father beating his mother. Dan is able to somehow track down the original Nite Owl/Hollis Mason’s hideout despite being on foot and Mason being in a car, and becomes his apprentice. Before the end of the first issue, Dan is grown up, is the new Nite Owl and teamed up with Rorschach in a scene from the original Watchmen. The majority of Nite Owl’s story isn’t so much “before” Watchmen as it is set “during” Watchmen.
From there is a bland and utterly pointless journey as Nite Owl and Rorschach argue and Dan falls for an S&M mistress who also moonlights as a scantily-clad vigilante. They foil a drug dealer/human smuggler while Rorschach fights a generically evil preacher. Absolute rubbish!
At least Nite Owl has a story though because Straczynski really doesn’t know what to do with Dr. Manhattan. He concocts some non-story about Dr. Manhattan discovering a timeline where he, Jon Osterman, DOESN’T become Dr. Manhattan and this sort of threatens reality, the universe or whatever. There’s also a brief origin story of how he lost his mother because if there’s one thing Straczynski does well, it’s miserable downer-stories.
Dr. Manhattan was one of the characters I was looking forward to reading about the most in Before Watchmen and his story was so, so pointless, as well as dreary and monotonous, it ended up being the most disappointing.
Continuing the theme of utterly useless origin stories, Straczynski goes for the hat-trick with the two-issue(!) Moloch, that minor villain character who briefly appeared in Watchmen. His backstory is definitely the most grim filled with physical and emotional abuse, violence, drugs, prostitution and finally terminal cancer. This is why I never usually bother with Straczynski’s comics - he embraces the dark side of life thinking it makes him an interesting storyteller but it always comes off as desperate and inane.
I can’t imagine there are many readers who haven’t read Watchmen prior to picking up the Before Watchmen series, but Moloch’s mini-series, like Dr. Manhattan’s, gives away major plot-points of the original book. So even though it’s a prequel, new readers would be better served reading the original Watchmen before this - though Straczynski’s book is so crummy I wouldn’t recommend doing that anyway!
The only positives about this volume are the visuals as the various artists do some good work. I’m no fan of Andy Kubert’s (Damian: Son of Batman turned me against him!) and didn’t think much of his work on Nite Owl even if there’s nothing especially bad about it. And I guess that panel where Rorschach is holding “The End is Nigh” sign and walking through a burning church was a cool image.
Adam Hughes’ work on Dr. Manhattan was trippy and interesting. I especially liked how he inverted the panels when he switched perspective with another Watchmen character. And Eduardo Risso produces some fine pages on Moloch.
I know Before Watchmen came off as a concept that reeked of cynical money-grubbing (because that’s what it was - DC run a business, deal with it!) but there were some decent comics to come out of it regardless of Watchmen fans’ contempt; however, Straczynski’s issues were not among them. I recommend Azzarello’s book over this one and lowering expectations when checking out the others. Most readers won’t do this but I’d say skip the Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan volume - it’s not just barely a prequel that does nothing to illuminate the characters any further but it’s also a miserable and wholly unnecessary read.
Like all of the stories here, Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl’s origins are unpleasant opening with an abusive father beating his mother. Dan is able to somehow track down the original Nite Owl/Hollis Mason’s hideout despite being on foot and Mason being in a car, and becomes his apprentice. Before the end of the first issue, Dan is grown up, is the new Nite Owl and teamed up with Rorschach in a scene from the original Watchmen. The majority of Nite Owl’s story isn’t so much “before” Watchmen as it is set “during” Watchmen.
From there is a bland and utterly pointless journey as Nite Owl and Rorschach argue and Dan falls for an S&M mistress who also moonlights as a scantily-clad vigilante. They foil a drug dealer/human smuggler while Rorschach fights a generically evil preacher. Absolute rubbish!
At least Nite Owl has a story though because Straczynski really doesn’t know what to do with Dr. Manhattan. He concocts some non-story about Dr. Manhattan discovering a timeline where he, Jon Osterman, DOESN’T become Dr. Manhattan and this sort of threatens reality, the universe or whatever. There’s also a brief origin story of how he lost his mother because if there’s one thing Straczynski does well, it’s miserable downer-stories.
Dr. Manhattan was one of the characters I was looking forward to reading about the most in Before Watchmen and his story was so, so pointless, as well as dreary and monotonous, it ended up being the most disappointing.
Continuing the theme of utterly useless origin stories, Straczynski goes for the hat-trick with the two-issue(!) Moloch, that minor villain character who briefly appeared in Watchmen. His backstory is definitely the most grim filled with physical and emotional abuse, violence, drugs, prostitution and finally terminal cancer. This is why I never usually bother with Straczynski’s comics - he embraces the dark side of life thinking it makes him an interesting storyteller but it always comes off as desperate and inane.
I can’t imagine there are many readers who haven’t read Watchmen prior to picking up the Before Watchmen series, but Moloch’s mini-series, like Dr. Manhattan’s, gives away major plot-points of the original book. So even though it’s a prequel, new readers would be better served reading the original Watchmen before this - though Straczynski’s book is so crummy I wouldn’t recommend doing that anyway!
The only positives about this volume are the visuals as the various artists do some good work. I’m no fan of Andy Kubert’s (Damian: Son of Batman turned me against him!) and didn’t think much of his work on Nite Owl even if there’s nothing especially bad about it. And I guess that panel where Rorschach is holding “The End is Nigh” sign and walking through a burning church was a cool image.
Adam Hughes’ work on Dr. Manhattan was trippy and interesting. I especially liked how he inverted the panels when he switched perspective with another Watchmen character. And Eduardo Risso produces some fine pages on Moloch.
I know Before Watchmen came off as a concept that reeked of cynical money-grubbing (because that’s what it was - DC run a business, deal with it!) but there were some decent comics to come out of it regardless of Watchmen fans’ contempt; however, Straczynski’s issues were not among them. I recommend Azzarello’s book over this one and lowering expectations when checking out the others. Most readers won’t do this but I’d say skip the Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan volume - it’s not just barely a prequel that does nothing to illuminate the characters any further but it’s also a miserable and wholly unnecessary read.
August 18, 2021
Nite Owl ★★★★★ - Story by J. Michael Straczynski. Art by Andy and Joe Kubert
We see the current Nite Owl's origin and then takes place during Nite Owl and Rorschach's partnership. I liked Nite Owl falling in love and loved how Straczynski made this a rated R version of Spider-Man and the Black Cat. I absolutely loved getting to see Joe Kubert ink his son's work. You could see both their styles in the pages with Andy's layouts and Joe's heavy, grittier inks. It was great to see the two of them work together.
Dr. Manhattan ★★★ - Story by J. Michael Straczynski. Art by Adam Hughes
I get what Straczynski was trying to do here, using quantum physics to tell a story of what ifs and could have beens. It partially worked. Some of it was neat, but some of it was also boring. Adam Hughes is always a fantastic artist.
Moloch ★★★★ - Story by J. Michael Straczynski. Art by Eduardo Risso
This 2 part story was the tale of two halves. The first issue was Moloch's origins. The second issue dovetails into Watchmen and what happened to Moloch after he's released from prison a changed man. I've always been a fan of Risso's stylistic, shadowy art.
We see the current Nite Owl's origin and then takes place during Nite Owl and Rorschach's partnership. I liked Nite Owl falling in love and loved how Straczynski made this a rated R version of Spider-Man and the Black Cat. I absolutely loved getting to see Joe Kubert ink his son's work. You could see both their styles in the pages with Andy's layouts and Joe's heavy, grittier inks. It was great to see the two of them work together.
Dr. Manhattan ★★★ - Story by J. Michael Straczynski. Art by Adam Hughes
I get what Straczynski was trying to do here, using quantum physics to tell a story of what ifs and could have beens. It partially worked. Some of it was neat, but some of it was also boring. Adam Hughes is always a fantastic artist.
Moloch ★★★★ - Story by J. Michael Straczynski. Art by Eduardo Risso
This 2 part story was the tale of two halves. The first issue was Moloch's origins. The second issue dovetails into Watchmen and what happened to Moloch after he's released from prison a changed man. I've always been a fan of Risso's stylistic, shadowy art.
July 1, 2013
In the great debate regarding DC’s decision to launch “Before Watchmen,” I remain committedly agnostic. I understand the view of those who see Moore and Gibson’s creations as unique, not only for their place in the evolution of the comic as an art form but also, perhaps, as characters meant to occupy a singular storyline and go no further. And yes, one should understandably fear the possibility – hyperbole intentional – of these stories feeling like “Hamlet – the Prequel.” At the same time, characters passing from one creative team to another lays at the very DNA of superhero comics, part of what makes it a form unlike any other. After all, Moore and Gibson originally imagined their story populated by the Charlton Comics’ characters (The Question, Blue Beatle, Captain Atom, etc) before deciding on creating a cast all their own. Just as Gaiman “adopted” the New Gods and made something new and exciting, and Kirby and Shuster’s Captain America passed into Brubaker’s loving hands, should The Minutemen be any different?
So how is “Before Watchmen: Nite Owl & Dr. Manhattan”? Not as bad as many feared, but given the talent of those involved, probably not as good as it should have been. Indeed, of the “Before Watchmen” books, no other so combines the good and the bad of the effort.
Nite Owl certainly represents the bad. Michael Straczynski, usually one of my favorite comic writers for his excellent dialogue and bright characterizations here mostly just seems to phone in a prequel/origin story. Wealthy Daniel Drieberg’s motivations for donning the cowl read like boiler plate serial stuff. His early days being trained by the original Nite Owl have a similar sense of having “been there, done that.” In terms of the one bit of new character insight that the book does deliver… well, if you’ve spent the last few decades wondering as to the why of Daniel’s particular and peculiar sexual dysfunction, this is your lucky day! Question answered. Perhaps I speak for no other readers, but I’d really have preferred a story that mined the rich vein of Nite Owl and Roarschach’s complex relationship.
On the flip side, Dr. Manhattan represents some of the best and most original storytelling in this whole endeavor. Strazinski here embraces the constraints writing a prequel, shining a whole new light on a story that we saw in the original book, Dr. Manhattan’s origin. Here we see it conceived of, not as an unalterable linear path, but as a series of decisions, each of which could have taken the good doctor into a far different life. (A note here: some will object at liberties taken, since in the original story Manhattan embraced determinism and explained that he has no choice, that none of us do, and that the only difference between his god-like power and we ants is that he “can see the strings.” To those who feel the need to wail and froth about this writerly choice, I say get over yourself). Dr. Manhattan’s choices are often interesting and usually inspired by the most quotidian of motivations (and you thought the world was saved before because the good doctor had a weakness for jail bait?!). Would we have liked Dr. Jon Osterman? Could it be that he had as much potential as a mere human as he did as a near-god? Could the whole Watchmen universe really begin at the series end?
By the by, Adam Hughes’ art work serves this particular series quite well. His style, so smooth and seemingly effortless, harkens back to much of the beauty in Gibbons’ original while still making it wholly his own. And of course, while I could of course do with fewer giant blue shlong levitating about, Hughes doesn’t, um, overwork the image.
These various “splits” as the story branches as decision points give the reader a wonderful insight into Dr. Manhattan’s essential humanity. That humanity, so crucial to Watchmen’s plot, just delights here. And so we get thoughts of loss. Questions of what it means to be human. A wonderful examination of the profound prison that is loneliness. Still more fun, one can spot any number of interesting Freudian Easter Eggs that seek to deepen the meaning of otherwise minor points in Moore and Gibson’s original. I especially liked Dr. Manhattan’s interactions with the world’s smartest man, Ozymandias (no more significant that “the world’s smartest ant). This scene as much as any in the whole of this project served to enrich the larger Watchmen universe.
As with other of the Watchmen collections, this one includes a shorter back up story, in this case the two-issue “Moloch.” For those who don’t recall, Moloch serves as the catch all super-villain in the Watchmen universe. He wasn’t all that interesting in the Moore/Gibson original, save in that he demonstrated that age could render villains every bit as pathetic as any hero. As with Nite Owl, this book leaves one wondering whether it needed to exist at all. We get a lot of back story, answering questions we probably didn’t need answered. In the current default origin story for comic villains, we learn that Moloch’s background was tragic and that we should feel sorry for him. All that said, this story does contain a few bright lights. As with Dr. Manhattan, Straczynski again demonstrates a flair for writing Ozymandias, one which makes me wish he’d been given that book (see my review). Moloch and Ozymandias’s interactions deepen both characters, giving the former some much needed agency and making the latter still creepier (making Ozymandias creepier seems to be a major theme running through much of Before Watchmen). Eduardo Risso’s art also fits this story beautifully, Risso’s style and muted colors exuding a certain neo-gothic feel that evokes dark fairytales.
While not the best “Before Watchmen” chapter, “Nite Owl & Dr. Midnight” mostly holds its own and certainly isn’t the worst. Still, as with much of this enterprise, this book is just a sad shadow of what might have been.
So how is “Before Watchmen: Nite Owl & Dr. Manhattan”? Not as bad as many feared, but given the talent of those involved, probably not as good as it should have been. Indeed, of the “Before Watchmen” books, no other so combines the good and the bad of the effort.
Nite Owl certainly represents the bad. Michael Straczynski, usually one of my favorite comic writers for his excellent dialogue and bright characterizations here mostly just seems to phone in a prequel/origin story. Wealthy Daniel Drieberg’s motivations for donning the cowl read like boiler plate serial stuff. His early days being trained by the original Nite Owl have a similar sense of having “been there, done that.” In terms of the one bit of new character insight that the book does deliver… well, if you’ve spent the last few decades wondering as to the why of Daniel’s particular and peculiar sexual dysfunction, this is your lucky day! Question answered. Perhaps I speak for no other readers, but I’d really have preferred a story that mined the rich vein of Nite Owl and Roarschach’s complex relationship.
On the flip side, Dr. Manhattan represents some of the best and most original storytelling in this whole endeavor. Strazinski here embraces the constraints writing a prequel, shining a whole new light on a story that we saw in the original book, Dr. Manhattan’s origin. Here we see it conceived of, not as an unalterable linear path, but as a series of decisions, each of which could have taken the good doctor into a far different life. (A note here: some will object at liberties taken, since in the original story Manhattan embraced determinism and explained that he has no choice, that none of us do, and that the only difference between his god-like power and we ants is that he “can see the strings.” To those who feel the need to wail and froth about this writerly choice, I say get over yourself). Dr. Manhattan’s choices are often interesting and usually inspired by the most quotidian of motivations (and you thought the world was saved before because the good doctor had a weakness for jail bait?!). Would we have liked Dr. Jon Osterman? Could it be that he had as much potential as a mere human as he did as a near-god? Could the whole Watchmen universe really begin at the series end?
By the by, Adam Hughes’ art work serves this particular series quite well. His style, so smooth and seemingly effortless, harkens back to much of the beauty in Gibbons’ original while still making it wholly his own. And of course, while I could of course do with fewer giant blue shlong levitating about, Hughes doesn’t, um, overwork the image.
These various “splits” as the story branches as decision points give the reader a wonderful insight into Dr. Manhattan’s essential humanity. That humanity, so crucial to Watchmen’s plot, just delights here. And so we get thoughts of loss. Questions of what it means to be human. A wonderful examination of the profound prison that is loneliness. Still more fun, one can spot any number of interesting Freudian Easter Eggs that seek to deepen the meaning of otherwise minor points in Moore and Gibson’s original. I especially liked Dr. Manhattan’s interactions with the world’s smartest man, Ozymandias (no more significant that “the world’s smartest ant). This scene as much as any in the whole of this project served to enrich the larger Watchmen universe.
As with other of the Watchmen collections, this one includes a shorter back up story, in this case the two-issue “Moloch.” For those who don’t recall, Moloch serves as the catch all super-villain in the Watchmen universe. He wasn’t all that interesting in the Moore/Gibson original, save in that he demonstrated that age could render villains every bit as pathetic as any hero. As with Nite Owl, this book leaves one wondering whether it needed to exist at all. We get a lot of back story, answering questions we probably didn’t need answered. In the current default origin story for comic villains, we learn that Moloch’s background was tragic and that we should feel sorry for him. All that said, this story does contain a few bright lights. As with Dr. Manhattan, Straczynski again demonstrates a flair for writing Ozymandias, one which makes me wish he’d been given that book (see my review). Moloch and Ozymandias’s interactions deepen both characters, giving the former some much needed agency and making the latter still creepier (making Ozymandias creepier seems to be a major theme running through much of Before Watchmen). Eduardo Risso’s art also fits this story beautifully, Risso’s style and muted colors exuding a certain neo-gothic feel that evokes dark fairytales.
While not the best “Before Watchmen” chapter, “Nite Owl & Dr. Midnight” mostly holds its own and certainly isn’t the worst. Still, as with much of this enterprise, this book is just a sad shadow of what might have been.
July 31, 2015
Greedy corporate interests driven by unprincipled individuals take a treasured literary work of art beloved by millions which has helped change the way we view the world in the second half of the Twentieth Century and revamp it against the original intent of the author into a sequel which is actually a prequel…
No, I’m not talking about Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman--I’ve spilled more than my share of electronic ink all over GoodReads this summer griping about that unfortunate cash grab at the expense of the elderly, infirm author—no, I’m referring to the four-volume set of graphic novels published a couple of years ago by DC called (in a mildly humorous convergence of rather strange frequencies) Before Watchmen, which on the cover the publishers quite helpfully remind us is a “Prequel to Watchmen, the best-selling graphic novel of all time.”
But no, it’s not really a “prequel,” as we all know, because it was written almost thirty years after Alan Moore’s masterpiece in graphic novels Watchmen helped change the way we view superheroes and read that genre. And we know, if we are fans of that genre, that Alan Moore was defintely not on board with this reboot of his characters and retooling of his ideas. And at the time he was quite vociferous about expressing his angry opinions to anyone that was willing to speak with him.
At the time, I wasn’t interested in rushing out and getting the revamp of Watchmen, not necessarily out of any loyalty to Moore, although I thoroughly understand his anger and I sympathize with him as well as with other comic book writers and artists who have been mistreated by the industry, but because it just didn’t matter that much to me to see what the Comedian was up to before he got tossed out the window. But I was at the library yesterday and the four-volume set just seemed to jump off the shelves at me, and in light of the recent sad events with Go Set a Watchman, I decided I’d take a look at this other misadventure in greed and see what I thought.
And after reading one volume (Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan)I’ve decided it’s okay, albeit unnecessary. I just wish Go Set a Watchman were as good. Because it’s awful and unnecessary.
The Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan volume really doesn’t offer much to the fan of Watchmen. There’s a great deal of clever weaving in and out of the original narrative with plenty of backstory provided. We see some awkward buddy dynamics between Rorschach and Nite Owl; we see a young Daniel Dreiberg and a young Jon Osterman; we see the early scheming of Adrian Veidt; and ultimately Dr. Manhattan has a great deal of fun with quantum mechanics. But we’ve seen all this before and Moore does a better job at it all with fewer brush strokes in the original version. We don’t need all the details and reworking of this familiar territory; it just seems like overkill to me. (Maybe one of the more interesting and fresher parts of the Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan book is the surprise, shorter Moloch story packaged at the end of the volume, but again we probably could have inferred all of this about Moloch’s awful childhood from what Moore already gave us.) And “overkill” is definitely the word I’d use for the frequent gratuitous violence against women in this prequel and all the titties all over the place. I’m a big boy and I guess I can handle it all, but it’s more, much more, than Moore (and Gibbons) ever felt the need for, and while it doesn’t necessarily harm the original (which I think may ultimately be the case for Go Set a Watchman impacting the legacy of Mockingbird), there’s really no need to ever read these prequels.
Famously, Alan Moore told the New York Times back in 2012, “As far as I know, there weren’t that many prequels or sequels to Moby-Dick.” That may sound like arrogance or sour grapes or a combination of the two. But he's right about Moby Dick, and he's right about about the comparison he's making of where Watchman falls in the pantheon of graphic novels.
It's just too bad that we can't say the same thing about To Kill a Mockingbird now.
Here’s a link to that New York Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/boo...
Here’s a link to another article from Slate that does a pretty good job putting Alan Moore’s anger into context for readers who don’t get why this is an issue that matters:
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cu...
And here’s a link to my review of Go Set a Watchman, just in case you’re interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
No, I’m not talking about Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman--I’ve spilled more than my share of electronic ink all over GoodReads this summer griping about that unfortunate cash grab at the expense of the elderly, infirm author—no, I’m referring to the four-volume set of graphic novels published a couple of years ago by DC called (in a mildly humorous convergence of rather strange frequencies) Before Watchmen, which on the cover the publishers quite helpfully remind us is a “Prequel to Watchmen, the best-selling graphic novel of all time.”
But no, it’s not really a “prequel,” as we all know, because it was written almost thirty years after Alan Moore’s masterpiece in graphic novels Watchmen helped change the way we view superheroes and read that genre. And we know, if we are fans of that genre, that Alan Moore was defintely not on board with this reboot of his characters and retooling of his ideas. And at the time he was quite vociferous about expressing his angry opinions to anyone that was willing to speak with him.
At the time, I wasn’t interested in rushing out and getting the revamp of Watchmen, not necessarily out of any loyalty to Moore, although I thoroughly understand his anger and I sympathize with him as well as with other comic book writers and artists who have been mistreated by the industry, but because it just didn’t matter that much to me to see what the Comedian was up to before he got tossed out the window. But I was at the library yesterday and the four-volume set just seemed to jump off the shelves at me, and in light of the recent sad events with Go Set a Watchman, I decided I’d take a look at this other misadventure in greed and see what I thought.
And after reading one volume (Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan)I’ve decided it’s okay, albeit unnecessary. I just wish Go Set a Watchman were as good. Because it’s awful and unnecessary.
The Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan volume really doesn’t offer much to the fan of Watchmen. There’s a great deal of clever weaving in and out of the original narrative with plenty of backstory provided. We see some awkward buddy dynamics between Rorschach and Nite Owl; we see a young Daniel Dreiberg and a young Jon Osterman; we see the early scheming of Adrian Veidt; and ultimately Dr. Manhattan has a great deal of fun with quantum mechanics. But we’ve seen all this before and Moore does a better job at it all with fewer brush strokes in the original version. We don’t need all the details and reworking of this familiar territory; it just seems like overkill to me. (Maybe one of the more interesting and fresher parts of the Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan book is the surprise, shorter Moloch story packaged at the end of the volume, but again we probably could have inferred all of this about Moloch’s awful childhood from what Moore already gave us.) And “overkill” is definitely the word I’d use for the frequent gratuitous violence against women in this prequel and all the titties all over the place. I’m a big boy and I guess I can handle it all, but it’s more, much more, than Moore (and Gibbons) ever felt the need for, and while it doesn’t necessarily harm the original (which I think may ultimately be the case for Go Set a Watchman impacting the legacy of Mockingbird), there’s really no need to ever read these prequels.
Famously, Alan Moore told the New York Times back in 2012, “As far as I know, there weren’t that many prequels or sequels to Moby-Dick.” That may sound like arrogance or sour grapes or a combination of the two. But he's right about Moby Dick, and he's right about about the comparison he's making of where Watchman falls in the pantheon of graphic novels.
It's just too bad that we can't say the same thing about To Kill a Mockingbird now.
Here’s a link to that New York Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/boo...
Here’s a link to another article from Slate that does a pretty good job putting Alan Moore’s anger into context for readers who don’t get why this is an issue that matters:
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cu...
And here’s a link to my review of Go Set a Watchman, just in case you’re interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 29, 2021
Straczynski's "Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan" was excellent. I really enjoyed this "prequel" to the Watchmen comic. Well written and well-illustrated this volume was top notch.
In the Nite-Owl story we learn about how Dreiberg dons the mantle. Growing up in an abusive household, Dan is an intelligent boy who wants to be a hero. He ends up befriending the original Nite-Owl, Hollis Mason, and becomes his successor. Nite-Owl eventually teams up with Rorschach and finds love in a strange place.
The Dr. Manhattan story is rather trippy. It reminds me of the work of Alan Moore or Grant Morrison. A cosmic journey through space and time to get to the heart of what makes Dr. Manhattan tick. From his early days, learning to make watches, to his time working with the government that leads to his accident. It is an interesting story since it goes in and out of the Watchmen timeline. Ambitious and well done.
But it is the final, small, one-shot story about Moloch that hit it out of the park. Moloch's story is poignant and gives Moloch a whole new level of depth. The remorse-laden Moloch becomes a figure of sympathy, as we see how he is manipulated by Ozymandias. A touching and well-written story. It might be the best of the three in this volume and completely changed my view of Moloch.
A great volume with three great stories. Straczynski's prequel is a hit and well worth the time for any Watchmen fan.
In the Nite-Owl story we learn about how Dreiberg dons the mantle. Growing up in an abusive household, Dan is an intelligent boy who wants to be a hero. He ends up befriending the original Nite-Owl, Hollis Mason, and becomes his successor. Nite-Owl eventually teams up with Rorschach and finds love in a strange place.
The Dr. Manhattan story is rather trippy. It reminds me of the work of Alan Moore or Grant Morrison. A cosmic journey through space and time to get to the heart of what makes Dr. Manhattan tick. From his early days, learning to make watches, to his time working with the government that leads to his accident. It is an interesting story since it goes in and out of the Watchmen timeline. Ambitious and well done.
But it is the final, small, one-shot story about Moloch that hit it out of the park. Moloch's story is poignant and gives Moloch a whole new level of depth. The remorse-laden Moloch becomes a figure of sympathy, as we see how he is manipulated by Ozymandias. A touching and well-written story. It might be the best of the three in this volume and completely changed my view of Moloch.
A great volume with three great stories. Straczynski's prequel is a hit and well worth the time for any Watchmen fan.
August 31, 2020
Watchman evreni ve yine bir baş yapıt.
April 12, 2021
Overall a solid book, this one has three stories, all by JM Straczynski.
Nite Owl, with pencils by Andy Kubert and inks by Joe Kubert (for two-and-a-half issues) and Bill Sienkiewicz (the remaining one-and-a-half issues). These don't look as polished as Andy Kubert's other stuff, and this is due to the coarser, grittier inking job. The fourth issue looks especially rushed. The story is not solely focused on Nite Owl; it's also partly about Rorschach. The reason for that is found in the story's theme: physical abuse. 3 stars.
Dr. Manhattan features great art by Adam Hughes, but it is Laura Martin's colours that steal the show. It's a story about quantum physics, choices & consequences, the past, the present, and the future. This one will make you think. 4 stars for the story, bumped up to five stars on account of the art.
Moloch is a two-parter illustrated by Eduardo Risso and, as you would expect, it looks great, especially with Trish Mulvihill's colours. Part One is Moloch's story, from birth to old age, by way of learning 'magic', becoming a bank robber, and moving on to being a kingpin (of sorts). This issue concludes with Moloch being paroled and being met outside the prison gate by Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, who wants to give him a 'fresh start'. Part Two is Moloch atoning for his sins, and Veidt tying up loose ends. This was a powerful story, a sad and very emotional story. 4 stars.
Nite Owl, with pencils by Andy Kubert and inks by Joe Kubert (for two-and-a-half issues) and Bill Sienkiewicz (the remaining one-and-a-half issues). These don't look as polished as Andy Kubert's other stuff, and this is due to the coarser, grittier inking job. The fourth issue looks especially rushed. The story is not solely focused on Nite Owl; it's also partly about Rorschach. The reason for that is found in the story's theme: physical abuse. 3 stars.
Dr. Manhattan features great art by Adam Hughes, but it is Laura Martin's colours that steal the show. It's a story about quantum physics, choices & consequences, the past, the present, and the future. This one will make you think. 4 stars for the story, bumped up to five stars on account of the art.
Moloch is a two-parter illustrated by Eduardo Risso and, as you would expect, it looks great, especially with Trish Mulvihill's colours. Part One is Moloch's story, from birth to old age, by way of learning 'magic', becoming a bank robber, and moving on to being a kingpin (of sorts). This issue concludes with Moloch being paroled and being met outside the prison gate by Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, who wants to give him a 'fresh start'. Part Two is Moloch atoning for his sins, and Veidt tying up loose ends. This was a powerful story, a sad and very emotional story. 4 stars.
September 26, 2016
Dr. Manhattan recounts his past, it was pretty boring. Nite Owl teamed up with Rorschach to fight an old enemy while befriending a new. It was OK except it didn't follow the same style Moore used, which rendered these 2 stories unnecessary
Want to read
April 1, 2015It's a lie...I never even started this....just had an epiphany that I've been forcing myself to read too many comics and graphic novels that are utter shit or boring or forgettable, to the point where I'm barely enjoying anything at all any more.
This just seemed like being a good place to cut my losses and just not bother...
This just seemed like being a good place to cut my losses and just not bother...
January 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this one! And after reading it I want to re-read Watchmen... and all the other Before Watchmen... and I should probably just go ahead and buy them all. Yeeaaahhh.
March 18, 2019
Overall I enjoyed these pre-series books. lots of good backstory that explains some of the reasons the characters behave the way they do in the main story line. Nice art and plotting. Recommended
March 14, 2018
Night owl
I’d heard before I read this that this was one of the worst of the Before
Watchmen series, so I dampened my standards. I am happy to say I very
much enjoyed this comic. The character of Nite Owl/Dan Drieberg was spot
on, his relationship with Rorschach worked well, and a new coming named the Twilight Lady was also a welcome inclusion. The story around the characters isn't award worthy but provides a mystery you want to see solved. The art is very good, drawn in a sketchy kind of style with very thick inks. The scenes with Hollis Mason are okay but were not my favourite parts of
this book.
There are a lot of flashbacks and insight into Dan’s childhood
and having to take abuse from his father and had to watch his mother
get abused as well. This scenes elevated the character even further
and those scenes were very well done and when ever another one of
the flash backs happened it was a page turner from there. There is a lot
of social commentary on prostitution that did become a bit much after a
while but didn't jeopardy the book as a whole. Not to mention this is
probably the most nudity I have ever scene in a comic. Holy crap.
The romance between Nite Owl and the Twilight Lady did feel a little
forced and I couldn't get behind the motivations of the twilight Lady
entirely, but that being said I did like it. The relationship was very
sweet and funny at times. With all that, this book does have quite
a few problems and loop holes. J. Micheal Straczynsk clearly did not pay
attention to Minutemen or Silk Spectre because there are many changed
points that do not connect with those other 2 books. For one Hollis Mason
simply said at the end of Minutemen and in Watchmen that he simply handed
the role of Nite Owl over to Dan Drieberg. Of course though in this book we see
Hollis training Dan since he was young. The character of Hollis Mason also
changed. He is a lot more angry and down in the dumps all the time in this book
than he was in any of the previous. He is also a brilliant mechanic and technician
even though he said his greatest tool was a left hook. The way Nite Owl
and Rorschach meets Silk Spectre was totally different from the Silk Spectre
story. Easily avoidable mistakes like that could have been avoided like that
are frustrating. Some of the dialogue is clunky and childish at times, and Nite
Owl talks too much. Even in the action scenes he is rambling on.
The way
Rorschach and Nite Owl meet up in this story, the beginning of this great
and well known hero partner ship. It is really WEEEAAK!! It was a disappointment
and happens so fast. I feel like I could have created a better idea for these two to
meet up and start working together. While Rorschach is awesome in this story
(and better than in Brian Azzarello’s Rorschach story all together) he is the one to
deal with and discover the main villain. That’s not the problem though. The problem
is that, in the original Watchmen the person that drove Rorschach over the edge is
not as nearly evil, or at least did not commit a more heinous action than the villain
in this story. The villain in this story did some major shit. I’m talking fucking close to
genocide shit. How this didn't make Rorschach crack, I do not know. Unless you take into consideration that this book is in an unclear spot for the Watchmen universe.
A decision made by the Twilight Lady at the end of the book is made very fast and is
very clichéd to say the least. So while I enjoyed reading this story very much, and it adds more layers to Nite Owl, there is not enough attention to detail and too many inconsistencies. Letter Grade: (-B)
Dr.Manhattan
Out of all of the Before Watchmen stories, this is the one that captures
the feel of the original Watchmen or at least chapter 4: Watch Maker.
This is a trippy as fuck story. One thing to point out though is that this
story does contradict it’s own title of Before Watchmen. This is due to
the fact that it takes place during Watchmen. I can’t call this a prequel,
but I can call it a good read that really makes you think. This 4 part
story takes place specifically during Dr. Manhattan’s trip to Mars. It
skips around on different time lines, infinite universes, paradoxical
chains and all revolves around the Schrödinger's cat thought
experiment. Dr. Manhattan’s character stays intact by the hand of
J. Micheal Straczynski and the art is better than in the Nite Owl
story. Dare I say, it’s amazeballs. Quantum mechanics plays a big
part in the story and is explained in a way that is easy to understand.
Flash backs into the past where Jon was a child and lived his parents
were very well done and gave a lot of insight into something I didn't know
I wanted to read. My favourite part of the entire story is that Straczynski
manages to tie everything into Schrödinger's cat though experiment. I love
how a choice as small as picking a certain door to open, can effect whether
the White House gets obliterated or not. The assassination of Kennedy by
the hands of the Comedian or not. The birth of Dr. Manhattan or not. In
certain parts of the story fixing pocket watches is mirrored with fixing
something as fixing big reality and time itself. There is one OH SHIT moment
to with Ozymadias that I was really glad Straczynski added after I read
it. I do have some problems with the story as usual. In the beginning
parts of the story Straczynski essentially re-hashes a large majority
or the original Watch Maker chapter. Sure he creates his own twists
for in the span of the time but he re-draws way too many panels from
Watchmen with slight differences. My other point is that I would like to
have seen a original scene of Dr. Manhattan instigating hero work since
he was part of the Watchmen team. This was a good one. It doesn't
take place when it’s supposed to and it’s too similar to the source material
sometimes but none the less a cool and complex story. Letter Grade: (B+)
Overall Letter Grade: (B+)
I’d heard before I read this that this was one of the worst of the Before
Watchmen series, so I dampened my standards. I am happy to say I very
much enjoyed this comic. The character of Nite Owl/Dan Drieberg was spot
on, his relationship with Rorschach worked well, and a new coming named the Twilight Lady was also a welcome inclusion. The story around the characters isn't award worthy but provides a mystery you want to see solved. The art is very good, drawn in a sketchy kind of style with very thick inks. The scenes with Hollis Mason are okay but were not my favourite parts of
this book.
There are a lot of flashbacks and insight into Dan’s childhood
and having to take abuse from his father and had to watch his mother
get abused as well. This scenes elevated the character even further
and those scenes were very well done and when ever another one of
the flash backs happened it was a page turner from there. There is a lot
of social commentary on prostitution that did become a bit much after a
while but didn't jeopardy the book as a whole. Not to mention this is
probably the most nudity I have ever scene in a comic. Holy crap.
The romance between Nite Owl and the Twilight Lady did feel a little
forced and I couldn't get behind the motivations of the twilight Lady
entirely, but that being said I did like it. The relationship was very
sweet and funny at times. With all that, this book does have quite
a few problems and loop holes. J. Micheal Straczynsk clearly did not pay
attention to Minutemen or Silk Spectre because there are many changed
points that do not connect with those other 2 books. For one Hollis Mason
simply said at the end of Minutemen and in Watchmen that he simply handed
the role of Nite Owl over to Dan Drieberg. Of course though in this book we see
Hollis training Dan since he was young. The character of Hollis Mason also
changed. He is a lot more angry and down in the dumps all the time in this book
than he was in any of the previous. He is also a brilliant mechanic and technician
even though he said his greatest tool was a left hook. The way Nite Owl
and Rorschach meets Silk Spectre was totally different from the Silk Spectre
story. Easily avoidable mistakes like that could have been avoided like that
are frustrating. Some of the dialogue is clunky and childish at times, and Nite
Owl talks too much. Even in the action scenes he is rambling on.
The way
Rorschach and Nite Owl meet up in this story, the beginning of this great
and well known hero partner ship. It is really WEEEAAK!! It was a disappointment
and happens so fast. I feel like I could have created a better idea for these two to
meet up and start working together. While Rorschach is awesome in this story
(and better than in Brian Azzarello’s Rorschach story all together) he is the one to
deal with and discover the main villain. That’s not the problem though. The problem
is that, in the original Watchmen the person that drove Rorschach over the edge is
not as nearly evil, or at least did not commit a more heinous action than the villain
in this story. The villain in this story did some major shit. I’m talking fucking close to
genocide shit. How this didn't make Rorschach crack, I do not know. Unless you take into consideration that this book is in an unclear spot for the Watchmen universe.
A decision made by the Twilight Lady at the end of the book is made very fast and is
very clichéd to say the least. So while I enjoyed reading this story very much, and it adds more layers to Nite Owl, there is not enough attention to detail and too many inconsistencies. Letter Grade: (-B)
Dr.Manhattan
Out of all of the Before Watchmen stories, this is the one that captures
the feel of the original Watchmen or at least chapter 4: Watch Maker.
This is a trippy as fuck story. One thing to point out though is that this
story does contradict it’s own title of Before Watchmen. This is due to
the fact that it takes place during Watchmen. I can’t call this a prequel,
but I can call it a good read that really makes you think. This 4 part
story takes place specifically during Dr. Manhattan’s trip to Mars. It
skips around on different time lines, infinite universes, paradoxical
chains and all revolves around the Schrödinger's cat thought
experiment. Dr. Manhattan’s character stays intact by the hand of
J. Micheal Straczynski and the art is better than in the Nite Owl
story. Dare I say, it’s amazeballs. Quantum mechanics plays a big
part in the story and is explained in a way that is easy to understand.
Flash backs into the past where Jon was a child and lived his parents
were very well done and gave a lot of insight into something I didn't know
I wanted to read. My favourite part of the entire story is that Straczynski
manages to tie everything into Schrödinger's cat though experiment. I love
how a choice as small as picking a certain door to open, can effect whether
the White House gets obliterated or not. The assassination of Kennedy by
the hands of the Comedian or not. The birth of Dr. Manhattan or not. In
certain parts of the story fixing pocket watches is mirrored with fixing
something as fixing big reality and time itself. There is one OH SHIT moment
to with Ozymadias that I was really glad Straczynski added after I read
it. I do have some problems with the story as usual. In the beginning
parts of the story Straczynski essentially re-hashes a large majority
or the original Watch Maker chapter. Sure he creates his own twists
for in the span of the time but he re-draws way too many panels from
Watchmen with slight differences. My other point is that I would like to
have seen a original scene of Dr. Manhattan instigating hero work since
he was part of the Watchmen team. This was a good one. It doesn't
take place when it’s supposed to and it’s too similar to the source material
sometimes but none the less a cool and complex story. Letter Grade: (B+)
Overall Letter Grade: (B+)
December 23, 2014
Hey, did you like how Dr. Manhattan was a morally vacant character due being so so physically and mentally disconnected from humanity and from time itself that he has trouble connecting? And did you appreciate how interesting it was for him every time he tried (and failed) to connect with other people or to understand singular events in time as significant? And all the other bits that make him an interesting case study where you get to look at the character and try to understand his non-linear viewpoint?
Well forget all that. Isn't that more interesting?? ... No?
I can't speak about the Nite Owl story since I don't remember anything significant about it.
Well forget all that. Isn't that more interesting?? ... No?
I can't speak about the Nite Owl story since I don't remember anything significant about it.
September 24, 2019
I loved the Nite Owl portion, however, the Dr. Manhattan didn't add much to his backstory. The Nite Owl portion however, was phenomenal. It showed how much he'd grown and how he decided to become the Nite Owl. Dr. Manhattan's was a great narrative but not as interesting a story. I did like the highlight into his youth and family but didn't really give much insight into his life as an adult. The Dr. Manhattan pulls down the Nite Owl story, but they were both good.
August 19, 2015
Nite Owl: ★★★★☆, Dr. Manhattan: ★★★★★
September 25, 2023
This is now the third installment of the "Before Watchmen" prequel series that I've read, and so far I've been left wanting. I was hopeful that this edition would be the best of the series as it focuses on my two favorite characters from the Watchmen Universe, Night Owl and Dr. Manhattan. Unfortunately it was as disappointing as it's predecessors.
The Night Owl storyline was definitely the best of the bunch. Starting off with a brief origin story, we see how Dan Dreiberg became the protege of and successor to Hollis Mason's Night Owl of Minutemen fame. The story then moves onto Night Owl's investigations of missing prostitutes in the city. This felt very much like a Batman World's Greatest Detective type story, with Rorschach playing the role of the sidekick. Organized crime and a corrupt official are the main antagonists, with Night Owl getting an assist from his main love interest.
The Dr. Manhattan storyline was creative, but incredibly confusing. Dr. Manhattan decides to experience time prior to the accident from which he was reborn. The result is a multiverse of timelines which all seem to end in nuclear holocaust. In order to fix things and revert back to the original timeline, Dr. Manhattan goes back in time to ensure that the exact sequence of choices/events occur in the exact order, thus restoring the original timeline and extinguishing the multiversal timelines. Got that? no? me neither, I told you it was confusing didn't I?
Finally, we get a "surprise" prequel story (that nobody asked for) on Moloch the Mystic. Born a "freak" he becomes a magician, then a criminal and 'Super Villain." After serving a long sentence in prison, he converts to Christianity, is released on parole and is ultimately used as a pawn in the plans of Adrian Veidt. Spoiler alert, Muloch (along with Janey Slater) is purposely given cancer to manipulate Dr. Manhattan into leaving earth, and is ultimately murdered to frame Rorschach. These events all occur in "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, none of this content was new or relevant to the narrative.
As I said, the series as a whole has been disappointing and in no way improves on the greater Watchmen Universe. 3-Stars.
The Night Owl storyline was definitely the best of the bunch. Starting off with a brief origin story, we see how Dan Dreiberg became the protege of and successor to Hollis Mason's Night Owl of Minutemen fame. The story then moves onto Night Owl's investigations of missing prostitutes in the city. This felt very much like a Batman World's Greatest Detective type story, with Rorschach playing the role of the sidekick. Organized crime and a corrupt official are the main antagonists, with Night Owl getting an assist from his main love interest.
The Dr. Manhattan storyline was creative, but incredibly confusing. Dr. Manhattan decides to experience time prior to the accident from which he was reborn. The result is a multiverse of timelines which all seem to end in nuclear holocaust. In order to fix things and revert back to the original timeline, Dr. Manhattan goes back in time to ensure that the exact sequence of choices/events occur in the exact order, thus restoring the original timeline and extinguishing the multiversal timelines. Got that? no? me neither, I told you it was confusing didn't I?
Finally, we get a "surprise" prequel story (that nobody asked for) on Moloch the Mystic. Born a "freak" he becomes a magician, then a criminal and 'Super Villain." After serving a long sentence in prison, he converts to Christianity, is released on parole and is ultimately used as a pawn in the plans of Adrian Veidt. Spoiler alert, Muloch (along with Janey Slater) is purposely given cancer to manipulate Dr. Manhattan into leaving earth, and is ultimately murdered to frame Rorschach. These events all occur in "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, none of this content was new or relevant to the narrative.
As I said, the series as a whole has been disappointing and in no way improves on the greater Watchmen Universe. 3-Stars.
April 23, 2022
I really enjoyed learning more about Nite Owl, he was always one of my favorites in the original Watchmen graphic novel. And learning more about Dr. Manhattan was great. I love how complex these characters are.
May 26, 2019
And so end the "Before Watchmen" series. There is no specific order that the books should be written in as they all roughly follow the same time frames (with the exception of the Crimson Corsair) however each story is "filling in the gaps" from the original. Some are more predictable than others.
While some you can figure out from reading the stories - after all they are all intertwined to a greater or lesser degree.
But what of the two in this book (okay its three technically). These are the stories you would expect and knowing the world of the Watchmen probably feel the most familiar with. As a result there are no real surprises here although the artwork is tight and the pace certainly enough to hold my interest.
I think they were right to stop the series where it did (reading around the subject it would appear that originally there were plans for a lot more). For now I am happy to leave this world where it is and prepare for the TV series which is supposedly taking the story forward (rather than further back).
While some you can figure out from reading the stories - after all they are all intertwined to a greater or lesser degree.
But what of the two in this book (okay its three technically). These are the stories you would expect and knowing the world of the Watchmen probably feel the most familiar with. As a result there are no real surprises here although the artwork is tight and the pace certainly enough to hold my interest.
I think they were right to stop the series where it did (reading around the subject it would appear that originally there were plans for a lot more). For now I am happy to leave this world where it is and prepare for the TV series which is supposedly taking the story forward (rather than further back).
January 3, 2022
I enjoyed Moloch's story the most (because villains with gray context are the best stories). Nite Owl and Rorschach's story was also really good - people broken in similar ways becoming heroes with different agendas and MO is quite intriguing. the Manhattan story was written well and paced very nicely. I just have a bias against "god-like" characters and time travel. however, when rating this tale I did look pass bias. all 3 arcs are told splendidly well and effectively entertaining
June 26, 2017
It all started great with Nite Owl's story (and Rorschach's ;)) ... But right after part 1 of Moloch it all took a wrong turn for me... The Manhattan story and the finish of the Moloch story sure wasn't what I was expecting of the previous reads.. It felt a bit rushed...
December 29, 2018
One of the good volume of this Before Watchmen series. I really enjoy the Nite Owl, mostly because Rorschach was very present and the Dr. Manhattan was great because... you know... Dr. Manhattan, and also because of the multi verse theory and thinking in it! Cool one!
October 30, 2013
Like everybody who is alive and who has given it a fair shot, I love Watchmen. Moore and Gibbons wanted Watchmen to prove that comic books can tell a powerful story in a way that cannot be achieved through any other medium and they succeeded. Exceptionally.
Before Watchmen, like many prequels or sequels, especially those that are only related to their inspiration by brand rather than creators, sucked. And I hate to use such a boring, overused word for how awful this book is, but that's all it deserves.
Watchmen ushered in a new kind of comics. It was serious, political, and very adult. Before Watchmen took memorable images and events from Watchmen and explained them with stories that we have seen many, many times before. And have seen done better before. Rorschach, for instance, evidently got is "The End is Nigh" sign from his maniac preacher who was trying to "cleanse the city" by sleeping with, killing and then stockpiling prostitutes in his church's basement, with the plan of burning the pile of corpses (and his church with it) once the pile got big enough. I mean seriously, how many TIMES have we seen the corrupt preacher trope at this point? And how many times has it been at least a little bit more elegant than "homophobe preacher who likes paying cheap prostitutes for sex kills one, finds out he likes it and then FILLS HIS BASEMENT WITH PROSTITUTES WITH THE INTENTION OF BURNING HIS CHURCH DOWN FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY?!?! Rorschach did not need that back story.
Watchmen did not shy away from adult themes, but Before Watchmen relied on them. Moore and Gibbons made superheroes people by showing us every facet of their lives, including their awkward or violent sex lives. The crew of idiots (sorry, but seriously) who who put together Before Watchmen fanboyed their way through every scene that involved a female, even if only peripherally, by drawing the biggest boobs and most scanty, tight or see-through clothing. Sex and nudity is a thing in graphic novels, I get that. Everyone who reads graphic novels gets that. But there is sex and nudity that makes sense and there is sex and nudity that is there because either the artist feels like drawing a naked woman or because DC decided that the comic will sell better if there are lots and lots of naked ladies in it.
Now, I understand that the exploration of the Rorschach/Nite Owl partnership was also supposed to be used as a vehicle to discuss violence against women. But it was so clumsily done (the discussion essentially boiled down to the very offensive questions of 1) if crimes against prostitutes should even be investigated because they're "just whores" and 2) if, indeed, "real men" beat women. (Spoiler, our heroes don't think so, but everyone else does.) Rather than pointing out that women have independent worth as human beings, the story focuses on how different men see women. Not only that, but that section in particular was so full of picture after picture of objectified women that any pro-woman message was swallowed up by very objectified bodies. It also doesn't help that the only woman with a voice in this section, Twilight Lady, is introduced to us naked and throws out such inspired gems as "When women do it for free, they're called sluts. When they do it for money, they're called whores."
There are so many other things that are wrong with Before Watchmen, but it seems silly to waste my time talking about all of it. The creators insert klutzy plot points to the story we already know, the art sometimes verges on cartoony (check out the page where the Nite Owl is recognized by Twilight Lady), the dialogue is repetitive (humph) and "self-aware" in completely ridiculous moments (why does Ozymandias criticize his own use of intelligent sounding words?), they completely hijack successful scenes from Watchmen (Dr. Manhattan experiencing time with his old photo on Mars, for instance) and, worst of all, their super clumsy use of Schrodinger's cat leading to Dr. Manhattan destroying hundreds if not thousands if not MILLIONS of other realities. I'm sorry. Dude would impassively think that was an interesting phenomenon, and be intrigued by his sudden access to new viewpoints. FOR SERIOUS.
I honestly have a hard time believing that the people who made Before Watchmen even LIKED Watchmen.
Edit(Oh, also, from a nitpicky and aesthetic point of view, I really missed the gorgeous scene changes and the way that the text would line up perfectly with the images in the original. That was breathtaking.)
Before Watchmen, like many prequels or sequels, especially those that are only related to their inspiration by brand rather than creators, sucked. And I hate to use such a boring, overused word for how awful this book is, but that's all it deserves.
Watchmen ushered in a new kind of comics. It was serious, political, and very adult. Before Watchmen took memorable images and events from Watchmen and explained them with stories that we have seen many, many times before. And have seen done better before. Rorschach, for instance, evidently got is "The End is Nigh" sign from his maniac preacher who was trying to "cleanse the city" by sleeping with, killing and then stockpiling prostitutes in his church's basement, with the plan of burning the pile of corpses (and his church with it) once the pile got big enough. I mean seriously, how many TIMES have we seen the corrupt preacher trope at this point? And how many times has it been at least a little bit more elegant than "homophobe preacher who likes paying cheap prostitutes for sex kills one, finds out he likes it and then FILLS HIS BASEMENT WITH PROSTITUTES WITH THE INTENTION OF BURNING HIS CHURCH DOWN FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY?!?! Rorschach did not need that back story.
Watchmen did not shy away from adult themes, but Before Watchmen relied on them. Moore and Gibbons made superheroes people by showing us every facet of their lives, including their awkward or violent sex lives. The crew of idiots (sorry, but seriously) who who put together Before Watchmen fanboyed their way through every scene that involved a female, even if only peripherally, by drawing the biggest boobs and most scanty, tight or see-through clothing. Sex and nudity is a thing in graphic novels, I get that. Everyone who reads graphic novels gets that. But there is sex and nudity that makes sense and there is sex and nudity that is there because either the artist feels like drawing a naked woman or because DC decided that the comic will sell better if there are lots and lots of naked ladies in it.
Now, I understand that the exploration of the Rorschach/Nite Owl partnership was also supposed to be used as a vehicle to discuss violence against women. But it was so clumsily done (the discussion essentially boiled down to the very offensive questions of 1) if crimes against prostitutes should even be investigated because they're "just whores" and 2) if, indeed, "real men" beat women. (Spoiler, our heroes don't think so, but everyone else does.) Rather than pointing out that women have independent worth as human beings, the story focuses on how different men see women. Not only that, but that section in particular was so full of picture after picture of objectified women that any pro-woman message was swallowed up by very objectified bodies. It also doesn't help that the only woman with a voice in this section, Twilight Lady, is introduced to us naked and throws out such inspired gems as "When women do it for free, they're called sluts. When they do it for money, they're called whores."
There are so many other things that are wrong with Before Watchmen, but it seems silly to waste my time talking about all of it. The creators insert klutzy plot points to the story we already know, the art sometimes verges on cartoony (check out the page where the Nite Owl is recognized by Twilight Lady), the dialogue is repetitive (humph) and "self-aware" in completely ridiculous moments (why does Ozymandias criticize his own use of intelligent sounding words?), they completely hijack successful scenes from Watchmen (Dr. Manhattan experiencing time with his old photo on Mars, for instance) and, worst of all, their super clumsy use of Schrodinger's cat leading to Dr. Manhattan destroying hundreds if not thousands if not MILLIONS of other realities. I'm sorry. Dude would impassively think that was an interesting phenomenon, and be intrigued by his sudden access to new viewpoints. FOR SERIOUS.
I honestly have a hard time believing that the people who made Before Watchmen even LIKED Watchmen.
Edit(Oh, also, from a nitpicky and aesthetic point of view, I really missed the gorgeous scene changes and the way that the text would line up perfectly with the images in the original. That was breathtaking.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2018
This prequel to the original Watchmen graphic novel features three separate stories of political bloodshed and philosophical heartache. Nite Owl is seduced by a dominatrix-style madame named Twilight Lady into helping her solve the mystery of her slain call girls. Dr. Manhattan travels between time and space as he wrestles with his conscience over his godlike abilities and how they should be used. Moloch takes revenge against an unloving world after he grows up bullied and broken over his “ugly” features. Nobody will be left unscathed by these violent tales, not even the almighty reader himself.
As someone who enjoys a good love story, I’m particularly fond of the relationship between Nite Owl and Twilight Lady. Of course, there shouldn’t be any debate that this would never work since Twilight Lady is a true professional who never falls in love. But after all of their romantic interactions, the reader actually wants to root for them. Twilight Lady can read Nite Owl like a book. She knows when he’s blushing underneath the mask. She knows he’ll do anything to protect her since he grew up with an abusive father. She knows his intentions are pure. And yet, this puts Nite Owl at odds with the ultra-conservative superhero Rorschach, who moonlights as a janitor at a church. All of this character interaction and all of this drama, it makes for some pretty damn good storytelling that will leave you brooding long after it’s all over.
I wish the same could be said for Dr. Manhattan’s story, but unfortunately, it was my least favorite of the three. While the idea of a godlike superhero struggling with his conscience can make for some thought-provoking creative fuel, the philosophical tropes seem to take precedence over the story itself, making for a confusing read. There were times in this story when I didn’t know what the hell was going on. Hell, none of it really became clear to me until the end, which I won’t spoil for my readers. It shouldn’t take that long for a story’s sensibility to kick in. It was for this reason alone that I once considered giving the book a mixed grade, but ultimately, I decided against that when I read Moloch’s story.
If you’ve ever wanted to live out a revenge fantasy, Moloch’s story is for you. Surely there has been a time in your life when you’ve felt unloved, unappreciated, and downright despised. Moloch’s gremlin-like appearance made him a target for bullies whether it was a stereotypical mean girl or a jock who loved beating people up. Rising above all of that trauma is hard, so what does Moloch do? He turns to a life of crime and rakes in a huge pile of cash while doing so. I wouldn’t recommend anybody do this in real life, because Moloch you are not and to prison you will go. But if you want to live vicariously through him for a little while, he’s certainly sympathetic enough for the reader to do just that. But never forget that he’s a villain above all else, so don’t get too attached to him.
I dare say that Alan Moore, the creator of the original Watchmen comic books, should be proud of J. Michael Straczynski for what he’s done. I’ll take it one step further. If the author of this book wants to do a prequel to any of my own books, I won’t turn him down. Hell, I’d give my left eye if it meant he’d work for me. The art is fabulous, the writing is superb, and the book overall is very much worthy of its passing grade, Dr. Manhattan story aside.
As someone who enjoys a good love story, I’m particularly fond of the relationship between Nite Owl and Twilight Lady. Of course, there shouldn’t be any debate that this would never work since Twilight Lady is a true professional who never falls in love. But after all of their romantic interactions, the reader actually wants to root for them. Twilight Lady can read Nite Owl like a book. She knows when he’s blushing underneath the mask. She knows he’ll do anything to protect her since he grew up with an abusive father. She knows his intentions are pure. And yet, this puts Nite Owl at odds with the ultra-conservative superhero Rorschach, who moonlights as a janitor at a church. All of this character interaction and all of this drama, it makes for some pretty damn good storytelling that will leave you brooding long after it’s all over.
I wish the same could be said for Dr. Manhattan’s story, but unfortunately, it was my least favorite of the three. While the idea of a godlike superhero struggling with his conscience can make for some thought-provoking creative fuel, the philosophical tropes seem to take precedence over the story itself, making for a confusing read. There were times in this story when I didn’t know what the hell was going on. Hell, none of it really became clear to me until the end, which I won’t spoil for my readers. It shouldn’t take that long for a story’s sensibility to kick in. It was for this reason alone that I once considered giving the book a mixed grade, but ultimately, I decided against that when I read Moloch’s story.
If you’ve ever wanted to live out a revenge fantasy, Moloch’s story is for you. Surely there has been a time in your life when you’ve felt unloved, unappreciated, and downright despised. Moloch’s gremlin-like appearance made him a target for bullies whether it was a stereotypical mean girl or a jock who loved beating people up. Rising above all of that trauma is hard, so what does Moloch do? He turns to a life of crime and rakes in a huge pile of cash while doing so. I wouldn’t recommend anybody do this in real life, because Moloch you are not and to prison you will go. But if you want to live vicariously through him for a little while, he’s certainly sympathetic enough for the reader to do just that. But never forget that he’s a villain above all else, so don’t get too attached to him.
I dare say that Alan Moore, the creator of the original Watchmen comic books, should be proud of J. Michael Straczynski for what he’s done. I’ll take it one step further. If the author of this book wants to do a prequel to any of my own books, I won’t turn him down. Hell, I’d give my left eye if it meant he’d work for me. The art is fabulous, the writing is superb, and the book overall is very much worthy of its passing grade, Dr. Manhattan story aside.
May 31, 2017
Let me first clear that I hadn't read original Watchmen before taking up this book.
This is how I felt for each part of the book:
1.Nite Owl : Some A good introduction about his childhood, fasctination towards Nite Owl I, his gadgets and his on-off partnership with Rorschach. say, he's a lot like Batman. I'll say he's a lot better than Batman, though not as rich.
Artwork is not extraordinary, but good and suits the story.
2.Dr. Manhattan : A 2-issue story stretched to create a painful 4-issue series.
Nothing much happens in the story, it's just filled with Dr.Mahhattan's (sometimes boring) monologues.I started hating him after reading this series.
Art is lovely and the only strong point about these stories.
3.Moloch : One of the very good prequels ever (which are rare, mind you)!
A whole lifetime is summarized into just 2 issues. Story keeps taking unexpected twists and turns from start to end. After reading this book you'll start to sympathize with this villain.
Art is good. Only issues in the whole Watchmen series where an artist has shown respect to Moloch.
This is how I felt for each part of the book:
1.Nite Owl : Some A good introduction about his childhood, fasctination towards Nite Owl I, his gadgets and his on-off partnership with Rorschach. say, he's a lot like Batman. I'll say he's a lot better than Batman, though not as rich.
Artwork is not extraordinary, but good and suits the story.
2.Dr. Manhattan : A 2-issue story stretched to create a painful 4-issue series.
Nothing much happens in the story, it's just filled with Dr.Mahhattan's (sometimes boring) monologues.I started hating him after reading this series.
Art is lovely and the only strong point about these stories.
3.Moloch : One of the very good prequels ever (which are rare, mind you)!
A whole lifetime is summarized into just 2 issues. Story keeps taking unexpected twists and turns from start to end. After reading this book you'll start to sympathize with this villain.
Art is good. Only issues in the whole Watchmen series where an artist has shown respect to Moloch.
January 10, 2020
Well, this one is certainly a step down from the others. I just didn’t understand why we needed to have Nite Owl have a whole arc with a dominatrix? Although she was a great character, there was little reason for them to be together, and it just felt very hodgepodge with the vicar and his human mountain under the pulpit. Rorschach being already involved with the church seemed a little off as well, it all just fit too neatly and pulled together things that made little sense. I did like the playoff of their childhoods, however. Then we get to Dr. Manhattan, and hoo boy did this take a turn. The relativity and possible futures/pasts is a great concept, but maybe not for a whole comic. I would’ve preferred a bigger focus on Jon’s childhood as well as the arc with his wife, but that’s not something we got. This felt like it should have been a Moloch standalone in the end, and that would have worked better honestly. He’s at least got more of an ambiguity to work with. Worst of the series so far, which is surprising from someone who is usually pretty darn impressive in DC’s world.
August 10, 2013
I can't help but feel like I'm reading good fan fiction with BEFORE WATCHMEN. There's a certain feeling of guilt to it, like, 'yeah, I spent money on this and it's not the *real* thing, but still, I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS!!!'
Night Owl's BW story feels too much like a self-contained story, like those monster-of-the-week episodes X-Files used to run. But see here, with X-Files, I dug the monster-of-the-week episodes more than the ones that fit into the mythology. But with BW, I want mythology and the universe and grand scale and all that. So now that that's totally clear...
Nigh Owl was one of the less interesting heroes for me in the original Watchmen anyway. Dr. Manhattan's pre-story fits much better into the Watchmen universe and the writer got the feel right and did go for the grandiose and mythology and just about pulled it off. The theme of the box and how it relates to the quantum observer was a little heavy handed, but still, I kept observing.
Night Owl's BW story feels too much like a self-contained story, like those monster-of-the-week episodes X-Files used to run. But see here, with X-Files, I dug the monster-of-the-week episodes more than the ones that fit into the mythology. But with BW, I want mythology and the universe and grand scale and all that. So now that that's totally clear...
Nigh Owl was one of the less interesting heroes for me in the original Watchmen anyway. Dr. Manhattan's pre-story fits much better into the Watchmen universe and the writer got the feel right and did go for the grandiose and mythology and just about pulled it off. The theme of the box and how it relates to the quantum observer was a little heavy handed, but still, I kept observing.
May 6, 2021
Bu ciltte Gece Kuşu, Dr. Manhattan ve Moloch'un hikayeleri anlatılıyor.
Gece Kuşu bir orijin hikayeydi ve kitabın en sevdiğim kısmıydı.
Dr. Manhattan kısmında ise ise geçmiş-gelecek arasında farklı olasılıkların anlatıldığı bir hikaye vardı. Kendisi sevdiğim bir karakter olmasına rağmen hikayesini pek beğenemedim. Bunun en büyük nedeni de karışık gelmesiydi ve biraz daha farklı bir hikaye beklemem de beğenimi etkiledi.
Moloch kısmını ise beklememiştim çünkü ne kitabın kapağında ne de isminde kendisinden bahsedilmiyordu. Ona özel bölüm ayrılmasına o yüzden şaşırdım. Hikayesi güzeldi ve genel olarak hayatının özetiydi denebilir. Çocukluğundan itibaren nasıl dışlanıldığını ve bir suçluya dönüştüğünü anlatıyordu.
Bunun dışında Ozymandias'ın hikayelere dahil olduğu ve Gece Kuşu'ndaki Alacakaranlık Hanımı'nın kısımları harikaydı.
Gece Kuşu bir orijin hikayeydi ve kitabın en sevdiğim kısmıydı.
Dr. Manhattan kısmında ise ise geçmiş-gelecek arasında farklı olasılıkların anlatıldığı bir hikaye vardı. Kendisi sevdiğim bir karakter olmasına rağmen hikayesini pek beğenemedim. Bunun en büyük nedeni de karışık gelmesiydi ve biraz daha farklı bir hikaye beklemem de beğenimi etkiledi.
Moloch kısmını ise beklememiştim çünkü ne kitabın kapağında ne de isminde kendisinden bahsedilmiyordu. Ona özel bölüm ayrılmasına o yüzden şaşırdım. Hikayesi güzeldi ve genel olarak hayatının özetiydi denebilir. Çocukluğundan itibaren nasıl dışlanıldığını ve bir suçluya dönüştüğünü anlatıyordu.
Bunun dışında Ozymandias'ın hikayelere dahil olduğu ve Gece Kuşu'ndaki Alacakaranlık Hanımı'nın kısımları harikaydı.
May 30, 2015
So I always had a little bit of a crush on Nite Owl, especially in the movie version, so it was nice to get to read his back story and learn a little bit more about him (still swoon worthy!). I also liked the banter and relationship between him and Rorscach, I always thought they were an odd, but admirable, team. I also like the lovely little vixen he falls in love with. Definitely an interesting story! Dr. Manhattan is, hands down, the most complex character in the series. His back story may not have made him "more understandable" per say, but it definitely sheds some light. At the very end, there is also a section on Moloch's back story which I found fascinating. As always, color me impressed. I love this series!
July 26, 2013
Of the three of these I've read, I think this is my favorite, possibly due to the one and only J. Michael Straczynski on the writing. Still don't think the Before Watchmen books will ever come close to the original in popularity, but kudos for trying. Still conflicted about the economics behind these books, but since they already exist and are available at my local library I see little harm in reading them.
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