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Doomsday Clock
Doomsday Clock #3: Not Victory Nor Defeat
The story takes a turn in the third chapter of this 12-issue series you never thought you’d see, from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 24, 2018
21 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,707 books2,415 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 25, 2018
The Comedian and Ozymandias square off for Round 2 – against a window atop still another skyscraper, naturally! – but Eddie died… didn’t he? Meanwhile, another supposedly dead Watchman, “Rorschach”, hangs out at Wayne Manor as Batman reads Walter Kovacs’ rambling, paranoid journal and Mime and Marionette sample the Gotham nightlife by taking in a comedy show – but will their antics amuse the city’s resident clown, Mistah J… ?
Doomsday Clock #3 is slightly better than the last issue though it’s still at best a mediocre comic. Geoff Johns spins an alternate ending for the Comedian which was at least a more interesting explanation than how Rorschach is still walking around. The mystery of Dr Manhattan’s plans continues… And the fight between Comedian and Ozymandias was cool with Adrian caught on the wrong foot this time.
For a comic featuring both Batman and Rorschach, it’s the new kids on the block’s storyline, Mime and Marionette, that was surprisingly the most compelling (Batman and Rorschach don’t really do anything – there’s a glimpse into Rorschach’s origin but it didn’t explain much and was kinda boring). Their weird mime powers are curious and clever and it was funny to see real-life British comedian Stewart Lee cameo - I guess he’s mates with Geoff/Gary Frank? It’s disappointing though that we’re gonna have to wait at least another issue before we get to see what Joker makes of the Watchmen.
I wasn’t clear on the meaning of the scenes in the old folks’ home with the detective movie playing except to needlessly highlight comparisons to Rorschach and where his appearance and stilted, noir-ish speaking style comes from. I do know that those scenes were very tedious and unentertaining! And, like in the original Watchmen, a prose section is included which, also like in the original Watchmen, isn’t worth reading.
There’s also some news talking heads reporting on European metahuman experiments to make up for America having the majority of the superheroes, so I expect that’s foreshadowing for a whole bunch of new characters to emerge from this event. Still, I quite like Mime and Marionette so maybe that’s not a bad thing?
Doomsday Clock #3 is a perfectly readable comic with some fine moments and great art as always from Gary Frank but what little story has emerged so far is moving at a frustratingly glacial pace. Perhaps Johns will deliver on what he’s set up in future issues but for now Doomsday Clock remains an underwhelming read.
Doomsday Clock #3 is slightly better than the last issue though it’s still at best a mediocre comic. Geoff Johns spins an alternate ending for the Comedian which was at least a more interesting explanation than how Rorschach is still walking around. The mystery of Dr Manhattan’s plans continues… And the fight between Comedian and Ozymandias was cool with Adrian caught on the wrong foot this time.
For a comic featuring both Batman and Rorschach, it’s the new kids on the block’s storyline, Mime and Marionette, that was surprisingly the most compelling (Batman and Rorschach don’t really do anything – there’s a glimpse into Rorschach’s origin but it didn’t explain much and was kinda boring). Their weird mime powers are curious and clever and it was funny to see real-life British comedian Stewart Lee cameo - I guess he’s mates with Geoff/Gary Frank? It’s disappointing though that we’re gonna have to wait at least another issue before we get to see what Joker makes of the Watchmen.
I wasn’t clear on the meaning of the scenes in the old folks’ home with the detective movie playing except to needlessly highlight comparisons to Rorschach and where his appearance and stilted, noir-ish speaking style comes from. I do know that those scenes were very tedious and unentertaining! And, like in the original Watchmen, a prose section is included which, also like in the original Watchmen, isn’t worth reading.
There’s also some news talking heads reporting on European metahuman experiments to make up for America having the majority of the superheroes, so I expect that’s foreshadowing for a whole bunch of new characters to emerge from this event. Still, I quite like Mime and Marionette so maybe that’s not a bad thing?
Doomsday Clock #3 is a perfectly readable comic with some fine moments and great art as always from Gary Frank but what little story has emerged so far is moving at a frustratingly glacial pace. Perhaps Johns will deliver on what he’s set up in future issues but for now Doomsday Clock remains an underwhelming read.
February 19, 2018
Worlds collide!
This is the comic book issue #3 of the event “Doomsday Clock” that it will be a maxiseries of 12 issues.
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Gary Frank
THE PLOT THICKENS
I am aware of too many comic book fans that think that it’s heresy to read a sequel to Watchmen not written by Alan Moore, and I have to admit that I was between those at first, but luckily I gave it a chance to the maxiseries, and trust me, you won’t find a better fan of Alan Moore in my country (Costa Rica), I have read a LOT of Moore’s material (just check my “Read List” on my Goodreads profile) and even when I was giving a chance to Doomsday Clock, I guess that at the bottom of my mind, I was sure that this new maxiseries won’t be as good as the original one…
…well, I am not so sure anymore.
Let’s not fight over if this new maxiseries would be better than the revered Watchmen, since even in my own very personal humble opinion about Moore’s work, I think that V for Vendetta is his truly opera prima, bute ven considering that this new maxiseries would accomplish the preposterous effort of placing side by side with the still considered the best comic book story ever, along with being a sequel to that very storyline not done by the original creative team…
…well, it’s obvious that it has be too far-fetched.
However, in this third issue, Geoff Johns is showing that he did his homework, he read the original material, but even more crucial, he watched and understood how Alan Moore delivered it to the readers, how the original writer set the many different pieces, here and there,…
…and more important, without falling into a poor copy, but honestly presenting a truly inspired and respectful sequel, totally worthy to be read and enjoyed.
Because Watchmen never was only about a shattered super-hero team, but the storytelling was enforced by separated prose material, delivered it along with each chapter that it was as relevant as the narrative exposed in a graphic way. And Geoff Johns understood that and he’s plotting his own prose material that it’s delightful to read.
Alan Moore will remain as my number one comic book writer, but certainly I am honestly pleased to find that Geoff Johns isn’t just doing a commercial approach just to sell comic books and make money, but definitely a real work of smart writing, adding new interesting characters to the lore of Watchmen.
So far, so very good.
This is the comic book issue #3 of the event “Doomsday Clock” that it will be a maxiseries of 12 issues.
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Gary Frank
THE PLOT THICKENS
I am aware of too many comic book fans that think that it’s heresy to read a sequel to Watchmen not written by Alan Moore, and I have to admit that I was between those at first, but luckily I gave it a chance to the maxiseries, and trust me, you won’t find a better fan of Alan Moore in my country (Costa Rica), I have read a LOT of Moore’s material (just check my “Read List” on my Goodreads profile) and even when I was giving a chance to Doomsday Clock, I guess that at the bottom of my mind, I was sure that this new maxiseries won’t be as good as the original one…
…well, I am not so sure anymore.
Let’s not fight over if this new maxiseries would be better than the revered Watchmen, since even in my own very personal humble opinion about Moore’s work, I think that V for Vendetta is his truly opera prima, bute ven considering that this new maxiseries would accomplish the preposterous effort of placing side by side with the still considered the best comic book story ever, along with being a sequel to that very storyline not done by the original creative team…
…well, it’s obvious that it has be too far-fetched.
However, in this third issue, Geoff Johns is showing that he did his homework, he read the original material, but even more crucial, he watched and understood how Alan Moore delivered it to the readers, how the original writer set the many different pieces, here and there,…
…and more important, without falling into a poor copy, but honestly presenting a truly inspired and respectful sequel, totally worthy to be read and enjoyed.
Because Watchmen never was only about a shattered super-hero team, but the storytelling was enforced by separated prose material, delivered it along with each chapter that it was as relevant as the narrative exposed in a graphic way. And Geoff Johns understood that and he’s plotting his own prose material that it’s delightful to read.
Alan Moore will remain as my number one comic book writer, but certainly I am honestly pleased to find that Geoff Johns isn’t just doing a commercial approach just to sell comic books and make money, but definitely a real work of smart writing, adding new interesting characters to the lore of Watchmen.
So far, so very good.
September 24, 2018
I totally loved this issue of Doomsday Clock. Like what I did in Batman White Knight, I read this without any expectations or any predetermined Watchman-esque elements that this will ultimately be compared against. That resulted to a full immersion with the story that Geoff Johns painstakingly crafts one issue at a time.
The pacing is okay for a twelve issue series. I like the slow burn with a few surprises here and there. Issue three gives a couple of it and then opens new mysteries and questions. Doomsday Clock gets the storytelling right (it's a Geoff Johns work obviously) by giving us three POVs: Ozzy, Rorschach and the Marionette/Mime, with extra panels courtesy of our good old Mr. Thunder. While the Batman/Rory storyline felt a bit underwhelming and the Ozzy ones take the readers to some reverse-Watchmen throwbacks, I am surprised to be most interested with the Mime and Marionette. The pages with them on are super fun in a really twisted way.
So yes, I am glad to say that I totally enjoyed this issue!
The pacing is okay for a twelve issue series. I like the slow burn with a few surprises here and there. Issue three gives a couple of it and then opens new mysteries and questions. Doomsday Clock gets the storytelling right (it's a Geoff Johns work obviously) by giving us three POVs: Ozzy, Rorschach and the Marionette/Mime, with extra panels courtesy of our good old Mr. Thunder. While the Batman/Rory storyline felt a bit underwhelming and the Ozzy ones take the readers to some reverse-Watchmen throwbacks, I am surprised to be most interested with the Mime and Marionette. The pages with them on are super fun in a really twisted way.
So yes, I am glad to say that I totally enjoyed this issue!
January 25, 2018
Glorious.
March 19, 2018
I’m getting easily bored of this series. At $10 an issue it’s really not worth it. Will probably eventually pick it up in trade because I’m not spending over $100 for this series 😤
January 24, 2018
A strange story indeed. In the format of the original Watchmen series, but now set in the DC Universe. Cannot wait until the Joker enters the storyline. No rush on this series, ass each story slowly unwinds. Count me for the whole series.
March 10, 2018
This series still remains good but I'm starting to realize why I wait for tradebacks.
So this volume gives us three stories. One about Oz and Comedian, Batman and Rorschach, and then Mime and Marionette go out on a little trip to a bar and of course shit goes bad. So with all three stories going on in one go 30 page issue does it cover enough to make everyone come to life? Do we feel their stories?
Good: I really enjoy the Batman and Rorschach stuff. It's both funny and intriguing to find out what's happening. I also enjoy the argument on TV about to trust Batman or superheroes in general. Last but not least the art is still extremely impressive.
Bad: The Oz and Comedian stuff is way too short. I wasn't able to connect. The worst though was the Mime storyline. Just kind of boring and a lot of blood and gore for...I dunno...to show they are like Joker?
Overall this was a decent volume but it's starting to wear a bit thin. I think I'll enjoy this more if I read it in one big collection.
So this volume gives us three stories. One about Oz and Comedian, Batman and Rorschach, and then Mime and Marionette go out on a little trip to a bar and of course shit goes bad. So with all three stories going on in one go 30 page issue does it cover enough to make everyone come to life? Do we feel their stories?
Good: I really enjoy the Batman and Rorschach stuff. It's both funny and intriguing to find out what's happening. I also enjoy the argument on TV about to trust Batman or superheroes in general. Last but not least the art is still extremely impressive.
Bad: The Oz and Comedian stuff is way too short. I wasn't able to connect. The worst though was the Mime storyline. Just kind of boring and a lot of blood and gore for...I dunno...to show they are like Joker?
Overall this was a decent volume but it's starting to wear a bit thin. I think I'll enjoy this more if I read it in one big collection.
January 27, 2018
Better than issue 2. I think my enjoyment of this series does come a little from the craft of it. The feel of the paper. The fact it’s 32 pages. The lack of adds. The panel layouts. It makes it stand out from other DC and Marvel books, which it should.
The only thing that worries me is how other Watchmen characters are going to be woven into it. Because there’s one here (the last page form issue 2) and I’m still thinking “hmm really?”
The only thing that worries me is how other Watchmen characters are going to be woven into it. Because there’s one here (the last page form issue 2) and I’m still thinking “hmm really?”
October 7, 2018
We have 3 stories..the comedian joins one, Batman joins the other and the mimes eneter jokers bar. All are pretty good, although Batmans is the strongest. I feel like its still in build mode and something large is just around the corner.
February 10, 2018
What am I doin' here?
That is the question Rorschach should ask himself before joining forces with Batman. Meanwhile Mime and her lover are about to get kicked out of a bar in Gotham.
I like how this issue starts with a flashback to the original Watchmen.
July 1, 2018
Oh, Bruce Wayne, you cheeky bastard! How you gon do Rorschach like that! That final scene made me laugh so hard though broke my heart a little. Rorschach in Arkham? Is there anything more fitting?
March 28, 2018
Honestly, everyone can sue me, but I am loving this series and eating it right up. To be honest I am so proud of DC for turning it out with Rebirth and putting Marvel in its place (I am and always will be a DC fanboy, again, sue me). They may have the movies, but DC has the comics, and those are what matters to me.
I really love what this story has done with Rorschach, and I liked the fight between the Comedian and Ozymandis. I also really liked the scene where the mine and clown girl went to the jokers bar and they got to show off their powers. I wouldn’t mind them becoming permanent Batfamily villains.
I really love what this story has done with Rorschach, and I liked the fight between the Comedian and Ozymandis. I also really liked the scene where the mine and clown girl went to the jokers bar and they got to show off their powers. I wouldn’t mind them becoming permanent Batfamily villains.
January 28, 2018
Well its better than the last one. Showing the Comedian's alive and kicking is the one disturbs me about this. I was hoping that Geoff Johns dont bring back the dead characters and just make a story out of the ending of Watchmen. But still we have along way to go to flesh this story, still looking forward for whats next.
January 28, 2018
The only small problem with this one is the ending couldn't possibly compete with the previous one. Otherwise, GREAT! I love the Mime and the Marionette, and I am really curious if the Joker will choose to cross paths with them! Rorschach was further developed, and I really loved the ways he's different from Kovacs. At this point I'm not crazy to read the next issues, I just look forward to it. Please be good in the future as well, Doomsday Clock!
August 24, 2021
Se na HQ anterior as coisas pareciam rápidas aqui elas literalmente voam, temos uma quantidade considerável de informação sendo mostrada. O plot do volume anterior é explicado de certa forma, mas ainda não entendemos o porquê. Os dois encontros pretendidos dão errado como seria de se esperar, e vemos o rosto daquele personagem, e agora sabemos onde Ozymandias o achou. Entretanto, ainda são várias peças que não parecem fazer muito sentido, ainda que instigantes.
January 26, 2018
Amazing! I loved this series a lot so far, this one was definitely really great with a lot of Batman and Rorschach which are two of my favorite comic book character of all time!!
February 11, 2018
Not the strongest issue. And what the heck is up with Batman’s outfit. He wears a old throwback for no reason (not what’s on the cover).
September 26, 2021
BATMAN!!??
January 27, 2018
As turgid and pointless as the first two parts were, this one takes a turn for the worse, with a bizarre and unexplained reappearance of the Comedian, who fights with Ozymandias in Luther’s Metropolis penthouse. Meanwhile, the new Rorschach meters Batman and takes a shower — he’s a young black guy, but the flashback to his origin tells us nothing much about him. Mime and Marionette kill a bunch of Joker’s henchmen. And Batman tricks Rorschach into a cell at Arkham.
It’s a sludgy knockoff of the original, and feels like a clumsy attempt at an Elseworlds story.
It’s a sludgy knockoff of the original, and feels like a clumsy attempt at an Elseworlds story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2020
4/5 Stars (%74/100)
The pacing got a bit slower compared to the last issue. However, it is still very interesting. The scenes with Mime were great. A character that we all know and love from Watchmen comes back which is a big and nice surprise. I liked it overall.
The pacing got a bit slower compared to the last issue. However, it is still very interesting. The scenes with Mime were great. A character that we all know and love from Watchmen comes back which is a big and nice surprise. I liked it overall.
January 25, 2018
Mime and Marionette continue to be the highlight of this series. I liked this issue, and I heard it's now bimonthly? Well, take your time, Johns, as long as its good, I wouldn't mind waiting.
January 29, 2018
Guess that's just what you get for eating Batman's breakfast ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
January 25, 2018
Muchos pueden considerar Doomsday Clock una traición. Un movimiento fruto del marketing editorial, una herejía, un insulto, pero la verdad es que... es justo eso, un movimiento fruto del marketing editorial, una herejía, un insulto un fanservice barato y edgy.
En apenas tres numeros comete todos los errores que cometió la adaptación filmica, lo que me da más material para mi teoría de que la mayoría o no entendió o de paso no leyó Watchmen.
En apenas tres numeros comete todos los errores que cometió la adaptación filmica, lo que me da más material para mi teoría de que la mayoría o no entendió o de paso no leyó Watchmen.
January 25, 2018
The hell?
Batman was so off character. El no debería hacer eso más aún tomando en cuenta que esta historia ocurre un año después de Metal así que no echaría por la borda este tipo de situaciones de dimensiones paralelas.
Por otro lado, Marionette & Mime son los mejores personajes creados en 2017 y lo que va de 2018.
Batman was so off character. El no debería hacer eso más aún tomando en cuenta que esta historia ocurre un año después de Metal así que no echaría por la borda este tipo de situaciones de dimensiones paralelas.
Por otro lado, Marionette & Mime son los mejores personajes creados en 2017 y lo que va de 2018.
February 6, 2018
Certainly a very tragic issue. Classic JSA member Johnny Thunder has a rather sad and pathetic night of waiting for his relatives to see him in the retirement home. His wait is futile and his face is so pitiful. As for Rorschach, we finally see who's under the mask, but his final moments in this issue are also quite crushing. Surprised and delighted by this one. Tugged on the old heart strings.
April 27, 2020
Um issue n mt coerente com relação ao batman mas ainda assim continua em altaa
June 30, 2019
Sleight of hand nostalgia, superheroes being criminalized, unthreading old plots, the Watchmen impression continues.
January 24, 2018
basicamente é o cúmulo das ideias estupidas.
Manhattan salvando o comediante é simplesmente errado e idiota, tudo do batman com o rorschach é idiota, o batman foi super amigável com o cara, deixou ele na casa dele e tal, deu total liberdade pra ele, só pra armar e levar ele pro arkham depois. E outra, se a população odeia o batman, como ele pode ir pro arkham e fazer isso? É simplesmente estupido. Os dois minicos são horríveis também, a ideia das armas invisíveis é idiota demais.
Manhattan salvando o comediante é simplesmente errado e idiota, tudo do batman com o rorschach é idiota, o batman foi super amigável com o cara, deixou ele na casa dele e tal, deu total liberdade pra ele, só pra armar e levar ele pro arkham depois. E outra, se a população odeia o batman, como ele pode ir pro arkham e fazer isso? É simplesmente estupido. Os dois minicos são horríveis também, a ideia das armas invisíveis é idiota demais.
February 23, 2018
Another excellent installment, maybe not as good as the first two but still one of the best things going right now. The amount of content/story that we get per issue is awesome,...most every page has nine (well drawn panels) & there's a lot of pages.
November 1, 2022
A bit slow, and not everything is clear yet, but it was an okay issue... I'll wait for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews