Comic Book Ramblings: It's Official! Before Watchmen Announced!

After months and years of rumours, this summer's comic book event of 2012  will be DC Comics publishing all-new stories expanding on the universe established in the acclaimed best-selling graphic novel WATCHMEN by legendary comic book writer Alan Moore & comic book artist Dave Gibbons.
Under the banner of BEFORE WATCHMEN, DC will release 7 inter-connected prequel mini-series

“It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After 25 years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”

DC has gathered some the comicdom's best writers and artist to work on these titles which include: 

RORSCHACH (4 issues)  by Writer Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS) and Artist: Lee Bermejo (JOKER)

MINUTEMEN (6 issues) by Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke (NEW FRONTIER)

COMEDIAN (6 issues) by Writer Brian Azzarello and Artist: J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS) 

DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) by Writer J. Michael Straczynski (SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE) and Artist: Adam Hughes (CATWOMAN)

NITE OWL (4 issues) by Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy Kubert (FLASHPOINT) and Joe Kubert (SGT.ROCK)

OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) by Writer Len Wein (SWAMP THING) and Artist: Jae Lee (BATMAN: JEKYLL & HYDE)

SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) by Writer Darwyn Cooke and Artist: Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL) 

Also each week, a new issue will be released, and will feature a 2-page back-up story called CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR, written by original series editor Len Wein and with art by original series colorist John Higgins. There will also be a single issue, BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a CRIMSON CORSAIR story by Wein and Higgins.

“Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”

The original WATCHMEN is still one of DC’s best-selling graphic novels and was named to Time Magazine’s top 100 English-language novels of all time, and many fans, critics and professionals have long held the position that it need not, and should not, be added to.

“The original series of WATCHMEN is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, WATCHMEN co-creator and original series artist at DC's Blog The Source.

While co-creator writer Alan Moore, however, who has long been resistant to any follow-ups to Watchmen, told The New York Times, “I tend to take this latest development as a kind of eager confirmation that they are still apparently dependent on ideas that I had 25 years ago.”

Moore said that sometime in 2010 that DC came to him with an offer of returning the rights in return of doing a follow-up WATCHMEN project, something he originally wanted to do way back in 1989, but after an ugly conflict over royalties drove him away from the publisher. Moore declined the offer and feeling he told the story he wanted.

But even when film director Zack Snyder's 2009 movie was released talks about sequels rose when it was revealed that the cast had signed for any follow-up projects.

My worry is that this WATCHMEN project will end up as disappointing as writer-artist Frank Miller’s follow-up to his classic 1986 THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, the 2001 THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES BACK.

~ Rajadevilman74