Watchmen Prequels - It's Official

[David]

So because Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are more popular than The Spirit or Doc Savage (which is debatable) the creators are going to put more of an effort into this project?  They weren't trying their best before?

[steve bryant]

What a difference a couple of years make; I've made a complete 180 on the topic. Here's what I wrote almost two years ago today:

I hate to comment on unreleased material without seeing it, but if this is true, I'm already calling it a piece of shit:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/02/03/get-ready-for-watchmen-2/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BleedingCool+%28Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+%26+Rumors%29&utm_content=Twitter

I really hope Rich is wrong.

http://bullpenbulletinspodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=6780.msg149258#msg149258

The JMS quote that JimN quoted back on page 2 of this thread sums up my current feeling on the situation.

I'm most excited about Adam Hughes' contribution to this. The last published Hughes sequential work of 80 pages or more was 20 years ago on the Star Trek graphic novel, Debt of Honor. A run on Dark Horse's Ghost was scuttled a few pages in on the third issue and there were the previously announced projects (Indiana Jones and the creator-owned Invertigo/Nobody series in the 90s and All-Star Wonder Woman in the 00's) that never materialized. He completed a wonderful Gen 13 miniseries (Ordinary Heroes) and a fun Gen 13 short story for the Wildstorm Thunderbook, but nothing like a 4-6 issue miniseries. I love his work and am eagerly awaiting a massive chunk of it!

[legion of daves]

So because Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are more popular than The Spirit or Doc Savage (which is debatable) the creators are going to put more of an effort into this project?  They weren't trying their best before?

no no, i wasn't commenting on creator effort necessarily, but mostly on potential.  no matter what the effort, some things just don't click with creators or audiences.  i think the entire first wave situation was mishandled, and it never resonated with the masses because of the relative popularity of the characters.  i think putting darwyn cooke in charge of the whole thing is a better decision than brian azzarello was for first wave.  bzo's a great writer, but i don't think he was a good fit for that.

[JimN]

Another thing; why isn't this one of the prequels?

LOL! Oh, man, I want it to be one of the prequels. It's already my favorite.

[Rustyautoparts (Russ Otto)]

As Kody Chamberlain articulated on twitter, how is this any different than most superhero comics?

What makes building on Watchmen different than building on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four? Siegel and Shuster's Superman? Isn't this an industry built on communal, collaborative storytelling? Isn't that something that makes super hero comics unique and interesting? What makes Watchmen so sacred as to be excluded from that?

[William Joseph Dunn]

I have faith that Darwyn's Minutemen prequel will hit the right tone, but I'm wondering if the rest of the stuff will be too dark right out of the gate.

As soon as The Dark Knight Returns came out, every Batman story that came out after that was a arms race to go darker and darker, forgetting that DKR was the end of Bats career. Same thing with Watchmen. That story was the end of their story. Everything that takes place before Watchmen should have at least a little lighter tone. There was still hope then, not all of the dream was broken. I know Darwyn is capable of writing a lighter superhero story, I'm not sure if the rest of them aren't going to make this into one big angst-fest.

[Bobgar Ornelas]

So because Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are more popular than The Spirit or Doc Savage (which is debatable) the creators are going to put more of an effort into this project?  They weren't trying their best before?

no.



 

[Kenney]

All of these sound dope to me. I'm in for the lot.

[William Joseph Dunn]

.

[Thermite (Iz Wilkison)]

Lot of talent being thrown at these, so I'll definitely check them out.
But I'm wary....

[RickV]

As Kody Chamberlain articulated on twitter, how is this any different than most superhero comics?

What makes building on Watchmen different than building on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four? Siegel and Shuster's Superman? Isn't this an industry built on communal, collaborative storytelling? Isn't that something that makes super hero comics unique and interesting? What makes Watchmen so sacred as to be excluded from that?

Simple timing.

Fantastic Four and Superman kept coming out. Watchmen was finished and then 30 years later DC decides to dredge up one of the things that still makes them money.

[Lawrence]

I think it's insane that DC didn't do this earlier.

Why would a major company not try to capitalize on what has to be their best selling graphic novel of all time? Sure, some people might think its sacrilegious but I couldn't imagine another company having wild success with a group of characters and then doing next to nothing with them for the next 30 years. This is business, if they think it will move units, do it.

I think it's crazy they didn't do something like this sooner, I don't know sometime around the movie wouldn't of been the worst idea.  

[Lawrence]

.

I see you. Ha. Lets give it till at least noon. 

[JimN]

Did you read The Spirit or the First Wave remakes?

I ask because, I did, mainly on the basis of those same creators, and found their efforts...lacking...relative to the other work I've seen from those same guys.

Personally, I thought Cooke's Spirit showed that a contemporary creator couild take on an "untouchable' classic and pull it off with flying colors. It's among my favorite things Cooke has ever done. Between that and New Frontier, I'm eager to see what he can do with some of these Watchmen characters. I think his track record suggests his take on them will be good.

[GLewis]

I am going to try every one of these. This should have happened years ago. The great comic creators, give us new characters that live on and grow, long after the original creator has moved on. These are classic characters (based on other classic characters) that deserve a chance to grow just like Batman and Wolverine. I only wish Jason Aaron wasn't exclusive so he could write The Comedian.

[David]

What makes building on Watchmen different than building on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four? Siegel and Shuster's Superman? Isn't this an industry built on communal, collaborative storytelling?

Watchmen was a singular, one-time only type deal.  Moore couldn't use the actual characters so he made analogues.  That served their purpose for that story.  The argument could be made that it's a more personal story because he (and Gibbons) thought it was going to be theirs to keep at the end of the day.

Fantastic Four and Superman were created for publishers that are interested in telling as many stories as possible with these characters.

[RickV]

Not to mention the PREQUEL for all the characters is already embedded into the main story. Chapter 4 is the Doctor Manhattan lifetime story, Walter's entire deal is explained while he is in jail, Comedians is told during the funeral Laurie's on Mars, The Minutemen in the excerpt of Under the Hood.

There is NOTHING TO EVEN TELL.

It is like people clamoring for a Blade Runner sequel so scenes like these "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die." Can be shown on film.

Mystery is good, Ambiguity is good, George Lucas already has shown everyone what happens when you reveal all the mysteries of your universe. NOTHING GOOD.

[Thermite (Iz Wilkison)]

Man I would kill to read the JT Krul Watchmen Prequel. Why do you taunt me with what will never come to pass.


Like this:

Or this:

[jdudley]

I think the real tragedy here is that the talent involved has probably been roped into this with some impressive paydays to be expected. Meanwhile, most of them ought to be workIng on their own ideas (or, if the MUST use established characters, use those marvel and DC characters that are open for continued exploitation and reinterpretation)

Ex: Imagine the great original work that Cook WON'T make because he's working on this.

[Kenney]

Image the great original work that Cook WON'T make because he's working on this.

Do you feel similarly when Cooke is adapting Parker's work?

Not to mention the PREQUEL for all the characters is already embedded into the main story. Chapter 4 is the Doctor Manhattan lifetime story, Walter's entire deal is explained while he is in jail, Comedians is told during the funeral Laurie's on Mars, The Minutemen in the excerpt of Under the Hood.

There is NOTHING TO EVEN TELL.

I dunno, I think you can show further "adventures" with these characters, without revealing or counteracting anything that's already been revealed. I think there is a big difference in explaining why Jedis are Jedis, and showing this one adventure Rorshach had this one time when he had to bust some fools up.