Stillanerd Reviews: Doomsday Clock #1 review
By Mike McNulty
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s first chapter of their year-long crossover between the DC Universe and Watchmen more than lives up to the hype.
Doomsday Clock #1
“That Annihilated Place”
More from Comics
- X-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero team
- Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)
- Marvel Comics announces seven important X-Men comic books
- The X-Men were betrayed by Captain America in Uncanny Avengers
- Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing series
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Gary Frank
Color Artist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Covers: Gary Frank and Brad Anderson
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons isn’t just a graphic novel, it is a literary masterpiece. Time lists it as one the 100 greatest novels of all-time. It not only, for good or ill, changed what we think of superheroes, it helped comic books gain recognition as a legitimate art form. It is, by any definition, a classic, and if the arts have any hard and fast rules, it’s that you don’t mess with a classic. Thus, writing a sequel to Watchmen is tantamount to madness. Having this same sequel also cross over into the DC Universe? That’s sacrilege.
I guess this means Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are now insane heretics in the eyes of comic book worshipers. Good for them, because as blasphemy towards the religion of Watchmen, Doomsday Clock #1 is quite effective. The disciples of the church of Alan Moore, however, need not worry this will start a Reformation. They might even consider it too reverential.
Credit: Gary Frank and Brad Anderson (DC Entertainment); from Doomsday Clock #1
…as a sequel to Watchmen, Doomsday Clock #1 almost works. From an aesthetic standpoint, Goeff Johns, Gary Frank and…Brad Anderson do a masterful job recreating the look and feel of the original graphic novel.
At the end of Watchmen, Adrian Veidt, a.k.a. Ozymandias, orchestrated a faux alien invasion to save the world on the brink of World War III. Despite causing the deaths of three million people, Adrian’s plan worked, ushering in an era of global peace and prosperity. Doomsday Clock #1 opens seven years later with this peace in tatters, thanks to the publication of Rorschach’s journal. Adrian is now a wanted terrorist. The United States imposes martial law as civil unrest grips the nation while Russia invades Poland.
As both superpowers are ready to launch thermonuclear missiles, two husband-and-wife criminals known as The Mime and The Marionette are freed from prison by…Rorschach. Or rather, since Rorschach died during Watchmen, someone proclaiming themselves as Rorschach. Because even though this Rorschach dresses and talks like Walter Kovacs, it’s clearly someone else. He promises them he’ll help them find their son, in exchange helping him and his partner find “God.” Considering this is the world of Watchmen, it’s pretty easy to guess who “God” is.
Meanwhile, over in the DC Universe, Clark Kent, better known as Superman, has a nightmare about the night his adoptive parents died. This troubles him because, as he explains to Lois Lane, he never has nightmares. Readers of Grant Morrison’s run on Actions Comics may remember this became part of Superman’s back story with The New 52. For this comic recounting here suggests Doctor Manhattan may have had in hand altering Superman’s past.
Credit: Gary Frank and Brad Anderson (DC Entertainment); from Doomsday Clock #1
This isn’t too surprising. If you’ve followed the comics since Rebirth, you already know Dr. Manhattan has altered time in the DC Universe. This includes removing a decade from everyone’s lives, and making their pasts more “grim and gritty.” Yes, this is DC’s way of explaining why their comics during the New 52 seemed liked the afterbirth of 1990’s Image comics. As a marketing campaign and apology to the fans, it’s brilliant. As a story, it sets up an intriguing mystery where our heroes are unknowingly up against a neat omnipotent adversary.
But as a sequel to Watchmen, Doomsday Clock #1 almost works. From an aesthetic standpoint, Johns, Frank and colorist Brad Anderson do a masterful job recreating the look and feel of the original graphic novel. The very first page deliberately evokes the first page of Watchmen, from the panel layouts, to the sequential narrative, to the new Rorschach’s monologue. Along with a scene of graphic violence, there’s no hiding four-letter curse words. There’s even media broadcasts in background proving much-needed exposition.
Likewise, the new characters, Mime and Marionette, feel like they’ve always belonged to this world. According to Johns, they’re inspired by the Charlton Comics characters, Punch and Jewelee, though there’s definite comparisons with The Joker and Harley Quinn. Regardless, they’re compelling editions, especially the always silent Mime. He both radiates unease and, as in the case with his imaginary weapons, provides this comic’s biggest laughs.
However, it’s the art which really captures the illusion that you’re reading Watchmen again. Each page uses a traditional seven-to-nine panel layout, with no full-page or double-page spreads. Likewise, there are highly effective usages of silent panels, another common technique Dave Gibbons did in the original story. Even if Frank didn’t copy Gibbon’s panel designs and style, though, his art would still be outstanding by every other measure. Everything, from characters to settings, look distinctive and realistic.
Credit: Gary Frank and Brad Anderson (DC Entertainment); from Doomsday Clock #1
Doomsday Clock isn’t the Great Awakening for comic books like Watchmen was thirty years ago. Nor is it trying to be. Instead…it pays homage to the past while attempting to unite the present….
What Doomsday Clock #1 doesn’t have is the original graphic novel’s moral complexity. Like Zack Synder’s 2009 film adaptation, the comic recreates the style of Watchmen without its subtext. Since Ozymandias, for example, was the antagonist in Watchmen, he already comes as a villain despite being a mission to save his world. What political commentary exists feels more contemporary despite the story taking place in 1992. Respectful and well-crafted it may be, there’s no getting around the sensation what you’re reading amounts to fan fiction.
Doomsday Clock isn’t the Great Awakening for comic books like Watchmen was thirty years ago. Nor is it trying to be. Instead, with its first of twelve issues, it pays homage to the past while attempting to unite the present–or the modern age DC comics, that is. In that respect, Doomsday Clock #1 is a definite strong and sturdy bridge.
Stillanerd’s Score: 4.5 out of 5
Next: Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Men II #4 review
Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpick (possible spoilers)
Credit: Gary Frank and Brad Anderson (DC Entertainment); from Doomsday Clock #1
“November 22, 1992. Or maybe it’s the 23rd….” Apparently, this date is significant as it’s a callback to “The Death of Superman” in Superman vol. 2 #75. At least that’s the UK publication date. In the United States and Canada, it was November 18th, 1992, four days earlier.
Ironic how Adrian framed Dr. Manhattan by saying he gave the people closet to him cancer…only to wind up having cancer himself, presumably from Dr. Manhattan.
Okay first, that doesn’t look anything like William F. Buckley Jr. Second, why would Buckley, a Republican, be working under a Democrat administration?
Here’s a bizarre idea–if the Mime does end up in the DC Universe, would that make his imaginary gun real?
Marionette, Rorschach II’s car doesn’t look like any shade of brown. At least not based off the coloring when we first see it.
I admit, I, too, thought Rorschach II’s partner would be Nite-Owl.
Next: 100 greatest superhero stories
What are your thoughts about Doomsday Clock #1? Do you think it works better as a Watchmen sequel, or as a DC Comics event? Who do you think is the new Rorschach? And which characters from the original graphic novel do you expect to turn up next?