Before Watchmen

[Javi Trujillo]

I think a sequel would do more harm than a prequel, but then I look at Dark Knight strikes Again and All Star Batman and Robin and it could go either way. Saying that these characters shouldn't be used ever again seems ridiculous to me, tho. for starters, the more I read the original or watch the movie, the more I want to see more of the characters. Superhero comics are so serialized it feels odd that I can't read more of their adventures. Also, saying that Watchmen was so good we can't see the characters again is kinda like saying The Dark Knight was so good, we can't have any Batman stories after this. Actually, that should be said, with the addendum that Frank Miller should never be involved in them post Year One. Fair game for everyone else! Create away!

[Dexter Fletcher]

Never mind "Watchmen", let's get these guys to write a prequel to Lost Girls

SHY FELLAS?

[DarkKnightJared]

Never mind "Watchmen", let's get these guys to write a prequel to Lost Girls

SHY FELLAS?

Prequel? Dude, they were ALREADY under-age!

[CrazyChris]

The writers have successfully convinced me that Alan Moore is a big hypocrite about this. First of all, the Watchmen characters are barely original creations to begin with. Second, EVERY writer who makes new characters for DC knows that they are creating corporate-owned characters that are expected to have a long legacy spanning multiple creative runs. Third, Moore himself has no problem using corporate-owned characters and public domain characters made by other people.

[DarkKnightJared]

I think, in terms of the ethics of it, this tweet says it best:

[CrazyChris]

Hahahaha!

[Berserkfury819]

The writers have successfully convinced me that Alan Moore is a big hypocrite about this. First of all, the Watchmen characters are barely original creations to begin with. Second, EVERY writer who makes new characters for DC knows that they are creating corporate-owned characters that are expected to have a long legacy spanning multiple creative runs. Third, Moore himself has no problem using corporate-owned characters and public domain characters made by other people.

Oh Alan Moore's definately being a hypocrite here. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen uses classic literary characters, and has one rape another to death, and Lost Girls is pornography using children's literature characters. Furthermore. Moore and Gibbons knew what they were doing when they signed the contract for Watchmen. Moore thought he was pulling a fast one on DC because the rights would revert back to him when it was out of print for a set period of time. However Watchmen became such a smash success that its never been out of print. So Moore has no room to bitch about "getting screwed over by DC." Because thats blatantly false.

But wait Berserk, didn't you just call this a "stupid fucking idea" one page ago? Yes I did, allow me to explain. I am not angry over this, nor do I feel that Alan Moore is somehow being wronged here. The reason I don't want to see anymore Watchmen is that, in my opinion, Watchmen is such a perfect stand alone story that I have absolutely no interest in a prequel/sequel/midquel/reboot/etc... Thats it, and thats why I have no intention of reading these prequels. Its not out of some "fanboy rage" or a belief that Alan Moore is being fucked with. I just have no interest in this.

Lastly, while there is a lot of great talent on this, there is one person whose involvement gurantees my absence. I love the character of Rorshach and have no desire to see him (or anyone, Watchmen or not) written by Brian "If my HBO was out I'd have nothing to write" Azarello. I honestly think he is one of the weakest (and thats being polite) writers in comics today.

[Donomark]

Lastly, while there is a lot of great talent on this, there is one person whose involvement gurantees my absence. I love the character of Rorshach and have no desire to see him (or anyone, Watchmen or not) written by Brian "If my HBO was out I'd have nothing to write" Azarello. I honestly think he is one of the weakest (and thats being polite) writers in comics today.

I don't get that personally. One dude, ONE person for real keeps you from buying a series of books with many other creators? I really don't understand that mindset. Oh well...

Darwyn Cooke, JMS, Adam Hughes and Amanda Conner have all piqued my interest in checking their books out. I'm not happy about this whole thing, nor am I surprised or offended. Ideally, Watchmen would've been better off left alone, but DC wants money so there ya go.

[CrazyChris]

If I do buy any of these (and chances are I won't, but you never know), then I'll just skip whatever Brian A. is writing. Other than Jeph Loeb I do not know of another writer with a worse success to sucking ratio.

[Berserkfury819]

Lastly, while there is a lot of great talent on this, there is one person whose involvement gurantees my absence. I love the character of Rorshach and have no desire to see him (or anyone, Watchmen or not) written by Brian "If my HBO was out I'd have nothing to write" Azarello. I honestly think he is one of the weakest (and thats being polite) writers in comics today.

I don't get that personally. One dude, ONE person for real keeps you from buying a series of books with many other creators? I really don't understand that mindset. Oh well...

Darwyn Cooke, JMS, Adam Hughes and Amanda Conner have all piqued my interest in checking their books out. I'm not happy about this whole thing, nor am I surprised or offended. Ideally, Watchmen would've been better off left alone, but DC wants money so there ya go.

No, he's ONE reason why I'm not picking it up. As I said, I have no interest in more Watchmen because I feel its unncecesarry. I'm with you Don, I think Watchmen should just be left alone. However, if you want another reason, each of these books is going to be $3.99. Which means this whole thing is going to cost around $139. Thats a lot of money. And while us comic book nerds do spend a lot of money on comics and other merchandise, I'm trying to cut back this year. I'm about to drop Rucka's Punisher and once Thor: The Deviant Saga is finished I'm done with mini series. I'm also attempting to cut back significantly on trades this year.

Chris: I can name someone. Chuck Austen.

[CrazyChris]

I've never read anything by Chuck Austen. At least I don't think I have. So far I've read 75 issues of Azzarello's 100 Bullets and I keep subjecting myself to it because it feels weird to me to not finish a series when I already have ten trades on my shelf. It's sick, I know, but it's so painful that I feel like I'm burning off bad karma somehow by reading it. I do not know why this series gets so many recommendations. It's boring, confusing, pointless and misogynistic. Once I've finally put that piece of shit behind me I am ebaying the whole collection and Brian A. is never getting another cent from me to fund his incompetence. He's seriously on the really short list of comic writers that make me angry when I just think about them.

[Berserkfury819]

I've never read anything by Chuck Austen. At least I don't think I have. So far I've read 75 issues of Azzarello's 100 Bullets and I keep subjecting myself to it because it feels weird to me to not finish a series when I already have ten trades on my shelf. It's sick, I know, but it's so painful that I feel like I'm burning off bad karma somehow by reading it. I do not know why this series gets so many recommendations. It's boring, confusing, pointless and misogynistic. Once I've finally put that piece of shit behind me I am ebaying the whole collection and Brian A. is never getting another cent from me to fund his incompetence. He's seriously on the really short list of comic writers that make me angry when I just think about them.

As he should be.

I'd add "borderline racist" to your list. Every black character acts in a stereotypical manner and talks like a thug, peppering their dialogue with "knowhumsayin?" and gratuitous use of the n word. Every. Single. One. I am not exagerating.

[CrazyChris]

You're right. I think in his head he's being "authentic" like The Wire, or a Spike Lee movie, or something. But since it's in the context of a ridiculous Da Vinci Code meets Manchurian Candidate meets The Sopranos plot, and he clearly doesn't really want to address real social issues outside of his own faux-noir fantasy land, it is just careless and racist. Jeez, Berserk, now you're making me embarrassed to own this crap. I feel like I have a closet full of blackface videos.

[DarkKnightJared]

I've never read anything by Chuck Austen. At least I don't think I have. So far I've read 75 issues of Azzarello's 100 Bullets and I keep subjecting myself to it because it feels weird to me to not finish a series when I already have ten trades on my shelf. It's sick, I know, but it's so painful that I feel like I'm burning off bad karma somehow by reading it. I do not know why this series gets so many recommendations. It's boring, confusing, pointless and misogynistic. Once I've finally put that piece of shit behind me I am ebaying the whole collection and Brian A. is never getting another cent from me to fund his incompetence. He's seriously on the really short list of comic writers that make me angry when I just think about them.

As he should be.

I'd add "borderline racist" to your list. Every black character acts in a stereotypical manner and talks like a thug, peppering their dialogue with "knowhumsayin?" and gratuitous use of the n word. Every. Single. One. I am not exagerating.

Off the top of my head, I can think of Crispus Allen in Broken City and Ebony White in First Wave.

[CrazyChris]

I think he was just talking about the black characters in 100 Bullets. I doubt DC would let Brian have DC's non-Vertigo characters spew N-bombs. Give them a couple more years, though.