Geoff Johns to write new Watchmen comics in 2017?

[JackDaw]

The only way I could see it working is if Manhattan's boredom and unique perspective play into it somehow. Manhattan has a distinct personality that most DC reality warpers don't have.

I will admit the idea of Superman having a conversation with Manhattan with the fate of the DCU at stake sounds at least mildly interesting.

Dr Manhattan was not bored at end of Watchmen...it was largely his renewed wonder in life that led to his return from Mars, and indeed it was his concern that he was harming others...not boredom...that led to his exile.

If you write him as he was portrayed in Watchmen it's hard to imagine any one less likely to be a villain or play god by stealing ten years from others. None of that...of course...will matter if he needs to be written as a villain. It's brand recognition that's more important here that writing in character.

[colonyofcells]

Maybe Superman wants to kill Dr Manhattan for getting rid of the underwear on the outside that started with New 52.

[Ascended]

I just don't see what more you can do with the watchmen characters aside from Manhattan, who could work as an antagonist in a crisis type event.

I think the only Watchmen character who could offer something truly new to the DCU is the Comedian. He'd basically be their first real anti-hero; a vile, disgusting bastard who happens to target villains. Sort of like the Punisher but without the redeemable qualities. Other "anti-hero" type characters like Red Hood are really just regular superheroes who happen to use lethal force when they need to. They might be slightly bigger assholes than the standard DC hero (depending). That's it. The Comedian would be something the DCU hasnt seen yet and he'd be hunted by the heroes as much as the villains, not invited (back) to the Batcave (like Jason).

Manhattan might provide a new perspective, but in the end I dont think he'd be all that different from other cosmic entities that barely involve themselves in the affairs of mortals. His particular reasons might be unique but at the end of the day would he be all that different from, say, the Spectre? I dont think really so.

Other than that, the Watchmen dont really offer anything that Black Canary, the Question, and Blue Beetle dont.

Which is why DC should leave the Watchmen the hell alone and put some effort into the Charlton characters the Watchmen were inspired by.

[Incognito]

Well, Manhattan's name and 'feel' has already been hinted at several times since Rebirth, so I do think there is a much bigger chance of him appearing than any of the others, save for Ozymandrias. Anyways, I think you need to remember how far in advance writers actually have to work, probably more so with something like this. Johns has to write the (first draft of the) event, then go over it with editors and whatnot, rewrite and tweak. get approval and then send it off piece by piece to whoever has to draw it along with all the notes of what they want or expect to see on the page. That too has to go back and forth once or twice, perhaps a rewrite or two (often is) and then polish it all off with colors, inks and lettering. That said, I must admit it sounds early for him to begin now if Rebirth is still on a two year cycle.

I'm not a fan of what he's become and how people tend to treat his work... as in it's showered in stellar reviews and lots of positive comments, yet when I look into it, it's often no better than what everyone else is doing and often takes much greater liberties to make things do what Johns wants it to. Like say making Paradise Island exist in a kind of time bubble that let Grail and Myrna get off in Roman times while Grail was born at the exact same time as Diana who's still only 23 years old by her only admission, noone has ever mentioned this time-thing before or since.
I agree that it's his other duties over in TV and, sigh, movies thats taking him away from comics and honestly, I'd be fine if he stuck to doing one thing or the other, because based on how his JL just didn't seem to go anywhere (which is unusual for Johns), it's been clear to me he can't manage both parts without sacrificing quality.

Like I said elsewhere, I rather wouldn't have the Watchmen characters in the DCU. Not just because they are already here in their original guises and you might as well just use them instead... most of them could really use the aid anyways. But also because in doing so you miss out what made some of these characters great to begin with... like Manhattan, he's great and godlike in the Watchmen world because he is the only actual superhuman while everyone else is basically a nut in a costume.
Regardless for this Rebirth event, I would prefer someone who is also writing one of the main books that's tying into it... like Johns was writing the main GL book and leading into Blackest Night and Morrison writing Batman while leading everyone into Final Crisis... so right now it might be Dan A from Titans, James T from 'Tec who might be the most suitable. But I would also be open to Steve Orlando or Scott Snyder taking a crack at a big event, also because I think DC just needs someone else than Geoff Johns to write these things.

You are right about the rebirth of bring the Watchmen early. I think its going to be either Ozymandis, Rosarch or The Comedian who might appear first in the Rebirth Universe, most likely Dr. Manhattan is going to be saved last. I sometimes thought that Paradise Island has its own rules of time or in a quasi-pocket dimension (where it exist on earth but invisible and intangible) but it is magic so there is no scientifc reason for a time-bubble. Maybe DC/WB should get someone who works in film and knows the DC universe while Geoff can focus with his comics or Geoff does the film and TV duties and someone that he trusts should do DC Rebirth. I think Geoff Johns is a good writer, and hopefully he does the new Watchmen tie-in great without being interfere with his other duties (most likely will).

True, Watchmen are different compare to the DCU and I think they are best to be used in a limit and not go too far out with them. Had it not been Geoff Johns, I would like to see the ones you mentioned to do DC Rebirth: Scott Snyder, Steve Orlando, Grant Morrison, Dan Abnett or James T maybe Peter J Tomasi as well because they are the one who are connecting some stuff to Rebirth.

[Frontier]

It will be interesting at end of event whether story is really dependent on specifically using this character, as opposed to half a dozen other existing DC ultra powerful characters.

My own cynical (or realistic?) thought is that it will turn out that the story would be be practically identical if the Anti-monitor or some such had been used.

From what Johns has said, whatever kind of confrontation the heroes have with Dr. Manhattan will be different from the typical kind of confrontation they would have with the Anti-Monitor or a cosmic villain.

[WhipWhirlwind]

Dr Manhattan was not bored at end of Watchmen...it was largely his renewed wonder in life that led to his return from Mars, and indeed it was his concern that he was harming others...not boredom...that led to his exile.

If you write him as he was portrayed in Watchmen it's hard to imagine any one less likely to be a villain or play god by stealing ten years from others. None of that...of course...will matter if he needs to be written as a villain. It's brand recognition that's more important here that writing in character.

Yeah I reread it last night and realized my mistake, my bad. I dunno, just trying to think of someway for this to work, coming up empty.

I think the only Watchmen character who could offer something truly new to the DCU is the Comedian. He'd basically be their first real anti-hero; a vile, disgusting bastard who happens to target villains. Sort of like the Punisher but without the redeemable qualities. Other "anti-hero" type characters like Red Hood are really just regular superheroes who happen to use lethal force when they need to. They might be slightly bigger assholes than the standard DC hero (depending). That's it. The Comedian would be something the DCU hasnt seen yet and he'd be hunted by the heroes as much as the villains, not invited (back) to the Batcave (like Jason).

Manhattan might provide a new perspective, but in the end I dont think he'd be all that different from other cosmic entities that barely involve themselves in the affairs of mortals. His particular reasons might be unique but at the end of the day would he be all that different from, say, the Spectre? I dont think really so.

Other than that, the Watchmen dont really offer anything that Black Canary, the Question, and Blue Beetle dont.

Which is why DC should leave the Watchmen the hell alone and put some effort into the Charlton characters the Watchmen were inspired by.

Yeah, its going to be funny to see BB and the question continue to be ignored in favor of the watchmen versions.


EDIT: And @Outside_85, I couldn't agree more that its time for a change. Geoff Johns should not be DC's big event writer at this point. I'd happily take Orlando or Snyder.

[Anthony Shaw]

I will admit the idea of Superman having a conversation with Manhattan with the fate of the DCU at stake sounds at least mildly interesting.

I'm in if Grant wrote that.

[WhipWhirlwind]

I'm in if Grant wrote that.

Yeah this is really what I want, ideally in some one off elseworlds or multiversity tale.

[Jabare]

does anyone actually want this?

[bossofbam]

I'm definitely in on this storyline (whatever it is). I look at this the same way I look at Star Trek. I, like many, were originally in a silly tizzy over the new Star Trek movies - only Shatner is Kirk, only Nimoy is Spock, etc. Then, also like many, I realized that the original series is one thing and the new movies are another. Despite what I initially thought, one didn't affect my enjoyment of the other. Watchmen is always going to be Watchmen - 12 issues and fantastic. What we'll see in the coming years will be the same characters, but also something else. The original characters I loved finished their story in Watchmen 12. The stories Geoff Johns will write may be great or may suck. But I'll judge those separate from the originals. I think you can like (or hate) either based on their own merits.

[Atomic Man]

The only way I could see it working is if Manhattan's boredom and unique perspective play into it somehow. Manhattan has a distinct personality that most DC reality warpers don't have.

I will admit the idea of Superman having a conversation with Manhattan with the fate of the DCU at stake sounds at least mildly interesting.

Just mildly? I'd love to see Morrison's All-Star Superman face Manhattan. There's no greater reason he'd leave the sun than to face such a threat.

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[colonyofcells]

I am not sure if Dr Manhattan is just bored and just needs somebody to talk to about maybe the earth shaking subject of black underwear vs red underwear vs no underwear.

[KingsLeadHat]

Moore needed DC in the 80's in terms of exposure, sure, but DC has benefited from their association FAR more than Moore ever did or will. I'm sure Moore was optimistic in his younger days and felt that with what he and Miller were doing at DC, that mainstream comics were moving forward and progressing artistically. This didn't happen. It's a gamble when you make something that turns out to be a great work of art for a soulless corporation like DC/WB that have spent the vast majority of their publication history churning out mindless drek. You can't be surprised when they paint themselves into a corner and have to start exploiting their few legitimate artistically significant properties.