Superman in Doomsday Clock

[Soubhagya]

I don't like this 'Watchmen sequel'. The ending was perfect. It should not have been touched. I was hoping that the Watchmen characters did not have the experiences of that book. They would be like new characters with no connections to the events of that book.

It sounds very interesting. So i won't judge it before hand. But it makes me anxious. This is one of the biggest Superman books in years. It has Superman meeting Watchmen. If it turns out bad it will be a letdown.

Speaking of Superman, i am having concerns. There are two worlds, and so many characters. For all of Johns' talk of Superman being the story i am worried.

Yes Embryonic Superman, that date can't be just a coincidence. Gary and Geoff are putting a lot of thought in the story. They are not simply copying the nine panel grid. I was looking at Superman sleeping with Lois in one panel. One fan pointed out that the panel resembles a Watchmen panel in very subtle ways. It may mean something.

They better give a good story as they say. Continuity correction shall play a very small role as Johns said. A good story with Superman can really be a shot in the arm of Superman. He is occupying very small piece in public mindspace. Even in a conference/interaction on a book which is supposed to be his story.


Let me have a guess. I have not read 'The Death of Superman' as well as the later stories upto his return. But i have heard a lot about his funeral. I have read that in that story all the heroes assembled from around the world. This must have been a highly publicized event. In a way this shows the legend of Superman. Of how Superman is the beacon to the world. Such an event can attract the attention of Dr. Manhattan.

[Miles To Go]

I liked that Geoff threw some shade at Nazi Captain America

[Soubhagya]

I am looking at the panels from the website.

Ozymandis' lie was exposed. Thanks to Rorschach's journal. So, he is wanted for his crimes. What if he has escaped to DC Universe? Smartest guy developed a device by which he escaped to DCU earth. Second book's cover hints him meeting Lex Luthor.

He needs to escape. But what if he had a plan? He could have observed DCU for some time. That tumor can be of someone else not necessarily his. He was giving that to others. He might have given it to somebody in DCU. He might be going back and forth between both universes. All speculations at the moment.

[Korath]

So it really does look like a Watchmen sequel. Which is the one thing I said I would be against more than anything. But this actually looks really good. I'm guessing it was meant to be relevant. By the sound of it, basically America becomes a fascist state. With DC characters in the Watchmen universe, I wonder if we find out that Dr. Manhattan actually created what we know of as the DCU. Which would explain the constant reboots. He gets bored and decides to start again periodically. Did he bring Rorschach back to life or did someone else take up the mantle in honor of him? Sort of like V. I'm sure Alan Moore is none too pleased with any of this. Which is my biggest hang up. He has legitimate grievances.

What if Ozymandias was this Rorschach ? It would be a most excellent disguise for him. No one would assume that he could be this demented vigilante, and since Rorschach disguised his height and all, any physical difference could be seen as normal by peoples.

[GreatKungLao]

I'm so glad that someone mentioned the fact that DC Comics are actual comic books in The Watchmen and Geoff replying that it will be talked about in Doomsday Clock.

[Miles To Go]

I'm so glad that someone mentioned the fact that DC Comics are actual comic books in The Watchmen and Geoff replying that it will be talked about in Doomsday Clock.

"Three typical average kids, love to read their comic strips, wishing someday they could be DC Superfriends"

[superduperman]

I'd like to know Moore's reaction to this.

I think he has some legitimate grievances. He was promised certain things and there is a good argument DC has tried to wiggle out of them. I'm also on the fence about getting this due to my own ethical quandaries about both the way he was treated and just my personal aversion to the idea of a Watchmen sequel. It looks really good and I'd hate to miss out. But I'm also torn about my own ethical boundaries. Like Frank Miller, I think Moore has become a crotchety old man of late and probably couldn't repeat his eighties success. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he left DC, and mainstream comics, over legit concerns.

[superduperman]

Yeah, that was startling in how well written it was. Don't get me wrong. I like a lot of what Johns has done over the years, but he's a guy whose ambitions sometimes get the best of him. This though? It was chilling in how of-the-moment it felt. I felt existential dread reading these pages, and I didn't fully expect that from this event.

I've never been one to view the Watchmen characters as complete sacred cows, and I think this whole idea is so gonzo that it might just work in a way that Before Watchmen didn't. That it ties into Superman during that character's current renaissance and my renewed fandom for his world only sweetens this for me. So with that being said, did anyone notice how these six pages take place on November 22, 1992? Aside from November 22nd being the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, it was also a few days after the release of Superman #75. So, taking this at face value, the Watchmen world was descending into a fascist apocalypse shortly after Superman died in real time. I have to wonder what the correlation is there, what the link is between the DCU and the Watchmen world, and how Superman and Manhatten are linked. It definitely gives an added potent meaning to "Doomsday Clock".

Part of my apprehension about a Watchman sequel stems from the fear they'd screw it up. This doesn't appear to go down that road and I'd like to think that Johns did his homework before sitting down to write this. I have my issues with Johns. He's hit or miss with me. But this looks like one of his hits. I am in the camp that thinks he has too much control over the DCU. Like I said I kind of wonder if this ties into the idea that DM created the DCU as we know it and his treatment of it, and Superman in particular, isn't a reflection of what was going on in his universe at that time.

[Sacred Knight]

My growing disappointment has nothing to do with treading new ground on Watchmen, (I barely care about the property to be perfectly honest) rather that I went into this expecting based on earlier testimony a Superman tale, with Dr. Manhattan and some Watchmen mysteries involved. Now its Watchmen II which happens to have Superman in it. Not what I was led to believe it was.

[Superlad93]

Reads like proficient Watchmen fan-fic, still strange to see things progress, but f#%k if I wasn't compelled while reading the preview! I'm not someone who'll call blasphemy on direct Watchmen squeals or whatever, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't strange reading it at first, but that quickly wears off as you become a little less uptight about it, and just read it for what it is. And what it is appears to be 'How The Influence Of The Funny Book Character Superman Saved Watchmen....In Some Way."

For all the complaints I hear and have had about Johns having tunnel vision with Superman, it seems like this may be where he breaks that streak. Are some very promising set ups here. Framing it as a direct continuation to Watchmen may have been pretty clever if he threads the needle the way I'm guessing he will. Also, Frank's art is amazing. It's a perfect imitation of Dave Gibbons' without doing away with his own. It's a subtle shift outside of the layout, but it really helps. REALLY hope he applies the same style to the Superman/DCU stuff.

And honestly, not all that broken up about my 'Lex cancer' idea not being correct.

[SiegePerilous02]

The writing quality of this already seems better than anything Johns has written in the last few years. It's still nowhere near Moore's level, but that's not surprising. But so far, it looks very good. Maybe taking a break from writing so many titles at once has rejuvenated Geoff a bit?

My growing disappointment has nothing to do with treading new ground on Watchmen, (I barely care about the property to be perfectly honest) rather that I went into this expecting based on earlier testimony a Superman tale, with Dr. Manhattan and some Watchmen mysteries involved. Now its Watchmen II which happens to have Superman in it. Not what I was led to believe it was.

I think it's a little too early to declare this as not a Superman story, or one where he still comes out looking like the lead protagonist. This is only what, six pages? We've had several comics where the title character/lead doesn't appear until half way through the issue or even later. Wonder Woman #31 springs to mind as the most recent example.

Not that you're wrong to worry, because there is precedent for DC screwing over Superman. I'm a little worried too. But the tease at the end of the Button did prominently feature his logo, and he's the main focus on the lead cover. At the very least, he still seems poised to be the DCU hero who gets the most focus.

[Sacred Knight]

I fully admit I'm just more irritated right now at the lack of play Superman gets at these conventions. That annoyance could easily be spilling over and coloring my already existing concerns about the actually story, which indeed would not really be fair. But I'm only human, heh.

[SiegePerilous02]

I fully admit I'm just more irritated right now at the lack of play Superman gets at these conventions. That annoyance could easily be spilling over and coloring my already existing concerns about the actually story, which indeed would not really be fair. But I'm only human, heh.

That is a little worrying. With the heavy focus on Lex though and Johns's earlier statement of "Superman is the story," I'm still hopeful about this.

But no other Superman-related things being on the rise is very annoying, including no definitive talks about a MOS sequel that I'm aware of, so this is pretty much all we got.

[TruthAndJustice]

What if Ozymandias was this Rorschach ? It would be a most excellent disguise for him. No one would assume that he could be this demented vigilante, and since Rorschach disguised his height and all, any physical difference could be seen as normal by peoples.

My guess is that this is precisely what Johns has written. I certainly hope so. Then again, I've been wrong before. I didn't think Mr. Oz was Jor-El. I thought Jor-El was a prisoner of Mr. Oz.

[sakuyamons]

I liked that Geoff threw some shade at Nazi Captain America

Best part of it imo.