If you were to ask any avid lover of comics which books the medium has produced are the most essential reads, odds are that their shortlist includes Watchmen. Since its original publication in the mid-1980’s, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ undisputed classic has earned the respect of both diehards and mainstream critics. Not only that, but it’s been adapted to a major motion picture and will soon be the subject of a new television series to be aired on HBO.
Still, the comic book realm hasn’t been bereft of the reinterpreted Charlton characters since the era of Reaganomics. A few years back, DC published a line of Before Watchmen prequel miniseries and, soon enough, worlds will collide in the pages of Doomsday Clock.
Now, we all know that a showdown between Superman and Doctor Manhattan is imminent, but we can’t help but think a few other Watchmen characters will make appearances in Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s 12-issue series. Naturally, our minds would conjure the likes of Nite Owl or Ozymandias, but was anybody really expecting to see Rorschach?
Well, we’re now able to confirm that everyone’s favorite conspiracy theorist will indeed make his return within the pages of Doomsday Clock #1 (check out the gallery above for the big reveal). In addition to that, we’ve learned we’ll be picking things up in the Watchmen universe circa 1992. Now, Ozymandias’ plot has been revealed to the public thanks to Walter Kovacs’ journal, he’s the most wanted man alive, and the world is on the brink of nuclear war.
And while we’re going to have to wait to find out exactly how Rorschach is still among the living, it’s important that we not forget he died at the hand of Doctor Manhattan, who’s capable of transmuting and reassembling matter. Thus, the omnipotent nudist could’ve reconstituted him shortly thereafter. Hey, it’s one possibility to consider.
On that note, Johns had this to tease at New York Comic Con:
“Ultimately, we’ll begin the story and Rorschach needs to find Doctor Manhattan, and he’s in a very familiar place if you’re a DC fan.”
Doomsday Clock #1 is slated to be released on Tuesday, November 21 at 11:57 pm in select comic book stores, and November 22 everywhere else.