Tag: Before Watchmen

Geekscape Comics: ANOTHER ‘Before Watchmen’ Series Is On Its Way

by Shawn Madden

Earlier today at the Fan Expo in Toronto, DC Comics announced that this November and December will see the release of Before Watchmen: Moloch #1 and #2. Yes, you read that one right, this time around one of the villains is getting his own prequel. The series will be brought to us by the legendary writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Eduardo Risso. JMS talked to Comic Book Resources more about his plans for the series and why exactly he believes that Moloch deserves his own prequel. Check out a few highlights below as well as a preview of Eduardo Risso’s artwork from the series.

Regarding how this series came about:

In our early conversations, Dan [DiDio] indicated that he really wanted to explore Moloch because he’s central to the mythology of the original “Watchmen,” even though only see him at the end of his life, and the rest is just a few facts and dates tossed around in text or dialogue. He would’ve liked to have included this from the git-go, but felt that everybody was maxed out on what was already on our plates. Fortunately, I got my scripts finished, done and in before anybody else, and long before they were due, so when I was done Dan asked if I’d be willing, and of course I said yes.


On why he felt this character deserved his own prequel:

If you step back and just look at his story, it’s a real tragedy, in a way the most tragic of all of the characters. He started out in great difficulty, turned to crime, was sent to prison repeatedly, found religion, converted to Catholicism, and came out of prison determined to lead a changed life. It was a new beginning, a fresh start…and what happens? He falls prey to Ozymandias’ plans and becomes one of the first sacrificial lambs to that slaughter. How is that not a compelling story worth telling? Most of what we know from the material in the first book is expressed in narrative, in bits and pieces in “Under the Hood” and elsewhere — we don’t actually see any of it, and thus we don’t understand the why of the what. Yes, we know he went through all these changes, but what prompted it? How did it happen and what did it mean? I wanted to give his history the same serious treatment we were giving to all the heroic characters. A character is stretched too thin when you can’t tell any more good stories about them, and with the Watchmen characters, we’ve barely scratched the surface, even though I kinda doubt they’re going to go back to the well on this again too often or too soon.

Does this mean we can expect more Before Watchmen series coming our way? Quite possibly. Is this a good thing or bad thing? I’m not really sure. I’ve been pretty let down by these books minus Ozymandias and Rorschach’s outings, but it could go either way.

SDCC Panel Roundup: Star Trek: The Next Generation, DC All Access, & Batman’s Biggest Secret

by Eric Diaz

Some people love coming to the San Diego Comic Con for the cosplay, the shopping, and just the sideshow carnival aspect of it all. While I love all of those things too, I’m really a panel whore here. I love getting to sit and hear behind the scenes stuff on comics and movies and television shows more than anything else at the con. So here’s my run down on all the best panels, or at least the best panels I actually made it into, starting with Thursday, Day One.

Before and After: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Journey into High Definition

The first panel I hit on Day One was Before and After: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Journey into High Definition. I am a pretty big Trek geek here, but I am the biggest Trek geek mostly for Star Trek: The Next Generation, or just TNG from now on for brevity’s sake. TNG premiered right when I turned thirteen years old, and went off the air right when I was about to turn twenty, so my entire formative teenage years were spent with Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D. While the original series got a brilliant high definition upgrade a few years back, the common thinking was that TNG would never receive a similar upgrade. The reason being for this is that like most shows from the 80’s and 90’s, TNG was shot on 35mm film, but was edited on low grade video tape. That is why when you watch TNG on DVD or Netflix, it kind of looks like ass today. It just doesn’t hold up at all to modern standards.

Well, that is all about to change. CBS Home Video has done an unprecedented (and very costly and expensive) thing here, and is re-editing all seven seasons from the original camera negatives, and recompositing the effects using all the original elements they can find. CGI is being used only very sparingly, and only when an original element is lost. As shown at this before and after presentation, the results are jaw dropping. Watching some of the before and after videos shown at the panel really made you realize the time and care that the production design team put in when creating the original sets and costumes back in the day, as they bothered to put in small details that no one could ever have noticed when this was all in crappy standard definition.

Spearheading this whole restoration are Mike and Denise Okuda, who have been involved with the Star Trek franchise since TNG premiered twenty five years ago (all the digital displays on TNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise are referred to as “Okudagrams”) As they were there from the beginning, no one is better suited for this task that the Okudas, and from what they showed, what they’ve done is nothing short of amazing. The restoration project’s film transfer technician, Wade Felker, went through endless cans of film negative to make sure that what was re-assembled matched what was aired over two decades ago. The episodes are all finished at a resolution of 1080i now. And no, the framing for this project is still old school 4×3, not 16×9. So get used to those black bars on the sides kids, because that is how the show was shot, and the intent here is to preserve that look.

Aside from the upgrade, the series is getting a host of all new special features, including a cast reunion moderated by Free Enterprise director Robert Meyer Burnett (who moderated the panel as well) He’s gone out of his way to get new interviews with all the key players, and judging from what was shown, this was more candid and fun than most of the fluffy EPK stuff found on the old DVD sets from around a decade or so back. Burnett even got an interview with the man who turned down the role of Jean Luc Picard. Possibly the most fun is the discovery of the original camera tests for the wardrobe etc, like the one for Geordi LaForge below. Someone let their Soul Glo for sure.

Original costume test for the character of Geordi La Forge. Thank God they went another route and got rid of the “Soul Glo” hair and Prince mustache.

Star Trek: The Next Generation arrives on Blu Ray on July 24th, and this panel served to whet my appetite even more. Job well done.

DC Entertainment-All Access: DC NOW!

The next panel was DC Entertainment-All Access: DC NOW! While the panel hosted several creators from DC’s New 52 initiative, the clear stars of the show were DC CCO Geoff Johns and Batman and Swamp Thing writer Scott Snyder. Both of them talked very passionately about their forthcoming books, and they were clearly the fan favorites judging from the applause they received. Geoff Johns has three of the best selling DC books right now (Justice League, Green Lantern and Aquaman, believe it nor not) and he spoke briefly about what’s coming up for each title. With Justice League, Johns says says there are a lot of surprises coming up in issue #12, which features Aquaman calling the rest of the lineup out and telling them they have to behave a lot more like a team, and less like a group of loosely affiliated individuals. In year two the JL will be getting several new members, including Shazam, who until now has been featured only in back up stories in the main JL title. Johns is also re-introducing classic Wonder Woman villain the Cheetah in issue #13, which will lead into next summer’s Trinity War event.

DC’s untouchable two, Geoff Johns and Scott Snyder.

The topic then shifted to Green Lantern. Johns says that Earth’s as yet unnamed new Green Lantern carries a gun because he’s skeptical about the concept of rings running only on energy, and that the new “Third Army” is created by the Guardians of the Universe to eradicate free will in the cosmos. In the mind of Geoff Johns, the robotic Manhunters were the Gaurdians’s first attempt at a universal peace keeping force, but their lack of emotion was their downfall. So then they made the Green Lantern Corps, only to eventually find that emotion was as much a liability as a strength. So now they are making a third army, one to eradicate all free will, which they now see as the source of all suffering. In other words, the Gaurdians are now officially villains. Aquaman #0 was briefly talked about as well, and it will flashback to Arthur Curry’s first meeting with his Atlantean people.

Batman writer Scott Snyder was up next, and talked in depth about his upcoming arc Death of the Family, which he calls his definitive Joker story, his version of Arkham Asylum or Killing Joke. Snyder’s run on Batman has been the character’s most well received storyline in years, especially his just wrapped Court of Owls saga. As for the Joke, he was last seen briefly in last year’s Detective Comics #1, getting his face willingly sliced off, and then pretty much vanished. Now he’s coming back with a vengeance. As Snyder put it “Joker sees Batman as the King (of Gotham) and he has all these Knights/Squires. But Joker sees himself as the court jester to the King, it is his job to amuse him and inspire him. And he’s been ignored for a year and he’s not happy.”

This time, the Joker is coming for the whole Bat family, and not just for Bruce Wayne. Says Snyder “He came after Batgirl in The Killing Joke, but he was really going after Commissioner Gordon. So when Batgirl realizes that here, too, it’s almost like the Joker is staring at her saying -I’m coming after you this time. I’ll kill everyone and burn down everything in your life to do what I did to your father, but to you. So in that way, he’s saying that to every member of the Bat-family. To Nightwing and everyone, saying – You’ve never faced me before. I’ve never actually targeted you. I’ve only used you as pawns to get at Batman. So welcome to your worst nightmare.” Death of the Family will run through Batman #13-17, and have sort of crossovers (similar to the recent Night of the Owls) in Nightwing, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Teen Titans (for Tim Drake) Suicide Squad (for Harley Quinn) and the Jason Todd starring Red Hood and the Outlaws.

It wasn’t all Gotham talk from Snyder at this panel though, as Snyder thanks the fans for reading his Swamp Thing and Jeff Lemire’s Animal Man, which he called a labor of love for both writers. Both Swamp Thing and Animal Man have been the two biggest surprise hits of the new 52, and having been receiving great reviews all across the board. Snyder even briefly talked about his work on Vertigo’s American Vampire series. He talked about American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares, saying that it explores the history of vampire races in the American Vampire world

After the one two punch of two of DC’s biggest names came poor Rob Liefield, who not only is (arguably) the most hated creator in modern  comics, but had the tough act to follow both Johns and Snyder on a panel, who are the comic book equivalent of rock stars. He talked a bit about his three (yes three) DC books, Hawkman, Deathstroke and Grifter. I don’t remember any of it, because it all sounded so yawn inducing. Some guy sitting next to me at the panel said “wouldn’t it be funny if someone just ran up and punched him right now?” To which I agreed…yes, it would be funny. I’ve often wondered just what Liefield has on certain editors at DC and Marvel. Did he do a lot of blow and God knows what else with them in the 90’s, and he’s got it all recorded? How does this man keep getting books? We may never know.

Only slightly less hated in the comics world is writer Scott Lobdell, who DC has given the task of taking over Superman. Lobdell’s writing style is often like the worst part of the 90’s, so I don’t know why DC would entrust their flagship character to him. Although I will admit, unlike Liefield, Lobdell has his moments. He’s not all bad. Unlike Batman, Superman has not found much success in the new 52 (with the exception of Grant Morrisson’s Action Comics) Lobdell will take over the book with issue #13, where he said that readers will see “a lot of Superman and a lot of Clark at the same time. What we’re really going to examine is what it means to be the most powerful person on the whole planet, and yet you can’t actually ever behave in a way that you are that person. You’re hiding out among humanity.” He seemed enthusiastic, so I’m hoping for the best here, because Superman deserves the best.

Also on the panel were Jimmy Palmiotti and wife Amanda Conner, each talking about their respective DC books. Amanda’s art from Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre was shown, and so was art from Palmiotti’s All Star Western. Usually Western books die on the vine, but the connections to 19th century Gotham City have made this one something of an unofficial Batman book and a minor success. And finally. Flash writer Brian Buccellato says Flash #0 will explore who Barry Allen’s origin in the new 52, and how it differs from what we knew before. And according to Buccellato, “there is no Wally in this run at all, I’m sorry.” The crowd booed. Way to end on a down note there DC!

Batman’s Biggest Secret: The Bill Finger Story

Sometimes the best panels at SDCC aren’t the ones that get all the attention, they’re the ones that are in some smaller room at the ass end of the convention center, and you don’t ever have to wait in line to get in. Such was the case with the panel for Batman’s Biggest Secret: The Bill Finger Story. Now I imagine most of you reading this are well aware that Batman was created by artist Bob Kane, because it says so on every comic about Batman, as well as every television series and movie for seventy years. But it also has been known now for many years that Batman also had a co-creator, a man named Bill Finger. Based on five years of research for his new book Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, writer Marc Tyler Nobleman layed it all out for those attending this panel. He started by showing two pictures of Bill Finger, and said they were the only two pictures ever published of the man before his death in 1974. They were, in fact, the only two pics of the man I had ever seen, and I’m pretty well schooled in my comic book history.

The cover for Bill The Boy Wonder, which is illustrated by Batman Adventures artist Ty Templeton. Next to it is one of the very few pics of Bill Finger to ever make it in print before his death.

Bob Kane came up with the name Bat-Man to be sure, and the idea that he had no powers also came from him. But it was struggling writer Bill Finger who came up with the most of the elements that make Batman BATMAN. According to an old interview with Finger “Bob Kane had an idea for a character called ‘Batman’, and he’d like me to see the drawings. I went over to Kane’s, and he had drawn a character who looked very much like Superman with kind of … reddish tights, I believe, with boots … no gloves, no gauntlets … with a small domino mask, swinging on a rope. He had two stiff wings that were sticking out, looking like bat wings. And under it was a big sign … BATMAN.”

But it was Finger who gave Kane the idea of turning the stiff wings into a scalloped cape instead, who suggest the gray/black instead of red, and who changed the domino mask into a cowl. He even named the character Bruce Wayne, and gave him his brutal origin, named Gotham City, created (or at the very least co-created) the Batcave and Batmobile, not to mention characters like the Joker (co-created with Jerry Robinson) Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Two-Face. Even Kane admitted in his own autobiography “Batman and Me” that it was Bill Finger who turned Batman into more than just a vigilante, but also a detective in the Sherlock Holmes mold. And yet, mostly due to Kane’s father being a lawyer, Kane receieved sole credit as Batman’s creator, and Finger got nothing.

One of the only photos of Bill Finger known to circulate for decades, as well as a picture of what Bob Kane’s Bat-Man looked without input from Finger.

As Nobleman pointed out in this panel, DC Comics was not the main villain in this story, nor was it entirely Bob Kane either. In many ways, Bill Finger himself was the villain in his own story, as he never fought DC for credit as co-creator of Batman in his lifetime. No one knows why, although it is simply possible he didn’t want to lose his job as a writer. The first time any one publicly brought up the notion that someone other than Kane helped create Batman was in a fan newsletter in the 1960’s during the tv show’s heyday. Kane responded with “early sketches” of a Batman character from 1934, five years before Batman’s debut, to prove his point. Unfortunately, the sketches had Batman with a cape and cowl, which are things that Finger was publicly said to have contributed to the character and Kane even admitted to. Those pictures provided by Kane that were dated in very large letters as 1934 were in fact forgeries. This would not be the only time Bob Kane would do something like this; from the 40’s through the 60’s, Bob Kane has ghost artists on his Batman stories, and in fact when he started to sell paintings of Batman and related characters as “fine art,” even those were made by other artists. So Kane was hardly ever above lying through his teeth to keep his only claim to fame in life all his.

Bob Kane’s grave has no less than nine words to describe how awesome he was, and how he and Bruce Wayne were really one. Feel free to roll your eyes.

Finger died in anonymity of a heart attack in 1974 at the age of 59, found days later on his couch by a friend. His ashes were spread on a beach by his only son, in the shape of the Bat symbol (you could hear the audience in that room choke up at that point) When his son, who was gay, died of AIDS in 1990, it was thought that he was the end of the family line…but he was’t. Nobleman found that Finger’s son had a daughter, one he discovered on (of all places) MySpace. He knew he had the right person when he saw she had a dog named Bruce Wayne. He has convinced the daughter to fight not for money…but for her grandfather’s rightful place as the credited co-creator of Batman. And so the panel ended on that hopeful note that mabye one day soon the man will finally get his due after all.

And thus ends SDCC Day One…come back tomorrow for Day Two, where I’ll talk the Green Arrow pilot, Joss Whedon and a little bit of Breaking Bad.

Geekscape Comic Reviews: ‘Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1′

by Shawn Madden

This book is exactly what I have been wanting and waiting for from the ‘Before Watchmen’ books. Len Wein and Jae Lee did not disappoint here and this one truly excels above the others.

Let me start by saying Jae Lee’s artwork is phenomenal here. The way he shapes his panels much like they were in the original ‘Watchmen’ series using circles and rectangles really makes his art have this classic feel that was definitely needed in a book like this.

I love Len Wein’s pacing as well. The story doesn’t drag its feet but it also doesn’t rush through things too fast. Wein touches on elements of the characters history that are hardly new to us but expands upon them and adds new interesting pieces to them. The books tone makes it hard for you to feel sympathetic for Veidt at the end of it…but it somewhat feels like thats the point.

This book won’t be for everybody. That one is for sure. But I think that it is really well done and so far is my favorite of all of the ‘Before Watchmen’ issues that I have read so far. Do yourself a favor and check it out if not for Jae Lee’s art alone.

My rating: 4/5

Geekscape Comics: ‘Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1’ Review

by Shawn Madden

So far the ‘Before Watchmen’ books have been nothing exciting to me. And ‘Nite Owl’ was supposed to be the one that changed that…but sadly didn’t.

The book focuses on Daniel Dreiberg and how he became the second Nite Owl. And that’s where the problems begin. We don’t learn much about his past and while Straczynski does touch on his abusive father it feels rushed. Actually as a whole the book feels rushed in order to cram too much in. Being that this was an origin story you wouldn’t expect him to be suited up until MAYBE at the end but two thirds into the book he has already become the second Nite Owl and is teamed up with Rorschach. And there starts issue number two with me. Their relationship just seemed like a joke and there for laughs. Every situation in the story seems to span one or maybe two pages rather than actually fleshing anything out.

I really did enjoy Andy Kubert’s art even though he seemed to just recycle some scenes from the original Watchmen series without adding much to them. But the overall art is great and Joe Kubert’s inking really gives the book a classic feel that works well due to the 1960’s setting.

Overall while the art in the book is good…the story lacks. I wanted to like this book. I really did. It just feels like a rushed book and I can’t see why. It’s a four issue series and we are done with origin story two thirds into the first issue. Did I like it better than the other books? Sure. Is that saying much? No.

I’ll say pick up the issue if you’re on the fence about it and make your own opinion but if you have zero interest at all? Leave this one on the shelves. I’m really hoping Ozymandias and Rorschach aren’t going to leave me with this same unsatisfied feeling I have had so far with the rest of the titles.

Geekscape Comic Reviews: ‘Before Watchmen: Comedian #1’

by Scott Alminiana

Before Watchmen: Comedian is the third mini-series in the Before Watchmen line to be released and was a title that I wasn’t too interested in reading. Sure, it had the killer combo of Brian Azzarello writing with J.G. Jones on art, but the Comedian is just a character that I could give two shits about. Well I’m glad to report that my skepticism so far seems to have been for nothing. Issue one is the first one of these series that actually feels like a true companion piece to Watchmen.

This isn’t the same Comedian that we first met at the start of Watchmen, sure he’s still an arrogant son of a bitch and , but he actually seems like a man who believes in something. I don’t want to say what that ‘something’ is because it is an integral part of this first issue. Azzarello has crafted an entertaining story and while issue one is a good read it is just the tip of the iceberg and I’m sure it will only get better from here. I’m doing my best here to not give away any spoilers so I’ll keep the story recap short and oh so sweet. Issue one finds Eddie Blake in the 1960’s as he serves his country as a cape and it focuses on his close friendship with an old service buddy of his. By issues end we start to see the change in the Comedian that will eventually lead him to the man we all know and hate.

Brian Azzarello isn’t the only person who deserves praise for his on this issue. J.G. Jones delivers some truly great art here, but is that really a shocker? I’ve been a fan of his since I first read Wanted, but his delivering a book on schedule has been an issue in the past (Final Crisis *hint hint*) and that was my main concern when it was announced that he would be drawing this mini-series. The quality of his work was never in question and so far it still isn’t. Alex Sinclair does a great job coloring Jones’ art. He helps further establish the tone and feeling of the book, bathing characters in shadows when it’s called for, but never overdoing it. Sinclair compliments Jones nicely and both men help Azzarello deliver a book that’s far better than it possibly has any right to be. Who would have thought a mini-series about the Comedian could actually be worth a damn? Not this guy, that’s for damn sure.

Yes, I was very skeptical of this title when I picked it up, but after a solid first issue I am now looking forward to the next one. They have done a fine job of peaking my interest in this pseudo-origin tale of the Comedian. If the rest of the series is as good as this issue then I think we are all in for a treat. Check this book out, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Score: 4/5

Artist J.G. Jones even manages to make two characters talking look cool

Geekscape Comics Reviews: “Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1”

by Eric Diaz

Despite my love of female super heroes, the main super heroine character of Alan Moore’s classic Watchmen, the Silk Spectre, was always the least interesting character to me in that whole series. She is mostly defined by her relationships to lead male characters Dr. Manhattan and Nite Owl, as well as to her own mother, the original Silk Spectre. Aside from how she views herself in relation to these other people, we don’t know much more about Laurie Jupiter other than that in the context of the original story. Sadly, she also often comes across as a bit of a whiney harpy at times, and although she was realistic, she wasn’t usually endearing. So I will say this for Darwyn Cooke’s first issue of Before Watchmen: Silk  Spectre; he actually made me actually like Laurie Jupiter for the first time, and he and artist Amanda Conner gave us an overall fun and breezy first issue.

But there also lies the problem with this comic so far; this is part of Watchmen…should it even be breezy and light and fun? More or less enjoyable as it was, Silk Spectre took me all of maybe six minutes to read. With Watchmen, it took six minutes just to digest just a few pages.

The story here is set in 1966, and teenage Laurie Jupiter is being trained by her mother, the original heroine called the Silk Spectre from the forties, to take her place as  her successor. While this is something of a classic comic book trope (and highly reminiscent of Black Canary from the actual DC Universe, on whom Silk Spectre was more or less based on) it never really made sense in the word of Watchmen. To me, the central conceit of Watchmen was always “what if super heroes existed in the real world?” In the real world, people putting on costumes and fighting hoodlums in the streets would either be insane (Rorschach) total sociopaths (the Comedian, and I guess Ozymandias) or be struggling with some serious sexual issues (Nite Owl) Of all these various costumed vigilantes in the original story, the original Silk Spectre seemed among the most sane, more or less, although an attention seeker of the highest order.

So the idea that any sane mother would dress her non super powered teenage daughter up in fishnets and heels, then send her out in the streets to fight crime and probably get killed brutally was maybe the most “comic booky” and unbelievable thing in the original story. In the more whimsical worlds of Marvel and DC you give things like this a pass, but Watchmen was meant to reflect our brutal ugly world, one wear a pair of glasses could never hide anyone’s secret identity. But the whole concept of the mother making her daughter follow in her footsteps was so tangential to the main story of the original series, you just didn’t notice it or give it much thought at how crazy it was. But the first issue of Silk Spectre is ALL about this notion, so it ends up feeling more like a traditional super hero story found in any comic, and not one set in the grittier more realistic world of Watchmen.

In this first issue, Laurie spends her days and nights busting her ass to be a teenage hero and please her mother, to the point where she has no life of her own to speak of. While training one day after school, she meets a handsome, popular boy named Greg, who isn’t threatened by Laurie’s kick ass-ness at all, and in fact seems to be kinda turned on by it. This pisses off the local “Mean Girl” at school, a snotty, prissy bitch named Betty Kensington, who looks like Betty Draper from Mad Men and acts just like Cordelia Chase from Buffy. This new boy also annoys Laurie’s mom, who doesn’t want her daughter distracted by boys, and just wants her to train to be a super hero. And I guess this is my biggest problem with this story…we don’t really know why Sally Jupiter wants her daughter to be crime fighter so badly, as she retired from the costumed hero life early and saw it as a stepping stone to greater fame as an “actress/model.” The motivations for putting her daughter’s life at risk are never really explored. All we get out of her is that the she says the world is filled with killers and rapists, a rather clumsy way of referencing Sally Jupiter’s brutal rape attempt in the original Watchmen book.

After throwing a teenage “I don’t want your life!” tantrum, Laurie runs away from home with her new guy who professes his love for her. He’s dodging the draft (remember, this is the Vietnam era) and Laurie is looking to piss off her mom. So as the issue ends, they are off to San Francisco, in a hippy bus of all things. Of course, readers of the original series know that by at least the end of the sixties, Laurie is committed to the Silk Spectre persona and hooking up with Dr.Manhattan, so I guess the point of this series is just what happens between her and new boyfriend Greg in San Francisco that leads to Laurie making such a huge about face on living the costumed hero life. And while this first issue was by no means bad, I still don’t know if this is a story that was begging to be told.

I will say that the art by Amanda Conner is top notch here, but her overly bubbly and cartoony style feels out of place in the Watchmen universe. There are several cut aways to goofy, cutesy thought bubbles that Laurie has at various stages to describe her feelings, and the whole thing feels kind of off in the greater context of Watchmen. (although some are very funny) Also, the story is very PG-13 rated so far….heck, maybe just PG rated even. Aside from one lewd gesture made by Mean Girl Betty in one panel, this could be any DCU book about the exploits of a teen super hero and her overbearing mom. Hell, it could almost be a super hero book set in the Archie universe. Again, that doesn’t make it a bad comic, it just makes it feel like not a part of Watchmen. And while one might say this book shouldn’t be just like Alan Moore’s and Dave Gibbons’ original classic, it has to still feel like it is a part of that world….and so far, this doesn’t.

This whole Before Watchmen business is giving me bad memories of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. By the time Lucas and Spielberg got around to making the fourth Indy movie, twenty years had passed since The Last Crusade, and whole Indiana Jones trilogy had become this revered part of American cinema. Unless they had a really, really good to reason to go back to the well, they should have left well enough alone.  Crystal Skull turned out to not be a good enough reason to taint our memories of Indy, and so far it turns out that Before Watchmen isn’t much different. (and even then you could argue it was the original creators who chose to return to their creation in Indy’s case, not an argument one can make about Before Watchmen)  The original Watchmen has become THE seminal work of comic book super hero fiction. Any follow up with Watchmen in the title needed to be great, not just “good enough”, and so far Silk Spectre just seems good enough.

Geekscape Comics: First Look At ‘Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1’

by Scott Alminiana

Here’s a sneak peek at Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1, which hits stores tomorrow. It’s written by Darwyn Cooke with art by Amanda Conner. Hopefully it’s less boring than Before Watchmen: Minutemen. Are you looking forward to it? Let us know what you think.

Geekscape Comics Reviews: “Before Watchmen: Minutemen”

by Scott Alminiana

This week sees  DC’s controversial return to the world of Watchmen with Before Watchmen: Minutemen. This six-issue series is written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, the man behind the fantastic mini-series DC: The New Frontier as well as the man responsible for bringing The Spirit into the mainstream DC universe. I love both of those aforementioned books and thus was looking forward to see Cooke’s take on the Minutemen. To say that I was let down is an understatement. So, what went wrong? Lemme break it down for you…

Let me just start by saying that Darwyn Cooke’s artwork is not the problem in this issue, in fact it is actually the issue’s saving grace. His artwork is uniquely his own and whenever you see a Darwyn Cooke page you know it’s one of his. His style fits the book perfectly. With the issue mainly set in 1939, the art fits the time setting nicely and still gives it a timely feeling. No, the art is not the problem at all. Well, then what is already?

The story is the big problem with the premiere issue. Why is it such a problem? Well, it’s because it’s boring. Issue one follows original Nite Owl, Hollis Mason, as he recalls the history of the first masks and what brought them together to form the Minutemen. The premise sounds interesting but the execution is not at all. Each member is given a few pages that shows their start in the world of the masks but the problem is that we aren’t really introduced to the characters, they are shown to us. We never truly get a chance to know who these characters are before we move on to the next character and soon forget ever meeting the previous character. I felt no connection to any of them and by issue’s end could care less about not only why they want to be heroes but also why they’d want to form a team. This is only a six-issue series so a slow burn story is not the way to go. Especially with this being the flag-ship book of the Before Watchmen prequels.

No, I didn’t hate this book, but I did expect a lot more. This was the Before Watchmen book that I was looking forward to the most and now I feel slightly cheated and very let down. Will I read issue two? Yeah, but I’m not looking forward to it. Should you read issue one? I say, save your money and go pick up DC: The New Frontier trade instead.

Sit back and watch the minutes slowly tick away

E3 2012 Continues! The “Geekscapepod” For June 6th, 2012!

by Jonathan

E3 2012 continues! Sony’s press conference snoozes! The Nintendo WiiU innovates! The return of the Pikmin! Is Star Wars 1313 the Star Wars we’ve wanted for so long? New trailers for Django Unchained and Wreck-It Ralph! New directors for Captain America 2! Is a Justice League movie coming soon? First Class 2 and Black Panther movie rumors and goodbye Mr. Ray Bradbury!

Find it on iTunes

And check out my very limited E3 photo gallery!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:56 — 20.2MB)

Geekscape Comics: The First Five Pages Of ‘Before Watchmen: Minutemen’!

by Shawn Madden

Worried that with E3 going on you won’t get any comic news? Worry not! Courtesy of USA TODAY we have the cover and first five pages of Darwyn Cooke’s ‘Before Watchmen: Minutemen’ for you. This six-issue series will focuse on ‘The Minutemen’ who were were the premier group of superheroes throughout the 1940s. They were founded in 1939, largely through the actions of Nelson Gardner (Captain Metropolis), Sally Jupiter (the first Silk Spectre) and Sally Jupiter’s agent Laurence Schexnayder. Schexnayder also provided the group’s publicity. After several public controversies, the group finally disbanded in 1949.

The Week In Geek: Before Watchmen Becomes Official, Russell Crowe as Noah? Evil Dead Remake & More

by Eric Diaz

 

“Before Watchmen” Officially Announced By DC 

The big geek news of the week, easily dwarfing everything else, is the official announcement from DC Entertainment that the long rumored prequels to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s seminal Watchmen would be coming this year, now officially titled Before Watchmen. To say this is a controversial movie on the part of DC is a massive understatement. The original graphic novel, originally serialized in twelve parts, is regarded as THE greatest work of comic book fiction by many, even some twenty five years after it was concluded. Author Alan Moore has long wanted no part in any continuation of his seminal work, and even had his name taken off the 2009 movie adaptation. In speaking to the New York Times, Moore had this to say about Before Watchmen: “It is completely shameless. I don’t want money. What I want is for this not to happen.”

The collection of writers and artists on Before Watchmen is of the highest caliber, each tackling a different mini series based on one of the characters from the original. The announced line up of series and creators is as follows: 

 

  • RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo
  • MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
  • COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones
  • DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes
  • NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert
  • OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee
  • SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

Also included in each mini series will be a back-up series, The Curse of the Crimson Corsair, by comics writing legend Len Wein, and art by original series colorist John Higgins–the only creative person from the original project involved in any way with this new one. I’m pretty sure some or most of these mini series will be decent, hell…maybe even great. But that’s not the point—the point is that the original author sees Watchmen as a completed project, and just to satisfy the all mighty dollar, DC has chosen to ignore his wishes.  I can’t blame any of the participants for being involved in this new project; comics don’t pay that great and if this is successful, they are all in for a great deal of money. I’d say yes if I were them too. 


 

And yes…I also realize Alan Moore is being a bit of a hypocrite on this one, calling out DC for mining his work. Considering that Moore has spent the last decade of his career mining the works of famous 19th century authors, both with his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Lost Girls books, it is the pot calling the kettle black a bit.  Nevertheless, those authors of those original works are long dead, and can’t give and opinion one way or the other; Moore is alive and has expressed his desire that they leave his work alone. Considering that Watchmen has sold more than two million copies and made a small fortune for DC, you’d think simply out of respect, DC EIC Dan Didio wouldn’t do this. When Paul Levitz was EIC of DC, he stopped any and all attempts at continuing Watchmen for 20+ years…and not out of  any love for Alan Moore mind you, as those two had plenty of bad blood between them; it was simply out of respect for the man who created their single most acclaimed graphic novel.

Since this project was announced, the other argument I’ve heard the most on the pro Before Watchmen side is that plenty of stories have been made over the decades for Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and the like, well beyond the original creator’s intentions. But ALL those creators knew they were creating characters for ongoing serialized magazines, while Watchmen was a complete work with a proper beginning, middle and end. It was not meant to go on forever.  While I agree that the world of Watchmen certainly is ripe for continuation, if the original creator doesn’t want it done, then it shouldn’t even be a question. 

 

Russell Crowe To Captain A Much Bigger Boat Than In Master & Commander

Darren Aronofsky’s next film, a big budget spectacle made out of the Biblical story of Noah and the flood, has started to take a little bit more shape this week. According to Deadline.com,  Aronofsky wants not only Russell Crowe as the titular Noah, but also Liam Neeson for another as yet unspecified part, although rumor has it that he will play some kind of villain (is there really a villain in the story of the Great Flood? I mean, aside from, ya know… God?) A few actors have been rumored for the part of Noah since this project was first announced, including both Christian Bale and Michael Fassbender, but both of those actors were booked for the next year or more solid. Noah is said to be going before the cameras by the summer of this year for a 2013 debut. Between this and Steven Spielberg’s Moses flick, it looks to be all about the Old Testament on the big screen next year. How long before Mel Gibson gets in on this? 

 

Evil Dead Remake Gains One, Loses One

The Evil Dead remake lost one cast member this past week, and gained another one. Actress Lily Collins (star of the upcoming Mirror Mirror and daughter of pop star Phil Collins) who was all set for the part of the female lead, had to drop out due to those pesky “scheduling conflicts.” Which probably really meant that she thought the movie was going to suck, and got a better part she could take instead. But while the production lost their female lead, they gained the part of the male lead in newcomer Shiloh Fernandez. The pretty boy actor was in last year’s Red Riding Hood, but before you fanboys get up have a coronary, he won’t be playing the part of Ash—the role Bruce Campbell made famous in the original films won’t even be in this remake. 

 

 

Back to the Future….The Musical? 

Lots of people, myself included, love to groan and moan about the fact that Hollywood is remake crazy lately. And while that’s true, there is really no place like Broadway when it comes to pushing product that is based on something else. Right now, nine out ten of the top grossing Broadway musicals are revivals of older shows , or musicals based off pre-existing material like Wicked and The Lion King. So..why not a Back to the Future musical? Writer and director Robert Zemeckis is in talks to bring his iconic 1985 film to Broadway. Zemeckis is in early discussion with co-writer Bob Gale and the film’s composer, Alan Silvestri, to adapt the film for stage. Despite all the negative reviews, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark has been packing them in, so Broadway is no doubt eager for another spectacle musical based off a much beloved property. And you know what? I’d MUCH rather have a musical of Back to the Future than a Part IV or a remake. If this show saves us from either of those, then more power to ‘em I say. 

 

Colin Firth To Star In West Memphis 3 Biopic 

The sad, strange saga of the Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley – three teenagers from West Memphis Arkansas who have been labeled by the media as the “West Memphis Three”, has been a minor obsession of mine since I first rented a documentary film called Paradise Lost on VHS way back in 1996. Watching the film, I was outraged that such a gross miscarriage of justice could be carried out and three innocent boys could be sentenced to death for a crime they clearly did not commit. The crime in question was the  brutal 1993 murders of three little boys the local community labeled as “Satanic Ritual,” mostly due to Echol’s love of horror and heavy metal music, and not based on much else. Paradise Lost was followed by two sequels, and just this year Peter Jackson produced another documentary on the subject called West of Memphis. Thanks to the efforts of Jackson and others in the entertainment biz who fought their case, last August the WM3 were finally freed from prison, although they had to give a false admission of guilt to do so. I know, it doesn’t make a lick of sense to me either. But the admission of guilt prevents the WM3 from suing the state of Arkansas for every penny it has for taking eighteen years of their lives from them. 

Now Hollywood is producing a fictionalized version of the case called The Devil’s Knot, directed by acclaimed Canadian director Atom Egoyan. Oscar winner Colin Firth has just signed on to star as Ron Lax, the private investigator whose detective work helped get the WM3 released from prison last year. The judge freed the men based in large part on evidence that Lax found. On top of that, Lax found DNA evidence that linked the stepfather of one of the murdered boys to material that was used to bind one of the victims. According to the producers, the movie “is not about how they got out of prison, It’s about how they got in.” The film will be told through Lax’s eyes as well as through the eyes of Pam Hobbs, whose son, Steven Branch, was one of the victims. Ultimately, Lax found DNA evidence linking Hobbs’ husband Terry  to the crime scene. Terry Hobbs remains free, but If this movie helps put his ass behind bars, then it will have done its job as far as I’m concerned.