When DC Comics announced that it would
be publishing seven titles in its Before Watchmen series there was mixed
reactions from comic book readers.
Many readers believed that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' 12-part Watchmen
series should not be trifled with.
Other readers were anxious to see further adventures of the classic characters.
The series' creator, Alan Moore, pooh-poohed the idea (when does he not?)
while series' artist Dave Gibbons gave his blessing.
The point is really mote as DC Comics owns the rights to the characters and
it can do whatever it wants with them.
I'm surprised something hasn't already been published before. After all, the Watchmen movie was a critical
success and the DC Direct figures were some of the best-selling of the line.
Minutemen #1 sets the pace for the upcoming Before Watchmen titles. In it writer and artist Darwyn Cooke (a big
favorite of mine) introduces the Minutemen (the predecessors of the Watchmen).
In it the now retired original Nite Owl has written a book chronicling the
lives of the various members of the Minutemen.
In short vignettes each member's reasons and motivations for
crime-fighting is explained along with a few details of their private lives.
Minutemen #1 delves into more detail of what and who the Minutemen were, why
they banded together and most importantly how they influenced and inspired the
Watchmen.
Hints as to who they were were sprinkled throughout the original Watchmen series
and with the short sequences detailed in Minutemen #1 readers are better able
to understand the motivations and reasons behind their masked personas.