Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Minutemen #1



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.

I look forward to the entire Before Watchmen series and I applaud DC Comics for taking the courageous step to produce them.