It’s NYCC week, and before I head from Alaska to NYC, here are five quick thoughts on this week’s Before Watchmen joint: Dr. Manhattan #2.
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Illustrated by Adam Hughes“Lightning never strikes the same place twice, remember?”
1. Is it just me…
Or was that the best single issue JMS has written in…well, I honestly can’t even remember. That might have been my favorite JMS comic since any number of issues of Supreme Power. It was an emotional and frankly brilliant issue, and one that expertly played with scientific concepts in the actual narrative structure. We talked about this in the review of the first issue, but conceptually, this mini had the most room to work with in terms of playing with the foundations of Watchmen than any of the others. Surprisingly, JMS is doing that, and doing it incredibly well.
2. Not only that, but…
Good god, is this a beautiful comic. Adam Hughes is just taking this business to pieces. Whether you’re talking about his standard beautiful ladies or his fantastic artistic demonstration of Schrondinger’s Cat (bonus points for an awesome cat face!), Hughes comes across as more versatile than I originally imagined him possible. I always knew he just did brilliant character work, but man, this is another level for him in my book.
3. Namely, the last two pages
Every Before Watchmen artist has been playing with Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons’ tropes to their art, but Hughes does it best in one two page spread at the end that merges the planet and the galaxy with Dr. Manhattan’s iconic forehead tattoo (of sorts). If you don’t notice it while reading it, you should go back and check it out.
4. But the blank faces…
Early in this issue, there was one part where Janey and Jon were walking around a carnival – except they had completely blank faces. In an issue that was chock full of sumptuous detail, it’s just astounding that something like this could slip through.
5. After two issues…
Is it possible that this has become the best mini in Before Watchmen? It’s between this and Minutemen, but I kind of feel like it is. This was a truly exemplary issue, and that’s saying something given my oft vocalized disdain for JMS. A contender for the best issue of the month in my book.
