We are now more than halfway through the “Before Watchmen” experiment, and it is easier than ever to distinguish the works worth reading and those not. This is one of the good ones.
Written and Illustrated by Darwyn Cooke
“You tell them, Hollis. Tell them all what they did to us!”
1. Subtext? What is subtext?
Nearly everything that was bubbling below the surface in “Watchmen” is well above ground here. Mothman’s a drunk! Silhouette is a lesbian! Masked Heroes are hypocrites! While Cooke is a fantastic writer and artist, even his book is starting to trade in more cliches than anything else.
2. Before Watchmen? More like “The Comedian Throughout Time”
Of all the characters I presumed might become the focal point of this project, Comedian wouldn’t have been it. He has appeared in every single mini so far, and he has been everything from hero to heel, showing compassion and hatred along the way. While I don’t have any real problem with the character development being done, I wish that other characters were expanded and enriched the way that Comedian has been.
3. Deli Madison? Cute
You’re a clever fellow, Cooke.
4. The Lignering Dread of the Crimson Corsair
Every time I finish an issue, I am reminded that I will, one day for the sake of this site, have to read the entire Crimson Corsair tale. And that makes my soul hurt.
5. I Don’t Know How Many Thoughts I Have Left
At this point, there is very little to be said about any of these issues. They have, for the most part, become exactly what you’d expect. Cooke and Amanda Conner have done great work, JMS has been spotty, Jae Lee is a master. There are only so many ways you can say the same things over and over again. Let’s hope for some monkey wrenches in the coming weeks.
