If anything, it just intensifies them.
It was one thing for this series to tap into the characters from the classic, self-contained brilliance that was Watchmen - but now it's (possibly) tampering and/or changing events in that series.
The result is a work that seems to be trying to be an homage to the original, mimicking the grim and gritty nature of the original, along with the nine-panel-grid format of the series while folding in some complex subplots and characters that link to other concepts - it even has a parallel fictional story running alongside, but instead of a pirate story, it's a detective story (and just for good measure, it uses Nathaniel Dusk, the creation by Don McGregor - and you have to wonder if he gave his blessing to that appropriation).
It feels... distressing... that this story is playing out in the DC Universe - Batman is at the heart of it - but he doesn't seem to be in character here.
It's a professional product with an impressive level of detail from writer Geoff Johns, and the art by Gary Franks is stunning - but this feels for all the world like fan fiction, not something that's actually taking place in - and having an effect on - DC continuity.
It still just feels wrong.
Grade: B+
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2 comments:
I grabbed this off the rack yesterday and then went back to read the first two. It seems to me that Johns is trying to deconstruct Watchmen, which makes no sense.
The Nathaniel Dusk tale makes more sense, but then I've enjoyed that character since he first appeared 30+ years ago. Geez, I'm getting old.
Kevin, join the crowd - I'm also a Nathaniel Dusk fan. Good point about Johns deconstructing Watchmen - though that may just be wishful thinking.
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