Did you guys really think I was going to stop at issue #2? Hell no, we’re talking DC’s Doomsday Clock til the bitter end.
So let’s not waste any time… and yes, there are spoilers.
Issue #3, titled Not Victory Nor Defeat begins by taking us back to the original Watchmen for the fight that started it all. You remember, Ozymandias hurls Edward Blake aka The Comedian through a plate glass window which sets the wheels of the most heralded graphic novel ever in motion. However, there’s a new twist; right before Blake is destined to be liquefied from falling so many stories, Dr. Manhattan teleports him to Metropolis in the current DC Comic Universe where I guess he’s been living this whole time.
Then it’s back to where we left off in the previous installment; The Comedian has shot Lex Luthor (he is later hospitalized) and a showdown with Ozymandias ensues. We’re living in a different world now as Blake gets a little bit of revenge on Adrian Veidt by, you guessed it, throwing him through a window. But don’t worry, he’s the smartest man on the planet and with a little luck from his surroundings, somehow figures out how to survive.
Mime and Marionette wander into a bar owned by the Joker. Of course they didn’t know, but it’s not like the he means anything to them because they made sure to kill everybody patronizing the establishment that evening. The duo commemorated their achievement by having a celebratory drink before deciding to seek out the Clown Prince of Crime personally.
By far, the highlight of the issue was Batman and Rorschach. Two DC icons together at last! They stand face to face in the Batcave and much to my surprise, it was a rather civil conversation. Rorschach hands over Walter Kovacs’ journal (which I thought The New Frontiersman got ahold of) and the Dark Knight returns the gesture with his utmost hospitality. That’s right, food, a shower, a room at Wayne Manor, and during this sequence we get to a see Rorschach sans mask.
Batman visits him in the night to share some information which may lead to Dr. Manhattan.
He says the source of an energy signature can be found at Arkham Asylum so they head there to investigate. Upon arrival, Rorschach discovers he’s been set up. As he enters a cell, Batman locks the door behind him.
Let me give you my thoughts…
Locking up Rorschach was a bold move, especially so early on. I’m pretty confident he’ll get out but I’m not sure when or how. Batman could have turned a potential friend into an enemy and when they meet again, it’s going to be worth the price of admission.
Still trying to figure out The Comedian’s role in all this. Some of you might have labeled his re-introduction as a large time WTF moment, and it’s cool. I’m leaning on the side of positivity because I think a major payoff will happen later on. Call me a sheep, I am. Also I don’t recollect seeing a body in the original Watchmen so I’m more open to these kind of twists as long as they don’t stray too far, and there is a solid payoff. The story arc doesn’t resume after Ozymandias survives the fall so we’ll have to hold off on any resolution but it asks questions like; what’s going on with Dr. Manhattan? Will Lex Luthor survive? Will Edward Blake get revenge on Adrain Veidt? What’s up with the inter dimensional travel? Who else is here?
I’m totally falling victim to an online theory that the new Rorschach is the son of the old Rorschach’s prison psychiatrist Dr. Malcom Long. A brief flashback throws up a couple flags plus I think it would be an interesting tie to the original. We may never know his true identity but it’s just something to think about.
Alright, if you’ve read my last two articles about Doomsday Clock, you may have noticed I’m a little bit of a Watchmen fan, and if you’re questioning my ability to be impartial… I’ll give you a couple things I’m not feeling.
FYI – I love talking Watchmen so please, share your thoughts in the comments.
Let’s get Nerdboty for a moment. Technically we have to connect two universes; the world established in the 1980’s Watchmen, which I guess is considered separate from the previous DC comic storylines, and even further disconnected from DC Rebirth. Basically you have to join one of the most coveted graphic novels in history to a modern audience in a way that doesn’t suck and can at the same time appease critics, as well as make money. Which if you ask me it is a tall order. When such a moment took place on the page, when the Watchmen crossover actually happened, it was a little underwhelming. Simply pushing a button in Archie 2.0, then some Interstellar shit, and bam, welcome to the continuation of DC Rebirth Vol. #1.
I’ll tell it to you like this, thank god everything else about Doomsday Clock is amazing because in a lesser written comic a moment like the aforementioned, it all would have stuck out like a sore thumb. With the series as a whole it’s instantly forgettable but if you want to get Nerdy up in here, let’s get Nerdy.
I hate the fact we now have to wait even longer for the next issue. According to CBR.com, the series is switching to a bimonthly release schedule. You got to be kidding me right? I love what I’ve seen so far, another thirty days without Doomsday Clock is something I’m not looking forward to. Of course it happens as things really get moving too. Story of my life.
Lastly, here’s where I’m bound to get some hell… I’m only so-so on The Curse Of The Black Freighter thing. I respect the idea of “a comic within a comic”, it’s actually good, but you have Watchmen happening in the foreground, why would I want a break from that?
Doomsday Clock has introduced what could be its Black Freighter. It’s a noir-esque movie called The Adjournment starring Carver Colman, an actor who was murdered shortly after production concluded. I am under suspicion this is the new Black Freighter. Maybe I’m wrong. And it’s still early on but I don’t know about you but for a thirty or so page book, I’d rather the frames be filled with the core story. I’ll keep an open mind, I promise.
Well… that’s all for now. In all reality I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am. Check back in March as Nerdbot’s coverage of Doomsday Clock continues.
Nerdbot Rating: 8.5 out of 10
By Adam Chmielewski
@PolishKaiju
Photo Credits- DC Comics
How are you liking Doomsday Clock? Let Nerdbot know in the comments!
