We're Not Supposed To Read This

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl 1-4
DC Comics
J. Michael Straczynski, writer
Andy Kubert, artist
***mature content warning***

There was a lot of hoopla following the announcement that DC Comics was going to return to the Watchmen well and publish a set of prequel comics featuring the Watchmen characters. I honestly don't know from the things I read at the time that there was all that much controversy, really; just a lot of people voiced their opinions about whether it was right or wrong of DC to go ahead with the project after original Watchmen writer Alan Moore said he was opposed to there being more content.

My opinion, for what that's worth (no more and no less than anyone else's), is why not? No one can force Alan Moore to write more content with the Watchmen characters if he doesn't want to. But he doesn't own these characters, and therefore can't stop DC from doing whatever it wants with its own characters. Moore's entitled to his opinion about whether they should. He's even entitled to voice that opinion to anyone who will listen. But he can't prevent the creation of new content, and so far as I know, didn't try to beyond voicing his own opinion.

Would going back to that particular well result in good comics that would make money? That's a completely separate question. Two questions actually, and neither one can be answered with any certainty until after the comics are published. That's the biggest reason I held my opinion until now.

I didn't buy most of the new Before Watchmen miniseries DC published; I just didn't care about more information on some of the characters like Ozymandias or the Comedian. But I did have a curiosity about a few of the characters and creators involved with this project. Obviously, Nite Owl was one of them. And I have to say this IS a good story. Did it have to be told? No, but it doesn't contradict anything in the original series, and it DOES build and expand on some of what was in the original.

For instance, Rorschach is seen several times in the original Watchmen series carrying a sign that reads, "The End Is Nigh." It doesn't really matter to that series where the sign came from, but this series reveals that little tidbit and gives the sign a back story much like the giant penny or the robot dinosaur Batman keeps in the Batcave.

Rorschach and several of the other Watchmen characters play roles in this tale, but of course, the focus of this series is Nite Owl, and we learn quite a bit about his back story, as well -- things like the early partnership of Nite Owl and Rorschach and the passing of the torch between Hollis Mason, the golden-age Nite Owl, and Dan Dreiberg, the modern Nite Owl.

The story begins with Dreiberg as a youth and Mason as an aging costumed hero. We learn more about Dreiberg's past and the events that shape his life. He sees the original Nite Owl as both a father figure and hero, and quickly tracks down the hero's secret identity. The young man's initiative, drive and personal story convince Mason to take Dreiberg under his wing and train the young man. Mason sees Dreiberg as more than just a potential sidekick, however; the older hero is looking for a successor.

Dreiberg's debut as the new Nite Owl draws the attention of Rorschach, and the two decide to form a partnership that proves very successful at first. Later, however, the differences in style and intensity of the two heroes causes some problems and finally, a split. We also see the back story and development of one of Nite Owl's "rouges" along the way through a case that further helps define both Nite Owl and Rorschach for the future.

All in all, this was a very good series, and I'm glad I bought it.