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serena_took's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings on these Watchmen prequels. On one hand, it's nice to visit the characters again & to get more backstory on the Minutemen. On the other hand, the stories didn't have to be told, and some of the gaps that get filled are really heavy handed.
Of the two mini-series in this volume, Minutemen is by far the stronger story. Hollis Mason is a natural choice for the narrator, and the story is good; I especially liked seeing more of Silhouette's backstory.
The heavy-handedness really starts to rear up in the other half, Silk Spectre. While the art by Amanda Conner is lovely, there's really no ground that wasn't covered better in Watchmen. I know Laurie's relationship with her mom, Sally, is messed up; I don't need to know of Laurie running away to San Francisco. We see where the Comedian got his smiley face button in this story, and it ends with Laurie's first meeting with the Crimebusters (and her observing that it might be fun to take Dr Manhattan home to piss off her mom).
If you like the characters, you might like this, but don't expect the depth that's in the original story.
Of the two mini-series in this volume, Minutemen is by far the stronger story. Hollis Mason is a natural choice for the narrator, and the story is good; I especially liked seeing more of Silhouette's backstory.
The heavy-handedness really starts to rear up in the other half, Silk Spectre. While the art by Amanda Conner is lovely, there's really no ground that wasn't covered better in Watchmen. I know Laurie's relationship with her mom, Sally, is messed up; I don't need to know of Laurie running away to San Francisco. We see where the Comedian got his smiley face button in this story, and it ends with Laurie's first meeting with the Crimebusters (and her observing that it might be fun to take Dr Manhattan home to piss off her mom).
If you like the characters, you might like this, but don't expect the depth that's in the original story.
arnold_anibal's review against another edition
4.0
Overall Rating: 3.5
Minutemen was a great story, I really liked to get to read more about these characteres since their story is not really explored in Watchmen. Frankly, I would have liked to read more about them and get to know their thoughts about some problems that happened when they were no longer working and the Watchmen took over.
Silk Spectre was a bit childish story for me, how the problems come to be and how she solves them is kind of a cliché really, so I would not recommend to read her part by itself, but if you are reading the series, reading the Silk Spectre's part would not harm you.
Overall, I will continue reading the other volumes of this limited series, I am eager to read the Rorschach's part, since he is, I think, someone who could have an interesting background story.
Minutemen was a great story, I really liked to get to read more about these characteres since their story is not really explored in Watchmen. Frankly, I would have liked to read more about them and get to know their thoughts about some problems that happened when they were no longer working and the Watchmen took over.
Silk Spectre was a bit childish story for me, how the problems come to be and how she solves them is kind of a cliché really, so I would not recommend to read her part by itself, but if you are reading the series, reading the Silk Spectre's part would not harm you.
Overall, I will continue reading the other volumes of this limited series, I am eager to read the Rorschach's part, since he is, I think, someone who could have an interesting background story.
marcasdeb's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
bloodravenlib's review against another edition
4.0
Visit my blog, The Itinerant Librarian,/i> to read the full review. Just click the link:
http://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/08/booknote-before-watchmen-minutemensilk.html
By the way, I gave it 4.5 out of 5, but as we all know, no fractions here on GoodReads.
http://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/08/booknote-before-watchmen-minutemensilk.html
By the way, I gave it 4.5 out of 5, but as we all know, no fractions here on GoodReads.
sammi_k's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first ten issues of the Before Watchmen series. If you haven't read the original [b:Watchmen|472331|Watchmen|Alan Moore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442239711l/472331._SY75_.jpg|4358649] by Alan Moore, I would not recommend reading these prequels. This contained easter eggs and references to the Watchmen plot.
I am a huge fan of Alan Moore's Watchmen. Though the Minutemen and Silk Spectre origin stories by Darwyn Cooke aren't terrible, they seem to be missing the thoughtfulness and complexities that made Watchmen great. I do appreciate that there was more attention given to how the Minutemen are heroes that should not be idolized.
The problems faced by the Minutemen/Watchmen in these issues were nicely depicted but still somewhat bland.
I am a huge fan of Alan Moore's Watchmen. Though the Minutemen and Silk Spectre origin stories by Darwyn Cooke aren't terrible, they seem to be missing the thoughtfulness and complexities that made Watchmen great. I do appreciate that there was more attention given to how the Minutemen are heroes that should not be idolized.
Spoiler
I really liked Silhouette's story, but it wasn't as enjoyable once she was gone. Laurie's LSD trip was pretty entertaining, but also slightly meaningless (in my opinion).jameshowlett's review against another edition
4.0
"Dakikadamlar" biraz talihsiz bir çeviri olsa da Darwyn Cooke [RIP] müthiş bir çizgi roman yazarı ve çizeri olduğunu bu kitapta da hissettirmiş. Başlangıç serisinin en iyi kitabı olabilir.
onceandfuturelaura's review against another edition
3.0
I might have been a LITTLE afraid I was going to be eaten by a snake god if I checked this out from the library. Thus far; no avenging snake god. Updates as they become available.
There’s a lot of love for Silhouette in this. She gets elevated above the attention seekers and paid costumed persons into someone who truly had a calling to help the helpless, and died for it. In this text, her death inspires Sally Jupiter to have one glorious moment of heroism, before she retires to a life of procrusteaning-up her daughter.
I can’t say there’s love for The Comedian, but he’s given his moments of . . . well, not grace. Of comparative beige in all the darkness. And way more interest in his daughter than I had any idea he had.
There is a great evil that Laurie Jupiter fights. Kicks its butt. That pleased me.
There is a single panel that seems utterly dedicated to Alan Moore. That pleased me.
Dan Dreiberg dog sits Hollis Mason’s dog. This pleased me a lot.
We get to see the death of Hooded Justice. I’ve always been unsettled by Hooded Justice. I appreciated his refusal to testify before HUAC or take the loyalty oath, and yet . . . well, as Hollis says, “What kind of stupid shit fight crimes with a noose around his neck?” What sort of hero dresses like a member of the Klan with a color sense? I want to believe he was African American as well as gay (this text fully embraces the latter), making the costume a dramatic reclaiming. This text does not satisfy that desire.
Most of this feels very much like loving fan fiction. There’s none of the moral scope of The Watchmen, none of the driving horrific purpose underlying that text. We get to see the moral failure of the first superheroes, and the text seems determined to make sure we know they are Just Folks. Some have moments of great heroism. Silhouette and her girlfriend are more heroic than I knew; Bluecoat and Scout more heroic than we deserve; Laurie Jupiter teeters right on the edge of greatness. But Hollis’s greatest moment is showing mercy, and worst is . . . well, that would be a spoiler.
The Watchmen is a dense, rich text. It is, at the deepest level I’ve penetrated, about the possible moral responses to living in the shadow of nuclear war. This, a loving homage, but without the density, the richness, nor the stakes. Not worth being eaten by a snake god, but I did enjoy the field trip to the shallow waters of The Watchmen’s universe.