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kj_mccormick's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elon's review against another edition
3.0
Penned perfectly as a sequel to Watchmen, something still feels off. At first glance, this is pure watchmen, but upon actually reading it, it soon becomes clear that this is a DC superhero story, only with Watchmen characters making glorified cameos. This is not a sequel. It's a spin-off. And that doesn't have to be a bad thing.It just wasn't what was promised, nor what I wanted.
ogreart's review
4.0
I liked it. A lot of it had the flavor of the Watchmen series. Johns did a good job with the writing and Frank's artwork was strong.
ryan_oneil's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fine follow-up to Watchmen. The art was good and was in the spirit of Dave Gibbon's art while still being its own thing. New characters meshed with old, Watchmen characters meshed with DC characters.
The story is an attempt to do two things. First, to bring the Watchmen characters into the DC universe. Second, to explain all of the rebooting of the DC universe. I don't think the first was all the necessary. Yes, having certain characters meet was interesting but necessary? Eh. The story was moderately successful in explaining why Dr. Manhattan kept fooling with reality.
I suppose for an event story, it was pretty decent.
The story is an attempt to do two things. First, to bring the Watchmen characters into the DC universe. Second, to explain all of the rebooting of the DC universe. I don't think the first was all the necessary. Yes, having certain characters meet was interesting but necessary? Eh. The story was moderately successful in explaining why Dr. Manhattan kept fooling with reality.
I suppose for an event story, it was pretty decent.
dantastic's review
2.0
I didn't hate this but I wouldn't say I liked it either. Basically, it's a crossover between the Watchmen universe and the main DC universe. The art is good but the story is all over the place.
I feel like it tries too hard to be anything other than what it is: A cross over event. Too much of the story focuses on Marionette and Mime, the Watchmen universe equivalents of Punch and Jewelee, a couple mostly forgotten Captain Atom villains from the Charlton era. There's also a growing distrust of super heroes that feels ham fisted as hell and was obviously tacked on to create thematic parallels to Watchmen.
There were a lot of moments I didn't like, like Rorschach being able to waltz right in to Wayne Manor, or Firestorm not immediately suspecting some shenanigans when his powers affected organic matter. The Nathaniel Dusk asides were meant to parallel the Black Freighter bits in Watchmen but I don't think they accomplished much.
What else? Batman riding in Archie was cool. I guess the whole thing felt unnecessary. I feel like Johns was trying hard to make this a Big Important Comic like Watchmen but it feels like when my toddler walks around with my shoes on. He recognizes the shoes go on his feet but not that they're too big for him and he'd be better off wearing his own shoes.
Two stars. I got this for $7 and I think I would have been happier with the money.
I feel like it tries too hard to be anything other than what it is: A cross over event. Too much of the story focuses on Marionette and Mime, the Watchmen universe equivalents of Punch and Jewelee, a couple mostly forgotten Captain Atom villains from the Charlton era. There's also a growing distrust of super heroes that feels ham fisted as hell and was obviously tacked on to create thematic parallels to Watchmen.
There were a lot of moments I didn't like, like Rorschach being able to waltz right in to Wayne Manor, or Firestorm not immediately suspecting some shenanigans when his powers affected organic matter. The Nathaniel Dusk asides were meant to parallel the Black Freighter bits in Watchmen but I don't think they accomplished much.
What else? Batman riding in Archie was cool. I guess the whole thing felt unnecessary. I feel like Johns was trying hard to make this a Big Important Comic like Watchmen but it feels like when my toddler walks around with my shoes on. He recognizes the shoes go on his feet but not that they're too big for him and he'd be better off wearing his own shoes.
Two stars. I got this for $7 and I think I would have been happier with the money.
bearded_ginger's review
2.0
I loved where this started, but it felt like it started to betray its own premise and the original by the ending.
At its core - Watchmen was a story about deconstructing superheroes, their place in society, and the pedestals and anxieties we place on them. Doomsday Clock starts exploring that through a contemporary lens, but in the end becomes a DC canonical exploration of the franchise's own righteousness.
The DC meeting the Watchmen universe had a lot of potentials to capture the Zeitgeist yet again, but in the end, felt short-changed by its own contradictions. Not a bad read for fans of the original, but not mandatory reading like Watchmen is.
Also, the show serves as a more satisfying and tonally appropriate sequel.
At its core - Watchmen was a story about deconstructing superheroes, their place in society, and the pedestals and anxieties we place on them. Doomsday Clock starts exploring that through a contemporary lens, but in the end becomes a DC canonical exploration of the franchise's own righteousness.
The DC meeting the Watchmen universe had a lot of potentials to capture the Zeitgeist yet again, but in the end, felt short-changed by its own contradictions. Not a bad read for fans of the original, but not mandatory reading like Watchmen is.
Also, the show serves as a more satisfying and tonally appropriate sequel.
stackguard's review
5.0
A stroke of brilliance from Geoff Johns, as the Rebirth event and sub-sequential continuity is settled.
After Re-reading the award winning "The Watchmen" and have a fresh look on the end of Flashpoint and Rebirth, this compelling story with somewhat forgotten characters is a. must read for all DC fans.
After Re-reading the award winning "The Watchmen" and have a fresh look on the end of Flashpoint and Rebirth, this compelling story with somewhat forgotten characters is a. must read for all DC fans.
jbear127's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.5
close! a very good try at a followup to watchmen but just not the same. not the same cultural significance or impact as the last one had on me. watchmen was more about cultural and societal takeaways with a mix of super humans but doomsday clock lacked the cultural and societal takeaways that made watchmen so good which inevitably made it subpar in comparison. also the illustrating on dr. manhattan was stronger in watchmen.
dpekus's review against another edition
5.0
A modern classic worth being a spiritual successor of the greatest comicbook story of all time, Watchmen. No matter the long delays of the single issues, now that the story is finished, this is definitely a fantastic story that everyone that have enjoyed Watchmen, DC Universe, or comicbooks in general should read.
filmbusterspaul's review
5.0
Incredibly well played and one hell of a crossover! Give me a meta story surrounding timelines and the subversion of them and I am in the palm of your hand.
With wonderful callbacks for fans of “Watchmen” and a storyline that does well to merge the idea of superheroes and a world on the brink of war, it is completely engrossing. It goes out of its way to wrap up the DC Universe in a paranoid veil of government conspiracy that will actually have you questioning the history of heroes/villains, as well as taking a punt at the idea of character reboots that in my opinion bloody nails it.
And as for this…
On July 10th, 2030, the ‘Secret Crisis’ begins, throwing Superman into a brawl across the universe with Thor himself…and a green behemoth stronger than even Doomsday, who dies protecting Superman from these invaders.”
I am all in Jon Osterman.
With wonderful callbacks for fans of “Watchmen” and a storyline that does well to merge the idea of superheroes and a world on the brink of war, it is completely engrossing. It goes out of its way to wrap up the DC Universe in a paranoid veil of government conspiracy that will actually have you questioning the history of heroes/villains, as well as taking a punt at the idea of character reboots that in my opinion bloody nails it.
And as for this…
On July 10th, 2030, the ‘Secret Crisis’ begins, throwing Superman into a brawl across the universe with Thor himself…and a green behemoth stronger than even Doomsday, who dies protecting Superman from these invaders.”
I am all in Jon Osterman.