BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #2

Review by: Neb

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Avg Rating: 3.3
 
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Written by Brian Azzarello
Backup Written by Len Wein
Art by J.G. Jones
Backup Art by John Higgins
Cover by J.G. Jones
Variant Cover by Tim Bradstreet

Size: 32 pages
Price: 3.99

And here’s where Azzarello loses me. I wrote a review for the previous issue touting what a great addition it was to the Before Watchmen line. For me, lately, Azzarello has been writing some of his best work, and I appreciate his style to let the visuals help with the story and not bog the book down in needless text boxes and narrative. What happens in this issue, to me, is that he’s almost trying to be too clever, and I was left scratching my head through a lot of it. We seem to see no ramifications from last issues events, and I guess I just expected them to move the story in a direction that explains the glaring story problem from the original series. Instead, we’re treated to the Comedian in Vietnam, which, I just don’t think is something I need to see. I mean, we all know he was a madman during that conflict, especially with the context we get in the original story. So, after a strong first offering, I think this issue has shown me the door on this specific mini.

J.G. Jones’ art is pretty good, but I felt his first issue was much better. I think this is just another case of what a monthly book is like with him as the same thing happened in Final Crisis. The first issue looks astounding, and then the subsequent issues get less and less detailed until they find a replacement. Here I found some odd figures and some lacking details. Having said that, this issue still looks better than most of the comics out there. I just know he’s capable of better work, and it’s more than possible that the coloring or inking could have played a part in this.

With so much good stuff out there, I don’t really want to commit to a series that doesn’t give me some sort of hook with each issue. Here’s hoping they’ll catch on with some folks and are able to deliver a satisfying end.

Story: 2 - Average
Art: 4 - Very Good

Comments

  1. For a series called “BEFORE Watchmen” I expected see more stories about Blake from before he grew so cynical and rough. Now that the story’s jumped all the way to Vietnam it’s no longer happening “before.” They could almost call this “During Watchmen… But Different.” And that’s not something I’m eager to commit to either. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    • Blake is portrayed as a deviant and somewhat cynical bastard at the age of 16or so in the Minutemen titles.

    • all the BW books are set “before” the formation and first meeting of the Watchmen as a team.
      for a younger Blake, ya can check out Cooke’s Minutemen.

  2. Good review, Neb. I dropped too.

  3. You hit the nail on the head. Both issues so far have been underwhelming. Being an obsessive completist I may not drop it but this is one is getting close.

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