Cover to ‘ Doomsday Clock’ #3. Art by Gary Frank and Brad Anderson/DC Comics
By Kaitlin Beer. One thing I cannot shake in Doomsday Clock is that Adrian Veidt’s genetically engineered lynx (Bubastis, albeit a miniature version) is at his side despite having its intrinsic field removed. Or maybe Veidt remade his cat? Perhaps it remade itself, Dr. Manhattan style? I don’t know and you probably don’t either. And that’s one of the many reasons Doomsday Clock has my mind racing.
I haven’t had this many theories buzzing around in my head after reading a comic in years and I love it or maybe hate it. I don’t know yet. As long as it doesn’t cross the line from theory-inducing to unfocused, this event may end up a fun bit of fan fiction rather than the blasphemy some claim it to be. Geoff Johns recently announced that he’ll be moving Doomsday Clock to a bimonthly schedule, which will hopefully give him time to complement the epic original series Clock spins off from, Watchmen.
In this issue we see the DC and Watchmen universes collide, opening even more story lines that will hopefully be addressed later on. Characters in this issue end up meeting their counterparts: Adrian Veidt and Lex Luthor, Rorschach and Batman, Mime & Marionette and the Joker lackeys. It makes for an entertaining read, but it has the potential to create more questions than Doomsday Clock may have time to answer within its remaining nine issues.
Interior panels from ‘Doomsday Clock’ #3. Art by Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh/DC Comics
What cannot be argued is that the artwork in this issue is impeccable. Gary Frank stays true to the original aesthetic of Watchmen while modernizing the characters with his smooth and incredibly fluid art. His portrayal of motion makes the characters dynamic while Brad Anderson pairs every illustration with perfectly aligned colors. Furthermore, an old Hollywood detective movie that runs along the main story accentuates how well Frank and Anderson work together as they seamlessly blend the style of the series with the paralleling fiction.
It is safe to assume that this comic will make some people angry, but I’m still in it, if only to have a front row seat to a possible train wreck. Yes, this series creates a considerable number of paradoxes for Watchmen, but does it matter? Maybe. The thing is, this isn’t Watchmen. And never forget, Dr. Manhattan is still out there, and he can essentially do anything he wants. Nothing is truly off the table.
DC Comics/$4.99
Written by Geoff Johns.
Pencils and inks by Gary Frank.
Colors by Brad Anderson.
Letters by Rob Leigh.
7 out of 10
