Entertaining Bio!
The Minutemen issue with DC Comics’ “prequel” of Alan Moore’s and Dave Gibbons’ classic was nicely done. The problem I had with the original Watchmen were the many vignettes and breaking up the story into news articles – which is OK, but was overdone.
Rather, Darwyn Cooke (DC’s New Frontier, Richard Stark, etc.) does a great job of updating the beginnings of the Watchmen and reflects on what would happen if a team of heroes got together during the Great Depression. How would they get together?
The story starts out with a Mystery Man who is writing an autobiography and though his publisher is not really happy with it, gives the man pause to reminisce on his past pals – some becoming “heroes” due to their own insanities or love of profit, and others wanting to do something right.
Of all the vignettes, I loved the profit motive of Sally Jupiter – sexily drawn and fun to read. Another was the wasted hero Byron Lewis, whose addictions forced him into attempting to fly. Anti-heroes are included here too – Blake Edward, who busts a bar full of hoods but also busts the barkeep and keeps the change!
The retro look of Cooke's art is especially bright and sharp, with clear, deep inks and saturated colors with the tale of Ursula (Silhouette) which fight scene is pretty fierce, as she brandishes her guns and kicks some butt!
Bottom Line, loved the first issue of this mini-series. I was not a big fan of the Watchmen movie and though Moore’s comic series was well done, Cooke’s version cuts out the fat and gives us the meet.
DC Comics has a digital comic’s version where for an additional dollar you get a digital comics code number for online viewing. Each code is specific to that comic book. I did not get a chance to take advantage, but this sounds great for the comics industry which has been in print since the 1930s and really needs an upgrade.
At $3.99 a copy, you might be better off getting Minutemen #1 through a subscription service!
