If only Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons did make that Tales of the Black Freighter one-shot. Knowing their skill and talent, they probably would've revitalized the swashbuckler genre and anthology comics.
In some ways he actually is the leading force in comics for the past 30 years. The ABC line is possibly close to what you imagine, coupled with Supreme/ Wildcats etc.
Marvel did the same thing too. Like Alan Moore, Jim Shooter was also screwed and got kicked out of Marvel and they denied any involvement about It's former editor in chief. Jim Shooter could have been a creative force for Marvel comics. With the likes of Alan Moore in DC comics.
In some alternate universe there was a Martin manhunter comic written by Alan Moore and it was definitely amazing! hurts that we never got that mini series.
Having grown up reading and collecting American, British, and French comics I was an adult when this series emerged....and I missed it. Not having any preconceptions, the movie became and remains one of my all time favorites. At the time I first saw it I could only think that it had to have been inspired by the 1977 novel Super Folks by Robert Mayer. Now that I know about the comics, I still think this. Somebody involved in the creation of this comic had to have read that novel.
Some interesting points I hadn't heard before. Thanks. Minor Correction: you list "Flashpoint" as one of DC's attempts to "correct" the changes made in the New52 when actually it preceded New52 and was used as the reason for the changes to the Universe.
Great stuff as always. It was good to hear new + unknown (to me anyway) things about a subject where others just keep retreading old ground. Kudos for finding a way to take a new + interesting look at this subject.
I have grown absolutely fascinated with the Charlton line of heroes, and pick up issues whenever I can. Ironically, as a result of Watchmen and everyone coming to realize they're the inspiration for Moore and Gibbons, they've grown that much more expensive now. I will say to my dying day that Peacemaker is an incredible concept for a character and he's never really been written properly. His 80's mini-series isn't bad, and I really like his part in the Janus Directive maxi-series. I would LOVE to get m hands on those Watchmen modules for the DC Roleplaying game. My friends and I played it alot back in the day. As always, it makes my day when one of your videos shows up in my inbox. EXCELLENT JOB
Thank you for offering your guidance thru the history of where the characters from Watchmen came from and the background on just how hard it can be to get a series made. To call it a landmark in Comics history is well deserved. Although, for those of us who where around when the series was first published and waited patiently for the issues to be completed it was a bit of a letdown. Yes, the 'Outer Limits' steal was obvious at the time and seemed a cheap dodge after so many other wonderful ideas had been offered in previous issues. Having not been a fan of Moore's work before this series (I have my reasons) this and his subsequent battles with DC and Zack Snyder just showed him for the Snake God we always knew he was.
Hi there just discovered this channel its really informative and appreciate the time to make this content and glad im subbed. I came from jack kirby's fourth world epic and been loving the topics in this channel. You deserve more subs. I'm glad i own the original 12 issues. It's my most cherished part of my collection.
All I wanted was for DC to give me a scene where Doctor Fate tells Dr. Manhattan to stop being a twat and put on some pants. DC couldn't even give me that.
Moore is public about that. The episode is OK but once you see it - you're like WOW - that is the essential story Moore is a great writer but not as original as people think
Moore and Gibbons did their job too well. Watchmen will never go out of print in their life time. It is a timeless masterpiece. I actually liked the director`s cut of the movie and The Button/Doomsday Clock crossover. The Before Watchmen mini-series were abominable and a waste of top tier talent. The Rorschach/ Comedian series especially. Azzarello had no understanding of those characters at all.
Watchmen put some very twisted spins on real-world history, so what does Azzarello do, make history play out basically the same except the Comedian is secretly involved. Uhm, radical, dude.
@@duhdeedee I am also a purist and have not seen the TV series or looked at the 'prequel' stuff but I would say the creators probably did come with best of intentions That said unless they had insanely great concepts to move the story - and from my research they didn't - it was sorta pointless to follow up Moore and Gibbon. Don't touch it unless you've got a genuinely amazing idea
I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about this series and it’s history, but trust you to come up with the good arcana I was oblivious to. It is impossible to overstate the impact this series had on comic readers at the time it was published. I am quite aware that it’s entirely possible to simply not like it - but in my experience those who do are mainly younger folk who read it years after it was published. For someone who’d been reading superhero comics for almost two decades (and I eagerly embraced the Indy explosion of the 80s) it was a defining event. I’ve given away the trade a dozen times to people who look down their nose at comics and have about a 50% conversion rate. ☮️
I agree with Len Wein that the comic's ending had room for improvement. I actually think that the film's ending fits better with the growing sentiment against costumed heroes throughout the story.
Oh I love that title and read it I'm reorienting my channel to do more comics stuff - I just did something on Moon Knight I need to cover more popular stuff first but Heckler was good I will try to fit it in - be patient.
Watchmen could`ve easily been a 100 issue series if Moore and Gibbons would`ve wanted to make it for so long. There`s so much potential in the material.
Probably in the cards for the future, but I hope to see you tackle the Alan Moore and Alan Davis Captain Britain run. Aside from that, I hope you're doing alright and staying safe during this time.
Idk where I heard it at, but basically Alan Moore refuses to have his name on any of his works adaptations. In film credits it never says "Written by Alan Moore", it says based on characters appearing in DC comics"
This is an excellent video! Would love to know your additional thoughts on the HBO series, which I thought was handled really well. Full disclosure: I wrote a piece for The Wrap calling out Lindelof for not crediting Darwyn Cooke for many elements of the show.
Even if it is unnecessary, Doomsday Clock still slaps. Great video though. Loved the editing, especially where the issues were cycling next to one another. A lot of info i didnt know about and cleared up quite a few misconceptions i have come across online. I wasn't aware Paul Levitz was the one protecting Watchmen's separation from the dcu. While it does look like there may be future stories told with "Watchmen characters" they all seem to be legacy characters with no attachment to Moore. But only time will tell, and i dont expect anyone to be supportive of it. It is clear Jim Lee and the powers-that-be at WB have little understanding/do not care about what makes their characters so unique, iconic, remotely successful, in the first place. The company is running low on writers they hire who have a deep respect and understanding for the characters and the influence they can have on Western culture. Hopefully they realize this before Zazlan devides to start selling off the i.p.s like the capitalist stooge that he is.
@@StrangeBrainParts I mean the content you are doing is amazing, and the Patreon thing can really help as well since you can have that steady money on the side that could help your project, cause TH-cam can sometimes monetize your video and that will cause for you to not gain money from it. Either then that, keep up the work.
@Eduardo Bonnet : Thank you for the compliment and I greatly appreciate the advice. Sincerely. Patreon was an option I was considering until TH-cam made the same function available with the Join button. I thought that was more convenient for people already on the website.
I've kept an eye out for further details on those two projects. They may have been verbal pitches over the phone therefore there's no record of them? Regardless, I've not seen any more details.
Not sure if this was presented before the excellent HBO watchmen series. It subsumed the terrible movie, and is also without sequel. Although who knows when another brilliant creator might come along.
Yes. Any more of a comment, the rabid weasels jump me. Two years ago, here, gave me the cure. The legacy of Watchmen is a strange burden for everyone, I tell ya what.
This is the most overrated comicbook ever printed. It's not even Moore's best work (V for Vendetta) or DC's best (The new frontier). The movie was the better version, which doesn't mean much because it wasn't anything more than a decent film. Moore writes like Moorcock, if Michael was a malicious and bitter hack, loathing most of his audience... The fact that he wrote Rorschach as a parody and comicbook fans love him instead, will never stop being funny...
If only Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons did make that Tales of the Black Freighter one-shot. Knowing their skill and talent, they probably would've revitalized the swashbuckler genre and anthology comics.
Imagine a world where Alan Moore didn’t get screwed and became the leading creative force in DC comics, like Jim Lee today.
In some ways he actually is the leading force in comics for the past 30 years. The ABC line is possibly close to what you imagine, coupled with Supreme/ Wildcats etc.
Marvel did the same thing too. Like Alan Moore, Jim Shooter was also screwed and got kicked out of Marvel and they denied any involvement about It's former editor in chief. Jim Shooter could have been a creative force for Marvel comics. With the likes of Alan Moore in DC comics.
Power corrupts
we would've got an actual before watchmen, not whatever cashgrab we got
I don't see him as a good head for DC, I just want him off in his own space, doing whatever the hell he wants.
In some alternate universe there was a Martin manhunter comic written by Alan Moore and it was definitely amazing! hurts that we never got that mini series.
Yees
Agreed
“Sanitary teen adventures” is a good mature readers only title
Having grown up reading and collecting American, British, and French comics I was an adult when this series emerged....and I missed it. Not having any preconceptions, the movie became and remains one of my all time favorites. At the time I first saw it I could only think that it had to have been inspired by the 1977 novel Super Folks by Robert Mayer. Now that I know about the comics, I still think this. Somebody involved in the creation of this comic had to have read that novel.
No confirmation there alas Moore did admit to the Outer Limits tie - nothing on Mayer but Moore reads so much it is possible
Some interesting points I hadn't heard before. Thanks. Minor Correction: you list "Flashpoint" as one of DC's attempts to "correct" the changes made in the New52 when actually it preceded New52 and was used as the reason for the changes to the Universe.
I wondered about that ... thanks. These videos are very good but not infallible.
Great stuff as always. It was good to hear new + unknown (to me anyway) things about a subject where others just keep retreading old ground. Kudos for finding a way to take a new + interesting look at this subject.
Ohh I’ve been waiting for this. One of my favourite comics of all time.
Amazed you're not getting more views. I felt the same with Comic Tropes back in the day. I wish you and your chanell well. Keep at it you will rise
I have grown absolutely fascinated with the Charlton line of heroes, and pick up issues whenever I can. Ironically, as a result of Watchmen and everyone coming to realize they're the inspiration for Moore and Gibbons, they've grown that much more expensive now.
I will say to my dying day that Peacemaker is an incredible concept for a character and he's never really been written properly. His 80's mini-series isn't bad, and I really like his part in the Janus Directive maxi-series.
I would LOVE to get m hands on those Watchmen modules for the DC Roleplaying game. My friends and I played it alot back in the day.
As always, it makes my day when one of your videos shows up in my inbox. EXCELLENT JOB
You can get them. They were reprinted in a hardcover called “Watchmen Companion.” Look it up :)
The tv show of Peacemaker also shows what can be done when another amazing artist interprets a character.
Thank you for offering your guidance thru the history of where the characters from Watchmen came from and the background on just how hard it can be to get a series made. To call it a landmark in Comics history is well deserved. Although, for those of us who where around when the series was first published and waited patiently for the issues to be completed it was a bit of a letdown. Yes, the 'Outer Limits' steal was obvious at the time and seemed a cheap dodge after so many other wonderful ideas had been offered in previous issues. Having not been a fan of Moore's work before this series (I have my reasons) this and his subsequent battles with DC and Zack Snyder just showed him for the Snake God we always knew he was.
Hi there just discovered this channel its really informative and appreciate the time to make this content and glad im subbed. I came from jack kirby's fourth world epic and been loving the topics in this channel. You deserve more subs.
I'm glad i own the original 12 issues. It's my most cherished part of my collection.
18:22 am I the first one to say this? Flashpoint was a shoe-horned lead in to the New 52. Not the other way round.
Someone else commented on this above - yeah he messed up the chronology there
All I wanted was for DC to give me a scene where Doctor Fate tells Dr. Manhattan to stop being a twat and put on some pants.
DC couldn't even give me that.
$5K each for the Question & Blue Beetle rights. Someone got robbed. This sounds like a job for Superman.
Seems like it was Superman who robbed them. Who supers the Superman?
Wow I didn’t know there was so much going on behind the scenes with the Watchmen. Excellent video! 👌👌👌
having the Watchmen world merged into the DCU leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.
Same
Another outstanding review.
You're videos are as informative as they are entertaining. Keep the this good stuff coming, sir.
Also what’s the Outer Limits episode references? I’d like to watch it.
Jacob DeCoursey “The Architects of Fear”. It’s subtly referenced in the last issue of the series.
Moore is public about that. The episode is OK but once you see it - you're like WOW - that is the essential story
Moore is a great writer but not as original as people think
Great video as always, and one of the best walks through the series. As always, keep up the good work and i can't wait for the next video
I find Watchmen more of a late bronze age story. To me, Spawn marked the real introduction of the dark age of comics.
To me, Final Fantasy is more like and a lot to Watchmen. Much how Dragon Quest is similar to Charlton Comics of the 1940's.
I've been blasting my way through all your vids, this is GREAT stuff. Absolutely fantastic.
Moore and Gibbons did their job too well. Watchmen will never go out of print in their life time. It is a timeless masterpiece. I actually liked the director`s cut of the movie and The Button/Doomsday Clock crossover. The Before Watchmen mini-series were abominable and a waste of top tier talent. The Rorschach/ Comedian series especially. Azzarello had no understanding of those characters at all.
Watchmen put some very twisted spins on real-world history, so what does Azzarello do, make history play out basically the same except the Comedian is secretly involved. Uhm, radical, dude.
@@duhdeedee I am also a purist and have not seen the TV series or looked at the 'prequel' stuff but I would say the creators probably did come with best of intentions
That said unless they had insanely great concepts to move the story - and from my research they didn't - it was sorta pointless to follow up Moore and Gibbon. Don't touch it unless you've got a genuinely amazing idea
Who's parting the Brain Parts?
I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about this series and it’s history, but trust you to come up with the good arcana I was oblivious to.
It is impossible to overstate the impact this series had on comic readers at the time it was published. I am quite aware that it’s entirely possible to simply not like it - but in my experience those who do are mainly younger folk who read it years after it was published. For someone who’d been reading superhero comics for almost two decades (and I eagerly embraced the Indy explosion of the 80s) it was a defining event. I’ve given away the trade a dozen times to people who look down their nose at comics and have about a 50% conversion rate. ☮️
Very excited to see a new one
I agree with Len Wein that the comic's ending had room for improvement. I actually think that the film's ending fits better with the growing sentiment against costumed heroes throughout the story.
One comic I'd love to see a video on is the obscure 'The Heckler' if you've read it
What is it about
Oh I love that title and read it
I'm reorienting my channel to do more comics stuff - I just did something on Moon Knight
I need to cover more popular stuff first but Heckler was good
I will try to fit it in - be patient.
@@fredrikgranstrom6743 Parody basically
I just discovered your channel. Wonderfully thoughtful and well produced content you produce. I was wondering if you have a discord server. Thank you.
One of the greatest things I ever read.
18:30 big mistake: Flashpoint came before The New 52, not after.
Watchmen could`ve easily been a 100 issue series if Moore and Gibbons would`ve wanted to make it for so long. There`s so much potential in the material.
No
@@paulakroy2635 lol
Probably in the cards for the future, but I hope to see you tackle the Alan Moore and Alan Davis Captain Britain run. Aside from that, I hope you're doing alright and staying safe during this time.
There's a lot of folk expressing curiosity in the RPG. It is easily available online.
archive.org/details/MF254WatchmenSourcebook
Idk where I heard it at, but basically Alan Moore refuses to have his name on any of his works adaptations. In film credits it never says "Written by Alan Moore", it says based on characters appearing in DC comics"
"Rorschach crossing over with Batman, or something like that, but I've got enough faith in them that I don't think they'd do that." - *sigh*
This is an excellent video! Would love to know your additional thoughts on the HBO series, which I thought was handled really well. Full disclosure: I wrote a piece for The Wrap calling out Lindelof for not crediting Darwyn Cooke for many elements of the show.
Even if it is unnecessary, Doomsday Clock still slaps. Great video though.
Loved the editing, especially where the issues were cycling next to one another. A lot of info i didnt know about and cleared up quite a few misconceptions i have come across online. I wasn't aware Paul Levitz was the one protecting Watchmen's separation from the dcu. While it does look like there may be future stories told with "Watchmen characters" they all seem to be legacy characters with no attachment to Moore. But only time will tell, and i dont expect anyone to be supportive of it.
It is clear Jim Lee and the powers-that-be at WB have little understanding/do not care about what makes their characters so unique, iconic, remotely successful, in the first place. The company is running low on writers they hire who have a deep respect and understanding for the characters and the influence they can have on Western culture. Hopefully they realize this before Zazlan devides to start selling off the i.p.s like the capitalist stooge that he is.
doomsday clock was a great superman story, but a terrible watchmen story
As Americans we love to consume and consume until something unique is utterly destroyed.
Have you ever thought of doing a Patreon ?
I have! But for those that want to support this channel directly can click the Join button below each video and show support that way.
@@StrangeBrainParts I mean the content you are doing is amazing, and the Patreon thing can really help as well since you can have that steady money on the side that could help your project, cause TH-cam can sometimes monetize your video and that will cause for you to not gain money from it. Either then that, keep up the work.
@Eduardo Bonnet : Thank you for the compliment and I greatly appreciate the advice. Sincerely. Patreon was an option I was considering until TH-cam made the same function available with the Join button. I thought that was more convenient for people already on the website.
I wonder what interesting details the tabletop games added.
Does anyone know anything about the Moore/Gibbons Challengers of the Unknown or Martian Manhunter pitches?
I've kept an eye out for further details on those two projects. They may have been verbal pitches over the phone therefore there's no record of them? Regardless, I've not seen any more details.
The last notable Moore/ Gibbons reunion was their contribution to The Spirit stories in 2003.
Dave Gibbons never worked on Swamp Thing.
Not sure if you need topic suggestions but I see others doing so. Are you familiar with Alpha Flight?
Despite me not liking it, I will admit that watchmen is probably one of the most important and influential comic books of all time.
I hope it wasn't the movie that turned you off Watchmen. The book is immensely superior to that distasteful travesty.
@@mphylo2296 exactly. Giving them super powers was a BIG mistake
Please bring back the until next time ending!
Failure is the only place you will be guaranteed creative freedom and not have ye work diluted by franchising. What a shit state of affairs that is
If you like Superhero deconstruction with a modern absurdist twist check out SUPERHERO CONFIDENTIAL!
instagram.com/sophiagaia/?hl=en
A few glaring mistakes in this video's narrative, sadly
Not sure if this was presented before the excellent HBO watchmen series. It subsumed the terrible movie, and is also without sequel. Although who knows when another brilliant creator might come along.
Yes.
Any more of a comment, the rabid weasels jump me. Two years ago, here, gave me the cure.
The legacy of Watchmen is a strange burden for everyone, I tell ya what.
It was unique and wonderful, then DC fcked it up. Now try to guess which DC property I'm talking about.
America’s Best Comics?
There really is no reason for a sequal....a prequel is more likely
Is there really?
@@lakshaykochhar6799
Doomsday Clock was the sequel
alan wanted it, but DC screwed big as usual
Doomsday clock sucks
You clearly haven't even read it
This is the most overrated comicbook ever printed. It's not even Moore's best work (V for Vendetta) or DC's best (The new frontier).
The movie was the better version, which doesn't mean much because it wasn't anything more than a decent film.
Moore writes like Moorcock, if Michael was a malicious and bitter hack, loathing most of his audience...
The fact that he wrote Rorschach as a parody and comicbook fans love him instead, will never stop being funny...
Should delve into that convoluted Nick Fury v/s SHIELD series.