5 Reasons We're Looking Forward To The "Watchmen" Prequels

At right, ladies and gentlemen, is possibly your Silk Spectre. And in case you wondering, the evidence is piling up rapidly that these prequels are happening: Rich Johnston, our only source for “Watchmen” prequels so far, had to take down images on the specific order of DC Comics, which is as good as announcing that they’re doing these miniseries and that Johnston was right.

So, amid the chorus of groaning and “RUINED FOREVER!” that will inevitably result, we want to take a bit of the opposite view: they’re not going to be as good as the classic miniseries they’re spinning off from…but we think they’re going to be fun comics, and have the potential to be some of the best stuff of 2012.

#5) This Was Happening One Way Or The Other

It’s a pretty simple equation: DC is owned by Time Warner, which likes money and views their comic book properties as cash machines. If DC didn’t take the lead, there was a good chance Hollywood would have been allowed to run riot on the story. At least this way comics professionals get to play with Alan Moore’s toys, not the screenwriting team behind “Garfield”, because, hey, comic books, comic strips, same thing right, says the Hollywood exec right before he does a line of coke.

#4) It’s Not a Sequel

If they were going to actually attempt a sequel, we’d be at the forefront with torches and pitchforks. A sequel is a terrible idea.

So instead of doing a sequel, which even DC editorial realizes is a bad idea, they’re doing prequel miniseries. You know what? OK. That won’t profane the original miniseries, and still fulfill DC’s corporate obligations.

#3) It’s Not DC Dragging These Characters Into Their Multiverse

Another potentially horrible misstep would be integrating these characters into the wider DCU in some form, which we’re also ducking. So another point in their favor.

#2) They’re Putting Their Best Staff on This

So far, the names we’ve seen tied to this series are Joe and Andy Kubert, Darwyn Cooke, Amanda Conner, and J. Michael Straczynski, with Cooke serving as the overall editor of the prequels. We haven’t gotten a load of all the writers yet, but we’d be surprised if they weren’t at Straczynski and Cooke’s caliber. So at the very least, this isn’t going to fail for lack of experienced talent at the wheel.

#1) They’re Potentially Pretty Interesting

Alan Moore didn’t get into the backstories of each character as a hero too much because it wasn’t relevant to the actual plot, and he had a lot of ground to cover. We’ve got to admit, we’re curious to see what the creative team DC is assembling can do to fit in these characters and their histories into a superheroic framework.

How about you? Any excitement, or do you need to borrow a lighter for your torch?