“Dan, I’m not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I’d explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago.”
— Alan Moore, Watchmen
Ozymandias’ speech to Nite-Owl and Rorschach is what truly separates Watchmen from other superhero comics. Yes, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s graphic novel defied other conventions of the genre, including the narrative structure of comics themselves. Yet the idea that the heroes could lose to a villain that was one of their own, that said villain did what he did to “save the world,” and that same villain delivers their villainous monologue after completing their plan? You just didn’t do that in comics. And of course, it helped transcend Watchmen into true art.
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Doomsday Clock #11 also has Ozymandias deliver a villainous monologue. The hero, in his case Saturn Girl, definitely says Superman will stop him, even though things look completely hopeless. The “Superman Theory,” in which the government created various metahumans, has been exposed. Black Adam and his metas are invading the U.S. Riots are breaking out. Superman is public enemy number one. All is going according to Ozymandias’ plan.
What’s the difference? No doubt you’ve already figured it out. Unlike Watchman, Ozymandias’ master-stroke isn’t complete. He’s committing the classic super-villain cliche of revealing his entire plan when he hasn’t won yet. There’s still a chance somebody, or somebodies, will stop him and save the world.
This sadly turns Doomsday Clock #11 into just another conventional comic book. It turns the entire series into just another conventional comic book series. Despite all the efforts in capturing Watchmen’s aesthetics–from the nine-panel layouts, the nonlinear narrative, the story-within-a-story, the cover being the first panel, and the back-matter at the end of the issue–it lacks what made Watchmen so innovative in the first place.
What makes it worse is that almost everything Ozymandias explains has already been revealed in earlier issues of Doomsday Clock. Sure, he clarifies a few points, like how he exploded Moscow, but it’s not as if this needs a long-winded explanation. The only real surprise is when he explains what really happened to Mime and Marionette’s son, and how the clown-themed couple fit into his plans.
His isn’t even the only super-villain monologue of this comic. Lex Luthor delivers one, too. Except Luthor’s is far more compelling, with fascinating implications for Dr. Manhattan, DC Rebirth, and Luthor’s antagonistic rivalry with Superman. It also expands upon the metatextual Doomsday Clock #10 without being repetitive. Maybe Luthor could teach Ozy a thing or two about monologuing.
You also can’t fault Doomsday Clock #11 when it comes to its artwork. As always, Gray Frank continues to draw realistic depictions of DC characters while still showing just how superhuman they are. He’s also a master when it comes to illustrating the human face. You don’t just see the righteous, but controlled fury in Superman’s eyes, the triumphant insanity behind Ozymandias’ grin, or the subtle looks of bemusement from Dr. Manhattan. You understand what they’re feeling in that very moment.
Also, while it doesn’t have Watchmen’s depth, Frank and Johns can emulate Watchmen’s look. They know how to juxtapose captions and word balloons with seemingly unrelated images in ironic but apt (and often unsubtle) ways. They also know the best ways for using silent panels. Seeing Alfred make a batch of pancakes for Reggie Long/Rorschach II for an entire page reveals so much about his character than words ever will. Likewise, the final page is perfect in it’s composition as it distills what the conflict has built towards.
But the sad fact is Doomsday Clock #11 is very much style over substance while claiming to have substance. It’s competent but unextraordinary, and definitely not revolutionizing the genre. That’s fine. Sometimes we need a conventional story once in a while. It’s just funny that the official sequel for one of the most unconventional comics of all time is very conventional. Then again, that’s how conventions work.
Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks
- Okay, where exactly was the U.S. going to launch their nuclear missiles at? Also, how is that Batman can disable their entire nuclear launch system by taking down just one launch site?
- “They are the descendants of those who enslaved your people, Diana.” Hold on? Is Black Adam talking about America enslaving Amazons? Because I don’t think they were the actual slaves during pre-Civil War America. Maybe he’s talking about how Americans are (somehow!) descendant from Hercules and his army who did enslave the Amazons? Except how does he know this? Did he look on Ancestry.com or something?
- “…Revolves around me.” Well, going by Doomsday Clock #10, the world also revolves around Superman, Lois Lane, and everyone else Superman knows, not just you Lex.
- Okay, so Luthor just happened to be there when Barry Allen remembered Wally West during DC Universe Rebirth #1? But I guess his “chronal energy” detector could pinpoint where the original Kid Flash would be before he would arrive.
- “Each one is absolutey identical in every way.” First of, Lex, that’s not how you spell absolutely. Second, while the photos all have the same image, they don’t have the same tears, folds, or damage to them. Ergo, the photographs aren’t “absolutely identical in every way.”
- Okay, how can Alfred read Rorschach’s journal once and believe Reggie, but Batman think Reggie’s when he read it?
- Oh, so that’s what ends up happening to Dan and Laurie. Kind of weird they’re only showing up now when the series is almost over, but oh well.
- Hey, Ozy? When monologuing, it’s best not to repeat yourself almost verbatim. And no, changing a few words around doesn’t make it all that different.
- Wait? So how could the Justice League track Dr. Manhattan’s energy signature to Mars, but couldn’t track that same energy signature from Bubastis on Earth?
- That’s how we’re ending Saturn Girl’s story after three years of build-up? By pulling a Back to the Future meets Thanos? Guess she truly was a waste of time.