DC Comics Creative Chief Geoff Johns kicked off the countdown to Doomsday Clock at New York Comic Con Friday. The first of twelve issues will be released Nov. 22, but fans in attendance got an early look before Gary Frank’s gorgeous illustrations hit the internet. Read the first six pages at the end of the article.
The DC Universe is quite spooky as of late, with Batman and The Flash investigating a missing decade of time. Barry Allen claims he feels a mysterious being hiding out in the universe. They don’t know who or what it is yet, but Doomsday Clock fans know it’s most likely Doctor Manhattan.
The first pages mark the date Nov. 22, 1992. The whereabouts of Doctor Manhattan and Ozymandias are only mentioned in newscasts, but we do learn Ozymandias has a cancerous tumor due, most likely a consequence from the end of Watchmen. We also see Rorschach in the very last panel. The infamous “smiley-face” lapel button is at the heart of the mystery pulsing within the DC Universe, which Johns claims will eventually sync with Watchmen continuity in the last issue of Doomsday Clock.
During the panel, Johns gave fans a few hints when it comes to character interactions. "I wouldn’t tell the story if I didnt think Superman and Doctor Manhattan could be in the same panel. It feels kind of magical to me.” He also said Rorschach is the most fun character he's ever written, comparing him to Batman.
Panel moderator Lev Grossman, author of New York Times best-seller The Magicians, asked, "How naked is Doctor Manhattan?" Johns said, "Gary and I debated about when is he naked and when is he not naked... We have to follow the rulebook. I didn’t write the rules."
Johns didn't reveal too many spoilers, but he did say Doomsday Clock won't just be superhero fights and banter. "It’s a story from start to finish. There are no crossovers. This is not an event. There are no one shots."
The big questions at the end of these panels: how is Rosarach alive and where is Doctor Manhattan? Any ideas? Let us know in the comments. And if you need to catch up ahead of Doomsday Clock, Johns assured the audiance all you need to read is Watchmen. But some DC Universe knowledge can't hurt. In which case, you should pick up Batman and Flash crossover series The Button and Rebirth #1.
