Marvel announces an all-star creative roster for a new anthology celebrating 75 years of stories.
Legendary and current superstar creators like Stan Lee and Bruce Timm, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos, Len Wein and Paul Gulacy, James Robinson, Tom DeFalco, Stan Goldberg, Scott Hanna, and more will be part of the Marvel 75th Anniversary Special.
Wolverine creator Len Wein says he’s received more royalties from The Dark Knight Trilogy that all the X-Men movies combined. The legendary writer creator Wolverine in Incredible Hulk #181. When Wein relaunched All-New, All-Different X-Men in the early 1970’s he co-created Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus and made Logan part of the revamped team.
But it’s an important supporting character in the Batman family that’s meant more checks!
An all-star lineup of creators will pay tribute to the Eleventh Doctor in an all-new Doctor Who Annual 2012 from IDW Publishing out this week. This oversize issues includes three stories.
While Matt Smith will say goodbye to Amy and Rory on the television series, writer Tony Lee is leaving the Doctor Who franchise with this Annual. The writer has helmed series, one-shots, miniseries and even the current crossover between the Time Lord and the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
“It’s an escape story,” Lee tells Comic Book Resources of his final story, “The Doctor willingly enters 1962 Alcatraz to rescue a friend after he learns of his death in a riot. It’s ‘Escape From Alcatraz‘ with timey-wimey fun and shimmer-suited aliens thrown in. And a familiar face or two. I wanted to do something ‘big’ in my 11 pages, rather than have people just sitting at a table talking to each other. I like the running, jumping, climbing trees school of Doctor Who.”
The all-star creative team includes legendary comics writer Len Wein, Dr. Who novelist Richard Dinnick, artists Matthew Dow Smith and Mitch Gerads.
Andy Diggle and Mark Buckingham will be the creative team on a new series spinning out of the annual which includes a prelude of their upcoming story.
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 cover by Phil Jiminez courtesy DC Comics
Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 is a beautifully written and drawn work of art. Adrian Veidt reveals his life story from a child isolated due to his superior intellect to a journey in the steps of his namesake Alexander the Great to methodically forging a modern-day empire.
Len Wein (editor of the original Watchmen series) creates an interesting portrait of the man who will save the world. Wein made me feel for a man that’s more machine as he acts with precision to create himself as humanity’s savior. What motivates Adrian to become a vigilante “hero” is the result of the one rare personal relationship he allows himself to have. Wein nails the tone and voice.
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 cover by Jae Lee courtesy DC Comics
Jae Lee’s art is stunning as the story of Veidt’s journey of what led him to save the world. Squid images are cleverly placed in the timeline. Lee beautifully displays the flawed imagery of Alexander the Great. This issue is the work of an artist at the top of their game.
Adrian is a man on higher plane above the rest of humanity. Wein and Lee create a portrait of a God-like man driving towards his endgame. Again, just a beautifully crafted book.
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 cover by Jae Lee courtesy DC Comics
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 is out this week. Len Wein was editor of the original Watchmen 12 part series. Wein is writing the new miniseries starring the “smartest man on the planet.”
In an interview with the legendary creator at Fan Expo Vancouver I asked Wein about his role as editor then versus writer now and how it relates to the new stories of Before Watchmen. Continue reading Len Wein on Before Watchmen Ozymandias
Oh yes they are going there. To the excitment or hate of some fans – DC Comics is daring to go back into the world of Watchmen. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons classic series changed the concept of comic book heroes. To some purists – this move is heresy – their version of doomsday. To an all-star lineup of writers and artists it’s the challenge of playing in a world that’s the holy grail of comics created by the legendary Moore and Gibbons.
As I digested the news I kept thinking of the Dune series. Frank Herbert’s original novels are revered as groundbreaking, influential classics of science fiction. Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, using his late father’s notes, have created multiple new books set in the Dune universe. I love them all. The original novels have a deeper meaning and impact. I still enjoy all the new novels set before, during and after the original books. It’s like pieces of puzzle seeing how characters, worlds and themes are built.
Courtesy DC Comics
I have to admire the creators of Before Watchmen. To attempt to get into the heads of Alan Moore’s creations is a huge challenge, professional risk, and irrestible opportunity. I really commend Brian Azzarello for daring to go into Rorschach’s mind!
How do you follow-up the biggest selling graphic novel of all time? DC Entertainment is lining up an all-star cast of creators for new stories expanding on the acclaimed WATCHMEN universe. BEFORE WATCHMEN will be seven inter-connected prequel mini-series building on the foundation of the groundbreaking graphic novel. The move is highly anticipated by fans but controversial.
“It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”
Courtesy DC Comics
Here’s are the creative teams for each character:
RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo
A new issue will be released each week featuring a two-page back-up story called CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR, written by original Watchmen editor Len Wein with art by original series colorist John Higgins.
There will also be BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a CRIMSON CORSAIR story by Wein and Higgins.
“The original series of WATCHMEN is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, WATCHMEN co-creator and original series artist.
Courtesy DC Comics
“Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”
