Now, no one I’ve talked to can confirm this but would it really surprise anyone if it was true?
Bleeding Cool is reporting that Dan DiDio is spearheading and effort to make prequels and possibly sequels to Watchmen.
According to the article, Paul Levitz has long been the roadblock (which I had heard long before the article so I’d say that’s a fair bet) to anything being done with the property beyond reprinting it. As Bleeding Cool mentions, even the video game is attached to the movie only, not the comic.
To date, the only real additional Watchmen material to exist beyond fan fiction are three role playing game supplements that were produced around the time of the original series completion from Mayfair Games. They included an essay by Moore called “The World of The Watchmen” which gave out a capsule of the Watchmen universe along with some previously unknown facts on the characters. These books were done before Moore’s problems with DC and are pretty much the closest thing we’ve had to an official Moore sequel/prequel.
Now I imagine Levitz had two reasons to keep this property under lock and key.
Reason 1
This book stands alone.
This is really a set of characters that don’t need a sequel or a prequel. Moore and Gibbons even looked at doing one at one point but couldn’t come up with anything more to say. As a stand alone book, it does really stand alone and probably should stay that way. As weird as it is to say it, would you think it’s a good idea to do a sequel to Moby Dick? Or a prequel to Old Man and the Sea? Or a sequel to The Dark Knight Returns?… wait…er…scratch the last one.
Reason 2
Alan Moore.
The chances of Alan Moore working for DC again are pretty much in the realm between Hell freezing over and huge peace in the middle east party in Jerusalem with Israel bringing cake and the Muslim states bringing kosher hot dogs.
But Levitz knew that if ever there was a chance of getting Moore back into the fold, as non existent as it was, the only way to keep the road not so bumpy was to keep everyone’s hands out of V for Vendetta and Watchmen.
Yeah it’s the longest of long shots but imagine the press, congratulations and general praise Levitz could have gotten if he managed to get Moore back?
It’s worth the risk especially when both are titles that do not need anything else to them.
Not to mention, who would actually write this thing?
I’m not saying who would be a good choice or anything of that nature, I’m saying what comic writer in his right mind would take that risk?
It sounds silly in someways but Watchmen is one of the best books the industry has put out.
Period.
A lot of pros would probably take a pass on principle alone. You may get one or two who might for the “challenge” and lord help them.
Now I should stress, this is a RUMOR at this stage. I can’t confirm it but a lot of the pieces, especially regarding Levitz involvement sound really solid. Add in the fact that Comic Book Resources is now hearing rumors of sequel/prequel tv and film projects, it sounds like at the very least, something is up.
Now I thought, maybe I was overreacting at how bad of an idea this is. So I contacted a few knowledgeable people who love comics to get their views.
This was the reaction from fellow internet writer Alex James from State of Affairs.
“What a terrible @^#% off idea.
I’m SICK of sequels that aren’t warranted.
Watchmen is a historic piece of literature, and frankly I hope if this ever comes down the pipe that Alan Moore takes up the sword and goes down to DC studios to deliver some Old Testament justice.”
This came in from international journalist Rob Scott from Bite TV’s show The Surf.
“I haven’t been this excited since Joesph Smith Jr said he was writing a sequel to the Bible. As for prequels, ask Lucas how well those turn out.“
And finally, Comic Book Daily’s Pete DeCourcy stressed the rumor factor.
“Honestly, I really think this is bull$%#*. I’ve met Didio and he doesn’t come across as this money hungry dude who hates comics.
Also this will never get off the ground, I mean – who in their right mind is going to write Watchmen 2?
No, I kind of believe that this is on par with that rumor that ‘(insert famous overexposed acting couple) are in the process of remaking Casablanca.”
Here’s hoping Pete’s right.
Brent Chittenden is the co-host, co-producer of the TATANS podcast. He is also on twitter under BCNerdhole and has a facebook group Brent Chittenden: The Writer.
