Word has it that DC Comics is working on some type of follow-up project to the legendary Watchmen by Alan Moore. The problem is that the word is ‘mum’. DC is being very, very, very tight-lipped about anything they may or may not be working on. I’ve been picking up little articles here and there throughout the Internet, but never enough to do a proper blog entry.

Until my brother asked me to get together everything I could find. Anything for family.

Just fan art, not real Watchmen 2 art

Most of the information is coming from the comic book news site Bleeding Cool. They claim that they’ve heard rumors about 4 separate Watchmen projects in production. Possibly prequels. There is no official word from DC Comics. So basically I guess they have some inside sources in the comic book industry – more than I have, at least – and that’s where they’re getting their information.

One of the projects is based on Silk Spectre II, the daughter of the original Silk Spectre. Rumor has it that artist extraordinaire Amanda Conner is working on that book. Bleeding Cool posted this picture of Silk Spectre drawn by Conner, and were immediately contacted by DC’s legal department to take it down. I was able to snag a copy elsewhere online and so I’m going to post it. If DC’s legal contacts me to take it down, I will. But I figure I’m obscure enough to let you people see the picture.

Amanda Conner is worth the risk

I hope I don’t get in trouble for posting that. Anyway, Amanda Conner is an amazing artist, so clearly DC is tapping some of the best people in the industry for these books.

Bleeding Cool also posted other images that DC legal asked them to take down. They were a drawing of The Comedian by JG Jones and a drawing of Night-Owl by Andy and Joe Kubert. DC legal wouldn’t be worried about these images if they weren’t important somehow.

The Comedian is all about breakin' the rules

For anybody who is completely lost, Watchmen is the most revered and respected comic book ever, written in the mid to late 1980s by legendary scribe and beard-enthusiast Alan Moore. It’s a realistic take on the superhero genre, and features superheroes dealing with things like sex, politics, murder and other situations that they simply didn’t face back in the 50s, 60s, or 70s. It turned the world of comic books on its head, and is still highly regarded to this day.

Basically it’s the ‘Moby Dick’ of comic books.

They made a movie a few years ago, which I loved, but the rest of the world seemed luke warm. Nuts to them.

Personally, I’m fine with the idea of Watchmen spin-off projects. Part of me thinks that DC Comics should leave the classics alone. Nobody is demanding new Watchmen material, especially since Alan Moore refuses to be involved. Just let Watchmen exist in the past as something to be cherished and remembered. Don’t dig it up and start parading it around just because you can.

On the other hand, I’m always for putting new books on the shelf. If they have some good ideas and feel like doing it, I say go for it. People are definitely going to buy new Watchmen books. And it’s smart to put popular/talented writers and artists on the project. The world will always be about making money, so there’s probably no stopping DC Comics from doing whatever the hell they want. So at least they’re taking it seriously.

Someone get Chris Giarrusso on the phone, stat!