DC Comics to publish controversial 'Watchmen' prequels. Will you buy them? An EXCLUSIVE first look at artwork, creative details
http://shelf-life.ew.com/20...s-exclusive-details/

quote Why might the new comics be controversial? Because Watchmen’s widely revered writer, Alan Moore, who has long been at war with DC for any number of reasons, has absolutely nothing to do with them. Branded Before Watchmen, the long-rumored project — which has been on-again/off-again in a variety of forms for years — will be comprised of seven mini-series created by an all-star line-up of talent, including Amanda Conner, who drew the first look at Silk Spectre posted here. Your roll call: Rorschach (four issues) The vicious urban vigilante with an ink blot mask. Written by Eisner Award winner Brian Azzarello of 100 Bullets fame, with art by Lee Bermejo. The Comedian (six issues) Jackass jokester turned amoral super-soldier. Written by Azzarello, art by J.G. Jones. Get more EW: Subscribe to the magazine for only 33¢ an issue! Dr. Manhattan (four issues) Blue and nude atomic-power superman, profoundly detached from humanity. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, a superstar comics scribe equally known for his TV and film work (Babylon 5, Clint Eastwood’s 2009 film Changeling), with art by Adam Hughes. Nite Owl (four issues) Maybe the most relatable of the Watchmen, a second-generation hero with high tech weaponry. Written by Straczynski, art by Andy Kubert and his father, the legendary Joe Kubert. Ozymandias (six issues) Super-smart, mega-wealthy, scary-ambitious. Written by another living legend (and original Watchmen editor) Len Wein, art by Jae Lee. The Minutemen (six issues) The founding fathers of Watchmen’s superhero universe. Written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, whose recent work includes acclaimed comic adaptations Donald E. Westlake’s Parker crime novels. Silk Spectre (four issues) The daughter of a pioneering female superhero, raised to be her mother’s replacement. Written by Cooke, art by Conner. Wein will also write a two-page back-up story that will run in each issue of each series called “Curse of the Crimson Corsair” with art by Watchmen’s colorist, John Higgins. Once each series has completed its run, DC will wrap up the initiative with a single issue entitled Before Watchmen: Epilogue, featuring contributions of several different writers and artists. The first issue of the first mini-series will drop this summer, title and date TBD. From there, new issues will roll out each week. In a joint statement, DC Entertainment co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee say the reason why the company is launching Before Watchmen now is because “it’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant. … After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told.”

Hurm....

I'll READ them... perhaps.
Not sure what the motivation is to do this - (besides making money)
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edit: ugh, didn't read the entire OP till now - if they do things which go against the characters's natures... grrrrr yeah, I know you can just choose not to read it, but it REALLY bugs me when they do stuff like that. Like tell a story where Rorschach lets a criminal go free and be rehabilitated, and not "pay" for his crime (Rorschach -bad MUST be punished because they did something BAD... except for crimes against women (moral lapses) - need to ponder THAT one...hmmmm)
I wasn't much into comics back when "Watchmen" first came out - came across one of the Rorschach issues, and enjoyed it, though.
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But 'Watchmen" to me now is a sacred text.

Not only is the story amazingly complex, if you REALLY dig deeply into it, it can be an utterly exhausting experience.

It's NOT "just a comic book".

I have a LOT of Watchmen stuff - One of the best pieces is
a book which describes the Philosophical brainstuff found within the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Watch...ulture/dp/0470396857

There are haunting passages within the story. Haunt me as I try to grab hold of my day and make sense of things. try to decide how to 'face' the day.

"Well, I dream about swimming towards a hideous...No. Nevermind. It isn't significant..."

I enjoyed the movie, and there were parts of it which i think were as good (or better) than the source material, but when you watch it (once), you miss out on a LOT.

I think that the writers and artists did not fully understand what they were creating.

It's easy to do a quick read an get the "gist" of the characters, but there's a LOT going on in every panel, every line, every word. Watchmen is a masterpiece. a thermodynamic miracle.

[This message has been edited by TheDigitalAlchemist (edited 02-01-2012).]