A new Minutemen illustration was revealed today, but the bigger news is what Alan Moore had to say. Alan Moore took DC to task today with Fast Company's Co. Create blog. Moore reacted to the proposed project and fan comments. He said that his experience with the original Watchmen was a "toxic cloud of memories" and said he doesn't even have a copy in his house. On the sequels:
It seems a bit desperate to go after a book famous for its artistic integrity. It’s a finite series. Watchmen was said to actually provide an alternative to the superhero story as an endless soap opera. To turn that into just another superhero comic that goes on forever demonstrates exactly why I feel the way I do about the comics industry. It’s mostly about franchises. Comic shops these days barely sell comics. It’s mostly spin-offs and toys.
Moore went on to say that he didn't believe it would work. He says that some comic creators are hostile to the idea and fans have reacted negatively to it. He comments on the fans and
DC
Some people are writing petitions. I would have never have asked any of the readers to do that, but I’m genuinely grateful. It’s not a kind of reaction I can ever remember from a readership before. I would have thought, from a DC perspective, that’s it’s a lose-lose perspective, unless they did something better or as good as Watchmen. But realistically, that’s not going to happen, otherwise it would have happened before.
DC, of course was quick to comment.
DC Entertainment co-publishers Dan Didio and Jim Lee praise the prequels
We sought out the very best writers and artists for Before Watchmen. This is a talented, fearless group who doesn’t play it safe. They are the perfect fit creatively for this ambitious project. There’s no denying that Alan Moore is one of the great comic book writers. Dave Gibbons is one of the truly great artists in the industry. Neither of them are participating in Before Watchmen, but we appreciate Dave Gibbons’ support. We know this project will be under the magnifying lens. Watchmen is a critical favorite, a cultural touch point. We believe when fans see the issues this summer, they’ll be as excited as we are today.
Lee was quick to point out that the comic book medium isn't brought to life with just one voice and that new stories were essential to keep the story relevant. He says
DC would be "remiss not to expand upon these characters and their stories" and that
DC strives to be an industry leader which means making such bold moves.
Moore bashed the overall lack of creativity in entertainment. He stated that everything is a remake of something that was better when it was first released or was a 1960s TV show.
Now you’ve got theme park rides as the source material of movies. The only things left are breakfast cereal mascots. In our lifetime, we will see Johnny Depp playing Captain Crunch.
Wrapping up, Moore noted he may take legal action. He wanted
DC just simply not to do this and wanted no money for himself.
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