Believe it or not, it was over two years ago that
Doomsday Clock #1 went on sale, and the final issue of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's long-delayed series finally arrived online and in stores today.
It certainly delivers a satisfying conclusion to the DC Universe/Watchmen crossover and while it arguably isn't quite up there with HBO's
Watchmen, it certainly wasn't a bad sequel to the original tale. However, the highlight was without a doubt all the major reveals this issue treated us to.
From the promise of a Marvel crossover to a brand new era for the DC Universe and shocking returns and revelations about what comes next,
Doomsday Clock #12 delivers plenty of surprises.
So, to check out this recap of the issue, all you need to do is hit the "View List" button!
The Fate Of Dr. Manhattan
As Superman is attacked by the world's international heroes, Dr. Manhattan watches on and counts down the minutes until either he comes to an end or he ends everything. However, that fateful punch he's seen the Man of Steel deliver wasn't actually aimed at him. Instead, Superman does the right thing and protects the mysterious being, because he's, well, Superman.
This inspires Dr. Manhattan, and he uses his powers to end the fight and undo some of the changes he's made to the DC Universe since arriving. It's then the big reveals start to come..
Superboy And The Return Of Ma And Pa Kent
By bringing back the Justice Society of America, Pa Kent is inspired to tell his son about their adventures, and that leads to the young Clark Kent becoming Superboy.
As a result, he's there to save his Earth parents and to stop their truck from crashing. That means they're now alive in the present day and, at the end of the issue, we see the adult Clark and Lois Lane meeting with them in Metropolis. Jonathan and Martha are now back among the living, and this was a "gift" of sorts from Dr. Manhattan to Superman.
The Return of Some Familiar Faces
Dr. Manhattan undoing his past actions and bringing back Superboy means that not only do the Justice Society of America exist again, but so too do the Legion of Superheroes.
That means a whole host of familiar faces have returned to the DC Universe, including some who haven't been seen since before "The New 52" reboot. This looks set to be a game-changer, and with the help of his fellow heroes, the Man of Steel is able to defeat Black Adam and the other superpowered individuals who have taken aim at him for his role in Firestorm losing control in Russia.
There Are More Earths To Explore
It turns out that past DC Universe reboots didn't wipe out the previous versions of those worlds. Dr. Manhattan confirms that Earth-1985 still exists, as does "Earth-52." That means the younger Superman from that 2011 redo is still very much alive, while many fans would no doubt love to return to 1985 and that classic era of storytelling.
When and where that will happen is hard to say, but the Metaverse revolves around Superman and everytime there's a change, a new world and timeline is created to ensure that there's always a Man of Steel in existence. Dr. Manhattan even looks hundreds of years ahead to future DC Universe reboots, and there's always a Superman.
A Marvel Vs. DC Crossover?
In 2020, Superman will face "The Old Gods" and that will change the Metaverse again. In 2025, another "Crisis" will hit the DC Universe courtesy of a group known as the Time Masters.
However, even bigger changes are coming thanks to the emergence of Earth-5G, the arrival of Bruce Wayne's daughter, and most surprisingly, a "Secret Crisis" which will see Superman fight Thor and The Hulk sacrifice himself to protect the Man of Steel from some mysterious invaders. In other words, it looks like a Marvel vs. DC crossover could be in the works for a decade from now!
Ozymandias' Plan
It turns out that Ozymandias always planned to have Dr. Manhattan come face to face with Superman as he knew that was necessary to get the all-powerful being to save his world. Worryingly, this inspires Lex Luthor to do...something, and it's not long until Adrian Veidt is gunned down by The Comedian in revenge for Ozymandias throwing him out of that window.
He's not given long to celebrate, though, as Luthor arrives and uses a device to send the villain back to his own world at the point he was taken, meaning he still falls to his death.
Dr. Manhattan Returns Home
Returning to his own world after being inspired by Superman, Dr. Manhattan repairs the cities that were ravaged by bombs and removes the world's entire nuclear arsenal. He also changes Carver Colman's fate, and we learn that the movie star got the happy ending he ultimately deserved.
Back in the DC Universe, Martin Stein is arrested for creating Metahumans against their will, while the President is impeached for the role he played in that. Ronnie Raymond is cleared and Wonder Woman pushes to launch a new iteration of the Global Guardians as Earth's heroes finally unite.
Ozymandias Behind Bars
Thanks to an inspirational speech from Batman, the new Rorschach embraces his persona, but spares Ozymandias so he can finally pay for what he did. That leads to him being jailed, but a young orphan named Cleopatra Pak is revealed to have become obsessed with the rise and fall of Ozymandias and with Bubastis by her side, she becomes a hero (we assume) called Nostalgia.
The Mime and Marionette's Child
It turns out that Marionette and The Mime weren't The Joker's parents after all. Instead, it's revealed that Jon took their son and brought him up as someone who could replace him.
They're left stranded in the DC Universe, but it sounds like Dr. Manhattan's "son" will one day find his way to that world because they're there to serve as an "anchor" for him when that day comes. That's bound to factor into one of the aforementioned future events Jon hinted at.
The New Superman
After using the last of his powers to restore his world, Dr. Manhattan transfers what's left to his "son" and disappears. It appears as if he's dead, and he sends the child to the home of the vigilantes once known as Nite-Owl and Silk Spectre! They're living a happy life with their daughter Sally, and Jon clearly trusted them to bring up the boy and ensure he's loved and knows how to love.
As you can see above, the boy is named "Clark" and is clearly meant to serve as this world's Superman. That's quite the twist, and it's also where the final issue of the long-delayed series ends!
What did you guys think of Doomsday Clock #12? Was it a satisfying conclusion to the story and a worthy Watchmen sequel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.