Before Watchmen Comedian 2012 2013 1

What happens when you find out the whole world is a joke? You become the Comedian. Writer Brian Azzarello teams with artist J.G. Jones to explore the mad mind of one of WATCHMEN's darkest characters.

If there's one thing the Comedian is an expert at, it's violenceÑbut the question remains: 'Why?' Steal a peek at the inner workings of a psychopath during one of the most chaotic and godforsaken moments in history.

The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN! For over twenty years, the back stories of the now iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's landmark graphic novel have remained a mystery, until now. DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, with this second volume starring two of the most polarizing anti-heroes ever, COMEDIAN and RORSCHACH. Eisner Award-winning writer and creator of 100 Bullets Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR, BATMAN/DEATHBLOW) to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN 1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH 1-4.

Having survived the craziness of the L.A. Watts riots, The Comedian does the only thing that makes sense to him‰Û_he returns to fight in the jungles of Vietnam.

Eddie finds himself as an American "advisor" in the early days of the Vietnam War. But he's more interested in stirring the pot than standing on the sidelines.

The Comedian is just back from his first adventure in Vietnam and finds himself in the midst of the L.A. Watts riots. He handles the situation with his usual "subtle" approach in this sure-to-be controversial issue.

Discover what happened before WATCHMEN. The team of legendary writer Len Wein and acclaimed artist Jae Lee--in his first DC Comics' work in nearly a decade--delve into the mind of the smartest man in the world: Ozymandias. How does one go from the son of immigrant parents to becoming the world's smartest man? Adrian Veidt begins his journey, both spiritual and physical, that will one day make him one of the most pivotal players in the world-changing events of WATCHMEN. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #1-6, "Curse of the Crimson Corsair."

Discover what happened before WATCHMEN as writer J. Michael Straczynski is joined by Andy Kubert and the legendary Joe Kubert to take flight with the gadget-savvy vigilante known as Nite Owl! And then in BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN, JMS teams with fan-favorite artist Adam Hughes on the all-powerful super-man Dr. Manhattan. For Dr. Manhattan, past, present, and future are one and the same. But as he observes the events of his life, do they remain the same? Or are they changed? The very fact of his existence may have altered the nature of what will or will not be... Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1-4 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1-4.