Before Watchmen
English
290 pages
Volume 1
Before Watchmen: Minutemen/Silk Spectre
18.6K views • Jul 01, 2025
The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN!
For over twenty years, the backstories of the now-iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' landmark graphic novel had been the subject of much debate and theorizing. Now, DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, starting with this first volume starring MINUTEMEN and SILK SPECTRE. The critically acclaimed and Eisner Award-winning creator of DC: THE NEW FRONTIER Darwyn Cooke lends his talents MINUTEMEN. As the predecessor to the Watchmen, the Minutemen were assembled to fight against a world that had more and more rapidly begun to spin out of control. Can these heroes from completely different backgrounds and with completely different attitudes on crime come together? Or will they fall apart before they begin? SILK SPECTRE takes an introspective look at the WATCHMEN feature-player's struggles with her overbearing superhero mother and her scattered path toward taking the mantle of the Silk Spectre.
With gorgeous art by co-writer and illustrator Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL, The Pro), SILK SPECTRE takes a very different perspective at the world of BEFORE WATCHMEN. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE #1-4.
255 pages
Volume 2
Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach
7.6K views • Jul 01, 2025
The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN!
For over twenty years, the backstories of the now-iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' 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 comics 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.
288 pages
Volume 3
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan
6.4K views • Jul 01, 2025
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.
258 pages
Volume 4
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias/Crimson Corsair
5.7K views • Jul 01, 2025
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."
27 pages
Issue 1
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
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.
26 pages
Issue 2
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
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.
26 pages
Issue 3
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #3
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
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.
24 pages
Issue 4
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #4
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Having survived the craziness of the L.A. Watts riots, The Comedian does the only thing that makes sense to him…he returns to fight in the jungles of Vietnam.
23 pages
Issue 5
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #5
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Eddie Blake crawls out of the bloody jungles of Vietnam only to get caught in the more deadly crossfire of Washington politics in the pulse-pounding penultimate issue of this controversial series.
22 pages
Issue 6
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012-) #6
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
If there's one thing the Comedian is an expert at, it's violence—but 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.
30 pages
Issue 7
Before Watchmen: Dollar Bill (2013-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Bill Brady was meant to be a star; in what capacity he never knew. Behind the smoke and mirrors of National Bank is the thrilling origin of a beloved hero!
30 pages
Issue 8
Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
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...
29 pages
Issue 9
Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
From his unique quantum position, Dr. Manhattan can see his whole life flash before his eyes. So why isn't he seeing the events he once lived?
28 pages
Issue 10
Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012-) #3
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Dr. Manhattan can now see the scope of the damage he's done to the cosmic order—but is there a way to repair it? And what incident from his own past holds the key to understanding where he went wrong?
25 pages
Issue 11
Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012-) #4
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Dr. Manhattan has put everything back in the box--or has he? Has he left footprints on the face of time itself, and what awe-inspiring responsibility has he entrusted to Ozymandias, of all people? This book contains upside-down and sideways pages. To maximize the reading experience, you may want to lock the orientation on your device.
33 pages
Issue 12
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Darwyn Cooke brings readers the tale of the Minutemen. Formed in 1939 by Captain Metropolis and Sally Jupiter, the team brought together some of the most well-known crimefighters of the era. But public glitz and glamour only hide the grim and gritty reality behind the masks.
28 pages
Issue 13
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
The Minutemen go on their first big mission as a team, but dark secrets already eat at their foundation. How will one member's past devastate the team's present?
28 pages
Issue 14
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #3
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Change sweeps the team as the Comedian is ousted—only to land a new job with Uncle Sam. Plus, Nite Owl finds himself doing the kind of work he never thought he would, and Silhouette gets into a fight that may cost her her life.
32 pages
Issue 15
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #4
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
The Comedian returns home from the war a hero and the Minutemen suffer their first casualty. The team is forced to face the worst about themselves as tragedy compounds tragedy and the mystery that will destroy them comes into sharper focus.
31 pages
Issue 16
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #5
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
In the aftermath of World War II, a national threat arises and the Minutemen must prepare for the most important mission of their lives! Meanwhile, as Nite Owl and Mothman continue the search for the child murderer, they soon realize that some secrets are better left buried.
27 pages
Issue 17
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012-) #6
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
This shocking final issue reveals the Minutemen's darkest secrets!
29 pages
Issue 18
Before Watchmen: Moloch (2012-) #1
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
Ever wonder what made criminal mastermind Moloch turn over a new leaf? Moloch's origins are revealed in this odd coming-of-age tale.
29 pages
Issue 19
Before Watchmen: Moloch (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Ozymandias is Moloch's new savior, but can he really trust the smartest man alive, or is it enough to just have faith?
31 pages
Issue 20
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl (2012-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
When the original Nite Owl Hollis Mason retires, who will answer the call to take his place? Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists Joe and Andy Kubert team to assemble the tale of tech-wizard Dan Dreiberg—the man who would carry the mantle of one of the world's greatest heroes.
30 pages
Issue 21
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Nite Owl and Rorschach have barely begun their crime fighting partnership, but things are already falling apart. Plus, enter the Twilight Lady!
30 pages
Issue 22
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl (2012-) #3
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3 views • Apr 21, 2026
The rift with Rorschach widens as Nite Owl grows closer to the mysterious and deadly Twilight Lady. Meanwhile, a stone-cold killer continues to terrorize New York City. Find out what connects these events!
27 pages
Issue 23
Before Watchmen: Nite Owl (2012-) #4
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Can Nite Owl and Rorschach stop trying to kill each other long enough to catch the real killer? Find out in the pulse-pounding conclusion of the action-packed limited series.
31 pages
Issue 24
Before Watchmen: Rorschach (2012-) #1
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
New York City. 1977. Dirty. Hot. Dangerous. This town is going to the dogs, and only one man has the guts to clean it up—Rorschach. But with a serial killer on the loose and a new drug lord looking to increase his territory, one man might not be enough.
28 pages
Issue 25
Before Watchmen: Rorschach (2012-) #2
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
As a serial killer known as 'The Bard' continues to stalk the streets of NYC, Rorschach is drawn deeper into his personal war on crime.
25 pages
Issue 26
Before Watchmen: Rorschach (2012-) #3
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
Rorschach continues his relentless pursuit of the criminal boss 'Rawhead' even as 'The Bard' continues to terrorize the women of Manhattan. Is there a connection between the two and can Rorschach stay alive long enough to figure it out?
27 pages
Issue 27
Before Watchmen: Rorschach (2012-) #4
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
In the thrilling conclusion to the limited series highlighting one of the most popular characters in comics, Rorschach comes face to face with the crimelord Rawhead, even as a serial killer closes in on the only thing Rorschach cares about.
30 pages
Issue 28
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre (2012-) #1
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10 views • Apr 21, 2026
Laurie Juspeczyk would one day play a pivotal role in the fate of the world in the pages of WATCHMEN, but before then, she was a young girl trying to follow in her mother's footsteps as one of the world's greatest crime-fighters—whether she wanted to or not.
28 pages
Issue 29
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre (2012-) #2
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
Laurie Juspeczyk has made the break from her suffocating mother, the original Silk Spectre, and has taken off for San Francisco—with her first love in tow. She may think she's ready to be a hero, but does she have the first clue what she's in for? Or was her mother right all along?
29 pages
Issue 30
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre (2012-) #3
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
Laurie's on the worst trip of her life—dosed against her will by a counterculture guru with a criminal agenda! What's worse, her beloved new friends can't seem to see the dark future they're barreling straight into.
30 pages
Issue 31
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre (2012-) #4
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
The epic conclusion of one terrible trip! Gurustein and the Chairman have ripped away the new life Laurie built for herself...but is she strong enough to take them down alone?
30 pages
Issue 32
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #1
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1 views • Apr 21, 2026
How does one go from the son of immigrant parents to becoming the world's smartest man? Adrian Veidt begins the journey, both spiritual and physical, that will one day make him one of the most pivotal players in the world-changing events of WATCHMEN.
28 pages
Issue 33
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #2
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3 views • Apr 21, 2026
Adrian Veidt has returned to New York City and he's taking the underworld by storm as the new costumed hero, Ozymandias. Veidt continues his quest to save the world—or destroy it!
28 pages
Issue 34
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #3
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0 views • Apr 21, 2026
As Ozymandias begins to implement his evil master plan, The Comedian comes calling...and the results are unforgettable.
26 pages
Issue 35
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #4
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8 views • Apr 21, 2026
As Ozymandias' plans for world domination begin to take shape readers will see the seminal events of the 1960s through the jaundiced eyes of the smartest man in world!
25 pages
Issue 36
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #5
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2 views • Apr 21, 2026
Ozymandias' plans for 'world peace through destruction' finally come together as his ultimate doomsday machine is born.
26 pages
Issue 37
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias (2012-) #6
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2 views • Apr 21, 2026
The dots are in place and the connections are moving at rapid pace. Unfortunately for the Comedian and Moloch, they'll never keep up with the smartest man alive. Featuring cameo appearances by a certain pirate comic writer and an artist obsessed with monsters.
