Review: Doomsday Clock #9

One of the biggest drawbacks of the delays for Doomsday Clock is not the wait but how it has dominated the conversation around the book. Debating about the quality of the series or even the deeper analysis into what is actually occurring is muted compared to the release schedule. It is a shame because as this issue shows there is so much to dive into as you attempt to determine what exactly is going on.

Part of that may also be due to how it is still not super clear where the direction of the series is going. Sure there is the inevitable showdown between Superman and Doctor Manhattan that looms over the proceedings of everything, but how much this series will impact the DC Universe going forward…and well backwards has yet to be determined. With issue nine we get some more major hints that the answers to what ”˜Rebirth“ is are on there way.

With this issue comes a moment most have been waiting for since this series was announced as the DC universe comes face to face with Doctor Manhattan. For those hoping for the pacing to pick up this by far has the biggest action set piece of the series. Seeing a cavalcade of DC heroes trying to take out Doctor Manhattan brings with it a level of surrealism still as they are very different types of characters coming from two very different worlds.

That difference is demonstrated in the early pages as we open with Doctor Manhattan pontificating on the fate of what lies ahead. In true Watchmen fashion, it has the nine-panel grid that moves methodically with minute focused placed upon each passing image. That then is juxtaposed with the world of DC with massive splash pages and minimal dialog. One wonders ifÂ the repetitive three-panel grid was perhaps a nod to industry legend the late Darwin Cooke. It would seem fitting as Cooke has worked within both the DC and Watchmen worlds, and these characters are entering a brand ew frontier. Â

There is also some further fallout from what happened with Superman and Firestorm in Russia, and the temperate of the world continues to sour against meta-humans as many are attempting to leave the United States for safekeeping. Narrative-wise not much has progressed, however, the machinations of all these events provide plenty of ammunition for speculation and analysis. Within each page and within each panel one wonders what deeper meaning is being sought. It can lead to a somewhat frustrating experience as it seems no answers will be fully clear until all is said and done. If you are the type person who likes a firm foundation to build your expectations off of even nine issues in that has yet to fully happen.

What is clear is this underlying analysis of hope and how it has is slowly disintegrating, which is clearly a reference to the way Watchmen has impacted the world of DC comics since its debut. How the heroic sheen was lifted from the idyllic view of superheroes and replaced with a nihilistic deconstruction. Since then the direction of comics has changed and lead to a darker and more mature tone in order to capture the attention of an evolving fanbase. This seem destined to address that face head on in order to finally evovle past it as a medium.Â

Gary Frank“s art is as phenomenal as one would expect after reading this series for nine issues now. Â This may have been his most cinematic issue yet with the shifting panel designs and massive action it was as if you took an amazing director and legendary cinematographer and told them they could make the biggest superhero movie ever with an unlimited budget. Still, those smaller moments work just as well, like when a silhouetted Lois stands near an incapacitated Superman laying on a hospital bed. The spectacle is there but so is the emotion. Brad Anderson colors remain a key contributor. In this issue, he utilized the landscape of Mars quite effectively. As the battle raged on the reddish dust of Mars fills the air encompassing this vast grouping of characters. It is as if we were witnessing a blood-soaked battle without adding unnecessary gore.

Final Thoughts:

There is no questioning the level of craft that has gone into each and every issue of Doomsday Clock. As issue nine shows this is a series of some of today“s best creators doing some of their best work. With that said it is a series that always feels at a distance to not reveal its true motives quite yet. For those hoping to see the pacing pick up this issue accomplishes that feat and with only three issues left the final act is beginning to take shape. You get the sense major ramifications lie ahead for all of DC comics. Hopefully those answers make it all worth it. So far there is no reason not to trust what this creative team is doing.Â

[yasr_overall_rating]

Written by	Geoff Johns
Penciller(s)	Gary Frank
Letterer(s)	Rob Leigh
Colorist(s)	Brad Anderson
Editor(s)	Brian Cunningham Amedeo Turturro Bobbie ChaseÂ (execitive editor)

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Daniel Clark

A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.