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! By Len Wein & Steve Rude.
Before Watchmen: Dollar Bill (2013)
Tag: Before Watchmen
Before Watchmen: Minutemen (2012)
Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl, recounts his exploits with The Minutemen during the 1940s, while in the midst of his retirement, he faces opposition to the publication of his tell-all autobiography, Under the Hood in the early 1960s. Although it heavily retconned certain characters’ backstories by suggesting that a large part of Under the Hood was dirty lies and cover ups, it debuted to positive reviews.
Before Watchmen – Silk Spectre (2012)
The story follows Laurie Jupiter as she rebels against her mother Sally’s efforts for Laurie to replace her as the Silk Spectre. Laurie runs away with her boyfriend to discover herself in the San Francisco counterculture of the 1960s.
Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012)
The story explores the different universes that Doctor Manhattan alias Jon Osterman simultaneously perceives. It also adds a notable new element to Osterman’s backstory by revealing him to be a half-Jewish German immigrant who escaped with his father from the Third Reich to America; in the original Watchmen series, he was not implied to be anything other than American. It debuted to positive reviews.
Before Watchmen – Nite Owl (2012)
The plot takes place in the early 1960s, where 15-year-old Daniel Dreiberg is trained by Hollis Mason, the Nite Owl who led the vigilante team The Minutemen, as he narrates his first adventures as the second Nite Owl. Dreiberg and Rorschach did not get along, but they started an early partnership when they begin looking at a series of prostitute murders. Each recalled the abuse their mother suffered when they were children. Nite Owl inadvertently allows seduction into his world of vigilantism, courtesy of the dominatrix madam The Twilight Lady; while Rorschach turns toward religion, bringing the duo back together to solve the case. The story debuted to mostly positive reviews.
Before Watchmen – Moloch (2012)
Moloch, alias Edgar William Jacobi, was an ex-nemesis of the Minutemen who played a macguffin role in the original series. This story reveals engrossing information about Moloch’s childhood, his turn to villainy, and new details surrounding his death.
Before Watchmen: Comedian (2012)
Writen by Brian Azzarello with art by J. G. Jones, the story reveals the Comedian‘s history with the Kennedy family during his exploits in the Vietnam Era.
Before Watchmen: Rorschach (2012)
The story follows Rorschach in New York City, 1977, where his crime-fighting activities cause him to be targeted by a crime lord running drugs and prostitution in the sordid Times Square. While focused on the gang, Rorschach makes the mistake of allowing another predator to operate unchallenged.
EHT Comics 