Seriously, comic book fans, I don’t understand the big problem with what DC Comics is doing with the Before Watchmen series of books. All day long, all I have seen from a majority of you is bitch, bitch, bitch… Despite all your complaining, guess what, it is still going to happen. It is DC’s decision to make, not yours. From a business stand point it makes sense for them. Watchmen, despite some years removed from the film release, is still a hot property right now. People are still talking about the comic book and film, especially since it will be 25 years since the original series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons has ended. The Before Watchmen books will sell well for DC because, let’s be honest here, despite all the protest you all are putting up, and all the bitching you are doing, you know the vast majority of you will be out there in your local comic stores, waiting to buy the first issue of each book when they are released. I know I will; but then again, I am not complaining about the whole thing like you all on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. To be perfectly honest, I am actually looking forward to the new series of books.

I would love to know more about what happened between the time Doctor Manhattan was born and the beginning of the original series, and not just through a few flashbacks. Some detailed semblance of a past for him as well as the other characters should be something that fans would like to see. It would have been great had Moore and Gibbons done it right after the original series, but the level of talent that DC has gotten to do the new series is an impressive list of names. Brian Azzarello, J. Michael Straczynski, Darwyn Cooke, Andy Kubert, Adam Hughes, Amanda Conner, Jae Lee, Len Wein… those are some awesome creative and talented names in the industry right now. It is not like rookie writers and artists are handling these new books - these people are at the top of their game in the industry.

And really, this should have come as no surprise. For as good as DC is doing with the books lately, all I see when I look at the New 52 and the Before Watchmen announcement is their returning to the well to pick up and renew stories, ideas and concepts that were already popular years ago, then rehash them to fans, old and new. Not that Marvel is any less guilty of this, but over the past ten years, I have watched as DC has again and again gone back to the Bronze and early Modern Age of Comics and reuse idea after idea. I get it. It works, it sells, and in a business that thrives on sales it is what they need. And as much as I see this happening, I was still excited for Identity Crisis, Blackest Night, 52 and every other story that has happened since then.  I also see these “reboots” were rooted in successful stories from the past or directly linked to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Honestly, all the bitching and moaning out there is really just bringing more attention to the whole damn thing anyway. For every one post or tweet, ten people are looking at it and saying, “Hm, I wonder what they are talking about?”  They will go and look up the information as well and while half of them may agree with you, the other half is kind of excited about it, which translates to sales. Still the majority of you, complaintants and supporters alike, will be out there on day one waiting to buy the issues. I get wanting to get your point across and voice your disdain for the whole thing, it is your given right to do so - but when all of you are bringing more attention to the project some of you want to see killed right away, are you not just defeating your own agenda? The best way to show that you are disinterested in the whole Before Watchmen project is to just say nothing at all and show DC that this is an unpopular idea. The more noise you make about it, the more buzz the project gets, the more DC will push the idea through. You can either make your statement now and show the project no more attention or, the most effective protest, is to not buy the books when they come out and show them in dollars how you disagree with the project. Make them rethink potential remakes, prequels, and reboots.

Personally, I can’t wait to read the new books. You know why? Because I feel that the books should be given a chance to succeed or fail once they are released. I will decide once I read them if they are good or bad. Will it live up to the original 12 issue Watchmen series? I don’t think so. But I am willing to give Before Watchmen a chance. Who knows, they might just surprise a few naysayers out there…

(Editor's Note: To read the other side of this argument, check out LargeMarge67's thoughts on the Before Watchmen project.)