Doomsday Clock is another bold and ambitious continuation of Alan Moore’s source material.

Doomsday Clock is the 12-part finale of the story that was established in DC Rebirth and more importantly, a follow-up to Alan Moore’s iconic graphic novel Watchmen. The series will unfortunately be remembered for its constant delays, when it should be remembered as the ambitious sequel to the Watchmen that was done RIGHT. While fans had to wait more than 2 years between the release of first and final issues, my decision to wait (very patiently at that!) for the entire series to be out a very good idea in hindsight.

The series picks up from the Watchmen universe, seven years after the massacre in New York City. Rorschach’s journal has been published, exposing Ozymandias’s role in the event. Now a fugitive, Ozymandias gathers several others to find Doctor Manhattan and bring him back to save the world. Over at the DC Universe, in the present day, a conspiracy theory that accuses the US Government of creating its own metahumans, has created international conflict and led to an arms race, with various governments around the world recruiting metahumans and creating sanctioned superteams.

The characters from both universes collide in the most delicious crossovers, with everyone trying to find Dr. Manhattan. Meanwhile, the omnipotent Dr. Manhattan, for whom the past, present, and future all happen at the same time, finds his awareness obscured by some kind of darkness. The last thing he can foresee is Superman’s fist careening toward his face, leading Jon to believe that either Superman would kill him, or he would end the universe in self-defense. With such an intriguing premise, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank pack in plenty of unexpected twists and turns over the course of 12 issues before bringing the ambitious story to a satisfying conclusion.

Frank and Anderson deserve a special mention for the stunning artwork. While it may not rival Alex Ross (Marvels, Kingdom Come), it is nevertheless a modern-day masterpiece that can proudly stand up to its predecessor. While it is no secret that Alan Moore doesn’t approve of Watchmen continuations in any medium, he should rest assured that HBO’s series and Geoff John’s Doomsday Clock are both worthy adaptations that may not necessarily surpass his source material, but in no way tarnish it as well.

Doomsday Clock also enables DC to officially clean up some continuity issues and lay out a tentative roadmap for the coming years, with one scene in particular sending shockwaves in pop culture – a DC/Marvel crossover!

Dr. Manhattan: On July 10th, 2030, the ‘Secret Crisis’ begins, throwing Superman into a brawl across the universe with Thor himself…and a green behemoth stronger than even Doomsday, who dies protecting Superman from these invaders.