Before Watchmen continues this week with a series focusing in on the Comedian, but is it the start of another stellar outing or the beginning of a lackluster saga?  Read on to find out.

The official description from DC:

“I’m a funny guy…”

Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!

The latest bit of Before Watchmen shows sides of the title character that are compelling and throroughly engaging, but the narrative only accentuates attributes of the Comedian that were already established in Watchmen.  That’s not a bad thing, but if this series seeks to be a character study about an unbalanced man who finds his humanity in inhumane situations and circumstances, the next issue needs to explore some new ground.  

Brian Azzarello delivers a script that is good but one that is ultimately just a straight forward jaunt into familiar territory.  The Comedian‘s story is honest and doesn’t attempt to sugar code his true nature, but the experience offered in this issue is too reliant on aspects of the character that were already established in Watchmen.  For this series to be successful and a worthwhile buy, I want to see something more compelling in the coming issues.  That being said the script and the dialogue are still strong and better than most comics that will hit the stands this week.

Beyond the story, the art by J.G. Jones is perfectly suited to the narrative.  The characters are beautifully drawn, the environments are expertly rendered and the overall style makes the book a very compelling read.  It’s pretty to look at, pure and simple.  Whether we see the Comedian acting like a normal person or busting in on a drug warehouse, J.G. Jones was the perfect choice for the art duties in this mini-series.

The back up story by Len Wein and John Higgins is another solid continuation of the Crimson Corsair.  The dialogue works well here, as the narrative tries to tell a decent chunk of story with the pages it’s been given.  The art is good and works well enough with the brief script.

Overall this is not a perfect start but considering the creative team involved and the overall quality of the book I’m wiling to call this a worthwhile buy.  The comic comes recommended.

4/5