It’s not the end of the world. It’s the beginning. The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN! For over twenty years, the backstories of the iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's landmark graphic novel had been the subject of much debate and theorizing. Now, DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further explore the world of WATCHMEN. You know the names: Rorschach. The Comedian. Silk Spectre. Nite Owl. The Minutemen. Ozymandias. Dr. Manhattan. These immortal heroes and villains still resonate as some of the strongest and emotionally stirring of the comics medium. DC Comics has assembled one of the most impressive rosters of critically and commercially acclaimed talent to continue their adventures in BEFORE WATCHMEN: Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets), Darwyn Cooke (DC: The New Frontier), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), John Higgins (Judge Dredd), J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One), Len Wein (Swamp Thing), Lee Bermejo (Batman: Noel), Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman), J.G. Jones (Final Crisis), Andy Kubert (Batman), Joe Kubert (Yossel), Jae Lee (Inhumans) and Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets). These writers and illustrators pick up where the original graphic novel left off, weaving together stories that ring true to the same tones and feel that have made Watchmen one of Time magazine’s list of top 100 fiction novels. In this sampler, you’ll find six preview issues of the Before Watchmen event, including SILK SPECTRE #1, MINUTEMEN #1, COMEDIAN #1, RORSCHACH #1, DR. MANHATTAN #1 and NITE OWL #1. Be sure not to miss this epic event from DC Comics!

The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN! For over twenty years, the backstories of the now-iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s landmark graphic novel had been the subject of much debate and theorizing. Now, DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, starting with this first volume starring MINUTEMEN and SILK SPECTRE. The critically acclaimed and Eisner Award-winning creator of DC: THE NEW FRONTIER Darwyn Cooke lends his talents MINUTEMEN. As the predecessor to the Watchmen, the Minutemen were assembled to fight against a world that had more and more rapidly begun to spin out of control. Can these heroes from completely different backgrounds and with completely different attitudes on crime come together? Or will they fall apart before they begin? SILK SPECTRE takes an introspective look at the WATCHMEN feature-player's struggles with her overbearing superhero mother and her scattered path toward taking the mantle of the Silk Spectre. With gorgeous art by co-writer and illustrator Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL, The Pro), SILK SPECTRE takes a very different perspective at the world of BEFORE WATCHMEN. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE #1-4.

Discover what happened before WATCHMEN as writer J. Michael Straczynski is joined by Andy Kubert and the legendary Joe Kubert to take flight with the gadget-savvy vigilante known as Nite Owl! And then in BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN, JMS teams with fan-favorite artist Adam Hughes on the all-powerful super-man Dr. Manhattan. For Dr. Manhattan, past, present, and future are one and the same. But as he observes the events of his life, do they remain the same? Or are they changed? The very fact of his existence may have altered the nature of what will or will not be... Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1-4 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1-4.

How does one go from the son of immigrant parents to becoming the world's smartest man? Adrian Veidt begins the journey, both spiritual and physical, that will one day make him one of the most pivotal players in the world-changing events of WATCHMEN.

The controversial, long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time are finally here: BEFORE WATCHMEN! For over twenty years, the backstories of the now-iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s landmark graphic novel have remained a mystery, until now. DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of WATCHMEN, with this second volume starring two of the most polarizing anti-heroes ever, COMEDIAN and RORSCHACH. Eisner Award-winning writer and creator of 100 BULLETS Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo (JOKER, LUTHOR, BATMAN/DEATHBLOW) to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comics world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones (FINAL CRISIS, Wanted), plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #1-6 and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #1-4.

Discover what happened before WATCHMEN. The team of legendary writer Len Wein and acclaimed artist Jae Lee—in his first DC Comics work in nearly a decade—delve into the mind of the smartest man in the world: Ozymandias. How does one go from the son of immigrant parents to becoming the world's smartest man? Adrian Veidt begins his journey, both spiritual and physical, that will one day make him one of the most pivotal players in the world-changing events of WATCHMEN. Collects BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #1-6, "Curse of the Crimson Corsair."

In an alternate world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history, the US won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the cold war is in full effect. WATCHMEN begins as a murder-mystery, but soon unfolds into a planet-altering conspiracy. As the resolution comes to a head, the unlikely group of reunited heroes-Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias-have to test the limits of their convictions and ask themselves where the true lineis between good and evil. In the mid-eighties, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons created WATCHMEN, changing the course of comics' history and essentially remaking how popular culture perceived the genre. Popularly cited as the point where comics came ofage, WATCHMEN's sophisticated take on superheroes has been universally acclaimed for its psychological depth and realism. WATCHMEN is collected here in deluxe hardcover, with sketches, extra bonus material and a new introduction by series artist Dave Gibbons.