WIZARDWORLD LA: WATCHMEN GOES ABSOLUTE

**MattBrady** · 03-20-2005, 04:29 PM

Announced at today’s “Beyond the DC Universe” panel at WizardWorld LA was the next addition to DC’s very successful “Absolute” line this fall: Absolute Watchmen. The new edition of the classic Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons story is currently being adapted to the larger, “Absolute” format and recolored by original colorist John Higgins. The edition is being produced with the blessing of Alan Moore.

The edition will run 464 pages (and will also double as a blunt object if need be), and will be a complete reprinting not of the original series as published by DC, but of the Graphitti edition, a collection published by Graphitti in the late ‘80s that included 48 pages of extra material.

Speaking of the artist, we spoke with Gibbons briefly about the forthcoming collection. As many already confess to be, Gibbons is also a fan of the publisher’s “Absolute” format, and was thrilled when he learned that DC wanted top present Watchmen in this manner.

“As an artist, I love the Absolute books,” Gibbons said. “The pages have much more impact at the large size and the production values are first rate. In fact, many of the foreign editions of Watchmen were done at this larger, album size, so I have a really good idea of how it will look already.

“The Absolute volume also gives us the chance to digitally remaster the coloring and correct a few mistakes that have always bugged us. We're not going to redraw or change the look of the book in any way; we'll just bring it closer to what we had in mind all those years ago.

”The coloring is being exactly reproduced from the regular edition, then original colorist John Higgins is tweaking the digital files before sending them to me for final approval. Back in the day, John lived a few miles away from me and would bring color guides over to discuss with me. Today, he lives a few miles from DC and is in close contact with them on technical matters, whilst thanks to the wonders of technology; I get daily pages for approval.

”Everything is looking really good, crisper and more vibrant than ever and it's great to be working with John again.”

Gibbons won’t be adding any new material for the upcoming edition, but he will be designing the package, giving it an authentic feel. “The material that has only so far appeared in the Graphitti hardcover edition will include many sketches, designs, the original pitch, script pages and an ‘outro’ by Alan and I. Most of the readers won't have seen this before.”

As the 2004 Bookscan numbers attested (and agreed with years before), despite closing in on twenty years old, the collected edition of the 12-issue series continues to be a best seller for DC, and to the continual surprise of Gibbons. “All we ever set out to do was a comic book we'd like to read,” the artist said. “It's gratifying to see that others continue to do so.

“I think it's become one of those books that are recommended reading for people just getting in to comics. The fact that it's self-contained is a bonus, since no previous knowledge of continuity is required and it has a clear resolution.”

And of course, as part of that, Watchmen, to this day, continues generating revenue for its creators. Or, as Gibbons puts it: “It keeps selling, so we keep getting checks!”

For the foreseeable future, Absolute Watchmen will be Gibbons’ only involvement with the property, as he has nothing to do with the currently in-production film based on the comic.

“I have no involvement, although it's being made close by in England. I'd be interested to see what they're doing but I don't know that they'd want me hanging around making suggestions any more than I'd have the time to do so!”

BillReed · 03-20-2005, 04:34 PM

Hmm.

Why, it *sounds* spiffy, but no doubt it'll be insanely expensive.

Marxist 64 · 03-20-2005, 04:37 PM

I'll try and buy this, but my curse will fuck it up. Trust me.

blankpoint · 03-20-2005, 04:42 PM

Great, great news. I am very happy that the recoloring is going to be faithful to the original. "Modern" recoloring completely destroyed the Neal Adams Batman reprints for me. It's good to see the GD material, but I would have liked to see more. The complete scripts would be amazing, but an official annotated edition would also be great.

Mark Cardwell · 03-20-2005, 04:44 PM

I could probably afford this if I sold my signed first edition of the original trade.

Ooh, now I'm all conflicted. Bugger.

csGuy · 03-20-2005, 04:58 PM

finally they are using this awesome format for non-wildstomr stuff. now for absolute hush!!

pickled reno · 03-20-2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Cardwell

Ooh, now I'm all conflicted. Bugger.

yeah right

OM · 03-20-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by csGuy
finally they are using this awesome format for non-wildstomr stuff. now for absolute hush!!

...Bah. I'll be impressed when they release Absolute Brother Power, The Geek

DarthBubba · 03-20-2005, 05:30 PM

Hell...f%ckin'...yeah.

This is going to be geat.

ParisCub · 03-20-2005, 05:39 PM

The graffiti Edition is a fantastic object.... I hope the slipcover for this absolute edition will be as good as the black leathery embossed one that grace the graffiti edition

Michael P · 03-20-2005, 05:44 PM

I think I just came.

Kerouac · 03-20-2005, 06:00 PM

Cool. Now I can sell my Graffiti edition like I'd been thinking about.

Matt

algertman · 03-20-2005, 06:06 PM

GREATEST NEWS EVER

Winteriscoming · 03-20-2005, 06:11 PM

I just bought the regular trade a few months ago. Maybe I'll pick this up sometime down the line.

ME5 · 03-20-2005, 06:34 PM

Hello.

To Mr. Brady: Do you know if there is a signed version?? Could you find out, please?

Fazhoul · 03-20-2005, 06:45 PM

This is great news. For some stupid reason that I don't remember I passed on a chance to buy the Graphitti when it came out.

Bakema NL · 03-20-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael P
I think I just came.

When you are going to read the book after buying it and open it up, be sure to wear some rubber.

This sounds nice, but yes, what will the price be?

manhunter1 · 03-20-2005, 07:17 PM

Since this is with Alan Moore's blessing,could DC possibly finally release the Watchmen action figures?They could make it Watchmen Month.
Also, when will we see Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths and Absolute Kingdom Come?

blankpoint · 03-20-2005, 07:19 PM

Quote:

I think I just came.

That reminds me -- there was an alternate cover for Ennis's "Dicks 2" that was a cum-splattered smiley button parody of Watchmen #1.

JLAJRC · 03-20-2005, 07:41 PM

Successful Absolutes? I didn't even know that this line existed until now. I already like the regular version I got a couple of years ago. I'm passing unless it's very cheap. 48 extra pages of an already decompressed story isn't enough for me.

And Yes, I know the last sentence is going to get me flamed. Decompression isn't a new thing invented by Marvel.

Tom Daylight · 03-20-2005, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blankpoint
Great, great news. I am very happy that the recoloring is going to be faithful to the original. "Modern" recoloring completely destroyed the Neal Adams Batman reprints for me. It's good to see the GD material, but I would have liked to see more. The complete scripts would be amazing, but an official annotated edition would also be great.

Where did those Neal Adams Batman reprints see print? I only saw some pages in an issue of "Batman Legends" (UK) and I thought they looked truly amazing, that they really brought out the best in the work.

booster · 03-20-2005, 07:59 PM

What's that noise?

Oh yes, it's my wallet screaming in agony. It's now official - DC are trying to bankrupt me this year. But there's no way in hell I'm turning this down.

heeBGB · 03-20-2005, 08:35 PM

I suppose we'll see an "Absolute Dark Knight Returns" sometime next year as well. I'd like "Absolute V for Vendetta" and "Absolute Ronin" just so I can have nice hardcover editions of those books.

nenad · 03-20-2005, 08:50 PM

Yeah, yeah, this is great news, but what about publishing Humanoids books in this album size format? And on better quality paper.
I also can't justify spending another $40 (it will be that for sure) on something I already own.

Dood Lee · 03-20-2005, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by heeBGB
I suppose we'll see an "Absolute Dark Knight Returns" sometime next year as well. I'd like "Absolute V for Vendetta" and "Absolute Ronin" just so I can have nice hardcover editions of those books.

Well, the 20th anniversary of DKR is coming up, so you never know...