Geekscape Comics: ‘Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1’ Review

So far the ‘Before Watchmen’ books have been nothing exciting to me. And ‘Nite Owl’ was supposed to be the one that changed that…but sadly didn’t.

The book focuses on Daniel Dreiberg and how he became the second Nite Owl. And that’s where the problems begin. We don’t learn much about his past and while Straczynski does touch on his abusive father it feels rushed. Actually as a whole the book feels rushed in order to cram too much in. Being that this was an origin story you wouldn’t expect him to be suited up until MAYBE at the end but two thirds into the book he has already become the second Nite Owl and is teamed up with Rorschach. And there starts issue number two with me. Their relationship just seemed like a joke and there for laughs. Every situation in the story seems to span one or maybe two pages rather than actually fleshing anything out.

I really did enjoy Andy Kubert’s art even though he seemed to just recycle some scenes from the original Watchmen series without adding much to them. But the overall art is great and Joe Kubert’s inking really gives the book a classic feel that works well due to the 1960’s setting.

Overall while the art in the book is good…the story lacks. I wanted to like this book. I really did. It just feels like a rushed book and I can’t see why. It’s a four issue series and we are done with origin story two thirds into the first issue. Did I like it better than the other books? Sure. Is that saying much? No.

I’ll say pick up the issue if you’re on the fence about it and make your own opinion but if you have zero interest at all? Leave this one on the shelves. I’m really hoping Ozymandias and Rorschach aren’t going to leave me with this same unsatisfied feeling I have had so far with the rest of the titles.