The structure, artwork, the attention to storytelling and the expansion of the elements of Watchmen are all handled in staggering ways. Straczynski doesn't exactly make Dr Manhattan his own (and probably never will) but he reminds us why we love the character so much and totally owns the story he wants to tell with the character. Dr Manhattan #1 has floored me and now waiting for the rest of this miniseries is going to be hell. If Straczynski keeps this up for the entire run we are really in for something extremely special. Read Full Review

Once again, another excellent book in this line of comics. Fans may have been outraged that DC would even dare to revisit The Watchmen, but every creator involved seems to have grasped the weight of this undertaking and has accordingly stepped up their game. Another excellent example! Read Full Review

Against all of the other Watchmen books, Dr. Manhattan is probably neck and neck with Ozymandias for being my favourite entries. They not only manage to provide us with something new for the character, but also make sure not to forget its origin.   I wasnt so sure about where this story could actually go, but at this point the possibilities are limitless and I want to be on board the ride. Read Full Review

I never thought that I'd be interested in a Before Watchmen book, or that there would even be another story worth telling in that universe. But this plays less as a prequel and more of a "spin-off"; an examination of a fundamental truth of nature. It seems to neither add to Watchmen nor diminish it. It stands alone, perhaps as decoherent as the universes it plans to travel through. Read Full Review

I'm not sure if this is the best of the "Before Watchmen" series so far, but it's another outstanding addition to the lineup. Very impressive. Read Full Review

These series have been admittedly controversial, but now having begun the final installment, its clearly not over the issue of quality. DC has committed the very top talent heart and soul stuff to these books and it shows on every page. No matter what your convictions, its hard to argue against that. Read Full Review

While this book does fall back on the things that have frustrated me in some ways with this entire event, there's enough of a twist at the end that tells me things might just get really interesting really soon. And if nothing else, I'll definitely keep coming back for that beautiful art. Read Full Review

All in all, this was an awesome one, and now, I'm excited for the next issue. We do not know whats going to happen till the final pages of the books. Read Full Review

As mentioned, what Straczynski does in this issue is keep his cards close to his chest, only revealing in the final pages what he really has planned for the remainder of the book. Throughout the issue he explores the notion of quantum mechanics and the way specific actions can determine what course the future takes. That comes to a head at the end, where it finally becomes clear that Straczynski has something far more ambitious in mind than simply paying homage to a great character. Maybe it was a bad idea to wait so long before getting to the point in a four-issue series. Even so, I'm far more excited at the prospect of issue #2 than I was issue #1. Read Full Review

This is a worthy buy for any watchmen fan. If you haven't read the watchmen then I think it's safe to say you should read that first before you dig your teeth in to this one. Read Full Review

David: Yeah, I'll give it a 7 too. Great art, nice kindling for future story beats. We'll see where it goes, but like the rest of these series, it has a lot of interesting potential. Read Full Review

So, if this is a light week for you, stroll to your comic shop, and maybe give this a try if you're curious, or willing to ignore the story and be rewarded with some great art. Alas, a final word. Beware of Dr. Manhattan's "smurf". It shows up in three panels. Read Full Review

"Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan" #1 isn't a bad comic. It is hollow and lifeless and aloof, much like the Doctor himself. The art is clean, the mystery intriguing and the overall presentation one that offers enough for a few dollars. However, in the end, you have to ask if it is worth making a new "Watchmen" comic when this is the pinnacle of what can be achieved -- it'll come close, it'll look pretty, but it will be hollow. Read Full Review

Now, if you're like me and hate these ridiculous call back references to the original story planted within the 'prequel' story then this book will more annoy you than entertain you, and if for some reason you don't know how Dr. Manhattan operates in Watchmen then this is a good introduction but there's nothing of substance here that you haven't read already. Read Full Review

Aside from the interesting ending, which sets up the rest of the series nicely, the only other thing interesting about Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan is its odd cover. Silk Spectre doesn't figure much into the story here in issue #1 so what's she doing on the cover? More importantly, what's up with Manhattan's positioning behind her and his grasp on her? It's almost like an inside joke that's not as subtle as it at first might seem. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that thinks this cover is odd...and slightly offensive in its suggestiveness, especially knowing the usual state of Manhattan's dress. Maybe that's what Silk Spectre standing in front of him is mean to hide... Read Full Review

The story may only be ok, but Adam Hughes art is worth the $3.99. Read Full Review

Its a solid comic, nothing inherently wrong with it, just nothing exactly special or exciting either. The last couple of pages did pique my interest enough to read the next issue. If you are a die hard fan of Dr. Manhattan and just need to read more about him then by all means pick this up, but if you are on the fence then do not bother, its not worth the $3.99 for someone with a passing interest. Read Full Review

Doctor Manhattan was always going to be a tough sell. There just isn't a ton to go on here. To be honest, his personality lends itself to less and not more. I appreciate the detail that Straczynski put into the voice of Manhattan as it is seamless from the original. Couple that with the tremendous art and you have a decent read. However, DC would have been better served letting Straczynski launch immediately into the "What If?" story and printed a reprint of the original issue number four. If you want in on the ground floor then this is the issue for you. Read Full Review

For completists of the Before Watchmen series, this isn't the worst of the bunch. However, fans that are still on the fence can go ahead and skip this one as well. No need to meddle with a work as good as the original Watchmen. Maybe JMS doesn't exactly know what he has to say about a man as powerful and close to God as Dr. Manhattan. Read Full Review

Michael Strazcynski wasn't kidding when he said this series was headed to some lofty heights " the only problem is, will anybody understand it? Read Full Review