So who are the Watchmen originaly based on?

**lukewarmwater** · 11-12-2005, 10:06 PM

I heard they were based other superheroes when it was first pitched. Who were the superheroes they were based on?

**kossori** · 11-12-2005, 10:08 PM

The Charlton heroes which had been recently acquired from, well, Charlton comics.

* The Comedian (Edward Blake), adapted from the Peacemaker.
* Doctor Manhattan (Jon Osterman), adapted from Captain Atom.
* Nite Owl I (Hollis Mason), adapted from Blue Beetle (Dan Garrett).
* Nite Owl II (Dan Dreiberg), adapted from Blue Beetle (Ted Kord).
* Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt), adapted from Thunderbolt.
* Rorschach (Walter Kovacs), adapted from The Question.
* Silk Spectre I and II (Sally Juspeczyk, and later Laurie Juspeczyk), adapted from Nightshade

**The Shadow** · 11-12-2005, 10:40 PM

IIRC DC didn't want Moore "corrupting" the new aqusitions so he altered them slightly.

**Paradox** · 11-12-2005, 11:22 PM

No, Alan would have been just as happy using the Charlton characters (although it would have been a different story). But DC had plans for them, so they had him come up with his "own" characters.

EDIT: AAAAAND, that's exactly what you said. For some reason I dyslexized it into Moore not wanting DC to corrupt them. And I don't even HAVE dyslexia! :o

**lukewarmwater** · 11-13-2005, 12:17 AM

So, is this right?

**lukewarmwater** · 11-13-2005, 12:20 AM

**lukewarmwater** · 11-13-2005, 12:22 AM

**Paradox** · 11-13-2005, 03:41 AM

Pretty much, yeah. There were other little bits drawn from elsewhere, of course. For example, the relationship between the two Silk Spectre's is more than reminiscent of the Black Canary stuff (post-Crisis). The second Nite-Owl's relationship with the Twilight Lady echoes a Batman/Catwoman thing. The original Nite-Owl was a creation of Gibbon's, I believe, from when he was a child.

But, yeah, predominantly they're the Charlton crew.

BTW, the Ozymandius and Rorschach pics must be hosted on a site that doesn't allow direct links, 'cause they're not showing up.

**PatrickG** · 11-13-2005, 04:16 AM

Funny thing is that DC found out it didn't own Thunderbolt.

If they HAD let Moore go ahead with this story using the Charlton heroes, DC wouldn't be able to reprint it the way they have without paying royalties on Thunderbolt.

**Hellpop** · 11-13-2005, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by PatrickG

Funny thing is that DC found out it didn't own Thunderbolt.

If they HAD let Moore go ahead with this story using the Charlton heroes, DC wouldn't be able to reprint it the way they have without paying royalties on Thunderbolt.

Really? Did they find that out after they published his series? And do they now have to pay PAM (his creator) for royalties on Crisis, for his brief appearance?

**Duy** · 11-13-2005, 01:27 PM

Moore keeps saying that the idea for Watchmen originated with the MLJ/Archie heroes, the Mighty Crusaders, in mind, and had even thought up a version that used the THUNDER Agents. That having been said, they ARE predominantly Charlton, and Moore and Gibbons' first proposal used the Charlton characters, with pages upon pages of psychological profiling for each character - except for Nightshade, who Moore admitted he knew little to nothing about.

As far as alterations went, Nite Owl was the most like his basis - the Blue Beetle - while Silk Spectre resembled, if anyone, the Black Canary more than she did Nightshade. Of course, the others were altered as well.

**Brian Cronin** · 11-13-2005, 01:36 PM

Here's a write-up on the Archie/MLJ involvement.

Essentially, though, he used the Archie/MLJ characters in his mind when he envisioned the project, but really, he just wanted to use an out of business group of heroes. When DC purchased Charlton, Moore had an actual opportunity, so that's why it is the Charlton heroes who he actually solidly based them on, as they were the first time he had a real chance to turn the project from an idea into a reality.

-Brian

**roguespirit** · 11-13-2005, 02:05 PM

Dc did a truly aweful miniseries called LAW, which was an attempt to make a team out of their old Charlton acquisitions. The covers went together to form the image below.

Blue Beetle; The Question; Peacemaker; Nightshade; Judo Master; Captain Atom are all there.

**LordEd1976** · 11-13-2005, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by roguespirit

Dc did a truly aweful miniseries called LAW, which was an attempt to make a team out of their old Charlton acquisitions. The covers went together to form the image below.

Blue Beetle; The Question; Peacemaker; Nightshade; Judo Master; Captain Atom are all there.

And when did this odd mutant stepchild come out?