Geoff Johns’ collision between the DC Universe and the cast of Watchmen continues to twist and turn. Ozymandias is still looking for Dr. Manhattan and Saturn Girl helps Johnny Thunder find an important piece of his old team, the Justice Society.
Doomsday Clock 5
Written by Geoff Johns
Pencils and Inks by Gary Frank
Colors by Brad Anderson
The political intrigue of the Supermen Theory and the United States government’s involvement in the creation of the metahuman imbalance around the world takes center stage with the maxiseries’ fifth issue. Did the U.S. force situations on people with the meta-gene in order to create super-powered people that could be harnessed as a deterrent to other countries?
As Lois Lane interviews Lex Luthor, still recovering from his run-in with invaders from another Earth, he tells her that while he doesn’t know who it is, the person creating these metas is not only a meta, but also a former member of the Justice League. This raises so many different questions that are tough to answer without knowing which continuity we’re using and exactly who has been a member of the world’s premiere super-team. It certainly points to any number of issues that could arise in the coming issues, but if DOOMSDAY CLOCK continues to be an homage to WATCHMEN, the Supermen Theory and its effect on the world will be the backdrop for the drama that’s about to come and not the main issue.
It’s definitely going to play a part, though, as Johns spends some time introducing a Russian metahuman, Pozhar, as the international community is shoring up its own metahumans in a 21st Century worldwide version of the Mutually Assured Destruction strategy as a counter to the controversial Superman Theory.
The heart of the book, though, will be the interactions between the characters of the Watchmen universe and the DC Universe proper, and we get teases of what’s to come here. Batman confronts Ozymandias, who mocks the Dark Knight’s inability to affect change in his world. The Mime and Marionette end the issue finding the man they were looking for, as they come face to face with The Joker. And former Justice Society mascot Johnny Thunder leaves the assisted living facility and heads to the All-American Steel factory, where he gets saved from some street toughs by the Legion of Superheroes’ Saturn Girl and Rorschach, who have escaped from Arkham. Johnny comes across Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott’s lantern.
There’s so much going on, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how Johns ties everything together. If there’s anyone who I trust to tell a cohesive story here, it’s him.