The Hidden S in Phone Booth
Who Watches the Watchmen Influences?-The Hidden S of course...
In 1985 DC managed to acquire the rights to several characters from Charlton Comics, a comics company that had some success over the years, but was never really able to compete with either DC or Marvel on a commercial or critical level. History has been very kind to Charlton as it has been an influence on more cutting edge comic companies like Dark Horse, Image and Dynamite Entertainment with its emphasis on creator driven work. Steve Ditko did some of his best work there and a-listers like john byrne got their careers started with this company.
As a result of this purchase, Alan Moore proposed a story that utilized several of the Charlton characters as a way to revamp the characters and explore some of his Post-modern notions about supeheroes and their role in society (this idea, almost a cliche now, was a new approach at the time). The story began much as the Watchmen does with a character called the Shield found dead in a harbor. DC editor Dick Giordano (an ex-Charlton editor who had helped create some of the characters in question) was intrigued by the idea but in the end DC was reluctant to kill off or wreck the reputation of these characters which they had just acquired for considerable monies as a result of considerable effort.
Moore was apparently convinced to retain the idea but to create new characters. Moore was initially uncertain of the appeal of this kind of approach, but in time "...realized that if I wrote the substitute characters well enough, so that they seemed familiar in certain ways, certain aspects of them brought back a kind of generic superhero resonance or familiarity to the reader, then it might work." For a guy who doesn't like interpretations of his characters, Moore is not one to back down from interpreting the work of others. The result was a universe of new but somehow familiar superheroes which comprised the core of the watchmen group. This is how it breaks down...
Mr. A-Influence on Rorschach
Mr. A was one of Steve Ditko's gonzo 60s creations. The character's secret identity was Rex Graine, a newspaper reporter known for his uncompromising approach to morality. The character wore metal gloves and a weird steel mask that resembled a grim human face (shades of V for Vendetta). Oddly enough, the character had no origin story and it was unclear what the point of his secret identity was since he provoked equal ire as a reporter and as the vigilante Mr. A.
The Mr. A series was a comic manifesto relating closely to Ditko's famous fixation on the Objectivist philosophies of Ayn Rand. The series' narratives more often than not resembled a philosophical debate between the criminals and Mr. A. The series even had surreal elements with some of the stories consisting of little more than Mr. A passing judgment on a criminal before the guilty party plunges into an abstract abyss.
Weird stuff to be sure; however, Moore managed to incorporate the moral inflexibility and disturbing physical look of Mr. A into Rorschach, making this character the most profound and memorable of the Watchmen group. (Another Ditko/Charlton creation The Question has since become a recognizable face in the DC Universe. Again, a reporter with an inflexible code of ethics and a weird mask paired with a suit, The Question is closer to a traditional superhero than Mr. A).
Peter Cannon; Thunderbolt-Influence on Ozymandius
This superhero from the Charlton stable was a direct influence on Ozymandius/Adrian Veidt. Cannon was an orphaned son of American hospital workers who was raised as an orphan in a Himalayan monastery. It was there that he managed to attain a superhuman degree of physical prowess and intellectual skill. Ozymandius who traveled the east and studied ancient texts and the martial arts before becoming wealthy and famous as "the Smartest man on the planet" is a direct homage to Cannon (at least in his backstory).
Captain Atom's influence on Dr. Manhattan
Another Ditko creation (along with writer Joe Gill), Captain Atom was a military official named Allen Adam who was inadvertently caught in a military experiment and "atomized." The result of this was the acquisition of superhuman powers. Among them super stregnth, endurance and the ability to project blasts of pure energy. Dr. Manhattan has very similar (but greater) powers as Captain Atom and his origin is similarly rooted in an unfortunate science experiment gone awry. Like The Question, Captain Atom has become a fairly recognizable part of the DC Universe at present.
The Peacemaker-Influence on The Comedian
The Peacemaker’s secret identity is Christopher Smith, a pacifist diplomat who was so dedicated to peace that he (wait for it) was willing to use his force as a superhero to increase the necessity for peace. His arsenal consists of an array of sophisticated but non-lethal weaponry. Ultimately, the character learns that his unique approach developed as a result of having a death camp commandant/Nazi father. This burden is to the Peacemaker a literal one as he believes that his father’s spirit haunts him.
In time, Smith believed that the spirits of the individuals he killed gather in his helmet to offer commentary on his actions. Predictably, the character became an agent for the US government and became a pariah due to his extreme and violent behavior. The Comedian had a similar backstory, being a mercenary for hire whose twisted approach to war and violence were similar to The Peacemaker’s philosophy of peace through violence. There seems to be a little of Nick Fury and even Sgt. Rock influence here, but mostly because of Dave Gibbon’s visuals).
The Blue Beetle-Influence on Nite Owl II
In Watchmen, there are two Nite Owl’s. The first Nite Owl, Hollis Mason became a mentor and inspiration of sorts to the second Nite Owl, Dan Dreiberg. In the Charlton mythology the Golden Age Blue Beetle, Dan Garret helped mentor and inspire a protege Ted Kord who became the Silver Age Blue Beetle. Kord was an inventor hero and “his” incarnation of the Blue Beetle relied heavily on gadgets and was a superior athlete. There is a little bit of Batman in the character as well as Nite-Owl is a nocturnal hero with a great imaginative mind who maintains a striking means of transportation (in a sense, the Owl Ship is his Batmobile ). Again, Gibbons’ work here reminds one of Batman.
Phantom Lady-Influence on Silk Spectre II
A somewhat obscure female superhero who despite low name recognition has managed to stay relevant as a comic character for almost 70 years; the character was initially created for Quality Comics’ Police Comics #1 in 1941. This issue also featured the first appearances of Plastic Man and the Human Bomb. Phantom Lady was in actuality Sandra Knight, a Washington socialite and daughter of a US Senator. Her father was threatened by assassins and she cleverly thwarted this attempt and in the process became attracted to the idea of becoming a crime fighter. She had a super weapon of sorts after acquiring a “black light ray projector” from a family scientist friend. This weapon apparently helped blind her enemies or allow her a degree of invisibility.
The resemblance of Silk Spectre to Phantom Lady is probably the biggest stretch here; Moore has apparently admitted that Silk Spectre more or less fits the need for a female superhero and as a result the homage is a bit less direct than some of the others. The yellow leotard the two heroines use as a costume is an obvious link between the two characters but that is mostly it. Indeed, there is a case to be made that the character is closer to a martial arts heroine like Black Canary than to Phantom Lady…
Of these characters, Phantom Lady, Blue Beetle, The Question, Captain Atom and a version of the Peacemaker are all basically active within the DC Universe at present. The Question and Blue Beetle have in particular developed a kind of cult following by comic creators and fans. Phantom Lady is presently in The Freedom Fighters (with a much sexier costume). It is odd to think of the loop that this kind of influence takes as today's comic creators no doubt were influenced by the Watchmen way back in the mid-80's and now they are working on comics that influenced Moore's work way back when...
Mr. A-Influence on Rorschach
Mr. A was one of Steve Ditko's gonzo 60s creations. The character's secret identity was Rex Graine, a newspaper reporter known for his uncompromising approach to morality. The character wore metal gloves and a weird steel mask that resembled a grim human face (shades of V for Vendetta). Oddly enough, the character had no origin story and it was unclear what the point of his secret identity was since he provoked equal ire as a reporter and as the vigilante Mr. A.
The Mr. A series was a comic manifesto relating closely to Ditko's famous fixation on the Objectivist philosophies of Ayn Rand. The series' narratives more often than not resembled a philosophical debate between the criminals and Mr. A. The series even had surreal elements with some of the stories consisting of little more than Mr. A passing judgment on a criminal before the guilty party plunges into an abstract abyss.
Weird stuff to be sure; however, Moore managed to incorporate the moral inflexibility and disturbing physical look of Mr. A into Rorschach, making this character the most profound and memorable of the Watchmen group. (Another Ditko/Charlton creation The Question has since become a recognizable face in the DC Universe. Again, a reporter with an inflexible code of ethics and a weird mask paired with a suit, The Question is closer to a traditional superhero than Mr. A).
Peter Cannon; Thunderbolt-Influence on Ozymandius
This superhero from the Charlton stable was a direct influence on Ozymandius/Adrian Veidt. Cannon was an orphaned son of American hospital workers who was raised as an orphan in a Himalayan monastery. It was there that he managed to attain a superhuman degree of physical prowess and intellectual skill. Ozymandius who traveled the east and studied ancient texts and the martial arts before becoming wealthy and famous as "the Smartest man on the planet" is a direct homage to Cannon (at least in his backstory).
Captain Atom's influence on Dr. Manhattan
Another Ditko creation (along with writer Joe Gill), Captain Atom was a military official named Allen Adam who was inadvertently caught in a military experiment and "atomized." The result of this was the acquisition of superhuman powers. Among them super stregnth, endurance and the ability to project blasts of pure energy. Dr. Manhattan has very similar (but greater) powers as Captain Atom and his origin is similarly rooted in an unfortunate science experiment gone awry. Like The Question, Captain Atom has become a fairly recognizable part of the DC Universe at present.
The Peacemaker-Influence on The Comedian
The Peacemaker’s secret identity is Christopher Smith, a pacifist diplomat who was so dedicated to peace that he (wait for it) was willing to use his force as a superhero to increase the necessity for peace. His arsenal consists of an array of sophisticated but non-lethal weaponry. Ultimately, the character learns that his unique approach developed as a result of having a death camp commandant/Nazi father. This burden is to the Peacemaker a literal one as he believes that his father’s spirit haunts him.
In time, Smith believed that the spirits of the individuals he killed gather in his helmet to offer commentary on his actions. Predictably, the character became an agent for the US government and became a pariah due to his extreme and violent behavior. The Comedian had a similar backstory, being a mercenary for hire whose twisted approach to war and violence were similar to The Peacemaker’s philosophy of peace through violence. There seems to be a little of Nick Fury and even Sgt. Rock influence here, but mostly because of Dave Gibbon’s visuals).
The Blue Beetle-Influence on Nite Owl II
In Watchmen, there are two Nite Owl’s. The first Nite Owl, Hollis Mason became a mentor and inspiration of sorts to the second Nite Owl, Dan Dreiberg. In the Charlton mythology the Golden Age Blue Beetle, Dan Garret helped mentor and inspire a protege Ted Kord who became the Silver Age Blue Beetle. Kord was an inventor hero and “his” incarnation of the Blue Beetle relied heavily on gadgets and was a superior athlete. There is a little bit of Batman in the character as well as Nite-Owl is a nocturnal hero with a great imaginative mind who maintains a striking means of transportation (in a sense, the Owl Ship is his Batmobile ). Again, Gibbons’ work here reminds one of Batman.
Phantom Lady-Influence on Silk Spectre II
A somewhat obscure female superhero who despite low name recognition has managed to stay relevant as a comic character for almost 70 years; the character was initially created for Quality Comics’ Police Comics #1 in 1941. This issue also featured the first appearances of Plastic Man and the Human Bomb. Phantom Lady was in actuality Sandra Knight, a Washington socialite and daughter of a US Senator. Her father was threatened by assassins and she cleverly thwarted this attempt and in the process became attracted to the idea of becoming a crime fighter. She had a super weapon of sorts after acquiring a “black light ray projector” from a family scientist friend. This weapon apparently helped blind her enemies or allow her a degree of invisibility.
The resemblance of Silk Spectre to Phantom Lady is probably the biggest stretch here; Moore has apparently admitted that Silk Spectre more or less fits the need for a female superhero and as a result the homage is a bit less direct than some of the others. The yellow leotard the two heroines use as a costume is an obvious link between the two characters but that is mostly it. Indeed, there is a case to be made that the character is closer to a martial arts heroine like Black Canary than to Phantom Lady…
Of these characters, Phantom Lady, Blue Beetle, The Question, Captain Atom and a version of the Peacemaker are all basically active within the DC Universe at present. The Question and Blue Beetle have in particular developed a kind of cult following by comic creators and fans. Phantom Lady is presently in The Freedom Fighters (with a much sexier costume). It is odd to think of the loop that this kind of influence takes as today's comic creators no doubt were influenced by the Watchmen way back in the mid-80's and now they are working on comics that influenced Moore's work way back when...
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