Doomsday Clock #4 Review
It has been two months since the previous installment of Doomsday Clock has been released, as the schedule changed to bimonthly, in an effort to keep the story as it should be. But when we last left off, our main characters weren’t doing so well. So, how will our heroes get out of their scenarios after being gone for two months?
Story (MAJOR SPOILERS)
As soon as the issue starts, we have another similarity to the original Watchmen. That’s because we have another Rorschach in prison issue, but this one goes a very different way. Just like with Walter Kovacs in Watchmen, this issue focuses on the history of Reggie Long, son of Doctor Malcolm Long from Watchmen. We learn about how his family life was deteriorating due to Rorschach, and then Ozymandias’s monster teleported into New York and killed both of Reggie’s parents. He was then taken into an insane asylum along with other survivors, where Reggie met Mothman. We knew Mothman was in an asylum from the original Watchmen, but here we get to see that he was content. He would fly way to get whatever he wanted, and then would get caught again. Mothman got Reggie the files on Rorschach, as well as stuff from his home. Eventually, Reggie knew he had to go after Ozymandias, the man who caused his suffering, so he set the asylum on fire. However, Mothman stayed behind, leaving Reggie to go on alone. Reggie then sees that Mothman got Rorschach’s mask, Reggie puts it on and goes up to Ozymandias’s base. However, Rorschach doesn’t kill Ozymandias, who explains that he has a tumor in his brain. So, Ozymandias has Rorschach join him with the promise that they will save the world. Back in the present, Rorschach is in Arkham Asylum, getting beat up, and trying to be interviewed by a therapist. But, Rorschach escapes with the help of lesser known Batman villain Jane Doe. After that we see that the therapist trying to talk with Rorschach was Bruce Wayne wearing a mask.
Presentation
This issue presents a few different areas for Gary Frank to work with, and they’re different from what we’ve seen before in the series. We see Arkham Asylum, the places Reggie has lived in, an asylum back in the Watchmen world, and many other locations. There are also a few times where Reggie has PTSD, creating an almost horror-like visual. But one of the best parts is that readers are reunited Mothman, one of the original Minutemen. While this is only in a flashback, he has a pivotal role in Reggie becoming Rorschach. There’s also one set of panels where Mothman decides to stay in the insane asylum, even though it’s currently burning, just like a moth to a flame.
Final Thoughts
This is another great installment of Doomsday Clock, and it finally gives backstory on how Reggie became Rorschach, which I called all the way back in issue #1. It’s also great catching up with an old Minuteman, and helps to show how his story got resolved. The relationship between Ozymandias and Rorschach is also fleshed out more by showing their first meeting. The issue also ends on a cliffhanger on what’s going to happen in issue #5. The biggest problem with that is that everyone’s going to have to wait until May to find out what happens.
