Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: rorschach, steve ditko, Watchmen

Did Rorschach Create A Character Like The Question? (Spoilers)

Tomorrow sees the release of Rorschach #2 from comic book stores, though as Bleeding Cool has pointed out, as there is no street date enforcement any more, copies get sold in a number of stores before then. Hence why this page from Rorschach #2 below the spoiler image is doing the rounds over the weekend – just like Death Metal #5.

The link in the unauthorised sequel to Watchmen by Tom King and Jorge Fornes, between Rorschach suspect comic book creator Will Myerson has been made to both Alan Moore and Steve Ditko, seen as a hermit with strong political beliefs (even if the former for both is not true) but issue two doubles down. Previously, it was established that the new Rorschach, now dead as part of a suspected attempted political assassination, was the octagenarian comic book creator Will Myerson, creator of the Pontius Pirate character now being turned into a movie, and it all felt rather meta. Well, you haven't seen anything yet.

The Citizen is an amalgamation of Steve Ditko's creations The Question and Mister A, who Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons based Rorschach on in Watchmen, but from an opposite political and philosophical bent.

And with Will Myerson's fingerprints matching those of the late Walter Kovacks, the game is on. Rorschach was based on The Question and Mister A – and now Rorschach is based on Steve Ditko too. And now Rorschach created a character based on a character who he was based on. Is your head hurting yet?

In the official preview below, it is notable that Wil Meyerson lives in Manhattan in the same kind of apartment complex that Steve Ditko lived in, 276 West 43rd St, Manhattan. It's pretty much bang on. The paintings in the lobby correspond to their fictitious Gordian Knot painting from Watchmen owned by Adrian Veidt…

…and The End Of The World/The Great Day of His Wrath by John Martin showing the destruction of Babylon and the material world by natural cataclysm, from The Book of Revelation. 

While the photo in Will Meyerson's studio is that of Hannah Arendt from 1933, from an unknown photographer, and taking the place in Will Myerson's life that Ayn Rand had in the life of Steve Ditko – or at least the caricature of him.

Here's that preview in full.

RORSCHACH #2 (OF 12) CVR A JORGE FORNES
Written by: Tom King
Art by: Jorge Fornes
Cover Art by: Matteo Scalera
What's the connection between an aging comic book artist and Rorschach? That's the question the detective investigating the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate must answer. Wil Myerson, a reclusive artist known for his pirate comics, went from drawing the adventures of Pontius Pirate and the Citizen to working with a mysterious young woman hellbent on making sense of a post-Watchmen world. Somewhere in the life of Wil Myerson lies the key to learning more about Rorschach. Eisner Award-winning writer Tom King teams with rising star artist Jorge Fornés to delve into backroom maneuvering and political corruption in a story that asks how far a man with ideals will go to make them a reality. Release Date: 11/17/2020 Retail : $4.99

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