Doomsday Clock

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Lore & Background

Set seven years after the New York City massacre in the Watchmen universe, Rorschach's journal exposes Ozymandias's role, making him a fugitive. He gathers allies to find Doctor Manhattan, while the new Rorschach, Reggie Long, seeks Batman's help and Ozymandias consults Lex Luthor. In the DC Universe, the "Supermen Theory" conspiracy accuses the US government of creating metahumans, sparking an international arms race where nations recruit super-powered individuals. Dr. Manhattan, believed to have manipulated the post-Flashpoint universe, visions a future where he and Superman attempt to kill each other. The story explores two separate universes where characters view each other as fiction. Johns described the project as his "most personal and most epic, utterly mind-bending" work, debating for over six months on intersecting these worlds.

In Their Own Story

The narrative focuses on Ozymandias gathering others to locate Doctor Manhattan to save a world destabilized by exposed secrets. Meanwhile, Reggie Long, now the new Rorschach, tries to enlist Batman, while the geopolitical climate in the DC Universe is fractured by the Supermen Theory. This conspiracy theory drives an arms race among global governments creating sanctioned superteams. A central tension arises from the philosophical divide Johns identified: Superman is an alien who embodies compassion for humanity, whereas Doctor Manhattan is a human who has detached himself from it. The series introduces new characters like Mime and Marionette searching for their son, and Bubastis II, a clone of the original cat. Returning figures include the Comedian, Mothman, Black Adam, Firestorm, Johnny Thunder, the Joker, Lois Lane, Pozhar, Saturn Girl, and Wonder Woman. Johns noted that while there are no tie-in materials, the event would affect "the entire DC Universe" and touch its "thematic and literal essence." By the final issue's release in December 2019, the repercussions of the event became known throughout the universe.

Reader's Guide

Doomsday Clock was revealed on May 14, 2017, with a teaser showing Superman's logo at the clock's 12 o'clock position. Originally scheduled for a monthly release ending in December 2018, the schedule shifted multiple times due to delays. After announcing breaks in March and April 2018, the series switched to bi-monthly releases, pushing the end date to July 2019 before further delays. Issue #8 moved from November 28 to December 5, 2018; Issue #9 shifted from January 23 to March 6, 2019; Issue #10 slipped from March 27 to May 29, 2019; and Issue #11 was pushed from May 22 to September 4, 2019. The twelfth and final issue arrived on December 18, 2019. Collected editions include two six-issue volumes (October 2019, June 2020), a single-volume edition (October 2020), and an Absolute Edition with bonus material (October 2022). The series holds an average rating of 8.5 out of 10 on Comic Book Roundup based on 438 professional reviews.

Did You Know?

• Geoff Johns initially declined to call Doomsday Clock a sequel, preferring to describe it as "Watchmen colliding with the DC Universe."
• The series was delayed multiple times, pushing the final issue from its original July 2019 target to December 18, 2019.
• Doomsday Clock introduced Reggie Long, the son of Malcolm Long, as the new Rorschach.
• An Absolute Edition collecting the full series and extra bonus material was released in October 2022.
• The story features a specific focus on the contrast between Superman's compassion for humanity and Doctor Manhattan's detachment from it.