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DC Comics announced Wednesday a prequel miniseries to the critically acclaimed 1986 graphic novel Watchmen, with the umbrella label Before Watchmen.

The original Watchmen has been hailed as the work which legitimized comic books as a valid art form, and was part of a wave of 80s comics—which included the Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus and Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns—that showed the mainstream that the format could be a medium for adults.

The prequel miniseries, “as highly anticipated as [it is] controversial”, according to DC's press release, is set to be launched in the American summer.

Before Watchmen will “build on the foundation of the original”, elaborating on past events only mentioned in Watchmen, and comprises seven titles, written and illustrated by some of DC's most celebrated talents:

RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo

MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones

DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes

NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert

OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee

SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

A new issue will be released each week, also featuring a two-page companion piece Curse of the Crimson Corsair, written by Watchmen editor Len Wein and Watchmen colorist John Higgins.

“After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told,” DC co-publishers Dan Didio and Jim Lee said in a statement, in an apparent misunderstanding of the origins of Watchmen's title.

Two sides to the story

A prior adaptation of Watchmen, the 2009 movie, met mixed reviews. An online debate is now raging on forums and on Twitter, discussing the the validity of the upcoming miniseries.

Original series writer Alan Moore, as in the past, criticized DC's handling of his creations, calling the project “completely shameless”.

“I tend to take this latest development as a kind of eager confirmation that they are still apparently dependent on ideas that I had 25 years ago,” the reclusive writer told the New York Times.

However, Watchmen co-creator and original series artist Dave Gibbons was supportive of the venture.

“The original series of WATCHMEN is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work,” he said.

Brian Azzarello, acclaimed creator of the series 100 Bullets and writer on two Before Watchmen titles, expressed understandable excitement.

“I think the gut reaction is going to be, 'Why?' But then when the actual books come out, the answer will be, 'Oh, that's why.'”

Cover image courtesy DC's The Source.