Todd, Matt :: Matt Todd's Sketchbook Posts :: November 2019: Watchmen

Before Watchmen Minutemen Issue 2 Cover Prelim

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Artwork Details

Title:	Before Watchmen Minutemen Issue 2 Cover Prelim
Artist:	None Specified
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Prelim
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	681
Likes on CAF:	0 1
Comments:	0
Added to Site:	11/4/2019
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Before Watchmen: Minutemen Issue 2 Cover Prelim
by Darwyn Cooke.

This Prelim was purchased at Albert Moy�s booth during SDCC 2019.
Thrilled to have this piece by Darwyn. This inked Prelim gets me one step closer to owning a published piece by Darwyn Cooke. He was such an incredible talent who left us too soon. I wrote this at the time of his passing. It includes my favorite memory of Darwyn and some thoughts on Before Watchmen.
Darwyn Cooke was a master storyteller with the coolest signature in comics. He was an artist whose style was commonly and simply described as retro, but was much more than that, whether drawing a simpler time of the New Frontier or the harsh reality of Westlake's Parker, his artwork and storytelling expressed an elegant ideal. He was a comic creator who, with every encounter I had with him, showed an honesty and generosity with his fans.
He was....
...It's hard to use the past tense when talking about someone who's work had such a profound effect on your life.
My favorite memory of Darwyn was San Diego Comic Con back in 2012. It was Saturday night at the Hyatt bar. I had just self-published my comic Mysteryman and I was desperate to give one of my favorite creators my first published work. I could see Darwyn was about to leave for the night. Fortunately, I had enough liquid courage to approach him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Cooke?"
"It's Darwyn."
"... Darwyn, I just wanted to let you know how I am a huge fan and your work has been such an inspiration. I just self-published my first comic and, I realize it's not the best time, but I wanted to give you a copy of my comic as a thank you."
"Are you coming to my spotlight panel tomorrow?"
"I am..."
"Great, give it to me after that. How old are you?"
"Twenty-nine."
"Keep your nerve kid, you're farther ahead than I was."
I was so grateful that Darwyn took that moment to slow things down; he easily could have taken the book and said thank you, but he didn't.
The next day I went to his spotlight panel. Afterwards, I caught his attention and gave him a copy of my comic, and then he took out his pen - his pen with which he has signed so many of my comics in years past - and he told me, "You've got to sign it..."

Darwyn cared enough to take the time with a first-time comic writer. I hope he read Mysteryman; I hope he enjoyed it.
His work on the Parker novels were masterpieces. A perfect pairing of creator and material.
Even with projects like Before Watchmen, Cooke took such special care to flesh out two members of the Minutemen, Silhouette and Mothman, that he makes us care about characters that were mere footnotes in the original volume. I was particularly moved by the Mothman pages. That's right... Mothman. Cooke made you care, which is no surprise. Cooke was a master storyteller, and while he uses the designs and some layout cues of Dave Gibbons, make no mistake, this was a Darwyn Cooke comic. His sensibilities and style are ever present, and for that I'm grateful. The book was confident, but not cocky; it's respectful of the source, but never a slave to it.
It was original - just like Darwyn Cooke.
Thank you Darwyn, for your art, for your stories, and for your kindness. Rest In Peace.

An epilogue about this piece is that when it was turned over it revealed there was a sketch of the Comedian wearing his WWII costume. An wonderful bonus to a great piece.

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	Matt Todd Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	August 2014
Last Login:	September 2025
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