Catch up on the journey so far, by way of Juanita’s reviews of Volume I and Volume II.

The cover of this volume and the first variant (both Jae Lee), are not Ozymandias, but rather Edward Blake as his famous vigilante persona we saw at the end of Volume II, The Comedian… Awesome!! The second variant (Massimo Carnevale), shows a magical like image of Ozymandias wielding a glowing ball next to what appears to be the Eye of Horus symbol [1], further pushing the thought of Veidt’s limitless God-like ego.

Within the pages, Adrian Veidt continues his autobiography with “September 23, 1959”, jumping right into the altercation he has with Blake on the waterfront while following up on a missing vigilante from The Minutemen, Hooded Justice. I’m not particularly fond of how Blake is drawn here comparted to the covers, but the commentary is definitely on point with his character. His self-righteous arrogance burns as brightly as it does in Watchmen, pages or screen. 

Thinking he’s got the drop on Ozymandias with a second gun pointed directly at him (the first one already disabled by Veidt in Volume 2), The Comedian states, “Looks like the joke’s on you, pansy boy – and the punch line’s a killer!” Adrian calmly points out they are on the same side of the law to which The Comedian sarcastically disagrees; ”Shoot first, ask questions afterward.” However, The Comedian, though a pretty perceptive man in his own right, doesn’t realize that Adrian is several steps ahead of him.

A calm approach to the conversation allows Adrian to monitor The Comedian’s every move and notice “the almost imperceptible tightening” of Blake’s trigger finger. Having dispatched it during conversation, with sleek precision, Veidt releases one of his slender stilettos landing it directly in the barrel of Blake’s weapon. The gun backfires and is torn to pieces in Blake’s hand, blinding him momentarily, allowing for Veidt to attack!!

The scuffle is entertaining to watch and is filled with back and forth banter that is also amusing to read. I love this, the both of them on display and on par with previous volumes, the pages are colorful yet dark while showing various scenes simultaneously on each page. Evenly matched, the fight ensues until Blake, who fights dirty, cheats. However, because Veidt disables both of Blake’s weapons, a stalemate occurs. The Comedian leaves into the dark waterfront shadows, but not before telling Veidt to stay out his way. Veidt, gathering himself on the docks, points out that he actually let The Comedian best him as a means of gathering Intel on Blake’s fighting skills. Ha, I knew it, this is the same battle referenced in Watchmen (Ch. 11; pg. 19)! Preparing for future encounters are we…

Moving months into the future, we catch up with Adrian in his office as his secretary presents him with the morning papers. Confirming what Adrian already suspected, the headlines say, “Meet Dr. Manhattan – There is a Superman, and He’s an American!” Veidt devours the papers hoping to learn more about Dr. Manhattan. Up until this point, the reader is not fully aware just how much Adrian is obsessed with Dr. Manhattan as he states, “I spent the next few minutes catching up on what little I hadn’t already learned about this so-called superman…” Not learning much, Adrian is disappointed and turns his attention to investing in fallout shelters. He instructs his secretary to procure land in Antarctica, as well as architects and contractors, sparing no expense, of course. The Fortress is coming, much to my delight, and I take a moment to think about his actual fear. In Watchmen, Adrian Veidt is quite sure that the steps he’s taken will be the salvation of humanity and we all know how that ends. Mass murder and destruction ultimately brings peace, but… is Veidt right? Is his ego right?
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On a single page, the volume jumps ahead several times. First by a few months to Veidt reviewing three sets of architectural plans for his fortress vision. He instructs that the best of all three be combined into one and reminds them “time is of the essence.” Second, a few months more to the site of construction in Antarctica. Then finally, a third time back in New York showing Ozymandias taking down bad guys at night. Obviously keeping busy, there is also mention of Veidt manipulating the stock market by day. At this point, the backstory of Adrian Veidt and Ozymandias is definitely starting to come full circle and this reader wonders… has Alan Moore read this? It’s fantastic!! 

By the summer of 1960, Adrian’s plans are on track and while he’s out portraying Ozymandias, he is presented with an invitation from a local policeman. Left for him at police headquarters, Ozymandias has been invited to a Red Cross charity event for Indian famine. Veidt initially declines but when the officer mentions that Dr. Manhattan will be there, along with the city’s vigilantes, he decides to meet his obsession and changes his mind. At this point, I contemplate, generally, Adrian knows everything, but is he depicted in Watchmen (pages or screen) as obsessed with Dr. Manhattan? Scientifically, I conclude, that this does make sense. Adrian has been waiting for the doomsday clock since he was a child. Even a blip of information about someone or something like Dr. Manhattan, should, and likely would be on Veidt’s radar. And with his influence, obviously, well before the general public.

Cut to the charity event, Ozymandias is performing on stage by balancing on a stack of three beach balls. Much to my surprise, Veidt is paired up with another masked vigilante; The Comedian, who shoots each ball one by one for crowd entertainment. As one would come to expect, Veidt balances flawlessly. Afterwards, behind the curtains, Blake mocks Veidt in his usual fashion, Veidt deflects in his, and I’m pretty sure these two egos would explode if they were trapped in a room together… insert eye roll!

Veidt moves to meet Mothman who is having a bit of stage freight. Adrian reassures him then proceeds to watch the show on the many monitors backstage giving him the idea for multiple monitors in his fortress. While pondering this, he is approached by Captain Metropolis with very true to form artwork. [2] The Captain thanks Ozymandias for helping Mothman to which Adrian replies, “The last thing the public’s confidence in us needs is to watch one of us come apart in front of them.” Does this imply that Adrian is already aware of the spiraling man behind the moth discussed in Watchmen? Eluding to the phrase, the “smartest man in the world,” the Captain says, “speaking of which, mind if I ask you a question?” Much to Adrian’s disappointment, having the opportunity to ask the smartest man any question, the Captain asks how to pronounce Ozymandias correctly stating, “Is it pronounced Ozymandias or Ozymandias?” Adrian replies that it can be said either way, though he prefers the latter by saying, “It sounds more elegant somehow.” So, you have just one question for the smartest man on earth and that’s it? Really? I’m as dissatisfied as Adrian is! Conversely, I’m delighted that Len Wein found a way to address the pronunciation beyond the movie. For I too have wondered. Okay, okay. Maybe it’s not such a bad question, but given just one, what would you ask, particularly, before the internet age?

After Metropolis excuses himself to “go mingle,” Adrian notices Dr. Manhattan in conversation with Nite Owl. He moves to introduce himself but then pulls back to inconspicuously spy just out of the Dr.’s sight. At that moment, Adrian notices that all the hairs on the back of his neck are standing and actually pointing in Dr. Manhattan’s direction. His arm hair does the same even when he moves it. Adrian notes this as an ominous sign but continues to monitor.

Janey Slater, Dr. Manhattan’s companion, joins the conversation and asks if they can go home because she is feeling ill; ”getting that queasy feeling” in her stomach again. I ponder if Adrian decided to investigate Janey then and there, well before he takes her under his wing of manipulation at Dimensional Developments. [3] As they leave, much to Adrian’s surprise, Dr. Manhattan makes a point to say goodbye to Veidt. Being completely caught off guard, as you would imagine, only fuels Adrian’s obsession. Ironically, from Dr. Manhattan’s perspective in Watchmen, he is disinterested in this charity event and the only person he finds interesting is Veidt (Ch. 4; pg. 14). I contemplate if Adrian would’ve felt flattered to know this or would his ego just sort of say, ”duh!”

The last few pages round out with Adrian at his finished Antarctica fortress. A magnificent spectacle tucked into a snowy environment. Veidt is welcomed by his secretary along with security who offer condolences regarding the plane crash that killed all three of his architects. An interestingly short, yet chilling, insight into Adrian’s mind. He proceeds forward with his security, but not before remarking to Marla that he will meet her in the bedroom shortly. I am quite flabbergasted by this because nowhere before is their relationship portrayed as romantic or sexual. Not to mention, this is the first time her name is actually spoken on page. Wait, is Marla the woman in the gas mask on the cover of Volume 2 and not his mind bound with guilt… maybe both? Such secrets this man has…

Finally, we see Adrian as he sheds “all of me that had been Adrian Veidt,” don his Ozymandias gear and ask his security, “Is it ready?” Once confirmed, he states, “Show me Doctor Manhattan.” The last page closes where the first page of Volume 1 began, in the throne room with multiple screens, this time, all on Dr. Manhattan and that sight is followed by Adrian’s final words…“And so it begins…” 

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #3 - 'Volume III: The Heart That Fed…!'
Writer/Artist: Len Wein/Jae Lee; Publisher: DC Comics

Volume III:

1. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eye-of-Horus
2. https://watchmen.fandom.com/wiki/Nelson_Gardne
3. https://watchmen.fandom.com/wiki/Janey_Slater​

Catch up on the journey so far, by way of Juanita’s review of Volume I.

Picking back up in 1985 in Antarctica and continuing his autobiography, Adrian Veidt undergoes more training for his self-imposed future mission while continuing to reflect on the past. In this way, the second installment resumes where the first left off… avenging Miranda’s death. The artwork remains exceptional and the cover, along with one variant (both Jae Lee), enhances the Ozymandias sexuality debate by depicting him in a submissive position with a female dominatrix in a gas mask over him. I can’t help but speculate, is this his mind bound with guilt surrounding Miranda’s death? In contrast, the second variant (Phil Noto), with the title, “Live like a King,” depicts Adrian on an Egyptian-like throne with both a man and a woman behind him. Possibly a self-realized vision of his proud parents with him as the crowned prince?
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In the meantime, when we catch up with Adrian in the story, he is using his financial influence, and Adrian floods the darker corners of the city with money in exchange for information. A simple offer; ”Tell me what I needed to know, and I would change your life forever.” Four days after his search for knowledge begins, he receives some anonymous information. This leads him to a dark alleyway on the south side of New York that is well known for its drug trade. After observing, Adrian, almost effortlessly, disarms a dangerous dealer and renders him unconscious. The dealer is by far no match for Veidt, his training now flawlessly fine-tuned. Thusly, Veidt can almost assuredly calculate the dealer’s moves and best him in his mind before doing so physically. I keep thinking about that ego. Will it trip him up before the events in Watchmen? Will he fall, or at least stumble, before we see him in those famous pages?

Adrian dangles the man upside down and as he comes to, Adrian presses him for information by asking,  “one question: where do you get your drugs?” Reluctantly, but eventually, the dealer gives up his source. As what can only be seen as a blatant, I don’t care if you live or die message, Adrian leaves the dealer bound by his signature, Gordian knot, traced back to Alexander the Great [1], to a streetlamp with his valuables strung about and wallowing in his own filth. I wonder, is this hero… or even vigilante behavior? I also ponder on the tie-in with the original works, where Dan Dreiberg (AKA: the second Nite Owl), has his locks replaced by the Gordian Knot Lock Company (Ch. 3; pg. 8 and Ch. 8; pg. 8) thought to be owned by Veidt. I conclude, interesting symmetry and symbolism neatly placed together!!

Continuing his mission the following evening, Veidt uses his financial status and reputation and arrives at “the city’s most exclusive supper club” in a lustrous sports car. Once inside, his influence allows him to dictate a quiet, inconspicuous corner table along with a “well-aired chateau Lafite Rothschild”, 1818 of course. [2] Everyone is more than happy to comply and serve the prestigious and very rich Adrian Veidt. With the unassuming staff and patrons none the wiser as to why he is there, other than to flaunt his status, Veidt is able to witness an envelope exchange between the restaurant manager and a large man described as looking like a “professional leg-breaker.” The thug soon leaves and Veidt is right behind him. 

Adrian follows the man across town to the warehouse district and parks out of sight. He witnesses a verbal exchange with the guard discussing the boss being inside. Perfect! Adrian dons his gear from a suitcase in the trunk. Spying on the inside goings on, Adrian sees armed guards, women in their underwear packaging drugs, and, “at the center of it all,” the boss; ”a grotesquely fat man.” The images are as you would expect, dark and shadowy except where the women are packaging a white powdery substance. The thug tosses the boss, Mr. Porcini, the envelope he collected at the supper club as they discuss business and business is good!
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In true Veidt fashion, he presents himself to Mr. Porcini by asking if the guard from outside belongs to them as he tosses the obviously scared man towards the boss. Visibly surprised, Porcini orders his men to “just kill the fucker and be done with it!” Within the pages, Veidt narrates a moment where he calculates what he’s up against and boldly tells the boss it’s his last change to surrender. Similar to his childhood altercation all those years ago, Adrian commences his attack without remorse, but not before releasing his headband to create more chaos by causing lighting to be unhinged, in the end collapsing on Porcini himself. Veidt also calculates the fall of one thug to land directly on the table holding the very large pile of white powder causing visual and breathing disturbances in his enemies. In an orchestra of violence, Veidt takes down the entire operation just in time for the local authorities, drawn to all the gun fire, to take over. Naturally, the police do not recognize this particular vigilante and just like that, taken from the Greek poems of Percy Bysshe Shelley [3] and named after the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II [4], Veidt says, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works, ye mighty and despair.” With that, the newly self-crowned Ozymandias makes his exit with words of “worlds to conquer.” The police are, of course, as stunned as am I! The previous pages unfold swiftly, showing off Veidt’s skills and allowing him to come into his own with his new vigilante persona. I’m exhilarated at his reveal and I think… yes! Yes I do love this character.

The second half of this volume rounds out with Adrian contemplating his future and that of his city as well. He then embraces his latest creation head on, fighting criminals of all sorts by land, air and sea. He fills pages of scrap books with the exploits of his “masked alter ego,” while simultaneously noticing the decline in the once abundant fellow masked vigilantes. This compels him to investigate if for no other reason than to see where they failed and to prevent him from suffering the same fate. Research leads him through the rise of The Minutemen in 1939 and the demise of many of its ranks over the years. He also discovers that the vigilante name Hooded Justice up and disappeared. Upon reflection, Adrian considers, “In less than a decade, their star had burned out completely – leaving only one true mystery remaining: what happened to Hooded Justice?

Veidt, who always felt compelled to solve a presented mystery since childhood, sets out to trace the final known steps of the missing vigilante. Led to the waterfront, he begins his manhunt. Other than a tip that the government is also looking for The Hood, Adrian discovers dried blood that’s too old to actually determine if it belonged to Hooded Justice. Just as he’s kneeling to contemplate this, his senses alert him that he’s not alone. The volume ends with machine gun spray and some sarcastic words from a familiar character… The Comedian! Who has the ego now? 

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #2 - 'Volume II: The Hand That Mocked Them..!'
Writer/Artist: Len Wein/Jae Lee; Publisher: DC Comics
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Volume II References:

1. https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-gordian-knot
2. https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_Lafite_Rothschild.html
3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/shelley_percy_bysshe.shtml
4. https://www.ancient.eu/Ramesses_II/

I didn’t read comics as a kid. I know, I know… what am I doing reviewing a comic now and why Before Watchmen: Ozymandias?? To answer this, I must start with where I and Ozymandias began… Watchmen!
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Published in 1986/87 as 12 individual issues, a full trade paperback (TPB) in 1987 and the only graphic novel in history to make Time’s top 100 novels of all-time list [1], Watchmen (Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons) would have been right up my alley back then. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the feature length film of the same name (Dir. Zak Snyder) was on its way to theatres that I picked up the comics. I was a non-traditional student in college in 2009 and wanted to kill two goals: 1. to finally start reading comics and 2. to learn more about Watchmen before it hit theatres. I purchased the TPB and went to work. I absolutely loved it… and I loved the movie as well! Each unique in their own ways, they both seemed groundbreaking to me and I was hooked well beyond video to comics in their original form from then on. Down the road in 2014, I proudly got my hands, on a near mint (NM) condition set of the Watchmen series at Denver Comic Con (now titled Denver Pop Culture Con). A short time later in 2015, I also purchased a NM set of the Before Watchmen (p. 2012) series. With both collections safely bagged, boarded and tucked away, it wasn’t until recently, inspired again by video with the coming HBO Watchmen TV series (Damon Lindelof), that I finally decided to crack open my accompanying Before Watchmen TBP sets.

Why Ozymandias first? Well, several reasons actually. To begin with, not all the main characters from the graphic novel have been confirmed for the TV series, but Ozymandias (Jeremy Irons) made the list. Additionally, Ozymandias is impressively on IGN’s Top 100 Villains list [2]. On a more personal note, both in the comics and the movie, Adrian Veidt has always intrigued me…definitely because he was not represented enough in either format. I also learned that Len Wein served as the editor with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons on the original works. With this pivotal character being given a backstory by an original Watchmen editor, I knew I wanted more! Finally, I believe he may be one of my favorite comic book characters thus far. So having said all that, let’s dive in!  And I know these comics have been out for a while, but I still feel compelled to say ***SPOILERS AHEAD***

As a six-comic lot, Ozymandias, from the perspective of Adrian Veidt, opens somewhat where Watchmen began… 1985. Veidt is hidden away in his Antarctic fortress Karnak, named for a city in Egypt that houses The Temple of Amun, “the largest religious building in the world,” honoring  Amun and other gods like Osiris and Isis. [1]
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The artwork is stunning throughout. Particularly the original cover and its variants which all immediately give insight into the essence that is Ozymandias at the same time, giving the reader various styles of the overall look of this character. Several of the variants, done by different artists, run parallel with the Watchmen depiction of Ozymandias while Jae Lee takes liberties to show another adaptation on the main covers and the pages within. All of them striking in their own ways. I especially like the first variant (Phil Jimenez & Romulo Fajardo Jr.) as it shows a series of panels behind a pondering Ozymandias. Panel one is Egyptian with pyramids, pictographs and Pharaohs tombs. Two is Roman showing Alexander the Great. Three is New York with various telltale tentacles strung throughout, including around the twin towers. Finally, four appears to be nature or rather biologically driven with his self-created genetically-engineered pet lynx Bubastis resting to the right. Within the pages, we see panels overlap mixing past with present and thought from the actual against various dark and colorful landscapes. Much to my delight, Veidt decides to record his history leading up to the present day in Watchmen… the brink of world annihilation. With Bubastis by his side, Veidt plunges right into his childhood pre-World War II, expanding on the short background given within the original works (Ch. 11; pgs. 8-11).

Veidt’s father, a prominent businessman in “The Old Country,” books passage to the states as soon as he learns of his wife’s pregnancy to escape the looming fascist threat. With high hopes for his son, including presidency, Mr. Veidt wanted his child to be born in the United States. A few months later, in New York City, Adrian Alexander (after Alexander the Great) Veidt was born.

As Adrian grew, it was clear that his intellect was not like that of other children. He was mastering complicated reading by age four and when he far exceeded the academic aptitude test at 6 years, his parents were called to the school under the school’s assumption that Adrian must have cheated. From there, after smoothing things over with the school, Mr. Veidt makes it clear to Adrian that he must keep his intellect a secret to prevent being treated differently and thought a freak by others. He tells Adrian whilst in his room, “Sadly my boy, life is never fair…what matters is to get through it alive.” A blatant sidebar for what’s to come, Jae Lee includes a poster on Adrian’s wall of a one-eyed alien squid called The Thing from Outer Space.” Nice! Reluctantly, Adrian complies. Knowing about the man Adrian becomes, I found myself thinking, is this why he speaks so few words? Stunted at an early age to quiet his thoughts… Through grade school, Adrian lived in a bullying environment and resisted defending himself. I wondered if being quiet and keeping to himself actually increased his daily interruptions of assault. Declining assistance from his father, Adrian decided to secretly train under a local Dojo and continued to resist defending himself. Many months later, when confronted again by the same tormenters, he warns the attackers, to which they do not heed, and he unleashes his fury with no remorse. Adrian’s power leaps off the page with a fierce intensity as the bullies suffer his wrath. Conversely, so does his calm nature after the fact. He is apt and still when standing in the principal’s office with his parents. A similar stance he often takes in adulthood… quiet, yet calculating.

Due to the nature of the violence and how badly his attackers were hurt, expulsion was on the horizon. Saved by his father with his influence and money, from then on Adrian no longer hid his intelligence. In fact, he excelled at an accelerated pace. A few years later when he had not yet fully reached manhood, Adrian’s parents were killed in a traffic accident. Devastated and alone, Adrian spends weeks in the antiquities wing of a local museum focused on a bust and the life of Alexander the Great. He pondered; ”How did one man drag a civilization barehanded from the blood and filth of such utter barbarity?” Adrian’s obsession with Alexander helps to build his cold, cunning character and adds an air of grandiose egocentrism at a very impressionable age. Simultaneously, the stories of Alexander also push this character towards more knowledge. Not just in books or museums, but through experience.  

Giving up his entire inheritance to charity, Adrian books passage to northern Turkey determined to seek his own way. Wanting to compare his accomplishments to that of Alexander, Adrian set his sights high. As depicted by a full page map, we see that Adrian spent years following the routes of Alexander. Constant travel, training, and learning helps to further shape the boy into a man.

At one point, we also see Adrian depicted with a male lover, a hotly debated topic since the original Watchmen hit the pages in the 80s. Is he gay? Further reading says no! Given some hashish by this lover, Adrian wanders the dessert on his last night in the east. Similar to his explanation in Watchmen (Ch. 11; pgs. 10-11), Adrian relates the hallucinations and voices he hears to history, Kings, Pharos, and of course Alexander, further aligning his self-anointed king and/or God-like status.

As a master at Dojo and anything else he wished, Adrian returned to New York set out to make his fortune by manipulating the stock market. It is here he meets his beloved Miranda. Again, I ask… is he gay? Do social norms at the time dictate that he should be with a woman, particularly in the western world? Maybe. Even Matthew Goode, who plays Ozymandias in the theatrical adaptation (2009), stated, “He’s possibly homosexual.” [2] The character Rorschach comments in Watchmen that Adrian is possibly homosexual and reminds himself to investigate (Ch. I; pg. 19). There are also other undertones within both the graphic novel and the film that suggest homosexuality, but nothing is ever confirmed. Furthermore, considering the fact that Alan Moore has openly spoke out against other works surrounding Watchmen, written or otherwise, the mystery remained unsolved. However, it is clear through the pages of this prequel series that Adrian truly loves Miranda and when he loses her after a fight, to an uncharacteristic overdose, he is changed forever. I couldn’t help but wonder, what is love? Does it mean a mate, a friend, a lover, a co-conspirator or even a partner in crime? Is it all these things? My answer is yes, depending on the individual. Discussion on the sexuality of a graphic novel/comic book character is anyone’s right and I do agree that it is debatable in this case, particularly before a prequel emerged. Now that it has, I choose to embrace it and for me, I prefer to think of Adrian Veidt as a man of the world and similar to Alexander, he indulges in male and female companionship. Today, that would earn him the label of bisexual, which seems quite appropriate. Simply put, who he chooses to love is not set by the simple parameters of sex alone!

By the time of Miranda’s death, due to stock market manipulation, Adrian’s fortune is quite vast. He has also been coined “the smartest man in the world” and vigilantes like Nite Owl and The Comedian are already making headlines. He decides that reporting Miranda’s death may not bode well for his growing empire and prestigious reputation. Simultaneously, looking to Alexander the Great, he reasons the only way to right Miranda’s death is to go it alone. Donning his first vigilante suit made from an elaborate Halloween costume and pieces from his Alexandrian artifacts, the not yet named, Ozymandias is born.  The volume ends; ”One way or another, justice was coming…” 

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 - 'Volume I: I Met a Traveler...!'
Writer/Artist: Len Wein/Jae Lee; Publisher: DC Comics

Prologue References:

1. http://entertainment.time.com/2005/10/16/all-time-100-novels/slide/watchmen-1986-by-alan-moore-dave-gibbons/
2. https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-villains/49

Volume I References:

1. https://www.ancient.eu/Karnak/
2. ​http://www.mtv.com/news/2592917/matthew-goode-on-ozymandias-sexuality-and-cgi-creatures/