Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner Volume V: These Lifeless Things…!  Catch up on the journey so far, by way of Juanita’s reviews of Volume I, Volume II, Volume III and Volume IV. Continuing the train of thought at the end of Volume IV that he must save the world, adding to his ongoing autobiography, Adrian Veidt states, “Permit me to let you in on a little secret… being the smartest man does not, by extension, automatically make you creative.” And, in this reader’s opinion, it doesn’t always make you smart either! The cover and one variant (both Jae Lee), shows Veidt as his Ozymandias alter ego opening his costume at the chest to reveal a business suit. It’s a creative way to blend the two while giving us insight to the pages ahead at the same time. The second variant (Jill Thompson), is much more simplistic than its predecessors. However, the fact that it depicts a fully-grown Ozymandias with Bubastis by his side, while holding a small earth in his hands, carries a lot of weight symbolically, if not literally as well. Maybe another godly reference? This time to the Titan Atlas who carries the heavens on his shoulders, a burden bestowed by Zeus? [1] With a book in his hand, a stack at his feet and the multiple screens in the throne room filling the background, Adrian focuses his mind on a solution, his solution, to saving the world from itself. With his traditional meticulous nature, Adrian spends the next several months pouring over every science fiction novel and film he can find; ”Searching for that certain spark that would inspire my master plan.” With no luck and growing frustration, Adrian finishes and decides to begin again. It must be there he decides. “The fate of the world, after all, quite literally hung in the balance.” With another call back to Watchmen, Adrian finally finds what he’s looking for in the TV series The Outer Limits. I reflect that while researching the use of The Outer Limits in the original works, I found that at one point in the creative process, Alan Moore and Len Wein discussed the similarities to their innovative Watchmen story and a specific episode of The Outer Limits – “The Architects of Fear” ultimately deciding to include a nod to the series and episode in their own pages (Ch. 12; pg., 28). It seems this fact was pointed out to Moore by Wein [2], and I wonder, could this be Wein’s way of solidifying his stance on the issue. Would Moore disapprove? Additionally, Zak Snyder gives his own nod by showing The Outer Limits playing on the TV at one point in the film adaptation. In said episode, designed to frighten humanity into joining forces to impede their inevitable doom, a group of scientists change one of their own into an alien being. The scientists fail. However, Adrian becomes obsessed with correcting their failure, watching the story over and over. Finally, a solution presents itself… think bigger than the scientists. Much bigger! Adrian immediately goes to work instructing his secretary Marla to retrofit one of his facilities into a “state-of-the art bio lab.” Once the lab is finished, Adrian starts splicing DNA and experimenting to create and “appropriate alien” for his master plan. It is here we see the creation of Bubastis named after the ancient Egyptian city that worshipped the god Bast. [3] I crack a smile at the odd “MROWER” of the new being and Adrian requesting that Marla have the lab reset and purchase a “very large supply of kitty litter.” Following this, upon reflection with a young Bubastis perched on his shoulders, Adrian realizes, though the smartest man in the world, he is not “knowledgeable enough to do what needs to be done.” Again, calling Marla by stating “I have need of you,” Adrian instructs her to purchase a remote island. When Marla questions this, Veidt assures her he is serious and simultaneously tells her to ready his jet for a trip, noting, “It seems I have some business in London.” I ponder on Marla, Veidt’s secretary and lover, once again… she is quite literally at Veidt’s beck and call, though their interactions seem emotionless. Does he use her for sex? To dominate him as a means of giving the smartest man alive a release from his, all be it self-created, demanding world? Does he actually have feelings for her? The next page picks up 26 hours later in the British Museum. Veidt has donned his vigilante gear and is appearing before a group of thieves. I can only assume this is the business he was referring to leading me to wonder just how long he’s been on the trail of these thieves in the first place. Once the thieves are dispatched, Dr. Manhattan, out of the blue (no pun intended!), presents himself, apparently having been watching the whole time. When asked why the good Doctor didn’t join the fun, he replies, “There was no point. You were winning. You had won. You have always won this fight.” A thought-provoking insight into Dr. Manhattan for sure. Does he already know the outcome… at least on some level? Yes!! The Doctor asks if he can speak with Adrian, away from where they are now, in private. Regarding the talk for his autobiography, Adrian refers to discussions of quantum singularities and the ending of the world. However, he tells the listener that now isn’t the time to discuss and that “the substance of it will become all too clear before we’re done.” Obviously eluding the coming events that unfold in Watchmen. Moving several months into the future, we pick up with Adrian and Marla on sandy shores. She has found the requested island, secluded and away from any normal shipping and merchant routes. Adrian is quite pleased, and Marla says, “Thank you, sir. I assume your appreciation will be reflected in my annual Christmas bonus.” Without a single acknowledgment to her statement, par for the course I conclude, Veidt instructs Marla to have the island removed from any existing public records, having it “quietly disappear off the map if humanly possible.” Furthermore, he gives her a list of buildings he wants started immediately. He tells her to hire local labor men for the majority of the work simultaneously giving each of them only pieces of the big picture and paying them to keep quiet about it. Marla looks the plans over saying it may take years. To which, Veidt replies, “So long as the doomsday clock stands still, Marla, we have all the time in the world.” In January 1971, we see Veidt at his fortress where he has started spending more of his time. Keeping up with the news, he sees that President Nixon decides to deploy Dr. Manhattan to quell the Vietnam struggle. Adrian says, “there is no turning back now.” A few short months later, the remaining Viet Cong adversaries surrender. A visually pleasing single page shows Dr. Manhattan in his oversized form with a red cloudy background and a couple Vietnamese soldiers shaded in all black in the bottom corner. I note that the artist Jae Lee consistently uses this black shading throughout the entire series with great affection. With just a few dark shadows, he brings an entire scene to life. I love it! Adrian records that just as he predicted a decade prior, from then on, thanks to Dr. Manhattan, the entire world will live in fear of the United States. The doomsday clock is moved one minute closer to midnight… another prediction coming true.  Jumping to January 1975, President Nixon proposes an amendment to the constitution that, if passed, will permit him to run for a third term. Viewing this news from his New York office building, Adrian sees this as crossing the line and instructs Marla to schedule a very large press conference in his office.
Dressed as Ozymandias, Veidt addresses the public and reveals his identity. When asked why he chose now to reveal his alter-ego, Veidt states, “Once President Nixon unleashed Doctor Manhattan on Vietnam, the rest of us masks quite honestly became superfluous.” A word not used enough in this readers eyes! He goes on to say that he figured he could do a lot more good as a wealthy businessman versus a masked avenger. A reporter asks if it’s all about the money and Adrian says, “In the end, isn’t everything?” I want to disagree, but sadly know that he’s right. Continuing the press conference, Adrian, now having removed his costume to reveal a business suit, just like the volume’s cover, tells the reporters that he intends to use his new found free time to focus on Veidt Enterprises. Regardless of Veidt’s public reveal, the other Watchmen continue to fight crime. As a hint of the turmoil to come, by the spring of 1977, the New York City Council denies the police force a raise. Adrian reflects with Marla that this will not end well. Two days later, the entirety of the police force goes on strike. Tying into the original works again, riots ensue. Adrian decides to don his old alter-ego to help. Somewhere in SoHo he comes across a young man spray painting the now infamous who watches the watchmen on the side of a building. Not quite finished, Ozymandias instructs the kid to stop while philosophically discussing the statement by saying it’s a reasonable question. He goes on to state, “The phrase comes from Latin: quis custodiet ipsos custodies?” Unaware of who this Ozymandias character is, the kid basically disregards Veidt and threatens him with the spray can. Frustrated that he has been forgotten after only two years, he resumes his usual calm behavior and conversation while preparing his “trusty stiletto.” Unleashing it, the spike pierces the spray can causing it to explode in the boy’s face. With little to no regard for the child he has injured, Veidt, turning to leave, tells the kid to “remember this moment the next time you consider committing public vandalism.” On first glance, I am not sure why the author decided to include this piece other than to pay homage and/or point out the origins of the phrase itself. It’s a bit superfluous (*wink*) since this definition is actually shown on the last page of the original Watchmen series. [4] Upon further thought however, I must point out two things: 1. the clever way Len Wein mixes praise for the phrase while simultaneously providing more insight into Veidt’s psyche. To explain further, Adrian is so dead set on saving humanity from itself yet he cares nothing for injuring a child that truly posed him no threat. Puzzling! All while said child is showing the reader the theme of the entire Watchmen series, who watches the Watchmen, and no one… no one is watching while Adrian attacks this kid. Not to mention Veidt’s bruised ego with not being recognized. 2. The kid sure looks a lot like a younger version of the one reading Tales from the Black Freighter in Watchmen (AKA: the story within a story said to parallel Adrian’s journey by Moore himself) [5]. Inserted by Len Wein on purpose I presume?? There’s a lot to unpack in this small space and to think, I almost dismissed it as fairly insignificant when it’s truly diabolically fascinating to say the least! Moving forward down the block, Ozymandias comes across some looters. He warns them, as we’ve seen him do a few times now, to return what they’ve taken, to no avail. He quickly takes out the loud and large leader. The others hastily restock the shelves and Veidt leaves the riot stricken New York City streets. By the following morning, the city council, basically having no choice, give in to the strike. Adrian notes that the damage alone will cost the city more than if they had just given the raises in the first place. Marla replies, “A dollar the irony is lost on them.” Adrian tells her to never bet on a sure thing. I find this to be an interesting insight here since his ego won’t let him think that his own plan is otherwise anything but a sure thing… no? Marla goes on to mention rumors of Ozymandias on the streets during the riots. Adrian says that “Should those rumors help to increase the sales of our new Ozymandias action figure line that hits stores tomorrow… well, so much the better, isn’t it?” Obviously, the boy tagging the wall bruised Veidt’s ego by not even recognizing him, and it makes me wonder if not wanting to be forgotten, is what spurred the idea for the action figure line in the first place. This time, I conclude, it certainly has nothing to do with money! Is this why Adrian took to the streets during the riots? I decide, it unquestionably wasn’t to actually help people! Into the following week, Adrian is meeting with Dr. Manhattan and they discuss the progress on a teleportation device. Dr. Manhattan reviews Adrian’s work and tells him that he’s getting close. When the Doctor excuses himself and disappears, Adrian slyly points out that dozens of hidden cameras recorded the Doctor’s teleportation bringing Veidt ever closer to his goal. The final page shows Veidt and Marla on the streets of New York. Mentally reflecting that even though he hasn’t quite yet figured out the teleportation powers of Dr. Manhattan, Adrian notes that he has made good use of many other things he learned from the Doctor. Marla points out that Veidt has had a hand in virtually every advancement the city has seen do date. “All for the betterment of mankind,” Veidt states. Focusing on this page filled with technological wonders around the city, all I can think of is what does the term savior truly mean, entail, or require? Picking up a newspaper that says “Keene Act Passes!” the news stand proprietor says, “Guess you got out while the getting was good, huh, Mr. V?” Adrian, with a dark stare, simply replies, “That my good fellow, remains to be seen.” Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #5 - 'Volume V: These Lifeless Things…!' Writer/Artist: Len Wein/Jae Lee; Publisher: DC Comics Volume V:
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