Morrison's PAX AMERICANA & Peter Cannon THUNDERBOLT (Watchmen-Inspired Comics) 

I thought that the relationship of Thunderbolt and his Lover is a metaphor/analogy for the modern relationship of comic book writers and readers. Writers were so enamored with the Watchmen type of storytelling, that they lost touch with the readers. In the end, the writer learned to think outside this trend and the duo rejoiced. So the (comic book) Lover asks whether "do we have a future" as a medium/art form, and Thunderbolt (Kieren Gillen the The Writer) answers "l leave entirely in your hands" to decide.

Just read Pax Americana because of u guys, and WOWWW!!! Jesus Christ... Thanks so much to be here doing those awesome videos and knowing so much about comics!!

Great episode, made me re-read Pax Americana, so many details that I missed on first reading, thanks.

Pax Americana might be my favorite single issue of all time

I waited sooooooooooooooooooooooooo0oo long for you to do Pax Americana justice, I'm so freaking excited. Didn't watch the video yet, but I know you deserved this like.

One thing I definitely feel about Watchmen is that whilst it's great and its influence has had a great effect, sometimes it's influence has been incredibly restrictive to American comics.

I think Captain Adam's quote that "it doesn't work as separate parts, only as a whole", is also a jab at Watchmen inspired writers by Morrison. Meaning that, when writers pluck out certain elements used by Moore, like the violence of Millar, or science and politics of Ellis, it doesn't work at the same level as Watchmen. Morrison used all of the Watchmen tropes in 40 pages of Pax Americana, and it made it work, but then, it's a very GOOD, but STILL a stand-in for Watchmen, so what's the point? Consensus being, it's done already, so don't try it anymore.

Just noticed it, when watching your video. When young president kills his father, their pet doves start flying around, leaving their white feather everywhere. A drop of father's blood perfectly falls on the feather. Besides being a stand-in for the bloody smiley face, it probably symbolizes the death of an author, playing off the historic meaning of the feather. Superhero father being a literal comic book writer and dying in that room, makes the analogy even more obvious. Watchmen was the death of a comic book author, or at least their creativity.

You guys are awesome. Can you review the hellblazer series

Another Watchmen-adjacent issue is from Warren Ellis's STORMWATCH. I can't remember the issue #, but I think it's late into the run, after Change Or Die. A character who is as old as the 20th Century recounts her life, with each decade or period reflecting the comics look of the time. 40s are Eisner/The Spirit, 50s are Golden Age, and so on. The 80s are drawn and told in a very on-the-nose WATCHMEN style. Worth checking out. I think Tom Raney drew it, which is impressive with all the styles required.

Either of you check out Jeff Lemire's Question miniseries? Hasn't wrapped up yet but I've really enjoyed it so far. Probably my favorite thing at DC right now.

Great episode again guys. Always look forward to your videos.

Great discussion, enjoyed Peter Canon, good to see it get appreciated. I had forgotten Morrison's one issue response story. The Charlton group was a unique opportunity to work with some classic Ditko characters that came in a time capsule of the mid sixties that suggested the alternate history that gave the story impact and 80's post punk dystopian charm. If any of the DC series that utilized those Charlton characters had gone anywhere, Watchmen might not have ended as such a watershed of 80's style iconoclast character mutilation. Now everyone complains about how "SJW" everything is getting. Comics (and various other franchised properties) are coping themselves rather than re-inventing themselves it seems.

Videos like these are the reason Imperious Rex is one of my favorite RU-vid accounts. I'm a huge fan of Watchmen (controversial opinion, I know...lol) and loved Pax Americana (probably the best Quitely/Morrison collabo not named All Star Superman). But this Peter Cannon series fell completely under my radar for some reason when it was out as a monthly. I just copped the collected hardcover edition just off the strength of you guys' glowing review. Thanks as always for shining a light on stuff like this!

I recently bought and read Pax Americana, not really knowing what to expect. Other than blue Captain Atom and good art. Needless to say my jaw dropped harder than the President's in that story. (Also I'm totally going to buy Peter Cannon Thunderbolt, partly because fuck that name and fuck that concept are so cool).

Nice Bird Law t-shirt...filibuster! Anyway, I've got to read Thunderbolt. let's hope someone releases i my country at some point after all this situation starts to normalize. Hopefully it'll be next week over here., although I don't know when comic publishers and stores will start their "normal" activity.

Gonna have to pick up Peter Cannon by the sounds of it. Wonder if it's on quarantine sale?

RIP DENNY O'NEIL

If you guys haven’t checked out From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell you guys gotta. It’s in my opinion Moore’s best book. It takes all the themes of his work up to that point and combines into a really unique and incredible story

Great video as always! Do I need to read the previous Peter cannon run to fully understand it? 💪

loved peter cannon. To me, the true sequel to watchmen (at least in spirit).

Peter Cannon, definitely NOT a porn name

Eddie Campbell does beautiful artwork. It's great that the Peter Cannon kinda takes some of that.

Seeing Troy with a shirt is weird.

This was awesome. Loved seeing more thorough coverage of pax Americana. Is multiversity worth checking out if I have no interest in final crisis?

Blasphemy, Dave wearing a shirt and not being blue on a watchmen related vid. Blasphemy I say.

What would you guys say is worth reading/collecting first, invisibles, doom patrol or sandman? which is worth checking out first

How come Peter Canon Thunderbolt is not the property of dc comics, since I assumed he came with the other Charleston properties into dc's toybox

Pax Americana > Watchmen. Because writing popular stories without 24/7 depression and deconstruction is much more interesting and hard.