As evident in the second installment of BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS, Len Wein’s writing works so well for Ozymandias, the paradoxical conquer of worlds and the self-righteous, self-appointed savior of the world of Watchmen. The descent into an abyss of darkness has logically progressed from the first to second issue in this series.

More so than in the original text, Ozymandias resonates. He shines and feels more real than he ever has. Again, much has to do with the way Wein adds new layers to Ozymandias.

Wein captures the essence of an educated gentleman who has sharpened his mind, body and spirit to the apex of human perfect. Through eloquently written captions, Wein captures the true voice of Ozymandias.

Artist Jae Lee’s work is a treasure to behold. He captures supposed perfection in the form of Ozymandias and subtly shows us that Ozymandias is askew as is the world he inhabits. Beautifully executed page layouts push the versatile, visual storytelling echoes that of the best of action films as well as art house films. Simply put, Lee is a master at what he does.

The final scene in this issue will leave the wanting more. Finding its roots in the openning scene of the Alan Moore’s WATCHMEN, the reader will enjoy the implications and foreshadowing of future events.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS is a deeply personal story of one man’s internal journey to self-fulfilling enlightenment. Yet, as Ozymandias seems destined to discover, failure is a part of human nature and that there is a reason bad things usually happen in and to the dark.

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