Before Watchmen: Nite-Owl #4 Review And Mini Series Wrap Up
A Before Watchmen favourite comes to an end for another character.
Written By: J Michael Straczynski
Pencils By: Andy Kubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: OUT NOW IN STORES & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (VIA COMIXOLOGY)
rating: 4
The Nite-Owl mini series has been one of the stronger Before Watchmen titles for me. J Michael Straczynski managed to tap into an era in Watchmen history that I really like and for the first couple of issues kept the focus on Nite-Owl, expanding the character and celebrating him in his prime. Then over the last couple of issues the focus has been shared between Rorshach and Nite-Owl. Now hitting this final issue, Rorsharch is about to get burnt alive by a crazy Reverend, all while Nite-Owl is getting his kink on with Twilight Lady.
Andy Kubert's art in this series has been great. Keying into the original Watchmen well but all the while keeping the action running high with more modern sensibilities. In this final issue he's really cutting loose, with a burning Rorshach, a whole bunch of dead bodies and a chance to make Nite-Owl, as well as Twilight Lady get some action sequences under their belts before the series wraps up. 
This actually all ends up slotting into what we know of Watchmen pretty well. Nite-Owl and Rorshach's relationship is strained after the events here. We get to see the real story behind Nite-Owl and Twilight Lady and it's not just the bit of sexy fun Dan describes to Laurie in the original Watchmen and before the book ends we even get a bit of back story to Rorshach's "End is Nigh' banne, which was a nice touch. 
Before Watch feels perilously close to the end now and it's stories like what we've seen in Nite-Owl that makes this brave DC Comics event feel worthwhile. Sure, none of these stories are touching what we had in the original Watchmen but they were never really meant to. This is pure celebration and Nite-Owl is a well rounded piece of expanded Watchmen story telling. It's even laid the breadcrumbs to make the upcoming final Minutemen issue a very exciting prospect. Just what the hell is Hollis Mason wanting to really tell us in his Under the Hood book and more to the point is his intentions for the reveal of the secret the basis of what could be the central focus in future AFTER Watchmen comics? I guess time will tell but for now Before Watchmen closes its pages on another much loved character and the remaining issues of the remaining miniseries' feel like they have secrets to reveal. Mini Series Overall
rating: 4
Before Watchmen Weekly Overview: 