Doomsday Clock #1 by Gary Frank and Geoff Johns, is published this week at 11.57pm on Tuesday night for participating stores and normal time Wednesday for every other comic shop. Naturally, for such a launch, DC Comics sent out advance copies from reviewers with strict embargoes for reviews and for running spoilers. Some came with pancakes as a way to buy loyalty. But it hasn't completely worked… and we get to meet two new characters, albeit it familiar ones.

DOOMSDAY CLOCK #1

(W) Geoff Johns (A/CA) Gary Frank

DC Comics presents to you a 12-issue maxiseries from the critically acclaimed team of writer Geoff Johns, artist Gary Frank and colorist Brad Anderson. You are not prepared for what lies ahead within these pages, good readers.In Shops: Nov 22, 2017

SRP: $4.99

In the first issue, Rorschach is seen breaking out from jail, two new characters known as Marionette and Mime.

Neither appeared in Watchmen. But many of the Watchmen characters had their origins in the Charlton Heroes line that DC had recently acquired at the time – Doctor Manhattan came from Captain Atom, Nite Owl from Blue Beetle, Roschach from The Question, The Comedian from The Peacemaker and Ozymandias from Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt.

And so it is here. Marionette and Mime and based on the Charlton characters Punch and Jewelee.

Both created by Steve Ditko, Punch and Jewelee first appeared in Captain Atom #85 in 1967, with their first modern appearance in Secret Origins #28 in a strip by Robert Greenberger, Rob Liefeld and Bob Lewis.

In the post-Flashpoint continuity, Jewelee is introduced as an inmate in Arkham Asylum, having been in a near-catatonic state since Punch disappeared two years ago. When Batman and Commissioner Gordon arrive to recruit Jewelee as part of Batman's new Suicide Squad, it's revealed that Punch had actually captured Gordon and stolen his identity. Batman reveals that Punch had been held captive by Bane for two years, and offers him a chance to join the Squad to help sneak into Santa Prisca…