Who needs Before Watchmen when Rorschach is still alive and well in the hearts and minds of artists? Walt Jabsco spotted this awesome graffiti on the streets of Bristol in November 2011.

"I heard a joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life is harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor... I am Pagliacci." Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains."

The first issue of the controversial Before Watchmen project kicks off tomorrow, in the form of Darwyn Cooke's Minutemen #1. People on both sides of the ethical arguments raised by Before Watchmen are likely to pick it up out of curiosity, and the always excellent art we've come to expect from Cooke. Here's a look at the first five pages.

'Little did we know that poor boy would lead to the end of us all.' Plus: Don't miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!

The late Watchmen baddie Moloch may get his own series, according to Dan DiDio. Speaking at the Kapow! Comic Convention in London, DiDio told the fans “Moloch is such a strong character, you wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up in his own book at some time.”

So Before Watchmen is looking less like a one-time event and more of a recurring, ongoing thing at DC. How you feel about that doubtless comes down to how you feel about the project in the first place.

It can get a bit difficult to stomach the gross commercialism and lack of respect for creators and fans alike that at times seems to define the modern comics industry. Sure, it's easy to listen to the protestations of the slightly hyperbolic Alan Moore and think it's all much ado about nothing - but then the Watchmen toaster comes along. And it, uh, burns a Rorschach imprint into your toast. Swear to god.

It's coming soon from Warner Bros./Dynamic Forces. I assume it tastes like charred human soul.

As long as you're spitting on Alan Moore and ethics in general, you might as well through in some nice variant covers and screw the retailers and speculators while you're at it. This is comics, after all, it's something of a tradition. With that in mind, here are some very nice looking variants for Minutemen #1.

1:200 variant cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

1:25 variant cover by Michael Golden

Check out this round up of art from Before Watchmen, gathered by Bleeding Cool from folks on the floor at C2E2.

And here's the final version, from DC's New Frontiersman website.

Considerably less appalling than the Leo-strutting Rorschach, DC Direct is also going to release this statue of The Comedian. Both statues were unveiled today at New York's Toy Fair, along with merchandise from The Dark Knight Rises and MAD Magazine.

The worst-kept secret in comics is officially out; DC is going ahead with four Watchmen prequels, titled Before Watchmen. The titles and creative teams are:

Rorschach by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

Comedian by Brian Azzarello and JG Jones)

Minutemen by Darwyn Cooke

Silk Spectre by Darwyn Cooke and Amanda Conner

Doctor Manhattan by J Michael Straczynski and Adam Hughes

Nite Owl by Joe Michael Strazynski with Andy and Joe Kubert

Ozymandias by Len Wein and Jae Lee