Among the comics pros now credited as contributing to BEFORE WATCHMEN: Paul Pope, Jim Steranko, David Finch, Cliff Chiang and Phil Noto.

If John Byrne is correct in saying that DC offered him a piece of this project and he turned it down, then I say (cough) hooray for John Byrne.

Good for them.

Eh, I disagree.

I have more respect for artists steering clear of this turd.

Again, strange that this elevates Byrne in my eyes, but -- credit where it's due.

They just haven't put it in the right context for byrne yet. It'll happen.

"John! This will piss off Alan Moore!"

'Zat the right context?

I think DC still has more antipathy toward Byrne over the "Superman Returns" incident than Byrne has towards Moore. I'd guess his "invitation" to the project is more wishful thinking on his part than anything else.

You know, for all Before Watchmen's flaws, it is really convenient to have a handy list like this of people whose work I should avoid in the future.

Thanks, DC!

I may disagree with your decision here, but I do respect it. I haven't seen a Roman Polanski or a Woody Allen film in years.

Joe! I also respect your decision!

We're havin' a moment here, big guy. We're havin' a moment.

Weird thing about Paul Pope is that he took the BEFORE WATCHMEN assignment -- but when it was made public in DC's solicitations, he immediately declared that he's giving the money to charity.

Does that mean he has a problem with the project? If so, why do it? If not, why tell everyone you won't keep the money from it?

Usually giving away the money is what politicians do when it's revealed that one of their campaign donors lured Cub Scouts down into the basement and raped and killed them, not necessarily in that order. It's a sign of trying to avoid guilt by association to the payer.