Look On My Works, Ye Mighty...
From WatchmenWiki
Look On My Works, Ye Mighty... is the eleventh issue of Watchmen. It centers around Ozymandias' life, how he traveled around the world, following his idol, Alexander of Macedonia. Rorschach and Nite Owl II arrive at Veidt's retreat in Antarctica and find out the truth about everything that has been happening since The Comedian's death. It was released in August 1987.
Synopsis
As Russian tanks mass along the East German border, President Nixon and Vice President Ford head deep inside a government emergency bunker.
Before continuing their investigation, Rorschach and Nite-Owl head back to Rorschach’s apartment to pick up his spare costume and journal.
In Antarctica, Adrian Veidt arrives at his retreat. He informs his associates that the “delivery” was successful. He studies his wall of televisions and divulges from the broadcasts that everything he’s seeing means that a war is inevitable.
Meanwhile, Rorschach and Nite-Owl argue whether they should be looking for a “mask” killer, or trying to uncover why somebody killed The Comedian because he found out the plot to get rid of Dr. Manhattan. After a few outbursts, they agree that either way, the next course of action is to interrogate some of the criminal element to try and uncover some leads.
Rorschach leads Nite-Owl to a bar where he usually shakes down criminals to get information. They soon find out that it was a freight coordinator at Pyramid Industries who paid for the hit on Adrian Veidt, but the go-between who carried the money was never told who the contract was on. Before leaving, Nite-Owl finds out accidentally from a “knot-top” that Hollis Mason is dead. They then head to Veidt’s office to give him the news and convince him to help them. Nite-Owl discovers Veidt is involved
Somewhere on the ocean, comic book writer Max Shea and painter Hira Manish are getting intimate in the hold of a ship. They’re happy to be finally leaving the island and be done with the super-secret “movie” they were paid to work on with some other “missing” artists. Shea notices a bomb under a tarp seconds before it explodes, destroying the ship.
Veidt is not in his office when the two costumed heroes arrive. They find an appointment book which reads Veidt left for a place named “Karnak.” On a hunch, Nite-Owl hacks into the computer system and finds out Pyramid Industries is one of Veidt’s companies. They realize that “Karnak” must be what Veidt calls his Antarctic retreat and head off to confront him.
Before leaving, Rorschach makes one final journal entry detailing Veidt’s role in the plot, and drops it into a mailbox. When Rorschach’s journal arrives at the New Frontiersman newspaper office, its immediately thrown into the “crank file” before being read.
After Rorschach and Nite-Owl land “Archie” in Antarctica, they head to Veidt’s retreat. Veidt, through the eyes of his surveillance cameras, witnesses their approach.
Closing Quotation
“My name is Ozymandias, King of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty and despair!” - Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Introduced Characters
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
At Midnight, All the Agents... • Absent Friends • The Judge of All the Earth • Watchmaker • Fearful Symmetry • The Abyss Gazes Also • A Brother to Dragons • Old Ghosts • The Darkness of Mere Being • Two Riders Were Approaching... • Look On My Works, Ye Mighty... • A Stronger Loving World | |||||
