Doomsday Clock # 4 Spoilers – Who is the New Rorschach

by Fanboy SEO · April 10, 2018

In case you missed it, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank explore the new Rorschach running around the DCU together with Ozymandias, The Mime and the Marionette in this Doomsday Clock # 4 spoilers post.

Last issue, we saw Batman put Rorschach 2 in Arkham Asylum under the guise of teaming-up. Yes, Batman’s a dick which is also the reason why he’s a wanted man in this story. Anyway, enough about Bruce Wayne, this issue is devoted to the second man to take on the mantle of Rorschach.

Our story or rather this Doomsday Clock # 4 spoilers post starts back in Arkham where Rorschach 2 has been unmasked. We already know he’s African-American but this is the first time we see him in full. And in prison no less, just like Walter Kovaks in the original Watchmen book by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

A sexual proposition from an inmate turns bloody and we see the guy being dragged away, with skin being spit out along the way.

In a flashback, we find out that this is actually Reggie Long, the song of Malcolm and Gloria Long.

Who were those guys? Well Malcolm Long was the psychiatrist tasked to pick Walter Kovac’s brain while he was in prison. This was the point in the story where Rorschach told his origin, how he came from an abusive childhood, the origin of his mask and his downward spiral into the world of murder and vigilantism.

It’s also pretty neat that Geoff Johns manages to connect the old stuff from Watchmen into the new stuff he’s doing for Doomsday Clock. Like this scene which we originally saw in Watchmen.

So around that time Reggie goes home during the peak of the perceived “war” between Russia and America. We also find out that he was at ground zero during the “squid attack”.

But unlike his parents who died in the streets, he was in the silly looking car strapped and was unable to hurt himself. He did go crazy for a bit because of the psychic attack.

During his stay in the mental institute, he tries to commit suicide but couldn’t do the job. He did however meet another member of the Minutemen, Mothman, now old and still loony.

The two become friends in the mental institute, at one point, during one of Byron’s escape, he brings back a couple of stuff from Reggie’s house, which has been quarantined after the squid attack.

So how did Reggie/ Rorschach become a fighter?

It’s revealed in Doomsday Clock # 4 that he was bullied while in the asylum, the orderly even breaks his dad’s favorite mug.

This gives Byron/Mothman a chance to teach him a thing or two about fighting.

Actually, he gives him an idea on how each member of the Minutemen fight.

During his stay he also begins to adapt the persona of Rorschach, including the way he talks.

Some time later, when Kovacs’ notes about Veidt’s conspiracy was leaked, the survivors were pulled out from where they were and transferred to Washington D.C. to find out where Veidt had gone and how much of the notes were true.

Reggie didn’t want to go to Washington so he and Byron plan their escape.

Sadly, Mothman went back, like a moth to the flame. He did leave a letter and a few things for Reggie, including a mask and a ticket to his next destination.

He takes the boat and journeys to a familiar place. Adrian Veidt’s secret place in the Arctic.

The two agree to work together which leads us back to the events of issues # 1 to #4. Oh and what about Reggie Long in the present? Another Arkham Asylum inmates takes him in and they spring the place.