Seriously! Or, maybe not…
As so often happens, I was meandering the highways and byways of the comics internet when I stumbled on an old Richie Rich cover that was — as so many were — equal parts clever and grotesque in its excess.
It’s Richie Rich #39 from August 1965…
… which includes this one-page gag:
See, now, the way I see it, that looming “R” can’t be just an accident. It has to be by design — it’s a message.
It’s almost as if a greater power were at work, a being that was sending a warning to young Richie that his self-indulgent hubris might have devastating consequences.
A being like, oh, Dr. Manhattan.
Because when I saw that cover, I immediately thought of Watchmen #10:
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Yep. The way I figure, over the next 20 years, in an effort to avoid the all-seeing eye of the erstwhile Dr. Jon Osterman, Richie began using his middle name and his mother’s maiden name and started calling himself Adrian Veidt.
Or Ozymandias, if you prefer.
He even genetically altered his dog Dollar while he was at it.
Anyway, Richie could run but he could not hide: Dr. Manhattan was having none of it by Issue #12:
The bastard still more or less got away with it, though.
Oh, well.
—
MORE
— COMIC BOOK DEATH MATCH: Watchmen vs. Squadron Supreme. Click here.
— The WATCHMEN Page That Gibbons and Moore Gave to Neil Gaiman. Click here.
August 9, 2022
Oh, Richie…Why??? What would Cadbury think????
August 9, 2022
Come to think of it, Rorschach does bear a striking resemblance to Reggie Van Dough.
August 9, 2022
That’s awesome. The moment I saw that Richie cover – before I even started to read the article – I thought of those Watchmen scenes. Great observation!!
August 9, 2022
Wait, this would have to be the Richie Rich of an alternate universe, right. Because on Harvey-Prime, he was murdered by his parents for the money — and became Casper in the afterlife!
August 11, 2022
Called it! https://www.deviantart.com/harveyharpy/art/Harvey-Kids-Watchmen-crossover-888789347
August 11, 2022
THAT IS GREAT!! I tip my headband to you…
August 12, 2022
Thank you sir!
August 14, 2022
I think Dollar was already genetically altered.