Man, I’d love a Dr. Manhatten on my shelf. Especially as in the Graphic Novel, there’s an article in Ozymandius’ section relating to action figures, of Nite Owl, Ozzy, even N.O. ship, Archie! How cool would that be?
DC Direct had figures sculpted and ready to mass-produce as part of the 20th Anniversary of Watchmen in 2001, but due to disagreements between the cantankerous Alan Moore and DC, the figures were shelved and never released. Master sculptor Tim Bruckner had made Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre, and the Comedian (with an alternate masked head) for the first wave, so of course the second wave, which was never produced, would have featured Nite Owl II, Rorschach, and Ozymandias.
Someday you’ll bring me good news, Lou. Any links to images at least? Just to torture me further?
What other bad news have I brought you?
Anyway, scroll down to see some pics: http://www.411games.com/comicon2k/dcdirect/main.shtml
I never understood why DC didn’t release them anyway.
If Alan Moore is going to be a cantankerous old bastich about everything, why not just put them out there and make some money.
In no article I’ve ever read has it been suggested that Moore has any power to STOP the line.
Yes, that’s right. Thanks, Alan Moore…
(in response to Big Bad Voodoo Lou’s original reply).
In response to this question, this site has the story.
Basically, Alan Moore was unhappy with DC Comics (details here) and vowed to never work for DC comics again. In the 90s, Moore worked for Image comics and eventually started America’s Best Comics under the Wildstorm imprint. DC Comics bought Wildstorm, so now Moore worked for DC again. It is my opinion that he was not happy with this, but was willing to work for them. DC wanted to capitalize on this new relationship with Moore by producing long-awaited and fan-craved Watchmen merchandise. Moore took the controversy of DC nixing his Cobweb storyline that mentioned L Ron Hubbard (a mistake on DC’s part in my opnion, but understandable given Scientology’s litigious past) as the opportunity he was looking for to take a shot at DC again and withdrew his “approval” of DC producing and selling Watchmen merchandise.
DC could produce the figures if they wanted to produce them. They don’t need Alan’s approval. But, they are trying to be the “better man” in this dispute, so they will not produce the merchandise without his approval.
Yeah. I heard all that. I just don’t understand why a corporation who will likley never get Moore to work for them again wants to be the better man at the expense of profit and the desires of their fan base.
It baffles me and goes against everything I know about big business! 
FYI - while not an action figure, at the time of the release of the trade paperback, there was a limited edition, bound copy - really cool, includes a bunch of Moore’s notes and Gibbon’s working drawings.
I have a copy!!
DC is coming out with Absolute Watchmen this fall, an oversized hardcover edition reprint with a slipcase, completely recolored by Wildstorm’s colorists, who are the best in the business (but with input from the original Watchmen colorist). It should also have new introductions and supplemental material, much like bonus features on a DVD. The book will have a hefty $75 price tag, but I doubt anyone needs to pay full price with e-tailers like Amazon.com around.
Crap - always a new edition. Well, I am sticking with mine!!
ABC was still going strong at the time, and Promethea, Top Ten, and Tom Strong have been solid midlist sellers for DC, and will be for years yet. I think they probably made the right decision.
–Cliffy