Doctor Manhattan
Doctor Manhattan is a fictional DC Comics character created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons. He debuted in the limited series graphic novel, Watchmen.
After a laboratory accident, atomic physicist Jon Osterman gains the ability to observe and manipulate matter at the subatomic level. The U.S. government dubs him Doctor Manhattan due to his immense destructive potential. As he explores the extent of his powers, Jon becomes increasingly detached from his personal life and his understanding of the human experience, which dehumanizes him. Media analysts view his portrayal in the novel as a significant exploration of the tension between absolute power and its moral use, as well as a commentary on American exceptionalism in the late 20th century.
Manhattan later appeared in the Before Watchmen comic book prequel. In 2016, as part of DC Comics' Rebirth relaunch, Manhattan became a major character in the DC Universe. He was one of the main characters in the Doomsday Clock miniseries, published from 2017 to 2019.
Manhattan made his first live-action debut in the 2009 film Watchmen, played by Billy Crudup. He also appeared in the 2019 limited television series Watchmen, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, with his original form played by Darrell Snedeger.
Publication history
Doctor Manhattan is partially based on Charlton Comics' Captain Atom, although he has more in common with Gold Key Comics' Solar. In Moore's original proposal, Captain Atom was surrounded by the shadow of a nuclear threat. However, Moore found he could do more with Manhattan as "a supreme super-hero" than he ever could have done with Captain Atom. Moore sought to delve into nuclear physics and quantum mechanics in constructing the character of Manhattan. He believed a character living in a quantum universe would not perceive time from a linear perspective, which would influence the character's perception of human affairs. Moore also wanted to avoid creating an emotionless character like Spock from Star Trek, so he allowed Manhattan to retain "human habits", but eventually grow away from them and humanity in general.Gibbons had created the blue character Rogue Trooper, and reused the blue skin motif for Manhattan as it visualised electrical or atomic energy while still resembling human skin tonally and "reading as Jon Osterman's skin would've read, but in a different hue". Moore incorporated color into the story, and Gibbons noted the rest of the comic's color scheme made Manhattan unique.
Moore recalled that he was unsure if DC would allow the creators to depict the character as fully nude, which partially influenced how they portrayed the character. Gibbons wanted to tastefully depict Manhattan's nudity, selecting carefully when full frontal shots would occur and giving him "understated" genitals—like a classical sculpture—so the reader would not initially notice it. Manhattan's forehead is marked with the atomic structure of hydrogen, which he put on himself, declining a helmet with the atom symbol.
Fictional character biography
Origins
Jonathan Osterman is born in 1929 to a Jewish-American family of German descent. He plans to follow in his father's footsteps as a watchmaker, but when the U.S. drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, his father declares his profession outdated and forces Jon to work toward a career studying nuclear physics. This turning point foreshadows Doctor Manhattan's "exterior" perception of time as predetermined and all things within it as so determined, including Manhattan's reactions and emotions.Jon attends Princeton University and graduates with a Ph.D. in atomic physics. In early 1959, he moves to a research base at Gila Flats, where experiments are being performed on the "intrinsic fields" of physical objects which, if tampered with, result in their disintegration. Here he meets Janey Slater, a fellow researcher; they eventually become lovers. During a visit to an amusement park in New Jersey, Janey's wristwatch breaks and Jon promises to fix it. A month later, Jon realizes he left the repaired watch in his lab coat inside a test chamber. When he goes inside to retrieve it the test chamber door closes behind him locking him inside. Researchers outside are unable to open the door or override the countdown, and the force of the generator tears Jon to pieces.
A series of strange events and ghostly appearances occur over the next few months, leading researchers to speculate that the area is haunted. After a series of partial bodily appearances, it becomes apparent that Jon is gradually reforming his body. Each time, the appearance lasts for only a few seconds: first a disembodied nervous system including the brain and eyes; then a circulatory system; and then a partially muscled skeleton. Jon eventually reappears as a blue-skinned man, glowing with a "flare of ultraviolet".
Before ''Watchmen''
Jon gradually becomes a pawn of the U.S. government. He is given the code name "Doctor Manhattan"—a reference to the Manhattan Project—and a costume that he begrudgingly accepts. Manhattan chooses a representation of a hydrogen atom as his emblem. He declares that its simplicity kindles his respect; accordingly, he painlessly burns the mark into his forehead. This preference for material mechanisms marks the beginning of his declining humanity. Over time, he sheds uniform bit by bit. By the end of the 1970s, he refuses to wear clothing at all except during mandatory public appearances.Manhattan's presence tips the balance of the Cold War in the West's favor, and as a result, U.S. foreign policy becomes more militaristic. At President Richard Nixon's request, he secures an American victory in the Vietnam War, which allows Nixon to repeal the 22nd Amendment and serve up to five terms. Far from solving underlying international tensions, Manhattan's presence exacerbates them while stifling their expression, which inevitably builds toward disaster.
Manhattan spends much of his time conducting research. He is single-handedly responsible for the shift to electric-powered vehicles, and Adrian Veidt credits him with causing a huge leap forward in a myriad of science and technology sectors. As a result, the technology of the alternative 1985 of the Watchmen universe is far more advanced. During the only meeting of the Crimebusters group, Manhattan becomes attracted to Laurie Juspeczyk, the second Silk Spectre. His relationship with Janey ends acrimoniously and he begins dating Laurie.
Events of ''Watchmen''
At the start of Watchmen, Manhattan works at the Rockefeller Military Research Center, where he lives with Laurie. Rorschach informs them of the murder of Edward Blake, aka the Comedian, and warns them that all former costumed adventurers are being targeted by a "mask killer". Because he works for the U.S. government, Manhattan is exempt from a federal law outlawing costumed heroes. Manhattan dismisses Rorschach by teleporting him outside and encourages Laurie to go out with Dan Dreiberg, the second Nite Owl. A short time later, Manhattan attends Blake's funeral with Veidt and Dreiberg. He reflects on his association with Blake during the Vietnam War, and senses the presence of former villain, Moloch.During a talk show appearance, a reporter ambushes Manhattan with allegations that he caused cancer in his former associates, including Janey. Seeking solitude, Manhattan transports himself to Mars. The Soviet Union exploits his absence by invading Afghanistan, sparking an international crisis. Eventually, Manhattan brings Laurie to Mars to discuss why he should aid humanity. Laurie inadvertently wins the argument after the shocking realization that her father is Blake, a man she despised for sexually assaulting her mother. Manhattan is amazed by the improbable events that occurred to result in the birth of Laurie, a chain of events he sees as a stunning "thermodynamic miracle". Realizing that such a miracle can apply to any living thing on Earth, Manhattan is persuaded to return to protect humanity, rather than disregarding it as insignificant.
It is discovered that Veidt framed Manhattan as part of his plot to avert World War III by attacking New York with an engineered monster, killing half of the city in the process. Although Manhattan and Laurie return too late to stop Veidt, they teleport to his base in Antarctica to confront him. Veidt tries to disintegrate Manhattan, only to have Manhattan restore himself more quickly than Veidt expected. Upon seeing that Veidt's plan has averted war, Manhattan realizes that exposing him would be too dangerous for life on Earth and agrees to remain silent. Rorschach leaves intending to expose the truth, causing Manhattan to vaporize him. Manhattan decides to depart Earth again, suggesting that he desires to find a galaxy "less complicated than this one". When Veidt asks if his plan worked out in the end, Manhattan replies, "In the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends".
In the DC Universe
''The New 52'' and ''DC Rebirth''
After departing from the Watchmen universe, Manhattan was aware of the DC Universe due to blindspots from Marionette and Mimes kid, blindspots that were related to the DC universe, later revealed as cosmic universal hope. Dr Manhattan in the DC universe learned there are cosmic forces beyond his understanding and as doomsday clock proceed he learns more and more about the different cosmic forces as well as the cosmic understanding, he learns hope is inside humanity and traveled there to find a place among those people and start a new life. But at some point, his visions showed him a confrontation with Superman, and then he saw "nothing". This revelation led Manhattan to try and modify the DC Universe's mainstream timeline to fix the fissures caused by the several Crises across the multiverse; unaware it was the doing of Perpetua to free herself from the Source Wall. However, those actions would not get the expected result and would lead to the creation of The New 52.During the events of Flashpoint, it's speculated that Manhattan deceived Pandora into convincing Barry Allen to merge three separate timelines to create Prime Earth. The merger enabled him to erase ten years from the reverted universe, which not only reversed the age of its inhabitants by ten years but also caused the multiple resurrections of several deceased characters.
In the new timeline, it is speculated that Manhattan prevents the last wizard of the Council of Eternity from revealing to Pandora how to open the skull-shaped box, and kills Owlman and Metron after the former tries to access the secrets of the universe. However, the Convergence caused by Brainiac and Telos restored the multiverse, bringing back the pre-Flashpoint timeline.
It's speculated that Manhattan used Abra Kadabra to trap Wally West within the Speed Force, and this modification in the timeline also caused the other speedsters Jesse Quick, Bart Allen, Jay Garrick, and Max Mercury to be removed from history and trapped in the Speed Force. However Wally West was saved by Barry, therefore initiating the events of DC Rebirth. It's speculated that Manhattan then kills Pandora after she finally realizes that he was the one responsible for all of the sins for which she had been blamed. Barry and Batman later began investigating the unknown force behind these changes, learning from Lilith Clay that "Manhattan" was a prominent thought in Kadabra's mind when he claimed responsibility for removing Wally from history.
Eobard Thawne attacks Batman as he is studying a blood-stained smiley face button left embedded within the wall of the Batcave. When Thawne picks up the button, he is briefly teleported away, returning with the left half of his body charred to the bone. Just before his death, he claims to have seen "God". Using the cosmic treadmill to chase after the radiation emitted from the button in the timestream, Batman and Barry discover Thawne as he was trying to reach "God". Upon reaching the unseen figure, Thawne boosted his ability to exist as a paradox before he was vaporized by Manhattan, leaving only the button behind. Sometime later, Manhattan picks up the button as he recalls his dialogue with Laurie.
It is speculated that Manhattan puts Bruce Wayne in contact with the Flashpoint Thomas Wayne, who tells his son not to become Batman before his "death" and the destruction of the last of the Flashpoint timeline, prompting Bruce not to respond to the Bat-Signal the following night. Manhattan also saves Jor-El from the destruction of Krypton before conditioning him to see only the very worst of humanity. Jor-El assumes the identity of Mister Oz and tries to convince his son Kal-El to abandon Earth. However, when Jor-El begins to realize that he has been pushing his son too far, he is pulled away. Superman acknowledges Jor-El's warnings even as he rejects his misanthropy. All of which was to test the will and hope of the two major heroes of the DC Universes.
During the events of Heroes in Crisis, Batman suspects that the massacre at the Sanctuary might be related to Manhattan's actions. This theory was later proven to be partially true, as Wally gets in contact with Metron's Mobius Chair, which grants him part of Manhattan's powers.