As the countdown to the release of one of the most anticipated films of 2009, Watchmen, gets within just two short months, the producers have released one of their regular video journals (see below).



And this one is quite interesting in that it deals with the Minutemen, the original masked crime-fighters from the late 1930s, early 1940s, well before the arrival of the main superheroes featured in the upcoming movie.

Just like in the legendary graphic novel - which I had the pleasure of reading just a couple of years ago - the movie will feature the group in various flashback sequences.

Formed In 1939, the original eight-person lineup of the Minutemen included Captain Metropolis, the first Silk Spectre, Hooded Justice, the first Nite Owl, Silhouette, Dollar Bill, Mothman and The Comedian. (Spoiler alert) The Comedian left the group in 1940, after attempting to rape Sally Jupiter aka Silk Spectre.

An older Comedian goes on to become a prime player in present day (1985 that is) proceedings - after he is murdered, thrown from his high-rise apartment window.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays The Comedian in the film and despite his death early on in the story he still gets plenty of air-time during other flashbacks to the '60s and '70s.

Carla Gugino is Sally Jupiter, whose superhero persona of Silk Spectre is later taken by her daughter, Laurie Juspeczyk, played by Malin Ackerman.

Meanwhile, for the latest on the court battle over the rights to the film between Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox, which could actually postpone its release, go HERE.