It had to happen, so now it has. In 2003, J. Michael Straczynski set about "reimagining" Marvel Comics' old Squadron Supreme characters for Marvel's adult-oriented comic imprint, Max Comics. The result was the 18-issue Supreme Power series, accompanied by three character-focused mini-series (Doctor Spectrum, Nighthawk, and Hyperion). Now, with all the pieces firmly in place, Marvel has moved away from Max Comics and back into the Marvel proper, pulling all of the story threads together to create a new Squadron Supreme ongoing series.

Squadron Supreme
"Squadron Supreme Saga" (2006)
Writer: Michael O'Connor
Pencils: Various
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
First Appearances: None

      The comic book that bears the title "Squadron Supreme Saga" is more of a sourcebook than a comic book. It is meant to act as a bridge between Marvel Max's adult-oriented "Supreme Power" comic book saga (one regular series and three mini-series) and the upcoming Squadron Supreme ongoing Marvel (non-adult) series.

      For the record, the title change should come as no surprise. Supreme Power was always a reimagining (similar to the Ultimate Marvel Universe) of the original Squadron Supreme series from Marvel Comics years ago. Supreme Power, in a sense, acted as a prequel story that set the players in motion, so that they can now come together in the new series. Thus, Squadron Supreme Saga is simply a recap of the earlier three series, one big "Previously in the Pages of Supreme Power" introduction for new readers.

      In that sense, the issue succeeds. It recaps almost everything, from the arrival of Mark "Hyperion" Milton on Earth, through to the setup for the opening of Squadron Supreme. There are a few notable surprises, though. First, it puts the events of the Nighthawk mini-series well BEFORE Nighthawk's first meeting with Hyperion back in "Questions of Perspective" (Supreme Power #6), whereas we'd assumed that it was taking place after Supreme Power #18 (the series' final issue). Second, we find the story of the first Supreme Power mini-series, Doctor Spectrum, missing entirely. (What the hell?) Finally, we gain recaps of the events of the last issues of the Nighthawk and Hyperion mini-series...but this issue came out MONTHS before those final issues were released. (In fact, at the time of this review being written, Hyperion #5 still hasn't been released yet, so the whole "gee, it's the future instead of an alternate reality" surprise was pretty well spoiled all to hell for us.)

      The issue ends with a quick guide to the characters of Supreme Power (Arcanna, Blur, Dr. Bill Steadman, Dr. Spectrum, Emil Burbank, Gen. Alexander, Hyperion, Kingsley, Nighthawk, Nuke, Redstone, Shape, and Zarda), then treats us to concept sketches for Arcanna and Nuke. The last item in the issue is a quick preview of pages from Squadron Supreme #1, which serves to spoil a few small items from that issue (namely that the little miniature dude we saw in one of the latter issues of Supreme Power is Thomas "Tom Thumb" Thompson and that Zarda has taken to calling herself Claire DeBussy).

      It's a good recap for new readers, but the timing of the issue's release SUCKED. If you can't get Nighthawk or Hyperion finished on schedule, Marvel, don't go about completely blowing their endings by releasing Squadron Supreme Saga without accounting for the delay. I mean, how marble-brained can some companies be?

      That being said, I now eagerly await the premiere of Squadron Supreme (and the end of Supreme Power: Hyperion while we're at it).

Squadron Supreme
"The Pre-War Years"
Issue #1 (May 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: None

Chronological Setting: Soon after the events of Supreme Power: Hyperion have concluded.

      When J. Michael Straczynski set out to create a remake of the classic Marvel Comics series Squadron Supreme with his "maxi-series," Supreme Power, many readers figured that it would eventually lead to the classic team being reformed, but no one could've guessed that it would take so long to happen. Now, after the end of Supreme Power and two mini-series (Nighthawk and Hyperion), plus a refresher issue (Squadron Supreme Saga), we finally have the premiere of the new Squadron Supreme series.

      I should take a moment to briefly explain the premise of the series and its characters. Basically, the original 1970s Squadron Supreme team was a sort of homage by Marvel writer Roy Thomas to the classic DC Comics team known as the Justice League. Thus, the characters in the original SS were based loosely on DC characters. Hyperion, Nighthawk, Doctor Spectrum, Amphibian (our Kingsley Rice), the Blur, Zarda, Nuke, Emil Burbank, Arcanna, and Tom Thumb were based upon (in that same order) Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Lex Luthor, Zatanna, and the Atom. Thus, the characters we are seeing in this new Squadron Supreme are somewhat based on the characters in the original series, which were, in turn, somewhat based on the DC characters, so if things seem a tad familiar with these characters, there's a reason for that. JMS is essentially trying to retell the story in a new form, not to entirely deviate from the classic series' formula. Okay? Great.

      So, we kick off the new series with Mark "Hyperion" Milton having returned to the fold, agreeing to again lead a superhero effort for America. His superiors, led by General Alexander, really have no idea what they're in for, after Mark's experiences in the future during the Supreme Power: Hyperion mini-series, but they think they can control him as much as possible. They have also tapped Stanley "Blur" Stewart as a frequent (but not exclusive) member for a new superhero team, the Squadron Supreme. Added to this mix are: Colonel Joe "Doctor Spectrum" Ledger, who is already a government agent, who brings along his telepathic, aquatic girlfriend, Kingsley Rice (who now wears clothes because this is a Marvel series with a parental advisory, not a Marvel Max adult series); the quartet that was once sent after Hyperion (Arcanna Jones, Raleigh "Shape" Lund, Dr. Emil Burbank, and Al "Nuke" Gaines); Zarda (Hyperion's fellow alien that we met in the Supreme Power series, but who here is pretending to be a super-powered human woman named Claire DeBussy); the tiny Thomas "Tom Thumb" Thompson; and the violent woman PFC Edith "Inertia" Freiberg. They also somewhat want to recruit Nighthawk, but since they don't know his real identity and agents sent to get him have been subdued, they're not sure if they'll be able to have him on the team or not.

      The government's original intent is to divide this group into a public team and a cover team, similar to how they were using Hyperion for public rescues and such, while letting Doctor Spectrum do their dirty work. Instead, Mark takes the names of the team to reporter Jason Scott (his frequent contact), who runs a story that blows any chance of a covert team out of the water. Instead, President George W. Bush announces the entire team to the world in a live news conference. The Squadron Supreme has been born...

Squadron Supreme
"First Steps"
Issue #2 (June 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: Stephanie Tanaka; General John "The Voice" M'Butu

Chronological Setting: Immediately after "The Pre-War Years".

      We pick up just after the public announcement about Squadron Supreme. The Squadron meets its new handler, Lieutenant Stephanie Tanaka.

      Soon, the Squadron is tasked to take down General John M'Butu of the African Salawe Province, who is known to have special powers. His body deflects bullets, and he seems to get extreme loyalty from his troops, which might be a psychic power. They call him "The Voice."

      The Squadron goes in after the Voice, but even though all seems to be going well, it turns out very poorly...as the Voice uses his powers to bring Kingsley, Dr. Spectrum, and Hyperion under his control and orders them to attack the rest of the Squadron...

Squadron Supreme
"International Incidents"
Issue #3 (July 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: The super-powered Africans

      In Salawe, Hyperion, Dr. Spectrum, and Kingsley charge into battle with their Squadron Supreme comrades, under the mind control of M'Butu.

      Power Princess is the first to combat Hyperion, discovering that he is under mind control. After Hyperion knocks her out of the way briefly, Nuke takes him on. While Nuke does so, Spectrum zaps Inertia, prompting Shape to toss a tree at him.

      Inertia isn't down, though. When Blur tries to help her, she has a brief flashback of being raped (which will be explained in the next issue), leading her to charge back into battle to whup Spectrum's sorry, brainwashed ass. Before she can do so, Power Princess nabs him and flies off, taking the time to break through the mind control to the consciousness of the crystal that Spectrum wears (meant to keep them all under control). She then sends the crystal-controlled Spectrum to bring Hyperion back into the fold. Spectrum does so, getting between Hyperion and Nuke long enough to zap Hyperion with beams from his eyes, straight into Hyperion's own eyes.

      Meanwhile, Kingsley takes on Shape, while it appears that Arcana and Burbank are content to stand to the side. Arcana's powers are simply too dangerous to use, but Burbank has planned ways to take out almost all of his comrades, so he quickly hits Kingsley with a powder that dries her gills and shuts down her throat. She is only saved when Spectrum, who loves her dearly, grabs her and flies her to the nearest water. Unfortunately for Burbank, he has figured out how to take out everyone but Hyperion and Spectrum, and Spectrum is now thoroughly pissed at Burbank.

      The whole mess is finally ended with the appearance of Blur alongside five super-powered African natives. They speak out against American intervention, including the fact that the Americans actually put M'Butu in power, so that he could keep the region unstable, but M'Butu's recent revelations of his powers made the U.S. realize that he could actually stabilize things (after a fashion), so the Squadron was sent to take him out.

      The super-powered Africans tell the team off, informing them that the U.S. is not welcome in Africa at all, particularly American superheroes. Blur, for his part, is considered part of America, not of Africa, so he is sent away as well. The Squadron leaves with this mission as a nasty stain on their consciences. (Well, at least for those who have consciences.)

Squadron Supreme
"Blood and Sand, Part 1"
Issue #4 (August 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: Jim; "Amphibian" (Kingsley Rice finally gets a proper superhero name in the opening recap); Charles Frieberg; Mrs. Frieberg; Mary Jensen

      After their rousing success (insert sarcasm to excess here) in Africa, Squadron Supreme is sent to the Middle East to take on a country that just happens to be a near mirror image of the current real world regime in Iran. They engage in battles in the cities/areas of Ilam, Khorramabad, and Arak, whupping regime butt all the way.

      During one of the latter battles, Burbank (from inside an armored vehicle) uses a device he invented that causes trouble with the inner ear and causes victims within earshot to vomit uncontrollably. He uses this on enemy soldiers, then proceeds to walk about the battlefield, shooting them all while they are down. When the soldier escorting him outside the vehicle, Jim, orders him to stand down, Burbank disables his earplugs and then kills him. He believes that one should enjoy the slaughter, and he makes a move to enlist the other soldier in the vehicle in this "hobby."

      After the mission, the Squadron muses on politics and ethics, including the notion that they shouldn't be in the Middle East meddling after they were just told off for meddling in Africa. The question arises as to just what might happen if the Squadron were to keep going after a mission rather than stopping at its objectives, basically discussing just how easy it would be for them to conquer the world. Hyperion claims to not have thought about it, though we, of course, know that he has (see the Hyperion mini-series).

      When Inertia gets sick of the conversation, she steps outside to look at the moon. Blur tries to talk to her, but she brushes it off more rudely than she intends. As he leaves, she flashes back to her past...

      Inertia had been the subject of psychological abuse as a child. Her mother tried to protect her from her abusive father, but since her father couldn't actually hurt her, he hurt her mother instead. Her father, incidentally, is a preacher (y'know, along with being an abusive asshole).

      Later, one day after school, three boys decide to attack and rape her. Since she has no marks on her afterward (due to her powers), her father claims that she is wicked, sinful, and basically deserved it (perhaps even let it happen or is pretending that it happened).

      One night, Mrs. Frieberg needs him to pick up medicine at the pharmacy for her on his way home from a youth ministry meeting, but when she calls, she finds that he is "taking Mary Jensen home." She goes to Jensen's and finds the two in bed. Angered, she tries to storm off, promising to leave him and take young Edith with her. He refuses to allow her to go, grabbing the wheel. The move doesn't stop her, but instead sends the car off the edge of the cliff Jensen's house is situated near. Mrs. Frieberg dies, and Jensen herself goes to tell the police.

      Later, Edith hunts her father down and kills him, burning down a building with him inside.

      And thus, we have the origin story of another member of the Squadron Supreme. At this point, if we consider the mission to bring back Hyperion to have been an origin story for Arcana, Shape, Nuke, and Burbank, then the only member of the Squadron who has not yet been given an origin story (of sorts) is Tom Thumb, who spent the Africa mission inside Shape's ear (or nose) as backup and has thus far been pretty much a non-entity in the Squadron Supreme and Supreme Power tales.

Squadron Supreme
"Blood and Sand, Part 2"
Issue #5 (September 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: None

      As the Squadron's mission to the Middle East continues, Blur starts to have some doubts as to their violent methods. Others, though, have no such worries.

      When Inertia discovers a little girl whose mother and sisters were raped by soldiers, then killed for dishonoring the family by letting themselves be raped, she takes pity on the girl, remembering her own rape at the hands of the schoolboys years earlier.

      In flashback, we see Edith as she hunts down her father and kills him (the image we saw in the previous issue was part of that attack, but she burns down his church, nailing him to the outer wall with a cross). We also then see a battered Edith, presumably the next day or very soon, finding the three boys who raped her and killing them (it seems) as well.

      As for the little girl, Inertia spends part of the day finding the four men responsible for the deaths of her mother and sisters, then buries them up to their necks in the ground, giving the girl a pipe to bash their heads in with. Justice, in Edith's eyes, has been served.

      Elsewhere, in Beijing, China, the Chinese government, fearful of what the United States will do with the Squadron when the Middle East is dealt with, hires the superpowered Michael Redstone, who was last seen being sent out as a secret American agent for General Alexander in "Collateral Damage" (issue #15 of Supreme Power).

Squadron Supreme
"Questions of Loyalty"
Issue #6 (October 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Juan Barranco
Trade Paperback: "The Pre-War Years"
Notable 1st Appearances: None

      Hot on the heels of the Squadron's "Operation: Long Walk" (covered in the two-part "Blood and Sand" story in the previous two issues), the Squadron has been given some downtime by General Alexander.

      Not everyone leaves, though. Amphibian is monitored to see if she can communicate somehow other than through Doctor Spectrum. Spectrum debriefs the Joint Chiefs of Staff on their mission. Shape remains at the base to read. Tom Thumb (who, it is revealed, really was shoved up Shape's ass during the mission to Africa (see "First Steps" and "International Incidents"), sees a psychiatrist. Hyperion remains behind to do press coverage for the Squadron. As for Inertia and Power Princess, they are free to leave.

      Meanwhile, Emil Burbank is taken to a meeting with a "spook" who wants Emil's services in stopping superpowered individuals. They want him to be able to figure out weaknesses in any future enemies of the U.S. with super powers, plus whatever information he has figured out on how to take down members of Squadron Supreme if it became necessary.

      While this is going on, Blur goes home to see his mother, discovering that his endorsement deals are going down the tubes, only to be replaced by offers from the military industrial complex.

      Blur decides to go see Nighthawk, whom we last saw briefly in the first issue of the series ("The Pre-War Years") when it was discussed that they might recruit him, despite his lack of powers. Blur tries to convince Nighthawk to join them so that he can basically take a sort of leadership role as the group's moral center, something Hyperion seems to be lacking. Nighthawk, though, refuses to join.

      Soon, Hyperion is having a meeting with the press at a luxurious resort. Unfortunately, one of the "reporters" is actually Michael Redstone (last seen in the previous issue when he was recruited for China's own version of the Squadron, and who played a major role as an antagonist in this series precursor, Supreme Power). Redstone attacks Hyperion, challenging him to "Round Two."

Squadron Supreme
"Turnabout"
Issue #7 (November 2006)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: Gary Frank
Trade Paperback: None
Notable 1st Appearances: None

      Hyperion, at his press event, is confronted by Michael Redstone, who has reappeared after becoming a secret killer for the government (see the Supreme Power issue "Collateral Damage"). He wants a rematch against Mark after their previous confrontation at the mall in the Supreme Power series story "Objects in Motion."

      Seeing the situation on television, Zarda leaps to the rescue, flying toward his location, even as Redstone begins killing innocent bystanders, including using his eyebeams to boil pool water while swimmers have their flesh melted away.

      When Mark tries to get Redstone into space and away from anyone he can hurt, Redstone explains that he has stolen a thermonuclear warhead, forcing them to take the fight back to America, near the bomb's location.

      As they fight, including Restone burning Mark's eyes with his beams, Redstone whistles at intervals to give a signal to the bomb to keep it from going off just yet. He then begins throwing cars into and through buildings as he did on his earlier rampage. Mark, blinded, still tries to stop him, but he ends up doing his own damage.

      Soon, Zarda arrives, intending to save Hyperion, but he begs her to save everyone else from the bomb instead of worrying about him, though she knows it is her duty to protect him. She agrees, flying a van with the bomb in it up into space, where it explodes, possibly taking Zarda with it...

      Back on the ground, others have arrived. Now, it's Redstone versus the combined efforts of Hyperion, Blur, and Nighthawk...

     Nathan P. Butler is best known for his Star Wars works, both professionally ("Equals and Opposites" in Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars Tales #21" and as a fan. As a Star Wars fan, he maintains the Star Wars Timeline Gold and is the founder of "Star Wars Fanworks: The Home of Star Wars Fan Audio. Professionally, Nathan teaches World History at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia, USA.

"Squadron Supreme" Reviews © 2006-2007 Nathan Butler. Do not reproduce without author's express permission.