Marvel Comics
Supreme Power # 1
By Kevin Scott
August 21, 2003 - 15:34

Marvel Comics
MAX
Writer(s): J. Michael Straczynski
Penciller(s): Gary Frank



supremepower01.jpg
Most people know of the Squadron Supreme from Mark Gruenwald's epic 1985 mini-series. The technical origins of Squadron Supreme date back to the 1960s, when Marvel and DC agreed to do an unofficial cross-over. So the idea was that each company would create heroes that were based on a team owned by the other company, and have it meet their own heroes. Got that? So Marvel created a clone of DC's JLA (Justice League of America) that existed on a parallel earth, the Squadron Supreme, to meet Marvel's Avengers. DC's version of Marvel characters quickly disappeared into obscurity, but Marvel continued to play around with the Squadron Supreme from time to time, and now there back.

I haven't read any of Straczynski comics, I only know him from his Television work (Babylon 5). I heard he knows how to tell great stories and I have to say from this issue, I can see what people are talking bout.
We are shown a scenario that we all know and then it is completely flipped on us. We're given satirical humour, tension, just some straight out good storytelling. You can really imagine the situation Mark is in. The whole thing is given life and plausibility by the dialogue and you are sucked in. I was definitely left wanting the next issue and this is all you can ask for in a comic.

Look at the cover and tell me this isn't a nice piece of work! The interior work, it's not amazing, but then again it's not poor. It's nice solid art that really helps tell good story. Frank does a good job in portraying emotion. Just checkout the first few panels to see the tension in the air. He starts off well and carries it through the whole issue.

This book isn't going to be what everyone thinks. There's not action on every page. Hell, there's not even action in the book (well not really anyway). What you will find though is a good into to a story. Ask yourself, what do you want, story or bang. It's as simple as that.
Rating: B-/10

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