Comic Review – “Supreme Power #2”

It’s not the gangbuster the first issue was, but the elements
are now in place to make subsequent issues just
incredible.

General Information

Title: Supreme Power #2

Author: J. Michael Straczynski

Illustrator: Gary Frank

Original Publication Date: September 10, 2003

Cover Price: $2.99 US, $4.75 Can

Premise

Last issue, we met Hyperion and Blur. This issue, Mark
goes to normal
school, while we learn the origins of the rest of the team.

High Point

“I don’t think this part was covered in my biology lessons.”
The line
is hilarious, and the facial expression is a perfect match to
it.

Low Point

I don’t see how the gem would go from the palm to the
back of the
hand given the set-up.

The Scores

The originality of this issue wanes a bit. It’s all
set-up,
so we’re seeing adaptations of the origins of the JLA, and
some of
them (such as Nighthawk) are pretty much the same down
to the letter.
Tying most of the origins into Mark’s is a nice touch,
though. Mark’s
story has some nice twists to it, with a use of X-ray vision
that
isn’t what you normally see. (He’s not looking at the girl’s
locker
room, after all. In fact, we’ve had no indication that he’s
even
capable of being attracted to humans of either gender.) I
give it 4
out of 6.

The artwork is still spectacular, particularly the
mix of
colour with black and white in one of the origins. I give it 6
out of
6.

The story is a lot of set-up, with plot
developments
restricted to two of the stories. (Mark and number four.)
Like the
first issue, it sets up a lot of potential for future plotlines, but
they’re not being told yet. I give it 4 out of 6.



The characterization is limited by the huge
cast of side
characters, and the small moments we see for each of the
main
characters. Mark and number four are the only major
players we learn
about. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response is still high, despite
the rapid scene
changes, but that’s mainly due to an interest in the origins
of the
team. It reads very well once, but I suspect the middle
portions will
weaken considerably on future re-reads. This is a review
of a first
reading, though, so I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow is hampered by the rapid changes to
scenes that are
only loosely connected at this point. We know they are
consequences
of the events of the first issue, but that’s all we know. The
transitions are abrupt, and there’s nothing Gary Frank can
do to fix
them. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a good issue, despite the flaws.
The entire
team is being built from scratch, and these heroes will be
expected to
have origin stories. This is the issue that delivers the core
of
these origins, so that future issues can move on to bigger
and better
things. It’s very significant, but I don’t get the impression
that
I’ll want to go back and re-read it very often. I give it 4 out
of
6.

In total, Supreme Power #2 receives 31 out of
42.

5 replies on “Comic Review – “Supreme Power #2””

  1. Good set-up, if a little condenced

    I have to agree this was a good set-up issue, although I felt it was a little condenced. Mark Goes to School in section one was interesting, I’m surprised the government hadn’t thought of that arguement Mark made already.

    The origin in section two left me feeling there is something they are not telling us. Although with the quoted song at the end of the origin, I can guess at what is being hinted at / implied.

    As for section three, did things like that still happen in Memphis in the early 90’s? If so, I feel even sadder than the events in that part.

    Section four left me wanting MORE NOW! Definately a change in the character, and given the implications of what he was warned about, this character is in for a rough time that will never end.

    Section five left me feeling like “doesn’t this violate one of the key premises of the series”? And the painting on the wall was over-the-top.

    Finally, Mark at lunch break: did anyone besides me think of a certain scene in the first Superman movie? One word description of which one I mean: “Pink.” And by the way, the girl there came off to me as needing a serious attitude adjustment. And when were high school uniform skirts mini-skirts instead of knee length? Those skirts looked like the girl’s behinds would always hang out when they sat down, no coverage at all!

    All in all, a good set-up, but one that needs more meat if this series is to continue. Some of this issue felt too rushed to me.

    • Re: Good set-up, if a little condenced

      As for section three, did things like that still happen in Memphis in the early 90’s? If so, I feel even sadder than the events in that part.

      Section four left me wanting MORE NOW! Definately a change in the character, and given the implications of what he was warned about, this character is in for a rough time that will never end.

      unfortunately, things like that still happen *today*.
      and fiz – you weren’t still online when I read this – the back of the hand thing was because the crystal had burned his palm, so he wanted to move it to someplace where it hadn’t already hurt him.

      • Re: Good set-up, if a little condenced

        and fiz – you weren’t still online when I read this – the back of the hand thing was because the crystal had burned his palm, so he wanted to move it to someplace where it hadn’t already hurt him.

        actually, it took me about 5 readings of that scene before I figured out what he was doing….

  2. NJ’s views
    Since besically, this are Marvel attempt at the DC universe with adult content, we have certain breakpoints for each character – Hyperion is allowing himself to be controlled due to his “love” for his parents, which is a lie.

    Amphibian is a creature that may be affected by the Hyperion spaceship. What would a creature be like if s/he were living in the sea alone for 20+ years?

    Nighthawk reminds me of an old R.A.C. quote – “We could all be Batman with years of training, limitless funds and severe childhood trauma.” – Nighthawk isn’t the scourge of the underworld like Batman – Nighthawk appears he will be a more realistic take on what would happen if you witnessed your parents being killed by redneck f*cktards.

    Dr. Spectrum isn’t a doctor in the humanitarian sense of the word, he’s a specialist at removing problems. Green Lantern is supposed to be a man without fear. Spectrum is more like what would a man be like if he didn’t fear anything in order to get the job done.

    I don’t know about the Wonder Woman section – this section leaves me pretty cold.

    The Hyperion reprise at the end makes me want to see him go totally nuclear on the world.

    Now, since all the way to issue six is scripted, I am willing to place money down that the Squadron Supreme is going to be gathered in reaction to a terrorist action. I know JMS enough that he’s not going to leave the current pro-right political movement uncriticized in artistic writing – so I’m expecting this to be his vehicle.

    -NJ

    • Re: NJ’s views

      I know JMS enough that he’s not going to leave the current pro-right political movement uncriticized in artistic writing – so I’m expecting this to be his vehicle.

      What? JMS being political and opionated, never ;-)

      I enjoyed this, as I never read the orginal series this is based on (some 80’s series I recall), or even DC’s JSA (I only really Batman from that lot) I think it has promise, if they keep it just dark enough which from all the JMS stuff I’ve read (Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, B5 etc) he has a good chance of doing.

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