Supreme Power: The Hyperion Project

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Babylon 5 creator and current Amazing Spider-Man scribe J. Michael Straczynski's reworking of the classic Squadren Supreme characters must be read to be believed. Supreme Power, arguably one of the most intelligent monthlies to come from Marvel in recent memory, is one of those rare instances in comics where everything just clicks. Straczynski's writing is nothing short of amazing, and Gary Frank's pencils suit it well indeed. The story involves the mysterious arrival of a human looking baby who exhibits extraordinary powers. Under the manipulation of the United States government, he grows up to become Mark Milton, AKA Hyperion, a being with powers so extraordinary and fantastic that he must be kept under control at any cost. The classic Squadren Supreme stories were Marvel's versions of the classic DC Comics characters (you can pretty much guess who Hyperion is based upon) as we also meet other super humans, one able to run at super sonic speed, one who has witnessed the murder of his parents as a youth and now fights crime as a vigilante by night, one who has a mysterious and powerful crystal bonded to his hand, and even more waiting in the wings. Supreme Power takes a mature look at what the world would be like with super humans living in it, and by the time you get to the last page of this TPB you'll be begging for the next volume, Powers & Principalities. If you haven't read any issues of Supreme Power, I strongly recommend picking this up and giving it a try; it's the best Marvel's MAX line has to offer.

Rating:
Summary: one of the best
Review: I loved Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme series when I was a kid but Straczynski has written such a great story that I now consider his version the "real" one.

Rating:
Summary: Supremely Well Done!
Review: In Straczynski's new reworking of the classic Squadron Supreme characters, he achieves a higher level of quality than the original series ever had in one of Marvel's best new series.

This serious, grounded tale tells the story of serval extraordinary individuals as they realize that they are different from everyone else and how they attempt to use their new abilities. Straczynski really acheives some of his finest work in comics here (in addition to "Rising Stars") in a very dark and grounded story without some of the cornball dialogue found in his "Amazing Spider-Man." The pacing of the story is very slow, but is ultimately neccessary for establishing the setting and characters; some characters are only hinted at in these pages and allude to the next story arc.

Just as strong--if not stronger than--the writing is Gary Frank's superb artwork and Chris Sotomayor's great color work. Frank's pencils are very realistic and lifelike for portraying the many characters as well as the real-life figures of former presidents. Sotomayor's colors are very good for conveying the mature theme of the story by using a dark palette as well as using very vibrant colors for other scenes.

Marvel and Straczynski have created one of the best new superhero series in awhile. Now it will be interesting to see if the creators can acheive the same level of quality on subsequent story arcs as they have on this great one.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is a Marvel Max book and is suggested for older readers due to violence and language (the comic book equivalent of an R-rated or PG-13 movie).

Rating:
Summary: Supremely Well Done!
Review: In Straczynski's new reworking of the classic Squadron Supreme characters, he achieves a higher level of quality than the original series ever had in one of Marvel's best new series.

This serious, grounded tale tells the story of serval extraordinary individuals as they realize that they are different from everyone else and how they attempt to use their new abilities. Straczynski really acheives some of his finest work in comics here (in addition to "Rising Stars") in a very dark and grounded story without some of the cornball dialogue found in his "Amazing Spider-Man." The pacing of the story is very slow, but is ultimately neccessary for establishing the setting and characters; some characters are only hinted at in these pages and allude to the next story arc.

Just as strong--if not stronger than--the writing is Gary Frank's superb artwork and Chris Sotomayor's great color work. Frank's pencils are very realistic and lifelike for portraying the many characters as well as the real-life figures of former presidents. Sotomayor's colors are very good for conveying the mature theme of the story by using a dark palette as well as using very vibrant colors for other scenes.

Marvel and Straczynski have created one of the best new superhero series in awhile. Now it will be interesting to see if the creators can acheive the same level of quality on subsequent story arcs as they have on this great one.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is a Marvel Max book and is suggested for older readers due to violence and language (the comic book equivalent of an R-rated or PG-13 movie).

Rating:
Summary: The Super-Hero Genre Reinvented
Review: J.M. Straczynski does not invent the wheel with the opening sequence of the story but he certainly gives his 'Superman' the most probable and realistic outcome regarding the technology that is at the U.S. military's disposal. Let's face it, with all the satellites, guiding systems and tracking mechanisms that exists (as well those that we do not even know about!), the likelihood that an alien rocket ship plummeting to earth undetected could only happen in a comic book published in 1939!

Straczynski's script contains political observations about the government as well as some comments about the daily oppression we face in our society. It is done with class, subtlety and never does it interfere with the entertainment factor of the comic book. He does not step on a soapbox to sermon the audience like a jackass preacher. A misstep that most of his contemporaries commit when they force the topic of religion, politics or any other social issue into the super-hero genre because they believe that their opinion is the righteous one.

I knew the art by Gary Frank was going to be excellent as usual. This probably comes as no surprise to comic book fans who have seen his work on Incredible Hulk, Gen13 and Supergirl. Frank's pencil work has always been sharp and clean but the fine inking style of Jon Sibal makes each panel a breathtaking one while Soto's coloring adds more realism to the artwork.

In an era where the fanboy styling of a Humberto Ramos, Mike Wieringo and Kia Asimiya is all the rage, at least there is an editor such as Mike Raicht who has the vision and audacity to hire an authentic artist like Gary Frank. Enough of those so-called pencillers who poorly mimick Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee & unbelievably, Rob Liefeld.

If you are craving for an intelligent and provocative series but still have the need for men in tights, then Supreme Power is the book for you. Straczynski demonstrates that the super-hero genre can be done without the greasy kid stuff that makes the public equate comic books with dull witted, foul smelling fanboys who [...] on Adam Hughes' portrayal of Wonder Woman.

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Squadron Supreme
Review: No, this is not a book from the Ultimate Marvel Universe line. It is a revised version of the Sqadron Supreme though. It takes place in its own seperate Marvel Universe where the only superpowered people are Hyperion, Blur, and Doctor Spectrum. Other heroes are hinted in this book, but you really can't tell. IT also has Nighthawk, who basically takes the law into his own hands, but doesn't have any powers.
Originally, The Squadron Supreme was just Marvel's version of the JLA. I have not read any of the original Squadron Supreme books, so I really don't know much about it. In Supreme Power though, the heroes do resemble the JLA. Hyperion-Superman, Blur-Flash, Nighthawk-Batman, Doctor Spectrum-Green Lantern. There really not carbon copies though. These characters have a lot of depth and this story is much better than any JLA stroy, or even Ultimates story. Get this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: Foget about The Ultimates and read Supreme Power!
Review: Supreme Power Vol 1: Contact is my first experience with Straczynski's writing. When I bought this, I had just finished The Ultimates Vol 1 by Millar, which I was very disappointed with. I was a bit worried Supreme Power would be a let down, as well. I was SO wrong!

I love this book. The writing is just amazing and I the artwork is pretty nice, too. The book has a great flow and it's hard to put down. It has a very natural, almost cinematic feel to it. You won't find anything cheesy or over the top here.

I enjoyed Straczynski's writing here so much that I just went out and bought six volumes of his Amazing Spider-Man series.

If you love fast-paced MTV style movies like Armageddon or Bad Boys II you might prefer The Ultimates, but if you enjoy more realistic, more intelligent writing where characters have good depth then you will not lose with Supreme Power. That's a promise.

Rating:
Summary: Turning the super-hero icons on their heads
Review: The original Squadron Supreme, invented by Avengers writer Roy Thomas in the 60's, was intended to be a pastiche of the Justice League of America. Each character in Marvel Comics' Squadron Supreme was an analog of DC Comics' Justice League characters. Hyperion is the analog of Superman, Nighthawk of Batman, Power Princess of Wonder Woman, etc. The main point of the exercise was to enable Marvel's greatest team to do battle with DC's without flouting any copyright laws and to have a little fun with the fans.

J. Michael Straczynski's Supreme Power is also a look at the super-hero icons of DC but through a different colored glass. Supreme Power examines how events might really unfold were DC's heroes to have appeared in our world. An alien infant lands on Earth, exhibiting extraordinary powers. Military and political officials fear him, so they seek to control him. A youth sees his parents slain before his eyes and so becomes a vigilante, stalking the streets at night hunting criminals. Another man develops the ability to travel as super speed and so on.

The story starts from the point of view of protagonist, Mark Milton (a.k.a., Hyperion), an alien who crashes on Earth as an infant and whose power the military establishment both fears and hopes to exploit. They fill his head with American propaganda in the hope that they'll brainwash him into the Great American Hero: truth, justice and the American way. But when he matures, he becomes wary of their control and suspicious of their motives. As the story branches out, we're introduced to the other cast members, each of them with their own reasons for becoming a "hero" and many of them not so pure.

In DC's somewhat utopian world, these heroes are revered and honored for the most part. But a more cynical view would be that it wouldn't quite be that simple. We have a tendency to revere and revile our heroes at the same time. While we admire and honor them, we also seek to tear them down and destroy them out of fear, jealousy and other base emotions. The story is as old as time. Just ask Julius Caesar how we treat our honored heroes. Look at the heroes of Ancient Greece and the rather unseemly way so many of them fell from grace.

Supreme Power is an exciting, page-turning look at heroism and just what the world at large really thinks about having someone who could save your life one day or vaporize you with a glance in the next. In the tradition of DC's Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, Supreme Power takes a smart and decidedly adult look at hero and super-hero.