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 *This review refers to both the first Supreme Power trade paperback Contact and the second Powers and Principalities.

I have to confess to being a lazy comic book fan, buying mostly trade paperbacks (tpbs) or graphic novels that comfortably encapsulate the whole of a storyline into, at most, a few neat volumes. This more concentrated dose of comic book nirvana is highly appealing for two reasons; firstly I hate waiting – I am a very impatient person when it comes to comic books, so having the material condensed helps my blood pressure no end. Secondly, you get a greater viewpoint on what the creators were trying to achieve and how the storyline fits together. It’s probably also cheaper as well, but that normally just means I buy more of them. Such was the case with Supreme Power. Having expended the funds necessary to purchase the two House of M tpbs I wanted, I found there was enough money left for a little something extra. I opted for the highly appealing Supreme Power Hardcover Volume 1.    

Supreme Power is the work of Babylon 5’s creator J. Michael Straczynski. Despite my enjoyment of Babylon 5 over the years, I guiltily admit it was only with the collection of the first two Supreme Power trade paperbacks (Contact and Powers and Principalities) into a single hardcover edition with some cool additions (my extra concentrated dose), did I decide to venture into Straczynski’s comic sandbox. Boy was I glad I hadn’t done so earlier.

Why? Because Supreme Power is thoroughly enjoyable and this collection of two tpbs is fantastic value. Created as a mature restart of the somewhat obscure Squadron Supreme title of the late 60’s, Supreme Power will be a familiar storyline to any reader who has had contact with the superhero genre. Charting the progress of Mark Hilton (eventually codenamed Hyperion), an alien child whose space pod crashes in rural America during the late 1970’s, the opening of Supreme Power is an interesting ‘what if’. In this case the question is ‘what if Cal-El had not been raised by the Kents’ and instead been raised in a government program that sought to make him into a patriotic soldier. Perhaps this is doing Straczynski’s intent a disservice, but what appears on the page seems uncannily like it is suggesting just that. However for all the potential spoofing/riffing taking place, Supreme Power is very much it’s own title with an intelligent, complex investigation into the possible real world applications and political manoeuvring that would take place if a being of ‘super powers’ was discovered. Mark’s progress from child to adulthood, viewed in part through the various real-life U.S. administrations his young life encompasses, is a riveting read that is subtle and ambiguous.

Starting off with the familiar central character of Mark/Hyperion, Straczynski slowly fleshes out the world around Mark and proves that Mark’s greatest fear, of being alone, is unfounded. The origin stories of the other members of the cast are brief and at times cliché but the journey is enjoyable. Like any, relatively, new title Supreme Power is going to take time to find it’s own place in the industry and in these first two collections there is a fairly large amount of exposition that occasionally slows the pacing of the story. Not that it hinders the storytelling much because Supreme Power is filled with a lot of strong ideas that create a solid base for Straczynski to launch future stories off.  

The artwork for Supreme Power is superb with a blockbuster feel of colour and panelling that makes the title at times cinematic in execution. Gary Frank’s detailed facial expressions warrant particular mention for their ability to easily convey each character’s emotions clearly and he absolutely nails each of the U.S. presidents who appear in the title. Each of the character’s powers are well drawn by giving into the realism of what could happen if an invulnerable man flying faster than the speed of sound hits a brick wall, or several. Chris Sotomayor’s colouring also deserves credit for creating a kaleidoscopic vibrancy about the title that combines the typical heroic reds and blues of Hyperion with the black and greys of Nighthawk, giving the story a tangible edge.              

Unfortunately the problem with Supreme Power stems from its closeness and seeming mimicry of the major characters of Marvel’s long time rival, DC. Certainly you can just read Supreme Power as is, but when so many of the cast are so similar to icons of the DC universe then the comparison becomes difficult to avoid. Although Straczynski has probably drawn on these influences unconsciously, the source material for Supreme Power, Squadron Supreme, was uncomfortably close to Superman et al in the first place. Whereas Ellis’ Authority lampooned the Superman/Batman relationship and the JLA idea purposefully, there was still more than enough about the Authority beyond the obvious commentary to mark it out as unique and a quality piece of writing. With Supreme Power it doesn’t seem to be that way. Instead Hyperion’s confusion over his identity becomes symbolic of the reader’s own uncertainty as to what exactly the creators of Supreme Power are actually trying to achieve. Indeed it is not difficult to imagine Supreme Power as being far removed from an Elseworlds title. This may be my company bias speaking, but some of the comparisons will be obvious even to those who have very little knowledge of comics in general. Although it is perhaps too early in the storyline for a clear sense of identity for the title to appear, it nonetheless could do with easing away from familiar territory.

This hardcover edition also has some extra goodies that make it even better value for money. Firstly there are several pages of cover designs and sketches that show how the Squadron Supreme morphed, with some serious artistic license, into Supreme Power and the process that got them there. Secondly the two issues of The Avengers where the Squadron Supreme originally debuted are included as a history lesson for those unfamiliar with its origins. Although very classically ‘old school’ comics that belong to a different age of comics, the two Avengers issues do two things; show how different the approach to Supreme Power has been and also to illustrate how significant the improvement in the production values of comics has been. However these extras may not be for everyone, being seemingly slightly derogatory toward the old material, with the Squadron Supreme link tenuous at best and there is no comparison between Frank’s artwork and that of John Buscema.

As a vehicle for J. Michael Straczynski to indulge the multi-threaded political and social commentary he first attempted with Rising Stars, Supreme Power works. As a straight up superhero comic with mature leanings, Supreme Power works. But it is only a beginning and I’d like to see the storyline moved on into it’s own identity that encompasses a bit more variety. Still well worth your time and money in this hardcover edition.

 Owen Jones © 2006