The Secret Wars boys take a quick break from their coverage of all things Beyonder to review and discuss the seminal Squadron Supreme mini-series by Mark Gruenwald and Bob Hall. Often referred to as "Watchmen before Watchmen", this comic takes a hard look at what would happen if superheroes stopped fighting villains and tried to actually save the world...almost destroying it in the process.
Special guest Jessie Cooper, host of Alphabet Flight and co-host of Limited Theories, joins us to discuss issues 9-10 of Squadron Supreme, where we discuss the biggest little death and probelmatic issues with love.
Check out this episode!
I like #9's cover better. Look at Shape. That's some powerful Sienkiewicz right there!
ReplyDeleteSeeing Tom's interactions with Ape X and A.I.D.A. this issue drove home how he was ok with B-Modding. He treats the two of them exactly the same, and we already know his troubling relationship with A.I.D.A. Programming a person to do what I say? No problem. And just the icky-icky!
Speaking of Spectrum and Foxfire, yow! There was some GROSS dialog between them in these issues. "Like usual, you make the mess and I have to clean up." I'm sorry, the woman makes the mess? Oh please, and why did you have to make my brain go there at all??? Now I WANT some B-modding to purge that image completely!
Blue Eagle suggesting B-modding the recruits? WTF? I know he didn't vote for B-modding Golden Archer, and there was blatant assault there. But with no evidence or reason, just brainwashing people you've just met? Even without crossing a line in action, he's well over the line with his reasoning.
And with all of that, the series is still entertaining as heck to keep reading and following along with the show! Loving it!
Weak deaths. One comes to mind. Christopher Priest introduced a character in The Ray: Mystek. Then had her join Justice League Task Force. While the team is in a space ship to save another member, claustrophia overwhelms her, she bursts out of the ship almost killing the team, and dies herself. I still don't get it. Was Mystek supposed to be Kole the whole time? Created just to die that way? If so, NONE of the JL:TF talked about it, or had any guilt, especially J'onn J'onzz, the leader.
Thanks again, Jessie and Supreme-mores! Till next time!
Hyperion's solution to the Quagmire problem was a true act of heroism. He was prepared to sacrifice himself to save everyone else. He would not let another take his place. He recognized the problem and saw what he could do do solve it. This is not unusual in super-hero comics, but in the context of this series, Hyperion's actions mirror his actions in the overarching story. The U.S.A. after the defeat of the Overmind was in a terrible condition with no easy solution in sight. A quagmire, if you will. Hyperion recognized the problem and saw what he could do. He sacrificed his private life, and perhaps he sacrificed some of his principles, but he did it for the greater good. Is this a profile in courage? Hyperion acts for no personal gain. In matters of friendship, love, and personal relationships, the "right" thing to do, or ultimate solution, can be difficult, if not impossible to know. The motives of the other Squadders may be seen along this scale. Who acts for themselves (Golden Arrow) and who acts for the greatest good (Hyperion)? Any parallels to politicians living or dead can be made on your own.
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