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 Doug Zawisza, author of the Hawkman Companion from TwoMorrows Publishing, joins us for a Nighthawk-focused episode to discuss Captain America 314, a Squadron crossover, and issue 11 of Squadron Supreme. As we head into the final issue of the mini-series, we discuss Nighthawk as a Batman pastiche, the breaking of Ape-X's mind, and the best Hawkman stories of all time.
I haven't re-read this issue of Cap in a while, so it was fun to revisit. Gruenwald's argument for Cap and 616 heroes not joining Nighthawk made sense to me, and still does today. Mainly because, if they start fighting governments in other dimensions, wouldn't they have to eventually become the Squadron and take over the government as well? And then do that on their own earth? Where does it end?
ReplyDeleteRemnant as Joker is the closest it can be, but the link is so much more tenuous than other characters in the Squad-verse. Replace "carpet" with "playing card" is as close as you get, which makes Remnant more like a Royal Flush Gang member. Plus he's 6'6" tall? You know who he really is. ... Jim Shooter. Look at the white suit, like the Beyonder's. You know I'm right.
The best part of the fight on the typewriter? Nighthawk falling onto the keys, and they tear like a cardboard. If this was a Silver Age DC comic, the typewriter would have been functional, and hitting the keys would have made hammers strike up at Mink. But it didn't. Love it!
And as for SS #11? Not much to add that you guys didn't already cover. Except you know, if Nighthawk had become an educator, he could be Principal Principles. For 5 minutes. Before he got fired for making questionable choices. And then he'd be Ex-Principal Ex-Principles.
SS #12 is almost here!! Oh boy! I've tried so hard so to even HINT of spoilers to Sean, so I can't wait for this so I can talk openly about ... what? The Graphic Novel? CURSES!!!!
Stay supreme, Squadees.