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Topic: Why doesn’t Squadron Supreme get as much praise as Watchmen? (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Jeff Povaks
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 1:59pm | IP Logged | 1  
Chad - very good point regarding the historical details in Watchmen!

I loved the battle royale in SS issue 12 - but the last few pages fell a little
flat and the conclusion to this epic seemed rushed. We needed a
better/longer epilogue.
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Dave Kopperman
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:04pm | IP Logged | 2  
I've always felt that SS was DARKER than Watchmen. While Moore's vision
was of heroes (excluding Ozy) who were sometimes misguided and
confused, they ultimately bent to the rule of law and will of the public.
Gruenwald had his team banding together as a second government and
getting up to some major business with seriously questionable ethics.

I think both series are still deeply influential, with influences from SS
turning up in unexpected places ('Identity Crisis' and 'The Authority'). I do
prefer Watchmen, since the art is just stunning and I really do like the
depth and formal complexity - and Moore's dialogue gets the edge, too -
but SS was an early wonder for me, and I think it's a vastly undervalued
work.
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Dave Kopperman
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:05pm | IP Logged | 3  
JB/Omaha: I think the same funny-animal/critical elevation might be true
of 'Maus,' of all things. But it worked against 'Cerebus,' in the long run.
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Jeff Povaks
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:06pm | IP Logged | 4  
Which series was published first? Just out of curiosity does anyone know?
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Jason Mark Hickok
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:08pm | IP Logged | 5  
I am sure that SS was before Watchmen.
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Victor Rodgers
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:09pm | IP Logged | 6  

Come on, Vic. We don't need the name-calling.

******

Im sorry, you're right. I removed it.

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Paul Gibney
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:10pm | IP Logged | 7  

 Victor Rodgers wrote:
They were only superficially the JLA. Beyond that they had little resemblence.

  Little resemblence?  Are we talking about the same book here?  I don't see how he could have been closer to the JLA without actually using the logos.  There were even brand new SS members introduced that brought in all the missing JLA members. 

  I'm afraid I have to disagree, strongly. 

  Beyond that, SS and Watchmen (and Kingdon Come, come to that) suffer (well, actually they profit) from telling stories that really shouldn't have been told. They involve superheroes* doing exactly what superheoes don't do.  In fact, doing what superheroes actively prevent villains from doing. 

*In the process becoming supervilains, and forever blurring the line as to what a superhero is.
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Jeff Povaks
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:13pm | IP Logged | 8  
Jason - thanks - that is what I thought.

The whole Nuklon/Firestorm guy giving people cancer is similar to the Dr.
Manhatten giving people cancer plotline (mind you it is not too much of a
stretch to come up with a nuclear hero giving off deadly radiation).

Paul G - agreed - the SS were definitely JLA clones down to the "new"
members.
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Bruce Buchanan
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:24pm | IP Logged | 9  

Squadron Supreme was a pretty transparent riff on the Justice League. I don't think that was ever in much dispute, was it?

Hyperion=Superman

Power Princess=Wonder Woman

Nighthawk=Batman

Golden Archer=Green Arrow

Lady Lark=Black Canary

Dr. Spectrum=Green Lantern

Nuklon=Firestorm

Whizzer=The Flash

 
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Victor Rodgers
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:36pm | IP Logged | 10  
Hence why I said superficially. But even with slight digging you see this is not the JLA. You could not of done this story with the JLA. I think that was the whole point.

Edited by Victor Rodgers on 15 March 2009 at 2:38pm
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Jason Mark Hickok
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:48pm | IP Logged | 11  
From zipping through this thread I think I need to read both of these again.
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Jason Fliegel
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Posted: 15 March 2009 at 2:52pm | IP Logged | 12  

Which series was published first? Just out of curiosity does anyone know?

***

Squadron Supreme was cover-dated September 1985-August 1986.  Watchmen was cover-dated September 1986-October 1987.
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