Supreme the Return

Only not... and and at the same time yes. Alan Moore has created something truly unique here. These stories work on so many levels, it's hard to choose where to start. First of all, Supreme works much like a Superman character. It pays homage to Supes and you'll have a great time just trying to identify Superman's characters in Supreme's universe. The book works in a metacognitive level because it recognizes itself as a comic book. Through a series of flashbacks done in retro style, Supreme's back history is filled, which would be very normal if Supreme weren't aware of his memories coming to be as they are being read by you. Finally, this comic serves as a historical document. In its very stories, the evolution and history of comics is retold as the characters are experiencing it. I found a certain issue quite chilling, where the whole of the 1950's are described with eerie accuracy by three witches who look a lot like the banned horror comics of EC. The scandalous book Seduction of the Innocent, which brought about the censorship of comics and a stunt in its growth as a medium, is parodied in this issue. The comic becomes aware of comics' legacy and I found that amazing. This is a must.

I think it would be rude to ignore that this comic had a whole series of stories before and after Moore's run, but I must be rude then. You can walk into this graphic novel with NO knowledge of Supreme before this and enjoy it as much as any fan of silver age superman comics would. But it is more than that. It treats the subject of comics creation with much reverence. I think that Alan Moore may be the most talented archivist writing stories for comics today. There are so many references to the 60's superman that one can only conclude that the writer is in love with the medium he is creating. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT???? Nothing. The genius of these stories is that it is not about just any old superman. It is about comics. Supreme's version of Lois Lane wears earrings with Herriman's Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse on either ear. GENIUS! The twisted love affair of the Kat & the Mouse & Offisa Pupp is still considered one of the most complex love triangles in comics history. Alan Moore is not a novice. His other work speaks for itself and if you do not know WATCHMEN, SWAMP THING (20 - 65), MIRACLEMAN, TOM STRONG, THE KILLING JOKE, and PROMETHEA, then I suggest reading those first. Yes, Moore came to Supreme when sales were lagging. Yes, he completely reinvented the character. But he also continued to create one of the finest writers portfolio's in all of comics. Any Alan Moore fan would be lacking something without reading this set. Highly recommended.

The Writing:Moore's charming, loving rendition of the classic planet-tossing superhero is rightly noted by several other reviewers as aping Superman at his silliest, but it's also a fun, funny, compassionate look at the Superman character, and one filled with insight into what makes him tick. It's not a deconstruction, refreshingly, and it's not a revamp - it's a "prevamp," if you will, a harking back to the times before all the assembly-line serial killers and grim, stalkerish superheroes began to flood the market with angst. There is a warmth here that is decidedly missing in even the best of Moore's work, especially between Ethan and Linda (the Clark Kent and Lois Lane characters), and it just feels great to read something like Supreme for the sheer childish joy of it. If you liked Rob Leifeld's run on the book, you'll probably dislike this a great deal, but that, frankly, is good news. For Rob Leifeld fans, I recommend Gray's Anatomy, until you recover.The Artwork:The art is admittedly sub-par, for the most part; Joe Bennett's renditions of Supreme are still stuck in the early-nineties days of bulked-out powerhouses in clothing that might as well be painted on, and nearly every female character appears to be smuggling canteloupes. The good news is that Rick Veitch manages to save every single issue with his flashback sequences. Veitch deftly imitates nearly every notable comic artist of the silver age - his Harvey Kurtzman (Mad Magazine) spoof is worth the price of the book all by itself, and his Bill Finger and Wayne Boring are dead-on. You'll also get to see, very briefly, some of Chris Sprouse's work on the title, which makes the next book all the more enjoyable.Summary:An excellent book with a few forgivable artistic flaws and a great deal to recommend it. Age-appropriate for nearly everyone and a whole lot of fun.NOTE: This book has gone through a new and better printing since the early reviews that complain about the 600 dpi scan quality of the first. I believe that Checker has an exchange program for those who bought the sub-par printing of the book, as well.

The Writing:Moore's charming, loving rendition of the classic planet-tossing superhero is rightly noted by several other reviewers as aping Superman at his silliest, but it's also a fun, funny, compassionate look at the Superman character, and one filled with insight into what makes him tick. It's not a deconstruction, refreshingly, and it's not a revamp - it's a "prevamp," if you will, a harking back to the times before all the assembly-line serial killers and grim, stalkerish superheroes began to flood the market with angst. There is a warmth here that is decidedly missing in even the best of Moore's work, especially between Ethan and Linda (the Clark Kent and Lois Lane characters), and it just feels great to read something like Supreme for the sheer childish joy of it. If you liked Rob Leifeld's run on the book, you'll probably dislike this a great deal, but that, frankly, is good news. For Rob Leifeld fans, I recommend Gray's Anatomy, until you recover.The Artwork:The art is admittedly sub-par, for the most part; Joe Bennett's renditions of Supreme are still stuck in the early-nineties days of bulked-out powerhouses in clothing that might as well be painted on, and nearly every female character appears to be smuggling canteloupes. The good news is that Rick Veitch manages to save every single issue with his flashback sequences. Veitch deftly imitates nearly every notable comic artist of the silver age - his Harvey Kurtzman (Mad Magazine) spoof is worth the price of the book all by itself, and his Bill Finger and Wayne Boring are dead-on. You'll also get to see, very briefly, some of Chris Sprouse's work on the title, which makes the next book all the more enjoyable.Summary:An excellent book with a few forgivable artistic flaws and a great deal to recommend it. Age-appropriate for nearly everyone and a whole lot of fun.

Almost all of these reviewers have got it all wrong. This is genius Alan Moore. The flashbacks sequences are comic satire at it's best. This is one giant post-modern take on Superman. If you liked what he did with "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" or the Superman Annual that he did ("For the Man who has Everything") then this collection comes as a super-sized portion. Through the silver age flashback sequences, Moore disects and lovingly reconstructs over sixty years of Superman mythology. This book is a brightly crafted ode to Comics; a more optimistic Watchmen. I wish they showed what "Grim-Eighties Supreme" looks like. What a wonderful collection. Forget the transfer. The previous reviewers have grossly exagerrated the mistakes. This a beautifully crafted story on one of history's most mythical and beloved figures.I love it, and you should, too.I'm patiently waiting for the return!