Despite my description, there has not been a lot of pop culture of late. Dubya's cronies have kept me busy with other things. However, I do want to briefly comment on one of my fascinations... comic books. Specifically, the current Supreme Power spin-off feature centering on Nighthawk.
Marvel's Squadron Supreme started as a barely-veiled anti-Justice League. Hyperion and Power Princess were Supes and Wonder Woman. Dr. Spectrum filled in for Green Lantern, Whizzer (WHIZZER!) for the Flash and Nighthawk for Batman. They eventually expanded to include analogues for Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, and even Firestorm among others. The problem was they always went up against the Avengers, so they always had their asses handed to them.
A while back, they were given a 12-issue maxi-series that featured the team in their "own universe" where THEY were the champions. Interestingly, the plot turned on mind alteration, and the subsequent schism in the team after the technology is abused. Wonder where I've seen THAT before... Anyway, the series gave the team an identity all their own and catapulted them beyond mere foils for the Avengers.
Fast forward to just over a year ago. Marvel has this thing called the MAX line. Darker stories, graphic themes, nudity and violence aimed at mature readers. The line mostly focused on lesser known or underselling characters, where the potential brand risk was lower. Naturally, the Squadron Supreme was a perfect fit. However, like the Ultimate universe, Marvel chose to reboot from scratch. Hyperion was raised by the U.S. military; Dr. Spectrum was a paramilitary killer; Power Princess an apparent alien succubus; Triton a mysterious sea creature; Whizzer (now, the Blur) an endorsement-hungry celebrity and Nighthawk a brooding quasi-sociopath recreated in the new ultradark Batman mold. And speaking of ultra-dark, both Whizzer and Nighthawk were now Black.
The series has taken a slow build. Over the course of 18 issues, the whole "team" has yet to gather. Hyperion and "Power Princess" appear to share origins... The Blur, Nighthawk and Hyperion have worked together a few times... and Hyperion has tussled with Dr. Spectrum with spectular results. The results have been undeniably satisfying. In fact, far more satisfying than Bendis' unremarkable take on the Avengers (The SENTRY???) OR the diminished Authority (one yearns for the days of Millar's pencils).
Which brings us back to the Nighthawk mini-series. His is the third character to be explored in this new continuity and the most compelling to date. This is mostly due to the fact that his character barely constituted 20 pages in the main series. Further, Spectrum and Hyperion mostly treaded old ground by filling in the blanks of previously examined story territory. Nighthawk also introduces a freaky "Joker" antagonist, Whiteface, the first completely new outright villain to date. Given the racial overtones of Nighthawk's motivations, this storyline is pure genius. Pick up the back issues NOW...
Marvel's Squadron Supreme started as a barely-veiled anti-Justice League. Hyperion and Power Princess were Supes and Wonder Woman. Dr. Spectrum filled in for Green Lantern, Whizzer (WHIZZER!) for the Flash and Nighthawk for Batman. They eventually expanded to include analogues for Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, and even Firestorm among others. The problem was they always went up against the Avengers, so they always had their asses handed to them.
A while back, they were given a 12-issue maxi-series that featured the team in their "own universe" where THEY were the champions. Interestingly, the plot turned on mind alteration, and the subsequent schism in the team after the technology is abused. Wonder where I've seen THAT before... Anyway, the series gave the team an identity all their own and catapulted them beyond mere foils for the Avengers.
Fast forward to just over a year ago. Marvel has this thing called the MAX line. Darker stories, graphic themes, nudity and violence aimed at mature readers. The line mostly focused on lesser known or underselling characters, where the potential brand risk was lower. Naturally, the Squadron Supreme was a perfect fit. However, like the Ultimate universe, Marvel chose to reboot from scratch. Hyperion was raised by the U.S. military; Dr. Spectrum was a paramilitary killer; Power Princess an apparent alien succubus; Triton a mysterious sea creature; Whizzer (now, the Blur) an endorsement-hungry celebrity and Nighthawk a brooding quasi-sociopath recreated in the new ultradark Batman mold. And speaking of ultra-dark, both Whizzer and Nighthawk were now Black.
The series has taken a slow build. Over the course of 18 issues, the whole "team" has yet to gather. Hyperion and "Power Princess" appear to share origins... The Blur, Nighthawk and Hyperion have worked together a few times... and Hyperion has tussled with Dr. Spectrum with spectular results. The results have been undeniably satisfying. In fact, far more satisfying than Bendis' unremarkable take on the Avengers (The SENTRY???) OR the diminished Authority (one yearns for the days of Millar's pencils).
Which brings us back to the Nighthawk mini-series. His is the third character to be explored in this new continuity and the most compelling to date. This is mostly due to the fact that his character barely constituted 20 pages in the main series. Further, Spectrum and Hyperion mostly treaded old ground by filling in the blanks of previously examined story territory. Nighthawk also introduces a freaky "Joker" antagonist, Whiteface, the first completely new outright villain to date. Given the racial overtones of Nighthawk's motivations, this storyline is pure genius. Pick up the back issues NOW...
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