Utopia Now! Squadron Supreme Appreciation

[Michael Watkins]

My guess is that "Hyperion" takes place between the team getting back from Weirdworld and the current "Civil War" cross-over. (Next week's issue should clarify this a bit more.)

But we saw Thundra spying on the Squadron before dragging them into Weird World. Maybe I’m overthinking it. But wouldn’t that place the Hyperion solo during the Squadron run?

The series cannot take place over the course of more than a week or so, which leaves time for Hyperion to be back in place for current issues of "Squadron Supreme". I have no theory about "Nighthawk".

Current Nighthawk book doesn’t seem to even reference the Squadron. He’s shown almost exclusively with Nightshade or in his role as a businessman.

I tend to think that "Squadron Supreme" was derailed closer to the beginning, likely with changes made towards the end of "Secret Wars". But, this is just a guess.

Could be

Given the complete lack of reference to "Squadron Sinister" or "Secret Wars", even in places it would be expected, I would just assume that we are supposed to ignore "Squadron Sinister".

That seems to be the consensus. I’m not sure how they avoid it when they were, specifically, using Warrior Woman as the semi-primary adversary of the team. They showed her with the braids and everything. I wish that I had paid closer attention to the end of Secret Wars.

Some kind of flashback series that dealt with Hyperion's native timeline would have potential though. "the Father" (Burbank?) had clearly set up some kind of utilitarian regime ("all things for the good of the whole") that Hyperion was troubled buy.

I hadn’t considered Burbank for the father’s identity. That could be interesting. I wonder how dependent his “utilitarian regime” was on Hyperion’s existence.

(Note the flashbacks in the early Hickman run. Hyperion is not entirely comfortable with whatever is going to happen with that kid he saved.) With the right creative team, this could be an excellent mini.

It was a very cryptic flashback. Hickman’s writing tends to be kind of high-concept in general.

Maybe Ewing or Hickman left notes on this at the Marvel offices? (Is there any way to contact Marvel and ask them about this?)

you could always try to ask Hickman, directly. I think he has a twitter account.

I would argue the opposite. The more formidable Avengers teams make this series workable. Having a more powerful team confront the Squadron allows them to be a threat and still fail without looking like jokes (a problem in the Bronze Age when they were primarily a "DC am teh stupit" joke).

That’s just it. I don’t care so much about them having run-ins with the Avengers. I think they are getting lost in the shuffle with a powerful team like the Ultimates handling planetary threats and all of the teams being more proactive, in general. The Squadron were supposed to have taken a look at marvel earth, found areas that the mainstream heroes were ignoring, and taking action against them. They were going to be the guys collectively powerful and brutal enough to do it. But now you have the Avengers proactively pursuing their enemies. And Dacosta’s A.I.M Avengers are, arguably, just as controversial.

[CentralPower]

But we saw Thundra spying on the Squadron before dragging them into Weird World. Maybe I’m overthinking it. But wouldn’t that place the Hyperion solo during the Squadron run?

Exactly. It would be sometime after issue 5 (when the team left Weirdworld) and before the current issues.

That seems to be the consensus. I’m not sure how they avoid it when they were, specifically, using Warrior Woman as the semi-primary adversary of the team. They showed her with the braids and everything. I wish that I had paid closer attention to the end of Secret Wars.

"Squadron Sinister" ended with Hyperion and Speed Demon dead. Spectrum was missing (and without his prism). Nighthawk was exiled to the wrong side of the wall. Zarda was in Doom's court.

"Secret Wars" ended with the destruction of Battleworld.

At this point, I would assume that the current team's members all found various ways off of their worlds before whatever disaster happened to destroy said worlds. If you want to be technical about it, the Supreme Power team died twice. (They were killed in "Squadron Sinister" and during Hickman's "New Avengers" run.) Just assume that the current series is ignoring some of what came before.

I hadn’t considered Burbank for the father’s identity. That could be interesting. I wonder how dependent his “utilitarian regime” was on Hyperion’s existence.

Father's beard made me think it was either Burbank, or maybe an intentional Karl Marx reference?

Either way, if "Squadron Supreme" is "the best DC comics that Marvel publishes", then this could be "best follow up to Master Men or Red Son that DC will never publish".

you could always try to ask Hickman, directly. I think he has a twitter account.

I do not have a Twitter. And, given that Hickman no longer works at Marvel, would talking to him make anything happen?

[Michael Watkins]

Exactly. It would be sometime after issue 5 (when the team left Weirdworld) and before the current issues.




"Squadron Sinister" ended with Hyperion and Speed Demon dead. Spectrum was missing (and without his prism). Nighthawk was exiled to the wrong side of the wall. Zarda was in Doom's court.

"Secret Wars" ended with the destruction of Battleworld.

At this point, I would assume that the current team's members all found various ways off of their worlds before whatever disaster happened to destroy said worlds. If you want to be technical about it, the Supreme Power team died twice. (They were killed in "Squadron Sinister" and during Hickman's "New Avengers" run.) Just assume that the current series is ignoring some of what came before.




Father's beard made me think it was either Burbank, or maybe an intentional Karl Marx reference?

Either way, if "Squadron Supreme" is "the best DC comics that Marvel publishes", then this could be "best follow up to Master Men or Red Son that DC will never publish".


I do not have a Twitter. And, given that Hickman no longer works at Marvel, would talking to him make anything happen?

you might find out if he ever intends to follow up on the story or, if not, maybe he'll share with you what he was going to do. I, informally, interviewed John Ostrander for similar information (back in the day). you could always track down Robinson and ask if he plans to follow up on any of Hickman's ideas, as well. you not having a twitter account might make that difficult. but I think that most books have an email address listed somewhere, in them; to direct reader mail.

[CentralPower]

I will probably check in to that. (The more I think about some kind of "Father's World" story, and the promise that idea has, the more I want to read it.)

[Michael Watkins]

preview for Thunderbolts #4 is up at comicvine...only posting it here because it seems to include a confrontation with the Squadron

http://comicvine.gamespot.com/articl...4/1100-155989/

[Michael Watkins]

warning: the Squadron are in full "we're the bad guys of this story" mode. I'm beginning to think that their only purpose is to get nerfed by "hero" teams.

[CentralPower]

[QUOTE=Michael Watkins;2261120]preview for Thunderbolts #4 is up at comicvine...only posting it here because it seems to include a confrontation with the Squadron

http://comicvine.gamespot.com/articl...4/1100-155989/

I am fine with them losing, so long as it is not something like that Thomas or Busiek garbage. ("We are the Squadron. We are derp derp derp lol DC sux.")

[Lucena Soares]

warning: the Squadron are in full "we're the bad guys of this story" mode. I'm beginning to think that their only purpose is to get nerfed by "hero" teams.

If it makes you feel better all the Thunderbolts have done till now is get into fights with less popular superheroes who all act very OOC and like balls of violent anger that those 90's kids must put back in their place.

[Michael Watkins]

If it makes you feel better all the Thunderbolts have done till now is get into fights with less popular superheroes who all act very OOC and like balls of violent anger that those 90's kids must put back in their place.

Yeah, I read the Inhumans guest appearance. I just hope that the story is good.

[kevlon]

I really hope Power Princess regains her powers and replaces thundra. I really don't like her.

[OBrianTallent]

I really hope Power Princess regains her powers and replaces thundra. I really don't like her.

I gave up on the series fairly early on, just didn't care for warrior woman replacing power princess. So she has shown back up in the series?

[Tofali]

I gave up on the series fairly early on, just didn't care for warrior woman replacing power princess. So she has shown back up in the series?

SS #10

[kevlon]

I gave up on the series fairly early on, just didn't care for warrior woman replacing power princess. So she has shown back up in the series?

Warrior Woman drained her life force and PP lost her powers in the process (forever as she's mentioned). Well this is marvel and nothing lasts forever, so I'm hoping for a fully powered, fully armoured, shield wielding PP sooner rather than later.

[Michael Watkins]

I really hope Power Princess regains her powers and replaces thundra. I really don't like her.

There's room for both. But I like Zarda better. Thundra is around as Hype's love interest.

[Michael Watkins]

Warrior Woman drained her life force and PP lost her powers in the process (forever as she's mentioned). Well this is marvel and nothing lasts forever, so I'm hoping for a fully powered, fully armoured, shield wielding PP sooner rather than later.

That would be cool. But she's actually formidable without her powers.