Superman Returns and Supreme Power: Hyperion

[selenak]

While in London, I was able to catch up on JMS' Supreme Power, by reading the Hyperion miniseries, which makes an interesting compare, parallel and contrast to Superman Returns, which I watched last night. So I'll review both, and hope it won't be confusing to readers who are unfamiliar with one of them.

Comments

[londonkds]

A few things:

Another really good meditation on Superman, though it isn't really a superhero story, is Rick Veitch's graphic novel The Maximortal. That one brings in a lot of references to the actual events surrounding the Superman character in the real world, such as Siegel and Shuster's treatment by DC and the suicide of George Reeves. It also has some really horrible superpowered-toddler stuff.

In case you don't know, Supreme Power is a sort of Ultimate version of a 1970s Marvel comic series called Squadron Supreme, which is currently available in TPB and was probably the first of the now-familiar "hubristic superheroes take over the world" stories in superhero comics (I still think the best is Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son). And the characters were analogies to DC superheroes in the original, because they were originally introduced into a Marvel comic as a joke, in a story in which a bunch of ridiculous arsehole superheroes turn up from a parallel universe, and of course bear a suspicious similarity to DCs Justice League

[selenak]

I did know it's a new version of an old Marvel series, though no details.

which is currently available in TPB and was probably the first of the now-familiar "hubristic superheroes take over the world" stories in superhero comics (I still think the best is Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son

*ponders* Is Watchmen a version of the theme? Not that Ozymandias takes over the world, but, well, what he does...

Will check out Red Son.

[londonkds]

Watchmen is sort of vaguely linked to the stories I'm thinking about, which deal more with open "benevolent" super-dictatorship.

Red Son is fantastic. It's an AU in which Superman lands in the USSR instead of Kansas, and it does some really cool things with the origins of other DC superheroes if you're aware on them - the version of Batman, for instance, is a wonderful comment on the standard version. It's also Millar being forced to write at a "PG" rating, which I think is great as he's so much better when he can't just rely on his usual "look at how adult I am" graphic sex and drugs and rape schtick.

[selenak]

It's also Millar being forced to write at a "PG" rating, which I think is great as he's so much better when he can't just rely on his usual "look at how adult I am" graphic sex and drugs and rape schtick.

This reminds me: I recently read Garth Ennis' Fury and was put off by just this (and the horrible sexism). Your take on Ennis?

[londonkds]

The only Ennis I've read is Preacher and some of his Hellblazer run. It is extremely violent and at times sexist, but it's much more thoughtful and deeply characterised by Millar's work. I wouldn't describe that Ennis as "horribly sexist", as both include some very sympathetic and powerful female characters (sometimes in an ass-kicking way, but sometimes in a far more emotionally strong way). The real attitudinal problem I have with Ennis is his attitude to homosexuality, as he's one of those annoying people who think that you show your comfort with gayness by putting in loads of lowest-common-denominator anal sex jokes while showing the gay characters beating the crap out of cartoon homophobes.

[londonkds]

NB: I would also say that Preacher includes an extremely emotionally disfunctional (and abusive) relationship that is highly similar to Spike/Buffy, but handles it in a way that is, IMO, far less sexist and demeaning to women.

[selenak]

Oh, I had read some of his Hellblazer run as well - Dangerous Habits, for example - which is why Fury (miniseries about Nick Fury, collected in one volume surprised me. Because while I'm aware one must always differ between the attitudes of the characters and the author - well, aside from all the anal sex jokes (yes, there, too), there is the following plot element:

1) Villain, arch-nemesis of Fury, builds up third world country dictator. Said dictator has two daughters who are depicted as brainless bimbos he has sex with.

2) Once the dictator clues in that it's actually the villain who is pulling the strings, he tries to get rid of him. The villain consequently points out he has the daughters under lock and key, so the dictator must do as he says.

3) Once Fury & team have arrived , they find out about this and proceed to liberate the daughters. Who spend their time offering everyone - the soldiers guarding them, the team members liberating them - to have sex. Even when there is gunfire.

Sorry, but I was repelled.

[londonkds]

Yuk. I think Ennis si regressing, as the works I've previously talked about aren't anywhere near that, and the sexist moments are balanced by good female characterisation.