Alan Moore? Never heard of him.
Read on for my thoughts on the fabled final “Supreme” script by Alan Moore.
Written by Alan Moore
Illustrated by Erik Larsen and Cory HamscherThe legendary Supreme returns! ALAN MOORE’s final SUPREME tale is the ultimate jumping on point for new readers! The triumphant return of Image Comics’ most powerful hero! As Supreme romances Diana Dane he takes her on a tour of the Citadel Supreme and tells all of his innermost secrets just as Supreme’s most hated nemesis, Darius Dax, makes a most unfortunate discovery: the key to defeat his abhorred adversary! It’s most mind-blowing cliffhanger in the history of comics! Featuring a story by award winning author ALAN MOORE (WATCHMEN) and art by fan favorites ERIK LARSEN (SPIDER-MAN, SAVAGE DRAGON) & CORY HAMSCHER (X-MEN). You wish all comics were this good!
For those who missed Alan Moore’s run on “Supreme” in the 90’s – this reviewer included – Moore’s stay on the title was a sort of response to the public perception that Moore could only write dark, deconstructed takes on superheroes. This final issue certainly stands apart from any stereotyped view of Moore’s work; there may be some self-aware elements at the beginning of the story, but the issue as a whole is bright and whimsical, with the feel of a slightly more “grown up” Saturday morning cartoon. The story is completely ridiculous, but Moore doesn’t follow the standard practice of the superhero industry and take his over-the-top story incredibly seriously, choosing instead to present it as it is – no more, no less. “Supreme” doesn’t try to be anything more than an entertaining superhero comic, and it doesn’t need to. The bits of tongue-in-cheek irony are playful, rather than scathing, unlike many other series that have gone the same nostalgic route as “Supreme,” reinforcing the “it is what it is” feel of the book – Moore is giving his audience a few chuckles by respecting the Silver Age comics that came before him and loving them for what they were, not by deriding them. The only thing that could possibly be criticized is the comic book store scene, for how incredibly on-the-nose and unsubtle it is. Let’s be honest, though: this book doesn’t try to be subtle, and that’s one of the many things that makes it as fun as it is.
Personally, I have never read a comic illustrated by Erik Larsen. I have seen a few scattered pages – enough to recognize his pencils – but that isn’t enough to form a fully educated opinion on the man’s work. That, of course, hasn’t stopped me. In the past, when I heard Larsen’s name, I would instantly think of art that, while stylized, seemed incredibly flat and static. For lack of a better way to put it, they just looked like drawings. The art of “Supreme,” however, is different, and it may be due to finisher Cory Hamscher – just compare the cover to the interior. The comic still has that trademark Larsen style, but there is a depth to the cartooning that I haven’t seen before in my admitted under-exposure to Larsen’s work. Every page is very readable, due to Larsen’s layouts, and seems dynamic and alive, due to Hamscher’s finishes, while Steve Oliff’s bold colors are perfect for the almost nostalgic tone the book has. The style is still reminiscent of the 90’s Image house style, plus a touch of Mark Bagley, which may put off some people who still have nightmares involving ultra-rare holofoil editions, but that’s hardly a reason to avoid this comic. Larsen and Hamscher are a great team, and one that will hopefully keep working together even after their time on “Supreme” is done.
While Moore may not have intended for this issue to be a “jumping on point” – a term that sees much more use these days than ten years ago – this issue manages to function well as a place for new readers to start. Despite being the conclusion of Moore’s run, enough context is given through dialogue for the reader to understand each character and setting by the issue’s end. There are a few moments where the “Supreme” newcomer might be slightly confused regarding who is who, but if they read the book twice, everything should be completely clear – at least in the context of the story itself, if not the series as a whole. This is increasingly rare in comics; aside from the much-advertised jumping on points, the odds of a reader grabbing a random issue off the shelf and being able to get into it are almost astronomically slim, much less when the comic in question is the finale of a writer’s run.
There’s little that can be said about Alan Moore that hasn’t been said before. Everyone and their mother have read “Watchmen” and “V for Vendetta,” but if you have yet to delve deeper into the oeuvre of the most famous name in comics, his final issue of “Supreme” is as good enough a place to start as any. Me? I am going to try my best to find the out-of-print trade for “The Story of the Year” somewhere.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy it!
