Squadron Supreme

Superteambox


imagesiz=
caption=Cover to the Squadron Supreme Trade Paperback, collecting the original 12 issues series (1985 - 1986). Art by Alex Ross.
team_name=Squadron Supreme
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Avengers" vol. 1, #85 - 86 (March-April 1971)
creators=Roy Thomas
base=Satellite Headquarters
Squadron City
members=Original Team:
Amphibian
Doctor Spectrum
Hyperion
Nighthawk
Nuke
Skrullian Skymaster
Whizzer
Later Additions:
Arcanna
Blue Eagle
Golden Archer
Lady Lark
Tom Thumb
memberlist=List of Squadron Supreme members
subcat=Marvel Comics
hero=y
villain=
sortkey=PAGENAME|The Squadron Supreme is a team of fictional characters and superheroes that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in "Avengers" vol. 1, #85-86. Several of the characters were heroic versions of a supervillain team called the Squadron Sinister, which had appeared previously in "Avengers" vol. 1, #69 -70. Both sets of characters were created by Roy Thomas (writer) and John Buscema (artist), and were based on characters owned by Marvel Comics' rival, DC Comics. ["Interview with Roy Thomas and Jerry Bails", "The Justice League Companion" (2003), pp. 72-73]

Within the
Marvel Universe, the Squadron Supreme came from a parallel Earth (designated Earth-712) to that of mainstream Marvel Comics continuity. These characters were later revised in the comic title "Supreme Power", set on yet another parallel Earth (designated Earth-31916). ["Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Worlds 2005"]

Fictional character biography

The Squadron Supreme are first encountered by four members of the team the Avengers (being Vision; Quicksilver; Scarlet Witch and Goliath) when the latter pass through the Earth-712 universe on their way home from a previous adventure. After a brief battle, the teams join forces to defeat a common foe named Brain-Child, after which the Avengers return to their home universe (designated Earth-616). ["Avengers" vol. 1, #85-86] The Squadron re-appeared sometime later when the Avengers crossed into Earth-712 to deal with the threat of the Serpent Crown. While the teams battle once again, it is later revealed that the Squadron Supreme have been mind-controlled by the Serpent Crown, which the Avengers drop into the ocean in the Earth-616 universe. ["Avengers" vol. 1, #141 - 144 and 147 - 149]

Several years later the superhero team the Defenders encounters the Squadron Supreme in the Earth-712 universe. The Squadron Supreme and most of their world are mentally enslaved by the composite entity the Overmind, but are eventually freed and aid the Defenders in defeating the Overmind. ["Defenders" vol. 1, #112 - 115 ] Unfortunately, the defeat of the Overmind leaves the planet in a post-apocalyptic state.

Miniseries

The Squadron Supreme then decide that they have the knowledge and power to recreate the world and create a Utopia. Nighthawk, however, resigns in protest, believing that the Squadron should serve and not rule. Over the course of a year, the Squadron implements a series of sweeping changes, including revealing their secret identities; instituting a program of behavior modification in prisons; enforcing a strict gun control policy, and developing medical technology to resurrect the dead. Despite some success in restoring stability to the United States, there are serious setbacks for the team.

The Golden Archer abuses the behavior modification technology by forcing a fellow member to love him, resulting in his removal from the team. Fellow member Amphibian resigns in protest over the misuse of the behavior modification technology while Nuke inadvertently kills his own parents (via radiation) and after a rampage dies battling Doctor Spectrum. Nighthawk attempts in vain to solicit the aid of the Avengers, and is eventually forced to confront his old teammates with a new team. A brutal battle ensues in which several members of both teams are killed, including Nighthawk. A horrified Hyperion ends the battle when he realizes that Nighthawk was in fact right. ["Squadron Supreme" #1 - 12 (September 1985 - August 1986) and Captain America vol. 1, #314 ] [The series was written by Mark Gruenwald, and after his sudden death in 1997, he was cremated and his ashes were blended with ink used to print the first collected edition of the series]

Soon after these events, the remnants of the Squadron Supreme reunite to battle the supervillain the Nth Man, a living space-warp who was banished from the Earth-616 universe. Although the Nth Man is eventually stopped, several members of the team are killed in the battle, with the remainder banished to the Earth-616 universe. ["Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe" (1989)]

Exile and return

The remnants of the Squadron, (Hyperion; Doctor Spectrum; Whizzer; ; Lady Lark (now known as Skylark); Moonglow; Haywire and Shape), have several encounters with the cosmic hero Quasar [Quasar #13-17, 28-29, 50-56 ] and eventually come to reside at the Project Pegasus base under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Kappelhoff. Kappelhoff is later revealed to be the supervillain the Corruptor, who at the request of his own employer, mastermind Imus Champion, manipulates the Squadron into battling the Avengers once more. The two super teams, however, manage to unite and defeat both the Corruptor and Imus Champion. A device found in Champion's collection of technology is also able to return the Squadron to its own universe. ["Avengers" vol. 3, #5 - 6 and "Avengers Annual" 1998]

The Squadron returns to the Earth-712 universe to discover that their world is now dominated by corporations that are using the Squadron's own Utopia technologies. ["Squadron Supreme: New World Order" (1998)] The Squadron manages to reinstate democracy, but later come into conflict with a new government when the superhero team the Exiles, traveling from the Earth-616 universe, reveal that the government had rigged the election with a worldwide vote fraud. The Squadron Supreme and the Exiles depose the new government, and again attempt to allow society to progress without superhuman involvement. ["Exiles" #77 - 78]

Earth-31916 version

Bibliography

*"Avengers" vol. 1, #85-86 (March-April 1971, reprinted in "Supreme Power" Vol. 1, 2005 ISBN 0-7851-1369-X)
*"Avengers" vol. 1, #141-144 & 147-149 (November 1975-July 1976)
*"Defenders" vol. 1, #112-115 (October 1982-January 1983)
*"Squadron Supreme" (tpb, 352 pages, 2005 ISBN 0-7851-0576-X) collects:
**"Squadron Supreme" #1-12 (limited series, September (1985-1986)
**"Captain America" vol. 1, #314 (February (1986)
*"Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe" (tpb, 240 pages, 2006 ISBN 0-7851-2091-2) collects:
**"Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe" (graphic novel, hardcover, 1989 ISBN 0-87135-598-1)
**"Thor" vol. 1, #280 (1989)
**"Avengers" vol. 3, #5-6 (June 1998)
**"Avengers/Squadron Supreme Annual" (98)
**"Squadron Supreme: New World Order" (September 1998)
*"Exiles" #77-78 + 81 (2006)

References

External links

* [http://www.bright.net/~jackbohn/sq_suprm Unofficial SQUADRON SUPREME Page!]
* [http://www.geocities.com/marvel80s/files/squadron_supreme_1985.html Squadron Supreme September 1985 - August 1986]
* [http://members.tripod.com/kueijin_1/squadron.html The Unofficial Handbook of the Squadron Supreme’s Universe]
* [http://ynot.motime.com/post/390329 TKO'D By the Decision: Irresolution and Dependence in Squadron Supreme]