Discuss Captain Briton's Articles
about the Captain Briton column
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original URL: mopkin.com/boards/messages.cfm?topic=21
Captain Briton
(April 12, 2001 - 04:24:13) – posted by Mopkin
(April 12, 2001 - 04:24:13) – posted by Mopkin
Feel free to discuss his articles here!
Any comments?
:)
mopkin
Any comments?
:)
mopkin
I love him
(April 16, 2001 - 02:07:23) – posted by IdeaMan
(April 16, 2001 - 02:07:23) – posted by IdeaMan
He is my hero
Help me...
(June 8, 2001 - 06:53:28) – posted by Mopkin
(June 8, 2001 - 06:53:28) – posted by Mopkin
I AM TIRED
Squadron Supreme
(June 12, 2001 - 11:11:08) – posted by Porthole
(June 12, 2001 - 11:11:08) – posted by Porthole
Its really neat to see someone else has read Squadron Supreme TPB and your article was right on the money. The character interaction was amazing and the way everyones relationships with each other were so different and unique (a la real life) was refreshing. Although the book was enjoyable, and like you, strongly recommend it for enyone who reads comics, I feel like •••••ing for no apparent reason.
At times, it felt as though some things were unplanned or not properly thought out before he scripted them. The most glaring example of this is when the whole team gets brainwashed by the bad dudes and Whizzer is the only one left. Then he goes and arms himself and heads back and viola! it was a clever ruse by the Squadron to infiltrate the camp of the bad guys! It seemed as though he put a lot of thought into the development of this sub-story to then end it in such an anticlimactic fashion. I also feel the as though the TPB ended too abruptly. Give us a little epilogue or an aftermath report or something! Come on Marc! All this notwithstanding, the book was amazing for its time. Go back and read an issue of FF or Avengers for some proof.
Good Writing Captain.
Oh BTW some thing along Squadrom Supremes lines as far as comics go: Marvels Limited Series, Kingdom Come (WOW!), Miracleman (Double WOW and prob some of the best stuff ever written in the medium), Rick Vietch's BratPack(not very mainstream and very weird but great nonetheless).
At times, it felt as though some things were unplanned or not properly thought out before he scripted them. The most glaring example of this is when the whole team gets brainwashed by the bad dudes and Whizzer is the only one left. Then he goes and arms himself and heads back and viola! it was a clever ruse by the Squadron to infiltrate the camp of the bad guys! It seemed as though he put a lot of thought into the development of this sub-story to then end it in such an anticlimactic fashion. I also feel the as though the TPB ended too abruptly. Give us a little epilogue or an aftermath report or something! Come on Marc! All this notwithstanding, the book was amazing for its time. Go back and read an issue of FF or Avengers for some proof.
Good Writing Captain.
Oh BTW some thing along Squadrom Supremes lines as far as comics go: Marvels Limited Series, Kingdom Come (WOW!), Miracleman (Double WOW and prob some of the best stuff ever written in the medium), Rick Vietch's BratPack(not very mainstream and very weird but great nonetheless).
Store
(June 18, 2001 - 05:33:32) – posted by Mopkin
(June 18, 2001 - 05:33:32) – posted by Mopkin
Spam checking and censorship has been removed!
:)
mopkin
:)
mopkin
Store
(June 18, 2001 - 08:22:50) – posted by SlipKid
(June 18, 2001 - 08:22:50) – posted by SlipKid
Hi Porthole.
I'm glad you liked the column.
I agree with you that at times the series seemed a little rushed and unplanned. I think this is due alot the unique way Mark Grunewald scripted and paced the series. If you notice, each of the twelve issues takes place in real time, which is to say they each take place just about one month after the last one. I had meant to comment upon this in my column, but I left it out.
Anyway, this style of pacing let Mark get across a large period of time in just 12 issues, but on the ohter hand it made impossible any type of story arc or adventure that, in a regularly paced comic, would spread over mulitple issues.
I think it kind of added something to the series, and I think Mark handled filling in what had happened over that unshown month very well.
I think the issue you pointed out probably suffered the most from being unable to carry out and lenghten the story.
One thing about the Whizzer part of that issue. I thought this was another instance of the Squadron slightly abusing their ruling powers, echoing Nighthawk's main objection in issue 12. The Whizzer took advantage of his being part of the Squadron to take the gun to use to his own purposes, making him a hypocrite in terms of going against the Squadron's policy against firearms. He also was unanswerable to, and the clerk taking care of the weapons couldn't do anything to stop him. The clerk even tried, kinda badly, but he did try, and the Whizzer pretty much ignored him. In the end, he was doing it for a better good (liberating his teamates), but it doesn't change that he abused his authority. Like I pointed out, the Squadron periodically abused their powers and went against their policies, usually for a greater good, but the implications are still troubling.
Also, I agree that issue 12 ended abruplty, but if you want an epilogue, you should really try to find the Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe graphic novel. It's out of print, but it would more than satisfy any desires you might have for a better conclusion to the series.
I myself don't have the Squadron TPB, actually, but I have the original twelve issues. I"m looking forward to getting the TPB one day, partly b/c I'm destroying the original copies I have. I'm also missing that brief interlude chapter into Capt. America.
And I liked Marvels and Kingdom Come very much. I've heard alot about Miracleman, but haven't read it yet. I want to, though. I've never heard of Bratpack.
And a recommendation for you, if you want another realistic superhero treatment:
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Another pinnacle in the comic book medium. Alan Moore wrote Miracleman, if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure you've heard of it and probably even read it if you've read those other books, but just thought I'd mention it just in case.
Thanks for reading!
Charles
I'm glad you liked the column.
I agree with you that at times the series seemed a little rushed and unplanned. I think this is due alot the unique way Mark Grunewald scripted and paced the series. If you notice, each of the twelve issues takes place in real time, which is to say they each take place just about one month after the last one. I had meant to comment upon this in my column, but I left it out.
Anyway, this style of pacing let Mark get across a large period of time in just 12 issues, but on the ohter hand it made impossible any type of story arc or adventure that, in a regularly paced comic, would spread over mulitple issues.
I think it kind of added something to the series, and I think Mark handled filling in what had happened over that unshown month very well.
I think the issue you pointed out probably suffered the most from being unable to carry out and lenghten the story.
One thing about the Whizzer part of that issue. I thought this was another instance of the Squadron slightly abusing their ruling powers, echoing Nighthawk's main objection in issue 12. The Whizzer took advantage of his being part of the Squadron to take the gun to use to his own purposes, making him a hypocrite in terms of going against the Squadron's policy against firearms. He also was unanswerable to, and the clerk taking care of the weapons couldn't do anything to stop him. The clerk even tried, kinda badly, but he did try, and the Whizzer pretty much ignored him. In the end, he was doing it for a better good (liberating his teamates), but it doesn't change that he abused his authority. Like I pointed out, the Squadron periodically abused their powers and went against their policies, usually for a greater good, but the implications are still troubling.
Also, I agree that issue 12 ended abruplty, but if you want an epilogue, you should really try to find the Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe graphic novel. It's out of print, but it would more than satisfy any desires you might have for a better conclusion to the series.
I myself don't have the Squadron TPB, actually, but I have the original twelve issues. I"m looking forward to getting the TPB one day, partly b/c I'm destroying the original copies I have. I'm also missing that brief interlude chapter into Capt. America.
And I liked Marvels and Kingdom Come very much. I've heard alot about Miracleman, but haven't read it yet. I want to, though. I've never heard of Bratpack.
And a recommendation for you, if you want another realistic superhero treatment:
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Another pinnacle in the comic book medium. Alan Moore wrote Miracleman, if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure you've heard of it and probably even read it if you've read those other books, but just thought I'd mention it just in case.
Thanks for reading!
Charles