Erik Larsen's Supreme

Alan Moore wrote 24 issues of Supreme, but only 23 of them were published. For those of you scoring at home, that’s issues #41-56 from Image/Maximum Press/Awesome, and #1-6 of Supreme: The Return. Counting #1-6 as #57-62, that makes the issue released this week #63. (If you did the math and it didn’t come out quite right, it’s because #52 was divided in two, #52a and #52b.) #63 was the last script he completed, the penultimate in his planned 25-issue arc.

Issue #63 is drawn by Erik Larsen and is perfectly easy to follow if you haven’t read the previous 23 leading up to it. This I can confidently say because I remember few of the details from those issues. I do remember it got off to a strong start, and my favorite story was the two-part pseudo-GIANT issue #52a-b. The only issue in this run I have read more than once is issue #6 of the re-numbered series, a most excellent Jack Kirby tribute issue.

Alan Moore is no longer available to write #64, what would have been his twenty-fifth issue and the conclusion to his epic (and no one knows what he had in mind), so the plan is for Larsen to plot an ending which will return the character to its roots, a supremely powerful being without the moral restraint of Superman. I’m not quite certain what to expect from that, but it should be… interesting to say the least.

With Alan Moore (or his opinions, anyway) being so much in the news due to the forthcoming Watchmen prequels, my interest in his work is piqued enough that I may re-read his entire run on Supreme before #64 ships.

You need to be a member of Captain Comics to add comments!

Join Captain Comics

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • THIS JUST IN: Alan Moore announces that anyone who reads an Erik Larsen-penned Supreme #64 should "just burn my books and then get off the planet."

  • The Baron announces that anyone who does not like ham should probably just not eat the stuff, then.

  • I thought I read an interview where Moore tipped his hand on the ending. Not that it matters anymore with Larsen taking back control of the franchise. Thinking about what I had read, I could see how this could be done from where Moore was heading.

    I did a writeup of Supreme on the old board and remember liking the first 12 issues a great deal, then the second arc less so. I wonder if my overall opinion of it would be different now after reading, of all things, All Star Superman. In a way, both are pastiches, but one got to use the real character.

    It still doesn't make me wasn't me read this new ending, though.
  • Worse, Moore will personally go to your house, tear up his books in front of you (and Neil Gaiman's too, just because!), clean out your fridge and call you things like a window-licking knee-biter until you cry! That'll learn ya!
     
    Doctor Hmmm? said:

    THIS JUST IN: Alan Moore announces that anyone who reads an Erik Larsen-penned Supreme #64 should "just burn my books and then get off the planet."

  • I thought the story was pretty fun. Still, I'm glad it was only one issue to wrap things up. I would be interested in seeing a Supreme omnibus of Moore's work, assuming the rights still belong to Rob Liefeld. My guess is that Liefeld would have Moore's blessing for this, as I believe they are still on good terms... Unless, that is, that Moore is so crazy that he is pissed at Liefeld for working for DC.

    But honestly, I would buy that right up.

  • Unless, that is, that Moore is so crazy that he is pissed at Liefeld for working for DC.

     

    Moore isn't crazy, but he is pissed.

     

    I'm sure the Supreme rights reside entirely with Liefield.  It was his project, and he got the chance to employ Alan Moore on it, which he jumped at.  From how completely Moore discarded what Liefield had been doing with the character, it's clear Moore was given total carte blanche, but I don't think he ended up with 'ownership' of those issues, and the right to say where and how they were published in future.  I'm only guessing here, but that's my feeling.  (Maybe I am wrong though.)

     

    My guess is that Liefeld would have Moore's blessing for this, as I believe they are still on good terms...

     

    I'd heard (from the horse's mouth in an interview) that Moore ended up with a poor opinion of Liefield, professionally, and Liefield's final opinion of Moore was 'if he's a magician, why didn't he foresee all the trouble with the Watchmen and do a different deal in the first place?'  lol.

     

    I'm sure that Moore wouldn't care who Liefield worked for, beyond being as baffled and amazed as the rest of us that Liefield was a centrepiece of DC's latest sales push.  Or second last push.  Moore himself is the centrepiece of DC's latest sales push, as it happens.

     

    If, however, Liefield worked on a property that Moore felt he had been diddled out of, then that would be something Moore would hold against him, obviously.

     

    A comparison between Supreme and All-Star Superman would be fascinating, I'm sure.

     

    I love Moore, but even I'm annoyed he couldn't find some way of getting the last issue of his 25 issue saga out there for the fans.  One measly issue.  And it's the last issue!  Creators must always be planning the last issue from the minute they write the first line of the first!

  • I feel the same way but even "Moore" strongly* about the 1963 Annual.

     

    *(I'm sorry.)

  • He also left us hanging after only 3 books of the life of Halo Jones when he left 2000AD.

     

    The rascal.

  • I thought Moore stopped writing Supreme because Awesome stopped paying him.
  • I suppose he'd actually be crazy if he produced a final issue in those circumstances...
This reply was deleted.