Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe

Marvel Graphic Novel #55

by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Ryan (Penciler), Al Williamson (Inker)

In the tragic aftermath of the super-hero war (see Squadron Supreme (1985 1st Series) #1-12) the team attempts to pick up the pieces and move on. New relationships have developed and a powerful new threat looms on the horizon. An unbelievable menace from beyond the stars will destroy the Earth in twelve hours and the only thing standing in its way is the Squadron Supreme!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

Gruenwald got his start in comics fandom, publishing his own fanzine, Omniverse, which explored the concept of continuity. Before being hired by Marvel, he wrote text articles for DC Comics official fanzine, The Amazing World of DC Comics. Articles by Gruenwald include "The Martian Chronicles" (a history of the Martian Manhunter) in issue #13 and several articles on the history of the Justice League in issue #14.

In 1978 he was hired by Marvel Comics, where he remained for the rest of his career. Hired initially as an assistant editor in January 1978, Gruenwald was promoted to full editorship by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter in 1982, putting Gruenwald in charge of The Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Spider Woman, and What If. During this period, he shared an office with writer/editor Denny O'Neil, whom Gruenwald considered a mentor.


In 1982, Gruenwald, Steven Grant, and Bill Mantlo co-wrote Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions, the first limited seriespublished by Marvel Comics. As a writer, Gruenwald is best known for creating the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and his ten-year stint as the writer of Captain America during which he contributed several notable characters such as Crossbones, Diamondback and U.S. Agent. He made a deliberate effort to create villains who would be specific to Captain America, as opposed to generic foes who could as easily have been introduced in another comic.

His 60-issue run on Quasar realized Gruenwald's ambition to write his own kind of superhero. However, he considered his magnum opus to be the mid-1980s 12-issue miniseries Squadron Supreme, which told the story of an alternate universe where a group of well-intended superheroes decide that they would be best suited to run the planet

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows up theSquadron Supreme miniseries with its own Crisis level threat. Seems appropriate given the Squadron is based on the Justice League anyway. An entity is growing into our universe and will engulf the sun in 12 hours. There's not many character moments although there are quite a few brutal deaths with heads exploding and people exploding into red mist. Very surprising for a Marvel comic from the 80's. The art is solid and the coloring is really good, especially for the time. It looks like they may have used colored pencils.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death of a Universe. After the scope and innovation of the Squadron Supreme series, this is somewhat of a disappointment. It's just a fairly normative (albeit well-written) superhero comic. It's great to see the Squad again, and it's great to follow-up on the miniseries just a week later. The artwork is also quite nice here, primarily (I think) due to the coloring. But the character moments are few and far between and there's nothing here that couldn't have happened in the Avengers (or the JLA). Oh, and the problem really is solved by a big (little) deus ex machina [6+/10].

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this so I could listen to an April Fool's episode of a favorite comics podcast (and yes, I know I'm behind). I've never read Gruenwald's original Squadron Supreme series, so I felt a bit lost with all the references. The story was interesting and Paul Ryan's art was solid, but it felt very talky at times. Maybe reading the earlier series will be me belated context and I guess it's good that I still would read it.

[Nicholas · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just isn't good. Bad story, bad dialogue, mediocre art, terrible cop out ending.

And that's taking it as a stand-alone comic.

As a sequel to one of *the* greatest limited comic book series ever, it was a tremendous, YUGE let down. The repercussions of the first limited series should have taken a second 12-issue limited series to deal with. Dismantling the program that the Squadron put in place the year before would have dramatic impact on every aspect of life in the U.S.

I honestly don't know why they even bothered with this.

[Blindzider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this in the Squadron Supreme Classic Omnibus

[Robert S.P.]

Impressive

It's the first time I've read this story and I found it fascinating. I was highly suggested for anybody a fan of alternate history and a very well written story.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

In una delle ristampe di questa Graphic Novel furono mischiate all'inchiostro nero le ceneri di Mark Gruenwald, morto prematuramente d'infarto a 44 anni.
La storia era il finale della sua miniserie di 12 Squadrone Supremo, nella quale, prima di Alan Moore, immaginò la vera influenza che potrebbero avere in un mondo reale gente dotata di super poteri, con tutti i dilemmi etici e morali connessi. Dopo la fine della miniserie, tocca loro affrontare quella che sembra essere la fine del mondo, e constatare come tutto il loro potere comunque non significhi nulla senza la speranza.

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is nice little follow up to the Squadron Supreme storyline, this amounts to little more than an epilogue. Not nearly as powerful or even as interesting as the original mini-series.