Comics Comment

The Squadron Sinister and Squadron Supreme – who’s who?

 

The Avengers, like many of Marvel’s Silver Age titles, had its ups and downs. Some of the stories were truly classic, others passable, and some terrible. This sentiment is reflected in the back issue market as collectors tend to gravitate to the aforementioned classics, as they are widely regarded as “key” issues.

Obvious choices are #1 (for those that can afford it), #4 (1^st appearance of Captain America in the Silver Age), #16 (the first change to the roster), #57 (1^st Vision) and #93 (a 48-page epic that courtesy of Neal Adams was the best chapter in the Kree-Skrull War). Other notable choices for a savvy collector might be #2, #28 and #59: the first appearances of three of Henry Pym’s super-hero identities - Giant-Man, Goliath and Yellowjacket respectively. Even the issues featuring the appearance of a new member (however brief their stay), such as #19 (Swordsman), #38 (Hercules) and #52 (Black Panther) are fair game.

Despite these picks, there are three issues which have attracted little attention. Which three? Avengers #69-71, from October-December 1969.  What’s so special about these issues? Read on.

These issues formed a trilogy detailing a cosmic chess game between established Avengers foe Kang the Conqueror and newcomer The Grandmaster (an Elder of the Universe no less).  Most of the first issue is devoted to setting the stage. Kang’s robot minion The Growing Man draws the Avengers into the future, where Kang explains he has chosen the Avengers to battle the Grandmaster’s opposing team in a contest with high stakes. If the Avengers win, the Grandmaster will restore Kang’s dead love to life; if they lose, the Grandmaster obliterates all existence (the Elder’s power levels were obviously beefed up for the purposes of this story). With Earth at stake, the Avengers reluctantly agree to act as Kang’s champions (or pawns). This is the most significant moment of the issue, as on the last page the Grandmaster reveals his champions: Hyperion, Doctor Spectrum, Whizzer and Nighthawk - the Squadron Sinister!

Writer Roy Thomas admitted the quartet were a pastiche of the four most popular members of the Justice League of America, being Superman, Green Lantern, the Flash and of course Batman, respectively. The second issue is all-out action as Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and Goliath battle and defeat their evil counterparts, with the Goliath/Whizzer battle featuring a surprise appearance by the Black Knight. 

The last issue provides three other Avengers - the Black Panther, Vision and Yellowjacket - with some much-needed action as they meet and battle Golden Age super-team the Invaders. The Avengers are eventually triumphant with both the Grandmaster and Kang foiled, and in celebration the Black Knight is welcomed as an Avenger.

So, to recap, this trilogy features the first appearance of the Grandmaster, the super villain team the Squadron Sinister and World War II heroes the Invaders, who would later feature in their own title (beginning with Giant-Size Invaders #1, June 1975). And if this wasn’t enough, the Black Knight joins the team.

Then, to add to the fun (and confusion) we have Avengers #85 (February 1971). This issue is in fact the first of a two-part storyline that has four Avengers (Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Vision) accidentally travelling to an alternate dimension and meeting…the Squadron Supreme! 

The aforementioned confusion is due to the fact that the four main members of the Squadron Supreme have exactly the same names and appearance as the four members of the Squadron Sinister. The only real difference is that the appropriately named Sinister versions are villainous, whilst the Supreme versions are heroic. This apparently puzzled both readers and creative teams alike, as the cover of both Avengers #85 and the later #141 (November 1975, the Squadron’s Supreme’s next appearance) touted the appearance of the Squadron Sinister, who never actually appeared!

On a side note, it wasn’t until the excellent 12-part limited series Squadron Supreme (September 1985 – August 1986) was published that readers received an explanation. Writer Mark Gruenwald revealed that the similarities were due to the machinations of the Grandmaster, who in trying to locate four champions to battle the Avengers observed the Squadron Supreme, and decided to create an evil version based on said team. So, whilst the Squadron Sinister appeared in Marvel continuity first, the Squadron Supreme existed prior to their Sinister counterparts.

The history aside, this all makes #85 collectible, as it features the first appearance of the Squadron Supreme and has a cover error to boot. However, like #69-71, it has received very little attention. Per the 2017 GPA for Comics data, Avengers #69 in 9.6 sold for $825, #70 for $227 and #71 for $567. Issue #85 does no better, as a 9.6 attracted a mere $387. So, why the lack of interest? These are clearly key issues and of importance. They are certainly more deserving of the term “notable” than many other issues from the first century of Avenger stories.

Given the fact that the Squadron Supreme have now appeared in the Avengers Assemble cartoon, and that actor Jeff Goldblum will play the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok, all things are possible. Prices won’t skyrocket the way they have for Fantastic Four #52 (the first appearance of the Black Panther), but it would be nice to see future Marvel films gently nudge readers towards some appreciation of these neglected issues.

 

Further reading:

 

Squadron Sinister

·         Iron Man #63 – 66 (Oct. 1973 - Feb. 1974)

·         Defenders #13 – 14 (May-July 1974)

·         Giant-Size Defenders #4 (1974)

·         Avengers Annual #8 (1978)

·         Thor #280 (Feb. 1979)

·         Marvel Two-In-One #67 (Jan. 1980)

·         Amazing Spider-Man #222 (Nov. 1981)

·         New Thunderbolts #15 - 16 (Jan. - Feb. 2006) & Thunderbolts #102 - 108 (July 2006 - Jan. 2007)

·         Squadron Sinister #1-3 (Aug. – Nov 2015) + #4 (Jan. 2016)*

*  Alternate version of team

 

 

Squadron Supreme

·         Avengers #85 – 86 (Feb. – March 1971)

·         Avengers #141 – 144 (Nov. 1975 – Feb. 1976)

·         Avengers #147 – 149 (May – July 1976)

·         Thor #280 (Feb. 1979)

·         Defenders #112 – 114 (Oct. – Dec. 1982)

·         Squadron Supreme #1 – 12 (Sept 1985 – Aug. 1986)

·         Captain America #314 (Feb. 1986)

·         Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (1989)

·         Quasar #13–16 (Aug–Nov 1990)

·         Quasar #19 (Feb. 1991)

·         Quasar #25 (Aug. 1991)

·         Avengers #5–6 (June – July 1998) + Avengers/Squadron Supreme Annual '98

·         Squadron Supreme: New World Order (1998)

·         Exiles vol. 2, #77–78 (April – May 2006)

·         Avengers #0 (vol. 6, Dec. 2015)

·         Squadron Supreme #1 – 15 (vol. 4, Feb. 2016 – ongoing)*

*  Alternate version of team

 

Squadron Supreme (MAX version)

Note:

In January 2003, Marvel launched the title Supreme Power under its now defunct mature-age MAX banner. The title featured an alternate universe of the team Squadron Supreme. Several spin-off limited series followed.

·         Supreme Power #1 - 18 (Jan. 2003 - Oct. 2005)

·         Supreme Power: Doctor Spectrum #1 – 6 (Aug. 2004 – March 2005).

·         Supreme Power: Nighthawk #1 – 6 (Sept. 2005 – Feb. 2006)

·         Supreme Power: Hyperion #1 - 5 (Nov. 2005 – March 2006)

·         Squadron Supreme vol. 2, #1 - 7 (May - Nov. 2006)

·         Ultimate Power #1 - 3 (Dec. 2006 - Feb. 2007); #4 - 5 (June - July 2007); #6 - 7 (Sep. - Oct. 2007); #8 (Dec. 2007)  &  #9 (Feb. 2008)

·         Squadron Supreme: Hyperion vs. Nighthawk #1 - 4 (March - June 2007)

·         Squadron Supreme vol. 3, #1 – 12 (Sep. 2008 – July 2009)

·         New Avengers vol. 3, #24 (Nov. 2014)