Your eyes do not deceive you, Fortress Fans. That is indeed a Rob Liefeld cover sitting atop this very post.
Supreme, however, holds a special place in the Keeper’s heart.
Back when Superman looked like Fabio and battled lame retcons of Brainiac, the Pearl Paladin championed the Silver-Age values we hold so dear.
Supreme was originally conceived by Liefeld as the kewl version of the Man of Steel, a megalomaniac with a love for dismemberment. (Hey, it’s the ’90s Black Adam!)
Alan Moore, however, took the helm with the 41st issue and transformed the character into a celebration/examination of Superman and comic books themselves. Supreme’s adventures weren’t meant to be taken seriously, yet also possessed a sense of wonder sorely lacking from the industry at that time (and now).
Moore even admitted the series was somewhat of an apology for such dark works as Watchmen and The Killing Joke. After tearing down the superhero mythos, he was reconstructing the genre in a way that both acknowledged and relished the ridiculousness of the spandex set.
The initial arc showcased an amnesiac Supreme reclaiming his Silver Age heritage, a quest further illustrated by expert remixes (for lack of a better term) of classic Weisinger-era stories with art by Rick Veitch.
The 46th issue was a particular favorite, as it introduced Moore’s version of Supergirl and had a little fun with the evil twin cliche to boot!
In the main plot, Supreme raced to rescue his sister - the somewhat prissy Suprema - from the clutches of Gorrl The Living Galaxy. *
While traveling through the cosmos at the speed of light, he recalled a past adventure involving the Girl of Our Dreams’ arch-enemy - the Hussy From Heck known as Satana.
(In a nice touch, Veitch’s pencils were inked by classic Supergirl artist Jim Mooney.)
The flashback begins with Suprema answering a call for help from the Netherworld itself. A small girl claims she is being tormented by monsters, a burden the Mighty Maiden graciously offers to shoulder.
Tragically, the whole set-up was arranged by Satana to imprison her enemy in Hades for eternity. Meanwhile, the demoness steals the heroine’s identity to wreak havoc on the mortal world.
OK, so maybe havoc in Suprema’s reality isn’t quite the same as on our world, but it infuriates the heroine nonetheless. She calls upon the seven-headed Lord of Hades (one head for each deadly sin) to help her out, a wish the demon surprisingly grants.
Faster than you can say “Supremium,” an evil-twin catfight has broken out - complete with “Slaps Supreme” and hilarious blow-by-blow commentary from Lord Sin.
As the battle rages, Suprema manages to prove she is the real deal by rescuing the cat Satana had sent into orbit a few pages back …
After restoring her good name, all that’s left to do is scold her alter-ego’s boyfriend and give the reader the Superman Family Winkâ˘.
And there you have it, a completely ludicrous and absolutely delightful story just the way Mort liked ‘em.
The series has been collected in trade form, and is highly recommended.
For further readings on Silver-Age super-heroines and evil twins, we suggest this story from Action Comics #321 (a possible influence on the Suprema adventure):
Remember, knowing is half the battle!
* Keeper’s Note: He manages to bring Suprema back to Earth, and finds Radar The Dog Supreme to boot!
